slightly embarrassing question about digestive problems

evabuk

sorry to be gross, but I'm sure this is an issue many members here have to address because of all the pain meds we're on.

I'm talking about, ehem, constipation :oops:

the MST are really doing a number on my bowels, and my GP prescribed lactulose, which I've been taking, but even at fairly high doseage (4 x 5ml twice a day) it doesn't always work...or only partially.

Pharmacist advised senna tablets...nothing (at least at the recommended dose)

I'd love to know how other people deal with this problem, it must be an ongoing issue (oops, sorry for the unintential pun) for so many of us....

thanks in advance

eva

elnafinn

Eating lots of fruit, drinking water, eating liquorice, dates have all helped me along with senna but thank goodness I rarely suffer from that problem. I avoid the coco meds because of that.

Holidays make me constipated :oops: - different lifestyle I suppose, lazing around - obviously does nothing for my bowels :oops: :oops:

Hope you get sorted soon,

Luv
Elna x

valval

hi stopped my meds for couple of days as feeling much better and was going 4 times a day lol felt much thinner lol. when doc asked why i told her but do not think she knew what to tell me lol. worked wonders but back on pain meds as knees and feet bad today lol

robertls

My GP prescribed MOVICOL.
I had it really bad.........Like trying to pass lumps of brick.

Did the trick for me.

Rob x

evabuk

robertls wrote:

My GP prescribed MOVICOL.
I had it really bad.........Like trying to pass lumps of brick.

Did the trick for me.

Rob x

my pharmacist recomended this...I think I'll give it a try.
thanks,
eva.

suzster

yes movical, is great and does the trick!!! tastes nasty though, my chemist told me to add a drop of squash to improve the taste a tiny bit!!

evabuk

well, I just took my first dose, it didnt taste too bad - just swigged it down.

Just wondering, how long did it take to work for you...was it within a day or so or longer?

I feel as if I'm about to explode! :shock:

robertls

It worked for me in express time............... :shock:

Don't go far from the loo. :arrow:

Rob x

evabuk

robertls wrote:

It worked for me in express time............... :shock:

Don't go far from the loo. :arrow:

Rob x

how many sachets did you take all at once? :shock:

eva x

woodbon

Hi, Movacol is something we used a lot when I was working with MS patients, it does help. If you can't take that then theirs Fibogel, but I personally find that awfall :x but some people actually like it! Takes all sorts. Prunes or you can buy prune juice too which works for me! :oops: Hope you find a quick cure to the problem as it soooo uncomfortable! Love Sue

bailey27

Hi
I get this probem quite alot.
I find what works for me is that I will wake up 30 minutes before usual time and drink a pint of water, shut my eyes or nod off until I'd normally get up. When I get up and have a cuppa and usual breakfast everything seems to 'get moving'.
You can also put a squeeze of lemon juice in too to help.
It works for me a treat and I do this every morning - and I go every morning!!!!!

woodbon

Hi,
Don't tell my husband I've told you, but its his early morning cup of coffee that works for him! We always have to wait before going out but its often quick, works in 5 - 10 minutes. :oops:
Love Sue

lindalegs

Prune juice - that's all I can say.

Are you going to tell us when things get moving or shall we just use our imagination ? :shock: - I'm just off for a ham and mustard sandwich

Luv Legs

robertls

Oh Eva.................I know its not funny..... ....really I do........ :P

No sorry, it is, its tickled me to death, thinking of how many people are sitting at their computer just waiting to hear if you've 'poo'd'. :shock:

Sorry.................I really mean it (not).

Having been there many times...............I know its a strain on your nerves. ooops

Luv Rob x

oneday

this is guaranteed to work!
prunes, yes prunes.
I remember after an op nothing was working properly, i was given allsorts of stuff that didnt work until i remembered prunes and asked for them!.........worked a treat! infact i like the taste of them but cant eat them because of the effect!

mellman01

I use the same as robertis ie Movicol tends to move things along most times!!, I also eat a lot and I mean a lot of stir fry veg and I also drink lots of orange juice, some say warm orange juice is good but I tend to stick to taking a couple of packets of Movicol and hang on!. :oops:

evabuk

I'm afraid I've tried prunes, and all sorts of other natural remedies, to no effect. For me, it's the pain killer meds unfortunately that are doing this.

I've just taken sachet No 3....and you will all just have to wait in suspense until tomorrow to hear about the results...

mash65

hi,i think we all suffer with this problem.
ive given up taking the latulose as it gives me horrible stomach cramps.
im trying bananas at the moment & had a little movement this morning,now you really wanted to now that didnt you :oops:
rivitas help too but with the jaw OA i struggle to chew them,cant really suck a rivita
debsx

Wonkylegs

HI!

