TMI----Constipation issues! I need help!

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  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
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    flaminica wrote: »
    Are you taking any kind of codeine-based medication? Constipation is a common side effect. Yes, take a stool softener as well as a laxative -- you don't want bleeding hemorrhoids. Prunes are old-fashioned but surprisingly effective.

    Double yes -- see a doctor. If chronic or untreated, this can lead to diverticulitis. If codeine is the culprit, discuss other options or medications.

    You don't want this problem. I'm one of the resident diverticulitis people here, and I lost part of my colon because of it. My GI still isn't sure how or why it happened to me, but I'm going to put all my chips on "I ate like crap in my late teens and early 20's and crapped bricks, or didn't crap for days on end"... I'd not be shocked to know that straining my bowels back then led me to where I am now. I'm on a medically required high fiber diet now, and discovered post-op that 45-50g of fiber per day was where my body functioned the best. Cheerios are my friend.
  • cmtigger
    cmtigger Posts: 1,450 Member
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    Please go see another doctor. ASAP. A friend of mine nearly died after a blockage caused a hole in her intestines. Your body doesn't do well if there is poop where it shouldn't be.

    Stress how long it has been and show them the log of what you have been eating, as well as what mess you have tried.
  • Stacescotty
    Stacescotty Posts: 29 Member
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    The first 2 things they would do for you at the hospital (after the meds you've already tried) 1: glycerine suppository, 2: enema. Both of these things can be bought cheaply at your local drugstore. Another less pleasant treatment (if those don't get anything moving) is removing the blockage manually (better to try doing it yourself first before a nurse has to). Use lube, wear gloves.
  • Bshmerlie
    Bshmerlie Posts: 1,026 Member
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    I had an employee with a blocked colon....until it ruptured.

    Go see the doctor and insist on every test under the sun. Don't let them just send you away with a laxative.
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,138 Member
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    If it has been two weeks without a proper bowel movement, then I strongly suggest you seek medical assistance to rule out anything more serious. I wouldn't take any more laxatives or experiment with enemas on your own until you've been checked out. Find a Dr or clinic who will take you seriously.
  • jlturner386
    jlturner386 Posts: 65 Member
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    **UPDATE***

    So I went to my drs office urgent care because she was booked the rest of the week. They did a physical exam and xray. She said that I was completely full to the point that the top of my intestine attached to my stomach was bulging. She said it explained my pain, tenderness, and nausea. She said she didnt think there was a blockage, but would have a radiologist look at it today. Sent me home with instructions to take mag. Citrate last night and begin miralax today. I drank the dose on the bottle of mag. Citrate at 8:30pm....At 5am just had gas, which wasnt coming out. So I went online to see what other people who took mag. Citrate took, and they took the whole 10oz bottle. So at 5am i drank half of the bottle.....i just had the tiniest amout of diarrhea....like barely anything about 30 mins ago. I am soooooo frustrated. Im gonna drink the rest of the bottle now, and take Miralax at lunch.....
  • MorganMoreaux
    MorganMoreaux Posts: 691 Member
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    jlturner386 wrote: »
    **UPDATE***

    So I went to my drs office urgent care because she was booked the rest of the week. They did a physical exam and xray. She said that I was completely full to the point that the top of my intestine attached to my stomach was bulging. She said it explained my pain, tenderness, and nausea. She said she didnt think there was a blockage, but would have a radiologist look at it today. Sent me home with instructions to take mag. Citrate last night and begin miralax today. I drank the dose on the bottle of mag. Citrate at 8:30pm....At 5am just had gas, which wasnt coming out. So I went online to see what other people who took mag. Citrate took, and they took the whole 10oz bottle. So at 5am i drank half of the bottle.....i just had the tiniest amout of diarrhea....like barely anything about 30 mins ago. I am soooooo frustrated. Im gonna drink the rest of the bottle now, and take Miralax at lunch.....

