Since September last year, I have been having dreadful trouble with my bowels. I have a constant nagging pain in my lower left abdomen, which at times can be unbearable; I’m constantly bloated; often I eat and then swell before my eyes like a balloon; I have no real appetite yet I feel fatter.
I’ve had x-rays that show constipation throughout my colon; I’ve had a sigmoidoscopy that showed nothing sinister. I eat all the right things, I’ve taken linseeds for years, probiotic yoghurt, rye bread, fruit. Nothing gynae is going on as I’ve had a lapasocopy (adhesions were seperated and zapped).
I’m at my wits end. I feel fat, ugly, sluggish, despressed. All the gastroenterologist can say is “your MS is affecting your bowel motility”, with a bit of IBS thrown in. I take mebeverine to help but it obviously doesn’t.
Does anyone have the same thing? Any new ideas I can try? I don’t know where to turn.
Hi Sarah. I have exactly the same problem with my bowels, they just don’t work!!! However, I use a product called Oxypowder. It’s in capsule form and it’s a stool softener and colon cleanser. You can get it from www.thefinchleyclinic.co.uk. I swear by it and take at least 4 capsules almost daily, give or take the odd couple of days. It’s a totally natural product (basically powdered oxygen) so it’s completely safe, and it’s much better than using laxatives as laxatives can give you stomach ache and are not very pleasant. Oxypowder was recommended to me by my colonic therapist who described me as ‘chronically constipated’. Nice. However, I’m not constipated no more! That’s my recommendation, good luck to you. Lisa x
I get constipated a lot but take codeine. Movicol works for me, I get it on prescription. I have to be careful though because on occasions I have faecal incontinence.
It could be diet related, you could ask your gp for a referral to a dietician for advice.
Also Sarah, have you thought about asking your gp to check if you are gluten intolerant. My daughter is. She is a tiny size 8 but swells up and looks about six months pregnant if she mistakenly eats anything with gluten in. It could be worth checking if only to rule it out.
Hi Same thing here as well. I was diagnosed with IBS last year. The bloating is so uncomfortable some days. Trousers that fit in the morning are digging in by 5 pm. I take peppermint capsules as well and find lying on my front in a hot bath helpful. It can be rotten though. X
Hi I get the same, I have had all tests and luckily nothing too sinister, they now put it down to ibs and endometriosis. Some foods really effect me, I cannot eat bran and have to be so careful I am hoping to see dietician Good luck
Thank you everyone for your help. Not sure about the “oxypowder” - having looked at the label online, it’s nothing more than magnesium, which can work as a natural laxative. I already take magnesium as a supplement.
I will look further into IBS and speak with my neuro when I next see him.