# New and having severe constipation



## shoegal (Jan 28, 2012)

Around Aug my bowels just stopped working, I tried everything under the sun, I never go without an enema or suppository or even then not at all. The top of my colon seems to be "stuck" with stool according to the x-ray, they said this is odd.I keep hearing you're only 33 so it can't be cancer. I am only 33 and I have no bowel function without stimulate laxative and still backed u after tons of miralax, lactulose etc. If anything comes out it's after an enema or suppository and it's liquid and very smelly. The ER did an enema, I got liquid with coffee grind, still lots of pain but they said they can't help. (I have no insurance) I eat well, I'm a size 2, (although look very prego) don't smoke or drink.I'm getting worried, I read they could do blood tests and rectal exam and colonoscopy, I get just more laxatives to try.I am in a lot of pain and feeling hopeless, GI never rang back today and ER said there is nothing more they can do for me. He said it's IBS-C. Is this sudden onset normal? So I just don't have bowel function all of a sudden and nothing helps it???I did have a CT scan via a different ER in sept, showed "full" bowels + enlarged messentianc (sp?!) lymph nodes + cervical cysts.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Sounds like you have acute constipation. I assume you have wracked your brain thinking about what if anything you did or ingested differently in August... If not.. give it some thought... if you began any new medications... even otc ones or supplements??Now about getting you cleared out....Have you tried any of the more natural bowel cleansing products? (Some of the chemical ones can be harsh from what I am reading). Once you get cleaned out of accumulated stool... this would be something you would literally have to treat everyday to prevent a future buildup.I found this info which you can read:http://www.med.umich.edu/bowelcontrol/patient/constipation.shtmlPerhaps getting something like Amitiza would help? Also have you tried using a good probiotic? Sometimes it could take several weeks to see if that is working so it may require a decent trial time wise.Keep us posted.


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## shoegal (Jan 28, 2012)

Nothing new, if anything I started to drink more water and eat less bread LOLThe GI hasn't mentioned that med. I have some other health issues so side effects has been an issue for some stuff, like mag, I have very very low BP so high doses of mag, not good for me. People have suggested juicing, liquid diets etc. but why do I have to?!? I guess that is what I'm not understanding. I'm also so queasy I don't have much desire to eat anyway. I've tried miralax (up to high doses), lactulose, mag, all the home remedies.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Well look up the med and ask the Dr if you can try it. Not all meds will give you trouble hon.


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## Dreyfuss (Dec 19, 2011)

shoegal said:


> Around Aug my bowels just stopped working, I tried everything under the sun, I never go without an enema or suppository or even then not at all. The top of my colon seems to be "stuck" with stool according to the x-ray, they said this is odd.I keep hearing you're only 33 so it can't be cancer. I am only 33 and I have no bowel function without stimulate laxative and still backed u after tons of miralax, lactulose etc. If anything comes out it's after an enema or suppository and it's liquid and very smelly. The ER did an enema, I got liquid with coffee grind, still lots of pain but they said they can't help. (I have no insurance) I eat well, I'm a size 2, (although look very prego) don't smoke or drink.I'm getting worried, I read they could do blood tests and rectal exam and colonoscopy, I get just more laxatives to try.I am in a lot of pain and feeling hopeless, GI never rang back today and ER said there is nothing more they can do for me. He said it's IBS-C. Is this sudden onset normal? So I just don't have bowel function all of a sudden and nothing helps it???I did have a CT scan via a different ER in sept, showed "full" bowels + enlarged messentianc (sp?!) lymph nodes + cervical cysts.


I know that surgery is very rare nowadays but wondered if they brought that up as a possibility.


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## shoegal (Jan 28, 2012)

i'm back in the ER severe shortness of breath for days and fever. On call GI said to add more enemas to my routine, hasn't seen me in over a month. No one does xrays, bloods, exams nothing, I'm scared they are missing something


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## Dreyfuss (Dec 19, 2011)

shoegal said:


> i'm back in the ER severe shortness of breath for days and fever. On call GI said to add more enemas to my routine, hasn't seen me in over a month. No one does xrays, bloods, exams nothing, I'm scared they are missing something


Wow. Wish I could provide some advice. Enemas are a total waste of time for me. Colon irrigations are not too expensive and a lot more effective than enemas. I went without insurance for years. It makes it tough to go to specialists. If there is any way you could afford a good gastroenteroligst, that would certainly help.


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## shoegal (Jan 28, 2012)

I have a GI, just don't have much faith in him so far. X-ray showed stool pressing against my lungs and stool in the top left of my colon, they said an CT scan wouldn't give us any more info, is that really true?


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Yeah probably. You need a good clearing out that's for sure. I would though...get an appointment with another GI. ASK for testing... See if there are ways for you to maintain being cleared out... Also have you seen this?? Great info http://www.medicinenet.com/constipation/article.htm


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## Dreyfuss (Dec 19, 2011)

shoegal said:


> I have a GI, just don't have much faith in him so far. X-ray showed stool pressing against my lungs and stool in the top left of my colon, they said an CT scan wouldn't give us any more info, is that really true?


When they are checking for an obstruction, an x ray is supposed to be as good or better than a CT scan. Did they say that you had an obstruction?


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## shoegal (Jan 28, 2012)

they just say I have "a lot of stool" and never actually examine me. GI has done no testing.


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## Dreyfuss (Dec 19, 2011)

shoegal said:


> they just say I have "a lot of stool" and never actually examine me. GI has done no testing.


