Constipation has been one of my worst symptoms and one I have had the longest.
Beofre getting my DX I had ungone many tests to find out what the problem was. They did an x-ray and found that I was fully compacted right up both sides of my abdomin with faeses (sp). When they could not find out what was causing this they sent me to a shrink (idiots).
Anyway I am still as bad as ever and have tried everything from changing my diet, all meds drinking more water but nothing works. At my worst I go once every 5 weeks. At my best it’s once a week. I was talking to my bowel/bladder nurse and she thinks that the only thing left is to use peristeen. Does anyone else have to do this? Would you recommend it.
I think if I was to get cleared out it would make me feel so much better as I am in so much pain at night and it’s bound to make the fatigue worse when I am so blocked up.
It is also frustrating as I joined slimming world 6 weeks ago and although I am doing well (lost 16.5lb) it is annoying knowing that it would help if you were passing your food quicker lol!
Hi Lindsay (our 2nd daughter`s name and the same spelling)
I thought I was in trouble when my longest gap between movements was 8 days. Only last Monday it took me 2.5 hours to pass a hard stool. I was worn out and in so much pain.
I cant beleive (but I do) that your doc isnt doing more for you re this awful problem.
My breakfast consists of;
all bran, 4 dried figs, a glass of prune juice and a movicol.
GP advised me to take 4 movicols a day. I always have a bottle of water with me and drink constantly throughout the day and night. This is due to the dry mouth and throat caused by my meds.
So I mixed 1 movicol with 500ml water and was drinking it all the time. After 3 bottles, I felt sick of the stuff. I didnt havent any juice in to mix it with.
Now I am loose again and having trouble keeping it in!!!
My GP said she hadnt heard of peristeen and wouldnt entertain the idea if self irrigating! She said she would send a district nurse to give me a small enema. Anyway, I didn`t need that, but sounds like you could, eh?
Have you tried movicol? You can take up to 8 a day for severe impaction.
As regards sending you to a shrink for constipation…well what utter rot!
I also go to SW. I joined in May and have lost 2st. Another 2st to go.
I use everything to make me go. Coarse bran from the Holland and Barrett for breakfast (mixed with a Beneifit cereal to make it palitable). Then I am eating fruit and veg all day. I eat very little else apart from some chicken and fish. I take Movical and Senokot, sometimes they just aren’t enough; so I used a suppository, as I ended up being sick (with migraines) and decided that I would have to come off of the Butrans patches I was using for pain.
I am no longer constipated and am no longer sick, I have to use other pain relief that also causes constipation but at least I can control it myself. (Still having migraines and decided that they are stress related).
I have seen messages on this site about Peristeen irrigation and it does seem to have helped people, especially with bowel incontinence. I hope you get some replies, other than that I can recommend Glyceryn Suppositories (probably spelt wrong).
I hope you get some help; as it’s literally a pain in the bum!
If you can get some acnnabis,smoke it if you do,or make cookies .This will relax everything to the extent that you’ll need something to do in the bathroom apart from…
I have tried everything. I used to be on movicol (2 sachets 3 times a day along with a lot of lactulose). Just caused me to be in agony as ended up so bloated but nothing happened. Then I was put on Fibrogel, it didnt work and I hated it. I eat lots of fruit and drink lots of water. I then was put on bisacodyl which is meant to be used to clear you out before surgery. I ended up starting on 1 a night and working up to 4. Had severe stomach pains and then exploded lol!
This may be TMI but it’s not that I can’t go and there is hard poo stuck ready to come out. When I do need to go I am fine. Don’t need to strain too much etc it’s just nothing is getting moved along and it’s all stuck further up in my bowel/intestines. My nurse said my bowel just is not working as the signals are not telling it what to do anymore.
Now this problem has been here for years but I had been put on Amytripiline a couple of months ago and I recently read that it can make things worse. I decided (with my GP) to stop taking it as I think it was doing more harm than good so apart from my Rebif I am not taking any meds. I am on Vitamin D3 supplements but I am not stopping them as they have done wonders.
