Hi,
Sorry you are feeling so poorly. Four weeks is really very early on. Try not to be discouraged. Have you started taking any Immodium/Lomotil to cut frequency? Are you still on pain meds? There are tons of foods that help to slow you down. Did your surgeon give you a list when you went home? A few are: oatmeal, applesauce, pasta, certain cereals, bananas (for some). Try to stay away from raw vegetables and too much fruit. Fiber wafers, or Metamucil will also help you to bulk up your output. There is a section posted on this site about diet that you can check out as well.
As for the pain, I am currently in the same situation. The higher the frequency, the more painful it becomes. It is the worst at the end of the day. A combination of diet, Immodium (1/2 hour before meals and bed) and a few pain meds a day make a huge difference.
Your body is trying to adjust to the new plumbing, but with patience, time and trial and error in terms of diet, it will get better.
Hang in there. When in doubt, don't hesitate to call your gastro/surgeon.
Best,
Colleen