Well, when they send you the bill, just toss it. Try and find a Gastroenterologist that you trust. He can recommend other tests. I had a gastrograffin enema, CT scan, X-Ray, and a colonoscopy. It is an endless battle it seems. The colon irrigation thing might work for you. From my experience, ER visits are useless, traumatic, and expensive.


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## jfalcon (Jul 10, 2011)

Shoegal,My stool also hangs up at the top of my colon, and I also cant go unless i take some type of powerful laxative... Here's what has helped me through my two years of IBS.... Take something that you know will clean out your bowels and clean them out good. After that, try Citrucel. Its a powder artificial fiber that you can buy at walmart or any drug store. Start off with one glass of the stuff before you go to bed. I usually have 2 to 4 days of no bowel movements while I am on the stuff... but then the bowel movements start coming. Once my bowel movements start happening due to the citrucel,,, After about 2 weeks, it starts to loose its effectiveness.... thats when I turn to a couple of days of dulcolax or senna and clean myself out and then repeat the citrucel process.... Also try metemucil. take it just like the citrucel, it works pretty good also, but after a week it starts causing excess gas bloating and pain... then you gotta lay off of it for a few days. Those 2 products I recommended are called "bulk forming laxatives" Dont let the word bulk scare you. It did scare me at first, because I thought bulk would hurt me,,, but for some reason the bulking agent helps me pass the stool.... Its worth a try.... you may see some results.... It works for me better than anything else I have tried, but I still battle with my IBS as well.... I understand your scared feeling... good luck


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## jfalcon (Jul 10, 2011)

let me know how the citrucel worked for you.... send me a message, Im curious if it will work for you


jfalcon said:


> Shoegal,My stool also hangs up at the top of my colon, and I also cant go unless i take some type of powerful laxative... Here's what has helped me through my two years of IBS.... Take something that you know will clean out your bowels and clean them out good. After that, try Citrucel. Its a powder artificial fiber that you can buy at walmart or any drug store. Start off with one glass of the stuff before you go to bed. I usually have 2 to 4 days of no bowel movements while I am on the stuff... but then the bowel movements start coming. Once my bowel movements start happening due to the citrucel,,, After about 2 weeks, it starts to loose its effectiveness.... thats when I turn to a couple of days of dulcolax or senna and clean myself out and then repeat the citrucel process.... Also try metemucil. take it just like the citrucel, it works pretty good also, but after a week it starts causing excess gas bloating and pain... then you gotta lay off of it for a few days. Those 2 products I recommended are called "bulk forming laxatives" Dont let the word bulk scare you. It did scare me at first, because I thought bulk would hurt me,,, but for some reason the bulking agent helps me pass the stool.... Its worth a try.... you may see some results.... It works for me better than anything else I have tried, but I still battle with my IBS as well.... I understand your scared feeling... good luck


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## shoegal (Jan 28, 2012)

GI has given up on me, sent me somewhere else :-(I'm currently huge hard and it's hard to breathe, no idea what to do, nothing has helped and he refuses to try anything to help me


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## Dreyfuss (Dec 19, 2011)

shoegal said:


> GI has given up on me, sent me somewhere else :-(I'm currently huge hard and it's hard to breathe, no idea what to do, nothing has helped and he refuses to try anything to help me


Sorry to hear that things are still screwed up. This IBS is clearly quite serious. I was just officially diagnosed a few weeks ago. I have been suffering with this for years. I have had all of the tests and taken all of the drugs/supplements. I have a GI that I trust so I see no reason to switch to another. I felt that they would open me up to remove a blockage or obstruction but that has been ruled out multiple times. The only thing I can do is keep taking Konsyl and stool softeners (no laxatives). I try to exercise and eat right (if I am ever hungry). There is no miracle cure. No miracle surgery. Good luck to you. Keep posting if it helps.


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## shoegal (Jan 28, 2012)

well now he says its pelvic floor dysfunction. Of course he hasn't done an exam or tests to figure out my problem. Says biofeedback help 70% of people. I see people saying they don't go for weeks on end, how? after a week I already look 9 months prego and can't breathe


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## Dreyfuss (Dec 19, 2011)

Pelvic floor what? Never heard of that one. It seems that these docs come up with frightening terms because they don't know what else to do. I don't go for frightening amounts of time. It is horrific. Certainly can make a person weak. During my last visit to the GI, he told me to eat a lot of prunes. That is when I knew that he had run out of ideas.


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## shoegal (Jan 28, 2012)

it's a condition where the pelvic floor muscles don't relax to allow stool to pass, why I would that suddenly out the blue is a baffle but he can say this now with no testing? Just like I read IBS doesn't keep people up in pain? my pain is high and I have constant nausea.any med I find that may work he refuses to try


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## Dreyfuss (Dec 19, 2011)

Wow, I will have to research that one. Has he given you some samples of amitiza? That seems to work with some people. Have you researched it? I have met a couple of people who had surgery for obstructions. I expected that to be my diagnosis but that has been ruled out. It sure sounds like some folks on this website need it. If the tests are negative no surgeon is going to do something invasive like that. The antispasmodic takes away some of the pain and is not addictive. My GI would certainly not prescribe any type of pain killer or muscle relaxer. So, here we are, suffering like dogs!!


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## SarahLund (Aug 16, 2010)

When you asked how can people not go to the toilet for weeks, this is cos the bowel loses any feeling of needing to empty itself. The feeling of needing to empty our bowel, becomes void, after a few days of going through a flare-up. You just don't feel any signal at all. I wish i could help more. I just use a laxative, if i get in more pain than usual. Just as a precaution really.


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