I did suffer a lot- a lot!! I eat chicken curry and rice once a week ,have been for the past two months and since starting this – TMI warning!- I go every two days without fail! On a side note,my boys have been suffering from blood in their stools,got it checked out the older boy had a Barnum scan after no tear was found. It all came back clear no crones etc,younger boy a tear was found, anyway they have been prescribed a stool softener- liquid parrafin and it seems to be working thus far. You can buy in a pharmacy for about £1.60 ish a bottle,take two teaspoons in the morning and it will make it easier for you. I did try movocol but it was too severe and senakot was too slow. Good luck btw!
I use Peristeen and it sounds like you would really benefit from using it. Life is so much better since I started using it, I use one sachet of movicol at night and Peristeen every morning, some people find every other day is fine but I find daily is the best for me. It takes a little getting used to but now it takes about 10-15 minutes every morning and then I’m not wondering all day what’s going to happen. I still have little psychological hang ups from before, worrying what will happen but I’ve been using it for nearly a year and life has been much better with it than without it.
If you have any questions just ask, I’ll try to get back to you quickly but with a young family the internet isn’t always my priority!!!
You could try castor oil. Its hideous stuff, try and mix it with orange juice or something similar, and knock it back quick! Its an old remedy, but actually stimulates the bowel and intestines, so might help you?
DON’T USE IF PREGNANT!
This was something my midwife recommended to me to get my overdue labour started many years ago, and boy, did it work, in so many ways!!! I’m assuming you can still buy the stuff though…?
Hi Lindsay - peristeen what can I say. BF is getting great results. However use it with eyes wide open . I didn’t and was very upset. It is extremely invasive and undignified. And uncomfortable. Sorry for the negativity and I hope it’s easier for you. I guess in the end it did get easier for me as I knew what to expect and adapt it for my needs Good luck Min xx
Hello, My husband has MS and suffers with constipation, he’s has movicol on occasion, very much trial and error to get it right, he also uses bisacodyl and at times will use glycerine suppositories. He is a bit better with less carbohydrate. I do think you need other opinions ( don’t be labelled you are an individual) and blood tests for gluten and have your potassium levels checked if it’s out of kilter this can cause intermittent paralysis of the bowel. Or try changing your diet eg no carbs for a couple of weeks have only fruit, veg some grains and protein it might shock your body to get things moving. The only other suggestion is a high does of magnesium or clinic irrigation. I wish you all the best. Constipation is bad enough without having MS.
Hi Wb, I know what has helped you, but what you must realise is that not everyone is willing to use an illegal subsatnce, or take the chance that it may cause other problems.
mr wobbly is right, the weed or in my case sativex do help get things on the move. i also have a spoon of coconut oil a day and take magnesium citrate.
Golden Linseeds - will work well - you can mix them with yoghurt or sprinkle over salads. They contain lots of good things - try googling them for more info.
The Coloplast Peristeen does help - l have had one for about 5yrs - My trouble is the opposite of yours - l probably go about 6 times a day - regularly!! l have to take Loperamide and codeine phosphate to bung me - then the peristeen to allow me to go when l want to - not when my bowels think they can let me down. l started using it every day at first - then after a couple of weeks l only used it every other day. Now l just use it if l have to be up and out of the house early in the morning. l take a high dose of vitd3 - which l am sure has helped me - and l rarely eat carbs - this has helped a lot - no more griping pains. l take amitriptyline - which l know does ‘slow’ you down - as you have found out.
The Glycerin Suppositories will help you - they are available at all chemists and are very cheap to buy.
Do hope you get sorted out soon - When you do - you will probably find you have lost 7lbs.
Have you thought of having colonic irrigation - people l know who have tried this find they feel so much better for being cleared out completely - a fresh start.
Beware of bran and fybrogel - as they can have the opposite effect - as they both swell up and can become solid. All the dried fruits prunes/apricots/figs/raisins with the linseeds and of course plenty of water should keep things moving. A glass of hot PLJ -pure lemon juice in the mornings also helps.