Questions in the Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum have been answered by Dr. Kevin Pho who is board certified in Internal Medicine and by doctors from Henry Ford Health System.

Question Title: Inability to have B. M. without laxatives

Forum: The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum
Topic: Constipation


I am a 60-yr-old white female in good health except I have not had B.M. without laxatives for past 5-8 yrs. I began by drinking Laci Le Beau tea (main ingred. senna) but soon developed vaginal blisters which itched & burned. Thinking I might be allergic to senna, I d/c tea & after trying various stimulant laxatives found Ex-Lax (phenolphthalian) to work best. I would use it every 4 or so days with good results. Then the FDA took phenol. off market & I had to find another. Feenamint (bisacodyl) seems to work best. Then I decided I needed to get off stimulants & tried Perdiem with senna with mod. good results. However, the vaginal blisters returned & also a lower pressure similar to that during my menstrual periods of 10-15 yrs ago. I then tried Metamucul with cont. of blisters & pressure. I have returned to Feenamint, & blisters & pressure are gone. Any ideas on cause of blisters & suggestions for d/c of stim. laxatives & return to natural BM's would be greatly appreciated.

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dear Jane S.A.
I can not explain your symptom of vaginal blisters associated with the use of ;axatives. You should probably have a physician examine you when the blisters are present. A biopsy may be needed.

Your best bet for a regular bowel pattern is to increase the amount of fiber in your diet. I would eat more salads, whole grain breads etc as well as take fiber supplements such as Metamucil. This preparation is not associated with vaginal blisters. the amount of fiber thatr you will need can be titrated based on how your body responds to the initial dosage.

This information is presented for educational purposes only. Always consult your personal physician for specific medical questions.

HFHSM.D.-rf
*keywords: constipation, fiber
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