    Glad to hear you went to the doctor! Please drink plenty of water while doing your treatments - Miralax will pull water into the colon to help get things moving so you want to make sure you have plenty of water in your system. I hope everything works for you and you start feeling better soon!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Magnesium citrate.
  • bella_roma
    bella_roma Posts: 8 Member
    edited October 2015
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    I have IBS-C with chronic constipation and will literally go over 2 weeks between BMs without aid. I've taken Miralax, which is just a stool softener, every day for over 2 years and it helps tremendously. Fiber makes it much worse for me, as it bulks me up, so I never take fiber aupplements.

    For immediate relief I would try a suppository like Dulcolax as it also has stimulants. It's kinda gross but typically works within 20 minutes or so.

    I know how uncomfortable it is. Best of luck!
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,931 Member
    edited October 2015
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    Try eating more fatty foods.
    Remember that too much fibre can back you up more. Stick to 25-30 grams, not more.

    EDIT: Sorry just saw your update. I don't think my suggestions will be enough.

  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
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    yikes, i dont think run of the mill suggestions will help. please keep seeing medical doctors till this is resolved.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    tomteboda wrote: »
    Someone suggested the gummy bears. I have heard that before. There's some major laxative in them.

    http://www.amazon.com/Haribo-Gummi-Candy-Gold-Bears-5-Pound/dp/B000EVOSE4/ref=sr_1_1?s=grocery&ie=UTF8&qid=1444787758&sr=1-1&keywords=haribo+gummy+bears

    Don't do this. The LAST thing you need is gastrointestinal distress.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    jlturner386 wrote: »
    **UPDATE***

    So I went to my drs office urgent care because she was booked the rest of the week. They did a physical exam and xray. She said that I was completely full to the point that the top of my intestine attached to my stomach was bulging. She said it explained my pain, tenderness, and nausea. She said she didnt think there was a blockage, but would have a radiologist look at it today. Sent me home with instructions to take mag. Citrate last night and begin miralax today. I drank the dose on the bottle of mag. Citrate at 8:30pm....At 5am just had gas, which wasnt coming out. So I went online to see what other people who took mag. Citrate took, and they took the whole 10oz bottle. So at 5am i drank half of the bottle.....i just had the tiniest amout of diarrhea....like barely anything about 30 mins ago. I am soooooo frustrated. Im gonna drink the rest of the bottle now, and take Miralax at lunch.....

    Glad you saw the doc. PLEASE lay off the whey protein and quest bars until you get this all sorted. They're like a cement plug for some of us.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
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    hcrabb78 wrote: »
    Have you tried a colon cleanse? I would recommend doing a search for it, but I tried it and it definitely cleaned the system out. Literally water and natural sea salt. Nothing to eat in the am. Only drink this (look online for measurements) and within 30-45 mins you will have to go. Once the "cleanse" is complete you can eat

    This is actually a salt water flush it will clear you out. Its 32 oz hot water and 2 tbsp sea salt drink to completion do not eat or drink anything except water after til you have cleared out bc if you eat it will not work. The salt flushes out of you and does not stay in the body.

    a colon cleanse is more like a bag enema. But you may not have experience with this and can google how to do that it is correctly done with 3 full bags for complete emptying. One bag should be distilled water only then one should be a coffee distilled water and third should be distilled water and sea salt with a couple probiotics dissolved in or a cup of yogurt (to replace the gut flora and keep your salt levels balanced.

    if you go to er they will give you a soapsuds enema anyway (trust me I have been through it many times)

    You cam try a fleet enema

    you may have a whey intolerance causing the issue so stop the whey and drink alot more water

    try miralax

    if you do not go with a enema go to er immediately

    drink a bottle of prune juice, eat stewed prunes in licorice tea

    eat a bag of panda all natural licorice candy

    eat a bag of sugar free gummy bears

    smooth move tea

    milk of magnesia or calm a liquid magnesium supplements

    glycerin suppository or liquid (Walmart in the fleet section)

    You can try psyllium or meta mucil but beware you must drink alot of water or can cause impaction

    eat a box of kashi chocolate chip 7 grain cookies (its like 1000 calories but it works within a day or so!)

