What Nobody Tells You About Constipation After Joint Replacement

🌐 thesurgeonunmasked.com — full episode catalog organized by topic If you're about to have hip or knee replacement surgery — or you're recovering from one right now — there's a side effect almost nobody talks about before you sign the consent form: constipation. It's one of the most common and most miserable parts of recovery from joint replacement. I'm a knee replacement surgeon, and I had my own knee replaced in 2021. It was post-op day three before I was finally able to have a bowel movement — and I needed every suppository I walk through in this episode. This video covers what's actually happening to your gut after joint replacement, what's normal vs. what's not, and the protocol we hand our patients at Texas Orthopedics. In this episode: The five-factor "perfect storm" that causes constipation after surgery What's normal recovery and when to actually worry The full protocol we give patients — softeners, osmotic laxatives, stimulants, suppositories Why managing this BEFORE surgery beats reacting on day three Getting off opioids quickly: the single biggest lever you control Practical tips: water, walking, magnesium, position This is education, not medical advice. Your surgical team and your pharmacist know your history and your medications — they should be the ones guiding what's right for you. If your surgeon's protocol is different from mine, follow theirs. ABOUT THE SURGEON UNMASKED I'm Dr. Randall Schultz, board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon at Texas Orthopedics in Austin, TX. I specialize in computer-navigated knee replacement and direct anterior hip replacement. I'm also a joint replacement patient myself. 📺 Subscribe for honest, patient-first conversations about hip and knee replacement. #JointReplacement #KneeReplacement #HipReplacement #PostOpRecovery #ConstipationAfterSurgery #OrthopedicSurgery #PatientEducation