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Gastroenterology (Expert Forum)
Outlet Dysfunction
This forum is for questions regarding Gastroenterology issues such as Acid Reflux (GERD), Barretts Esophagus, Colitis, Colon/Bowel Disorders, Crohn's Disease, Diverticulitis/Diverticulosis, Digestive Disorders, IBS, Stomach Pain.
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Outlet Dysfunction
by Chowhunglow, Jul 27, 2002 12:00AM
After 10 years of tests, humiliation, and blank looks from Dr’s, I have been diagnosed with output dysfunction and told there is no surgery to help me. These specialists, that have cost me an arm and a leg, have nothing to offer to ease my discomfort and improve my quality of life. I was not even offered any type of emotional support! What I need is a way of getting comfortable and not letting this rule my life like it has ever since I can remember. I have people to see, places to go and this is a real pain in the *** (pun intended.) My life is ruled by my inability to have a BM.
Always consult your doctor before you try anything new...
Supplements and Substitutes
While one is learning to eat properly, or if one is "too old" or "too set in their ways" to make a major change, one can substitute commercial sources of fiber in one's diet. Psyllium seeds are ground up water absorbing particles which substitute for dietary fiber. Products such as Metamucil, Hydrocil, Konsyl, etc. or other products such as Citrucel (methylcellulose) are perfectly good substitute sources of fiber. One tablespoon a day provides 15 grams of the recommended 25-30 grams daily. Most people take such products at night, generally after completing one's meal. No matter what the label says, these products are not laxatives, but fiber substitutes. Taking them daily provides the fiber which allows the bowels to function normally. Taking them only when one is constipated means that one doesn't understand their proper role and use.
Mineral oil is the best and the most consistent lubricant. Colace, a pill, is easier to take or swallow, however, its result is more erratic. Mineral oil, one tablespoon by mouth daily, from the refrigerator will serve as an excellent lubricant. Lubrication should be considered if one is taking the prescribed amounts of fiber and water, and one is still straining, or the stool remains hard.
Some people, when they hear of the importance of fiber in their diet, overdo the fiber intake. This can be harmful too. Fiber, especially in the absence of adequate water intake, can be so binding, as to cause severe constipation. If that happens, enemas and mineral oil may be needed to eliminate the hard, dry impassable stool before resuming a normal schedule. An occasional fiber abuser will have diarrhea.
Remember, there is a necessary balance between fiber content of the diet, water intake and lubrication. Give each one some thought before figuring that reasonable bowel function is a hopeless pursuit. Do not expect immediate or day-by-day results. If you have had sluggish bowels and constipation all of your life, expect to see the effects of your new fiber intake over the weeks that follow. All changes will be gradual, and any adjustments that you make will require days to weeks before the results may be noticeable.
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Laxative Abuse
Some people have had chronic habit constipation for as long as they can remember. It is possible that they were born with a sluggish bowel that does not function easily. Furthermore, if they were not taught to eat properly at a young age, their underlying problem may be aggravated by a diet that lacks the correct amount of fiber.
To people who are not aware of fiber's importance, years may have been spent experimenting with laxatives or natural substances that act as laxatives obtained through health food stores, such as powders, teas and other supplements.
Taking laxatives (or other unknown remedies) as a lifelong solution to constipation is extremely dangerous. The fatigued colon becomes so reliant on the laxatives for emptying, that after decades of "bowel abuse" older people become completely dependent upon these products. It is as much an addiction as are other types of dependencies, and people become afraid to try the proper solution. Do not get "hooked" on products containing senna leaves, or other "natural" laxatives. Most laxatives come from natural sources, and all can be dangerous except when prescribed for specific uses.
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I hope you can get help with your condition...you might try talking with your local health care providers to find out if there are support groups for this condition. It might help to talk with others who have this condition, and find out how they cope with it.
take care