    Remember you have to treat top and bottom (I was told this by dr.) So take a stool softener (dulcolax pink 2 caps works better than generic or senokot) you can try bisacodyl another laxitive or miralax or do a salt flush then do a enema or glycerin suppository. But the little enemas will not get out the whole colon (just so you know)

    I have ibs c so I have tried alot! I have been to the er for it too. Also do not strain on toilet or tryto push bc you can get hhemorrhoid s that way.
  • angelexperiment
    angelexperiment Posts: 1,917 Member
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    Oh and try yoga childs pose is helpful and as well massage your belly from under ribs down and across to other side while on back while doing the thing where you lift uor but offground but your shoulders are still on bed the gravity helps this way and massage deep it can help loosen up things. Then last resort is digital stimulation or other stimulation if you know what I mean will get things moving.
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,287 Member
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    I was constipated for 18 months while on zofran.....I took miralax every day the entire time to avoid having to do an enema, which you may want to look into, they're in the pharmacy section of about any store. if any of these things help you go, you will have to find some way to tweak your diet as you don't want this to be your new normal.
  • firststepformefal
    firststepformefal Posts: 180 Member
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    I also had this problem. I take medications that cause constipation. One bowel movement a week, if I was lucky. Then I started having a high fiber cereal in the morning for breakfast. I use Fibre One, All-bran flakes, Bran Buds and All-bran Original. I usually have between 10 and 14 cups of water a day. Problem is solved.
  • MondayJune22nd2015
    MondayJune22nd2015 Posts: 876 Member
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    Jennloella wrote: »
    I was constipated for 18 months while on zofran.....I took miralax every day the entire time to avoid having to do an enema, which you may want to look into, they're in the pharmacy section of about any store. if any of these things help you go, you will have to find some way to tweak your diet as you don't want this to be your new normal.

    While I don't "suffer" from constipation, it isn't unusual for me; not to defecate for nearly 3 weeks. I assume since I have CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) that my body doesn't have the energy to separate, what would normally be waste & therefore I mostly just absorb what I eat, which is why CICO; hardly works for me because it can be impossible to determine my CO. I use to take laxatives but even when my body did respond to them, it didn't within a predicable time frame (package information); therefore I was housebound because when I did eventually defecate, it was a sudden urge & I also had cramping some of the time.

    I eventually had an epiphany moment, as anyone whom has given a child a soapy bath; knows that they tend to then have to defecate about an hour after. Hence the whole caregiver complaining "ugh & I just gave you bath", as there wiping the child's soiled bottom because what we didn't realize is that while we did give them a bath, that bath was equivalent to also giving them an enema; so they were literally being cleaned from the inside as well as the outside. Therefore I take baths for a half hour everyday, I defecate nearly everyday & there's no cramping or sudden urge.

    However though since the OP is actually "suffering" from constipation & laxatives aren't working as they should be, an enema/bath possibly might not work either. I suspect that because she has an obvious blockage, that she probably isn't naturally producing enough bacteria, to break down; the waste.
  • Lil_lifter
    Lil_lifter Posts: 18 Member
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    Flax seeds are great. Put a tablespoon in your porridge in the morning. A lot of it will be psychological too, try doing some yoga / mindfulness meditation and putting it out of your head for a while. There are specific yoga exercises that target the digestive system.
  • Kimegatron
    Kimegatron Posts: 772 Member
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    Are you having horrible pain? This happened to me once when I was a kid. I had to leave school because the pain was so intense that I could barely move. I think I was like 8-10. I got taken to the hospital and they took x-rays to see that it was a huuuuuge back up. They had me take milk of magnesia a few times a day and (omg it still haunts me) enemas. I would do the MoM now, and wait to speak with your doctor about the booty flushes. I hope you're okay!

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