Hi All, and hope you’re all well.
Went to A@E on Monday night after not being able to pee or pee for so lng that I was doubled over in agony. Cue overnight stay, catherter down penis, ‘4’ huge enemas, hours of waiting curled up on hospital trolly in state of delirium, finally managed a bowel movement yesterday pm and then catherter removal, then home.
LOTS of fruit and fibre for breakfast but still feel washed out.
A horrible experience; has this happened to any of you?
Sounds horrendous CP, glad you are home safe and sound and hoping you will soon feel much better.
Nina x
How awful for you clucker, i was the same last weekend,i had been very badly constipated for a few weeks,but last weekend i was on the verge of going to A&E as i just couldnt poo at all, i was taking laxatives.drinking prune juice and warm water all weekend, i was in so much pain and had bad impaction… i did manage to go in the end,but it really wore me out i was so exhausted…with it all… i said to my partner i would rather give birth than go thru that again… my probelm was it was there but wouldnt move down thru my bottom… tmi i know… someone said to me that glycerin supposotries are good so i am going to get some.see if they help.
Poor you CP that sounds like an absolute nightmare! It’s never happened to me but I’ve heard of it happening to others.
CP the bowel nurse told me that I was actually eating too much fibre!!! She said that fibre is very dry and if you eat too much it will just make the poo very dry and it won’t move down into the bowel. She suggested that I peeled fruit and alternated between white and wholemeal bread. I also eat muesli and porridge.
I said I thought fibre was good for you… and she said yes, but a lot of people are now eating too much fibre and becoming constipated. So it might be a good idea to cut right down on fibre for a while and see if it improves your bowel movements.
So glad you are home now. Stay in bed and rest, rest, rest!!!
Pat xx
Hope you are beginning to shake off the memories, CP. Experiences like that tend to make you so fretful about your bodily processes, and to worry if things don’t happen as and when anticipated, because you dread a repetition of those nightmarish times. At least you are home now- rest up, mate.
I had a similar though not as horrendous time of it when I had 8 weeks in hospital a while back. My bowels are managed on a precise formula of daily Laxido and the use of a glycerin suppository when I want to go, which seems to be best regulated at every 36 hours, sometimes sooner. This precarious balance was shot to bits in hospital. I then went for a week without going, and after I finally did go I over-compensated and was taking a larger Movicol dose, and ended up being incontinent for several weeks. I also got into a urine retention state and had to have a permanent catheter for 5 days.
The problem was partly that I couldn’t get to the loo, and that the nurses were very cagy about allowing me suppositories, let alone apply them myself. In the end I just wore pads and soiled myself. One of the nurses asked me why I was so incontinent and was I always like this at home; I told it it was they wouldn’t trust me to regulate things my own way.
Oh CP,
What a nightmare! Thankfully I haven’t had much bother with my bladder and bowels apart from wetting myself now and again but you never know what is going to happen with this horrible condition.
Hope you get over this quickly and back to yourself soon.
sending ((((( hugs))))
mags xx
Hello CP,
That sounds dreadful. It just goes to show that with our condition, you can never be complacent about movements. Both bladder and bowels need daily attention, whether you’re avoiding accidents or trying to find the right diet. Even if you do find a working bowel formula it will develop or change. It’s never a constant. I’ve also noticed how important posture is when trying to empty your bladder; lying in bed I may get the need to go urgently (it’s always urgent) but once sitting up, nothing emerges. Then it’s a game of up down up down until something eventually comes out.
I hope your feeling better for being back home.
Best wishes, Steve.
Thanks guys.
Honestly, it was sooo grim. The pain was unbearable and it was a huge, busy teaching hospital, nightime wailing, overworked staff and all. When I needed help getting to the toilet and pulled the chord for help it took them over 15 minutes, having to have me bed lines changed 4 times…I could go on, but I’m sure you get the picture.
Have just ‘been’ a few times and am feeling much better now but kevadams really does hit the nail on the head about the increased level of paranoia we all face about our bodily processes. Have just got back from the supermarket with a trolly full of fruit, vegetables, dried apricots, raisins, alpen etc etc etc. So no more crisps, limited bread intake, easy on the pasta etc. Fun, fun fun.
Cheers
CP
I will totally agree that at times too much fibre can totally dry you up, imagine stuffing lots of shredded wheat up your bum and expecting it to say oh yes that’s great I’ll poo all that out no problems!
tbh, sometimes when your needing to rush some things through although it might not suit everyone’s tastes my husband gets it for me when the other things aren’t working. Oh and yes glycerine suppositories do work too.A MacDonalds burger and chips and ice cold drink works great the grease and the ice cold drink helps it slide through.
Silly i I know but it works for me!
Polly xxx
What a nightmare CP it must be so embarrassing besides the horrendous pain. I hope your feeling much better. don’t overdo the fruit or your embarr ’ ass’ ing will reoccur.
I have minor bowel and bladder problems compared to yours & others stories on here, sometimes I look heavily pregnant my partner thinks my swollen tummy is down to eating too many sweets! I have a craving for Moam sweets there delicious. I have Laxido but don’t take them the taste makes me vomit. MS nurse suggested massaging lower stomach and rocking helps.i am considering getting some good old laxatives in.
Pauline xxx
Ouch CP, how awful that must have been for you. I must admit that as a retired nurse with a history of Irritable Bowel Syndrome I’m quite conscious about my goings on. I became really constipated in hospital while awaiting my dx and found that that definitely sends me into urinary retention too. Embarrassingly I blocked the hospital loo when I finally managed to empty out but I felt so much better for it.
I agree with the advice you’ve been given, it’s everything in moderation or things will start going wrong again. Most importantly make sure you take in enough fluids. Fruit juices are very popular for assisting things along, glycerine suppositories are wonderful if you feel your rectum is full but lack the push strength and many over the counter remedies are very good if used correctly.
I hope you feel better now, make sure you rest but unluckily for us, inactivity doesn’t help things along either. Take care.
Cath xx
An awful experience for you, great you are getting back to normal now. Did they discharge you with any help, a referal to a bowel nurse or similar? I understand they can teach you techniques and advise on diet and fluids, although the advice on here is just as good
I often have urgency to go needing to rush to the loo, I start the process then stop mid motion so to speak. Up to now I can go later in the day or the next day. My MS Nurse calls it constipation but I don’t think I am, I think it’s another thing that simply isn’t working as it should.
May the Force be with you
Jan x
Do get a referal to the bowel nurse mine got me sorted with self catheter and bowel problems she was great.
Don