Hello @foxj,

I'm so glad that you joined this discussion group. I see that @linda82 has offered you some good ideas to deal with the feeling of tightness. I hope you find her suggestions helpful.

Regarding eating problems. I might suggest that you keep a written record of what you eat. Be especially careful to note in that record the type of fluids you consumer as well as stress and/or exercises that you do. As you keep this written record, you can then look at it to see how it affects your symptoms.

One thing I have found helpful is having soup on hand. Soup allows you to get protein as well as easy to digest fiber (vegetables). I can understand that you don't want to cook a lot. I have found a couple of restaurants in the area that have some great homemade soups. If I'm not feeling well, I'll order a quart of their soup and use that for my meals for a couple of days. You might consider this. Generally, a chicken-based soup with rice and veggies works well for me.

Also, keeping yogurt in your refrigerator is helpful. Greek yogurt is great for the digestive tract. It can be a great snack food, or you can add some easy to digest cooked or canned fruit. I personally avoid fresh fruits and veggies. They are tough to digest after surgery.

Finally, you might ask your doctor for a referral to a pelvic floor therapist. This is a therapist specially trained in bowel/bladder problems. I learned a lot of abdominal massage which helps with bloating and that "congested" feeling that often occurs with constipation following surgery.

I would enjoy hearing from you again. Will you post an update and let me know if any of these suggestions are helpful to you?