# How to know when constipation turns into impaction?



## LuSmith (Dec 15, 2011)

Sorry to ask this again but I just want to make sure that I am fully aware of the symptoms of an impacted bowel. I am currently suffering from severe constipation. I'm struggling entirely to go anything much at all but have passed a tiny stool in the past 48 hours or so

The other day I was taken for an x Ray at the hospital as I had quite bad cramping pains that were really debilitating but they didn't say anything other than I had lots of faeces in my bowels.

They suggested me taking Movicol and also Sodium Docusate at the same time. I have tried taking the movicol but am cautious about taking the other because I believe it's quite heavy going on the bowels and I wanna be sure it's wise to take.

I haven't had much success on the movicol yet. So I was just wondering how it's possible to know just when constipation turns into impaction. I know it isn't always safe to take medication like sodium docusate or senna when you are impacted so I want to be absolutely sure I know my signs and symptoms first.

Thank you.


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## Nuffa (Sep 12, 2014)

you start having pseudo diarreah. loose stool passes hard stool. believe me, you'll know


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

Nuffa is right-- symptoms of impaction include abdominal cramping and bloating, leakage of liquid or sudden episodes of watery D, small, semi formed stools, rectal bleeding, low back pain...an impaction is when you go for a while, like a week or so, with no bm at and then all of a sudden you get watery diarrhea which is the body doing a sort of "self enema" by using the watery D to unblock things...

an x-ray will be able to show this too. i've had a number of abdominal x-rays--my tummy probably glows in the dark by now lol.... the tech who analyzes it will say how much stool is in there--ie:-a mild amount of stool or a moderate amount or if there is fecal loading present---and where the stool is located--if it's throughout the entire colon or predominately in a certain area--the rectum, ascending colon etc.

if it were me, i definitely would have followed the instructions given at the hospital. or else call your doc's office. but you need to be very proactive and do something effective to get cleaned out. good luck with everything.


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## LuSmith (Dec 15, 2011)

Thanks for the replies 

Well although I'm getting abdominal cramping on and off and I have bloating anyway from IBS, I definitely haven't had any watery D or liquid stool. I definitely get small semi formed stools and so on, but I'm guessing impaction is really painful?

I had an X-ray at the hospital recently, and although they said I was full of faeces I'm pretty sure they would have told me if I was impacted? They didn't tell me where the stool was or how much there really was but I'm guessing if there was anything that required anything more drastic they would have done something there and then?

I guess I'll probably follow the instructions, probably a few days and I'll try and take the dulcoease / sodium docusate after taking the movicol.

Constipation is really difficult to deal with


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## LuSmith (Dec 15, 2011)

Ugh god... Not sure if it's the movicol messing up my system now but I'm having some weird bowel movements. I'm literally feeling like I constantly have to go, but when I do and can go I only manage a very small amount and it's really soft, like really soft and mushy. I wouldn't say it's watery or liquid so I'm guessing it's not what youd call D but it's still really debilitating and I'm getting frustrated and embarrassed about having to keep rushing to the toilet. The thing is that I know I can't take anything to stop myself from going haha, so now I'm in a catch 22 situation where I need to go but when I do its only little really messy amounts which causes me to use way too much toilet paper and even I'm getting annoyed at myself.

Is this typical reaction to the movicol? Would you suggest adding something on top too? Like the dulcoease? Senna?


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

yes, i've read posts from people who say that movicol/miralax does that to them.

adding a stimulant laxative like senna would help push more of it out all at once.


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## LuSmith (Dec 15, 2011)

Okay, I will probably try Senna in a few days after I've taken enough of the stuff. It's horrible because it's just making me pass really small amounts every so often and it will literally be mush. Wiping takes forever and I'm going through toilet paper like anything. I remember the nurse at the hospital telling me that Senna was probably a bad idea as it wasn't gentle enough and might give me real bad cramps and not help so suggested sodium docusate but now I don't know what's better to take at all. Each doctor has given me different opinions but I know there's got to be some way to get this out without all these problems!


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

if you don't want to take senna you could take dulcolax (bisacodyl) . one of my gastros told me he thought it was gentler than senna. just make sure you do not take bisacodyl within an hour after taking an antacid or milk. that can cause cramping.


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## LuSmith (Dec 15, 2011)

Thanks  I will look into getting some and see whether it works out better for me. The movicol stuff I took last night I think has started to sort of work as I managed to pass something today. It's just really soft still which is kind of frustrating. Has anyone had any success with psyllium? Wondering if it'd worth taking to bulk up my stools.


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## hifiber (Jan 23, 2015)

every doc & gastro arnp I've talked to (about 6 so far) said docusate sodium is about the safest laxative there is, on par with miralax

doc sod is a stool softener and if you are impacted i'm guessing just miralax alone won't do the trick because it will not soften up the blocking point = where impacted is, that is what the doc sod does. miralax is little plastic balls that absorb water

stimulant laxatives are dangerous because it's to easy to get addicted

and yes adding fiber to your diet will definitely bulk up your stools lol go for about 35gr fiber/day lots of veggies and psyllium is good too

good luck


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