The "C" Word

Let’s talk about the C-word. No, not that one, I am talking about constipation. (If you are already blushing, don’t worry, you are not alone.) As a nurse, I have asked more people about their bowel movements than I can possibly count. It’s part of the job. We want to know the when, what, how, and sometimes even the why. “When was your last bowel movement?” might just be one of the most common questions in healthcare, and believe me, we are not just being nosy. Your gut health tells us a lot about how your body is doing. A good rule of thumb: what goes in must come out. Regularly.

But when the nurse becomes the patient, things hit a little differently, or in this case, don’t hit at all. When I got sick, I went five days without a bowel movement. Five Days. And before you say “TMI,” let me just tell you, it was an experience I won’t forget. The discomfort grew into pain, and the pain grew into a kind of all-consuming misery that made me rethink everything I knew about “minor side effects.” Suddenly, I had a whole new appreciation for my patients’ complaints. Constipation isn’t just uncomfortable, it’s downright brutal.

Now, here’s the nurse part of me stepping back in for a quick PSA: if you’re taking opioids like morphine, oxycodone, or anything in that family, you will likely deal with constipation. It’s not a maybe, it’s a when. Be proactive. Ask your doctor about stool softeners or laxatives before things get ugly. Don’t wait until day five like I did. If your body hasn’t done what it normally does, call your doctor. Our digestive system doesn’t just need food and water, it needs release. What stays in too long can become toxic, uncomfortable, and a reminder that the body can’t take care of itself unless we listen and respond.

There is actually a medical definition of constipation that says it’s “a condition in which there is difficulty in emptying the bowels, usually associated with hardened feces.” (As if that makes it sound any less dreadful.) I like to think of it as the body’s way of yelling, “Hey, captain! We’ve got a backup in the system!” And as the captain of our own ship, we have got to steer wisely. Listen to the signals, take the wheel, and for heaven’s sake, don’t underestimate the C-word. Because let me tell you, once you’ve been through it, you’ll never take a good bowel movement for granted again.

At the end of the day, our bodies are always talking to us, sometimes whispering, sometimes shouting, and it’s our job to listen. So, take care of your ship, tend to your engine, and never underestimate the power of keeping things moving… in every sense of the word.

xo

Gabby