I totally sympathise, and will soon be having my own problems, as I have been knocking back the co-codamols rather a lot this past week or so.

My GP gave me lactulose too, but that made me so thirsty when I took it, that I was up half the night at the loo for all the wrong reasons :oops: !

I would agree that a diet high in fruit and veg and low in processed carbohydrates is the best way to go ( :roll: sorry - fill into that trap didn't i? :roll: ) and can also vouch for regular consumption of prune juice, although I avoid that as much as I can as I hate the taste.

best of luck!

evabuk

good morning viewers,

I know you're all waiting with bated breath :oops: :shock:

well, somewhat disappointing results so far - very litttle "movement" if you get my drift...hardly worth mentioning. I've taken a sachet early this morning,and will be off for a walk soon to try and get things moving a bit...

this really is frustrating. I eat an awful lot of fruit and veg already, can hardly eat any more.

seeing GP this afternoon, and will ask about using a higher doseage.

see you later

woodbon

Hi, I think we should be more open (pardon the pun) as they say, a lot of people die of embarissment. In my own family, my disabled neices husband has just come out of hospital after major surgery for bowel cancer. They seem to have caught it in time, but we have to wait to be sure, he didn't ask his GP for help until he was in so much pain, he couldn't work or do anything and had lost 4 stones weight.

So, lets all be brave, make silly jokes and talk about these things; it could save our life.

Anyone know what happened to the old fashioned syrup of figs, thats a very uncomfortable memory from my childhood! :shock:

Hope alls well! Love Sue

annebr

Hello.

I agree with Sue we should all be more open about this subject. As well as the effect of the meds I am currently being investigated for an IBD such as Chrons and it is a taboo subject. Although lot of people suffer. I go through phases of one extreme to another and have also found that the normal laxitives don't work for me.

You can still get syrup of figs it's now called calfig and it tastes the same as it did when you were little, always have a bottle in the house but have to measure carefully as it's the one medicine I like the taste of.

I am sure we can think of plenty more poo jokes!!!

Anne

breane

Hi,It seems many of us have this problem. :oops: Apart from eating plenty of fruit and veg and taking a probiotic drink every morning,I've tried Fybol gel which is a natural husk fibre,prune juice,fruit juice and even resorted to Senokot tablets.I did wonder if it was due to the meds but at the moment I'm only take Hydroxy.Like other members have said,it's a complaint that shouldn't be swept under the carpet.Both my parents had bowel cancer although my father died due to heart and lung problems but any upset with the digestive system can be a worry for me and that in itself doesn't help.Worry can upset our 'workings'. Not a good day for me today,had to see my GP yet again,this time it's an UTI,something I've not had for a couple of years or so. It's back to drinking loads of Cranberry juice plus the usual antibiotics which also don't help the system.I'm going away this weekend so hope the antibiotics soon kick in. Breane. :?

dachshund

Hi everyone.
i was told by the lady in the chemist to eat 20 grapes and they will push there way through as they are wet.
good luck. joan xx

sharmaine

Hi Eva

I think co-dydramol etc saps the moisture from your body - bowels especially making stools like cement! Lactulose is ok but i think it gives you serious wind problems! I've also tried senna but may ask my GP for something else. I haven't thought about stopping my co-dydramol because I'm scared I'll be in pain. May try it for one day. I did cut tablets done from 8 a day to 6 a day. Will try to decrease them and see how I get on.

You need to see your GP - they'll be able to suggest something else other than lactulose!

Regards

Sharmaine

evabuk

sharmaine wrote:

Hi Eva

I think co-dydramol etc saps the moisture from your body - bowels especially making stools like cement! Lactulose is ok but i think it gives you serious wind problems! I've also tried senna but may ask my GP for something else. I haven't thought about stopping my co-dydramol because I'm scared I'll be in pain. May try it for one day. I did cut tablets done from 8 a day to 6 a day. Will try to decrease them and see how I get on.

You need to see your GP - they'll be able to suggest something else other than lactulose!

Regards

Sharmaine

what these meds do is, rather than sap the fluid from your body, they affect the peristalsis (the constant muscle action inside your digestive system which is necessary to push the stuff through and out the other end)....basically, they stop it altogether, so it backs up!

like you, I'm on strong painkillers which are definitely doing this, and can't stop because I'm such a coward when it comes to pain!

exxx