UGH.... Constipation..... This is Just Awful

[rdh1981]

I went through this my whole pregnancy with Cooper and nothing relieved it!! Last night I spent 3 hours in the bathroom trying to go. I was in tears. I just can't handle another 31 wks like this.  I hate to complain about pregnancy, but this is awful. Give me morning sickness, give me fatigue, but not this!!!

I can't keep too much down, so eating fruit and veggies is not really helping. I am also taking FiberCon, but it is doing no good!!!

I am in so much pain!!!!! Sorry just needed to vent!

Rachel

[SeeingSpots]

With my first two pregnancies I never had a constipation issue, however now with my 3rd, I feel your pain- literally!!  

My OB says absolutely NO to enemas, as he says there is a small risk of preterm labor with them, and instead just says to drink lots of fluids and eat prunes (or drink prune juice- YUCK).

TMI, but I have sat there and strained for what seems like hours, to no avail.  Unfortunately, I also have to now deal with hemorrhoids... (I never had them until I was in labor with my sons) which seemed to have reappeared after so much straining.  Also, once I finally would "let loose" and go, I'd then be plagued with cramping  and diarrhea, which I guess is common after you've had an impacted mass from the constipation.

Long story short, as the others have said, the best thing to do is to try and prevent it from happening in the first place.  I now am watching that I drink more than I was... I carry a big mug of water around with me, and make sure that I eat at least one fiberous fruit/veggie per meal.

[Heather3418]

Would your doctor allow you to take a warm water, gentle enema to get rid of this current blockage?  Constipation this bad needs to be addressed and soon.  You are literally going to tear your rectum, trying to pass stool that is so hard and large.

With me having MS, I have to take some medications that constipate me terribly.  I now eat lots of fiberous fruits every day and fiber cereals in the morning.  I take a stool softner every morning and every night.  I still have some problems, but not like before.

Rachel you can't go through 7 more months of this.  Sometimes the stool gets so hard and impacted that you will have diahhrea around the hard mass. I know exactly how miserable you are, but don't know what it's like being pregnant also.

Gosh I wish I had some words of wisdom to help you.  I worry about telling you about some "home remedies" because I feel sure they are not good for you AND the baby.  This is best left to the medical professionals.

Your stool has gotten so hard now, you have to get this mass passed, so hopefully your doctor can prescribe something to truly lubricate your bowels.

I'm praying for you honey....I really am.

Mommie Hugs,
Heather    

[rdh1981]

Thanks ladies!

35MomofBoys-I took Prenate DHA last year with Cooper and it did me NO good! So my doctor just as me on OTC prenatals.   For some reason there was not enough stool softener in it for me. : (

Heather- That is what happen last night I thought I was ready to "go" after two days on Fibercon and that is when I had to the worst night of my life with the rock hard stool.  I am trying to drink lots of fluids but it is not working.  

Why does the bathroom have to be an issue. I will gladly take all day morning sickness over this!!!! (((((Sigh... I only have to make to August)

[Heather3418]

Drinking as much fluid as you can will help make that stool softer.  Also a over the counter stool softener is suppose to be okay to use during pregnancy.  But ask your doctor first.  When you finally "let loose," you certainly don't want rock hard stool.  I tend to agree with you....all the straining is not good for you.  You'll wind up having a hemorrhoid as big as the baby.  

Feel better honey...

Heather

[cure65roses]

Perhaps you could ask your dr. for a prescription for PRENATE DHA or any other prenatal vitamin with a stool softener built into it.  I found out that eating kiwi is high in both fiber and folic acid too.   Feel better, dear!

[smr08]

I'm sorry for the way that you are feeling. I had it "BAD" with Salvatore and DH got me dried prunes and prune juice. It took about 1 day to get things moving, what a relief!!!! : )
I hope that some of these ideas work well for you.

                       Lori

[rdh1981]

Thanks ladies. I am just worried that pushing so hard to go will cause me to miscarry. I have looked this up and everything says NO WAY, but I am still nervous!

I will try your suggestions!! Thanks for letting me talk about this!!!

[kmgr32]

Oh, I'm sorry!  That is horrible. I found that metamucil (Just in water or in a fruit smoothie) worked so much better than fibercon.  I tried it all.  Dried fruit, like Amanda suggested, also helped me.  Also LOTS of water  and if you can handle it I found that water at room temperature or a little warmer helps too.
Good luck.
Kara

[PamelaBee]

Oh, honey honey...I know EXACTLY what you're going through!!  I had the same problem with Connor.  Milk of Magnesia and Colace worked for me, and is safe.  This pregnancy I have a new OB, and in addition to what I already mentioned, they suggest popcorn, popcorn, popcorn!  Drink lots of water too.  I know, the constipation s---s!  It feels like you are bloated 24/7!  Unfortunately, those of us that get it are usually stuck with it during the pregnancy...eventually something's gotta come out, right?? : )  

[adgal]

Aww, sweetie, sorry your having a tough time.  Constipation is a problem here as well, even when I'm not pregnant, and when I am it's worse.  Dried apricots are my best friend.  Not sure if you have tried them, but for me they work better then fibre or anything else I have tried.  A handful of those and things are "back to normal" fairly quickly.  I hope they do the trick for you too!!  Hang in there!!