Hallo all - right here goes - my bladder problems have more or less been sorted with a catheter unfortunately its the bowels that now give me grief. I know matters are not helped as I spend most of my time in bed but my diet is good and I drink loads of water. I thought the solution had been found when the District Nurse tried peristeen last year which worked well initially. Suppositories are not an option as I can’t access the commode by myself, I don’t tolerate laxatives very well but experience extreme pain from constipation so there must be a solution - any ideas to help please. Didn’t team GB curlers do well! Take care Essie x
Taking Laxido on a regular basis might be an option? Seems to be less drastic than a lot of laxatives. Question of trial and error
Mum swore by sprinkling wheat germ in her food, but I don’t know if it actually works.
There are laxatives and laxatives.
Traditional laxatives (e.g. senna) work on a sort of purge approach so can induce a lot of cramping. My understanding is that what is typical in MS folk is a loss of muscular effect, so those normal motions become less vigorous.
Something like Macrogol (e.g. Movicol) works best preemptively, a more normal flow keeping things moving by softening and bloating poo, to make it easier to move in a normal rhythm. However it can cause wind and bloating if taken to excess.
What can also happen is impaction. Poo can harden and be unwilling to move. You still get the urge to go but after straining, you end up passing this sort of runny liquid. It’s as if this liquid is getting past the stuck bit of poo. For these situations, try a stool softener containing docusate sodium, such as DulcoEase capsules. Yes, it softens the poo so you can pass it. Another poo softener is lactulose.
If you’ve tried all these things, suppositories can literally use a different approach! If you can shift it by putting in more from the top, try to undermine it from below. Beyond that, you’re looking at enemas, some which can be self- or home-administered. They definitely work - and quickly - but are most invasive and not for routine use.
Yes, I’ve had a life of managing my bowels. Time to shut up I think!
GCCK - seeing as you’re quite an expert in this field (a proud moment I’m sure), is it normal to go from being ok to constipated to ok again? I seem to switch between being fine, then I have a few weeks of difficulties, then back to ok again.
My diet is pretty healthy. I try to drink plenty and I put 1 tbl spoon flaxseed on my cereal every morning.
I have Movicol and Fibrogel in my cupboard, but try to stick to more natural answers where I can.
Thanks in advance
Jx