Chronic constipation and fed up with it

[kris268]

I'm trying to help myself.  I've been chronically constipated for about 5 or more months now. (earlier this week the toilet bowl was full of red blood no doubt from hemmoroids.    I thought the consipation was because of the thyroid meds I had been put on initially.  I therefore am conscientiously eating more and more vegetables, and fruit, and water every day.  

I notice that when I "attempt" to have an elimination, the stool is more then often compacted.  I have been popping stool softeners as well, with 2 taken before I go to bed.  I'm also taking acidolpholis (spelling).  The latter is helping the gas build up.  

This morning, once again, I was due for another painful bowl movement.  I then decided to take an anal fleet which definitely helped.  My rectum is extremely painful and possibly swollen.

My question:  has anyone else experienced this and for how long?? And if so,,,,what were you diagnosed with?

My Dr. "diagnosed" me with Irritable Bowel Syndrom  a few years ago.  But this seems different in that the constipation is every day.

As many of you may have experienced yourselves, this is effecting my quality of Life.

Hopfully a few of you will be able to share your own experiences and/or dianosis with me.

Thank you,
Krs.

[kris268]

Thank you Morecambe!  I read the http you referred to me.  You've been through alot.

I've been following your advice and actually had a somewhat "normal" elimination. ( except for some accompanying blood)  I apologize for being so graphic, but this IS the site for Gastroenterology.

I ate a small amount of chicken, lots of broccali and carrots (cooked) , prunes interspersed throughout the day, ending with a yogurt mixed with blueberries, and mango, c/w some bran buds (c/w selenium) ...obviously it helped.....along with the 7 stool softners throughout the day.

I will continue this new diet and will exercise.  

All the best,
Kris

[Morecambe]

kris - I suggest any combination of vegetables that can be eaten raw.  E.g. beans, cabbage, peas, carrots, sweetcorn etc etc.  Just blend them together is a "kitchen electric blender", add maybe 50-100 gms organic bran and "drink" the mixture as a smoothie.  Experiment with vegetable combinations that you don't find non-tasty so that you enjoy drinking the mixture.

Same discipline with fruit - e.g. blend/pulverise a mixture of oranges, apples, berries, peaches etc etc + bran to form a similar type of smoothie.

If you prefer to eat the fruit without pulverisation that's OK too - but the process of pulverising the mixtures gives a "carrier" material for the bran which is very high in fibre.

regards
Morecambe

[kris268]

Thanks ggreg....  I did actually phone the pharmcist to ask about my Thyroid meds, and she told me that Calcium binded with the meds in the first 4 hours or so...I need to reconfirm her comments.  Also, I am going to check out my other meds.

to Morecam:  when you say pulverized vegs./fruit....can you give me some examples?  
I'm eating a little less because of Cataract surgery yesterday and don't want to go through what I normally do because of pressure.

Yesterday  I had a pear, apple, mango, and half an orange for fruit.  coleslaw with a little chicken for dinner.  And...(you'd mentioned NOT to eat eggs...can you tell me why?) but I had an egg with a tiny bit of bacon after the operation c/w coleslaw for lunch.

Again, this is a great help...thankyou.

Kris

[ggreg]

I would like to add that many medications, like your thyroid drugs, may indeed be drying you out, to where your bowels are having a hard time passing the hard waste.  Heck, I have a hard time with some vitamins!  You are doing all the right things, however, with the water and vegie thing.  Whole wheat bread is another food you can add to your list to eat.  I can suggest one more item to self-help, and that's to exercise regularly, helps the bowels move easier.  And I can suggest you ask the prescribing docs of your meds to review them for their drying potential, and maybe they can switch you to other kinds that won't have so many side effects.

[kris268]

Thanks for your help....I'll try all of that.  

Also, I'm having a Colonoscopy by another Dr. hopefully at the end of this month or in June.  Sometimes you just have to look after yourself by making phone calls and seeking advice...like I did here.

Thanks again,
Krs

[Morecambe]

Like the other messages, I suggest trying a diet very high in fibre.  For example:-

- fresh pulverised fruit to which organic bran has been added
- fresh pulverised vegetables to which organic bran has been added
- home made muesli (organic oats + bran soaked in milk to which fresh fruit and nuts has been added - it looks like wet cement!!)
- wholemeal bread
- no junk food, colas etc

If you colon becomes completely seized up/inert then there have been postings on Medhelp suggesting that the last option (may not be right for you at this stage) is a total colectomy.

I underwent this operation five years ago - but for torrential diverticular bleeding and, in response to another Medhelp patient, recorded my experience on:-

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/523166

good luck
regards
Morecambe

[polly22]

Kris, see another doctor. "irritable bowel syndrome" just means "nothing I can find wrong"; it doesn't meant they've done the tests they perhaps should. Since you are taking stool softeners--and if you are also, as I would assume, drinking plenty of liquids, eating good fiber, not loading up on milk meat eggs and whipped cream/junk food---you probably should see a gastroenterologist who will check you for hemorrhoids and probably suggest you have one or another other tests. Do it.