Severe Constipation Problem..Desperately Need Answers

[hoolz]

I've been suffering with a severe constipation problem since I was 6 years old. My colon has never "worked". As a child I would only have bowel movements if my mom gave me an enema. As I got older, of course, I refused to let her because it was painful and embarassing. My condition has only worsened over the past 19 years. I only have bowel movements a few times a month, and they're usually around the time of my period. I only have maybe 3, 4 if I'm lucky, and not much at all comes out. I've been to the hospital numerous times due to abdominal pain caused by the back-up, but the doctors around here are convinced it's just plain constipation and tell me to up my fiber intake and send me home with laxitives. Laxitives don't do anything but give me gas. I've tried Metamucil, Miralax, Dulcolax, Psyllium, Colon Cleansing/Detox kits, massive amounts of fiber (between 40-45g/day).......nothing has worked and I'm out of ideas. I haven't been diagnosed with anything because the doctors don't seem to care to take the time to find out what's wrong. I've researched some different options and I'm assuming I either have Hirschsprung's Disease (which was actually mentioned by the most recent doctor I've seen...the only one in the 19 years has even suggested an idea), or Slow-Transit Constipation. I'm just wondering, what can I do to clean my body out and get things working to avoid any more serious complilcations from letting this continue any longer?? I'm feeling the effects of the massive back-up in my body. I'm always tired, I get out of breath easy, and just feel..for a lack of better words..icky inside. I desperately need some answers. Thanks in advance for any help/advice offered.

[Matthew007]

just curious, did your doctor ever check your thyroid?  Sometimes a screwy TSH/free T3/T4 number can cause fatigue and constipation...sometimes lack of sleep or insomnia..

Another idea is to mix miralax with citrucel directly together (both safe long term..) or maybe you're having a food intolerance like soy/wheat/gluten/lactose...so you could eliminate all those for 2 weeks and then add one at a time (gluten takes months sometimes to see real results..) but those are some ideas while you're stumped but since you're tired all the time i'd find out what your thyroid numbers were..maybe go to the dr.'s office if you already had the tests done and look at the numbers closely and do some research..sometimes borderline numbers are worth trying meds for it...

just tome ideas. :S hang in there

[Morecambe]

There have been a couple of postings on Medhelp where patients were pointed in the direction of a total colectomy as a last resort to overcome chronic/untreatable constipation.  Maybe this is something that you should ask your doctor.  This operation is not to be taken lightly - I underwent it just over five years ago - although not for constipation but for torrential diverticular bleeding.  In response to another Medhelp patient's posting, I described my experience on:-

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

As you will see, this surgery catalyses a change from your present chronic constipation to frequent loose bowel motions (but the frequency does decline over time).  One thing is certain - you will never be constipated again but do you have an appetite for the converse...??

Do think about this and come back if I can provide any more info.

regards
Morecambe

[mslicia]

Wow! I hope everything works out for you!

http://unityinhealth.blogspot.com/

[ggreg]

Dear Hoolz,
If you don't have anything unusual going on, as thoroughly discussed in the above posts, then I would like to suggest some ordinary things to try, can't hurt.  This is the ABCs of regular digestion.  You have to do three things to stay regular:  Drink plenty of water, eat fiber FOODS, and exercise.  You should be drinking at least four big glasses of water daily, and some recommend more.  The fiber foods you should eat DAILY are:  whole grains, dark green salad, fresh whole fruit as a snack.  (I eat 100 percent whole wheat bread every day to stay regular and also a bowl of Cheerios with fresh blueberries on top.)  As for exercise, this is part of keeping the bowels regular, too.  You have to stay very active all the time, at the very least stretching exercises for 15 minutes daily, all the way up to running a mile a day (you can use a school track).

To get things cleaned out, which you asked about, go into the drugstore and ask the pharmacist what he recommends for doing that, or ask your doctor.  There are preparations they use for people who are going to have a colonoscopy, where their bowel needs to be cleaned.  Then you should reintroduce foods slowly, with liquids first for a few days, then add soft foods for a few more days, and then progress to regular food.  Include in all that some probiotics, which is in Acidophilus milk or Activia yogurt in the grocery store.

Right now, if you can feel the waste about to come out but it won't, then if enemas aren't making any headway, you can get some "Baby Lax" from the drugstore, it's a small box of tubes of ointment, squirt two back there and some will come out in a big hurry.  Repeat as needed until your bowels begin to move regular (as long as you keep with lots of water, fiber foods, and exercise).  Other than that, I do not think you should use any more of those fiber supplements, becuz you can get TOO much fiber in there and get stopped up, plus people get dependent on them.  You can get enuff fiber from the foods I mentioned. Also, look online for fiber content in various foods, to familiarize yourself with what else you might like, and you should have those daily.
GG

[hoolz]

I haven't taken any fiber supplements. All the extra fiber I've been getting has been through a lot of different Fiber One foods, and some other organic foods I found at WalMart with a decent amount of fiber in them. I was wondering about the colonoscopy prep, too. I don't know much about it, but I do know that it cleans you out. So how would I go about finding out what I need, and obtaining what I need, for that? Is something I need to get from my doctor? I really appreciate all the help! Lord knows I need it!

[Morecambe]

I think the "clear out" medication for a colonoscopy will probably only be obtainable via a prescription from a doctor if you are actually scheduled to undergo a colonoscopy.  As far as I recall my preparation was based on magnesium citrate.

If you are persevering with the "high fibre diet" then I can recommend including organic bran - maybe added to pulverised fresh fruit or pulverised fresh vegetables - and also mixed in with yoghurt etc etc.

Good luck

regards
Morecambe