Hi, prior to last June the normal for me was only three. I used to think I ate to much fiber and drank to much water. Fiber kills me now. I just find it so hard to accept that a persons bowels just stop passing stool. I had a colonoscopy, sitz marker study which I failed completely, not passing one marker. Then had MR Defography. That was local in my state of NH. I tried linzess, Motegrity and Trulance then a combo of two. They even tried Metformin a type two diabetes drug for its side effect. Many folks suffer diarrhea from it. Nothing jump started my bowels. At that point I went to a different Gastro doc in Boston. He tested me for SIBO, it was negative. I then had an anal rectal menomatry test, a nuclear medicine test to be sure my stomach emptied correctly then a specific ( can’t remember) barium swallow to see if from esophagus to small bowel was working. I came back with severe motility and some rectal push issues that PT has been helping. I’m the same with laxatives. Miralax has PEG in it which causes me severe Gastro issues and all the others make me sick as well . The surgeon says I can stay this way if I choose hoping laxatives never stop working, maybe my bowels will start on their own or get the surgery. I’m so tired of having no life. Retirement was to be traveling, spending more time with family and friends but my life has been here at home. Covid doesn’t help but I still would have ventured outside. I’m sure I’ll will have the surgery scheduled September 29th. I will pray this will change my life. I don’t recovery fast from surgery. Anesthesia really wipes me out for days. I have trouble with eating and allergies to so many drugs. I’m a challenge for every surgeon from antibiotics to anti nausea meds and pain control. I’m hoping to get involved in a group or someone might come on this site and tell me at least what the first week is like after surgery. It is still a while before it’s here so I eat very little and continuity laxatives. I’d like to gain a few pounds before surgery as I’ve lost a bit. Hope I don’t change my mind. Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers and sending me some info. It helps more than you know…Joanne