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I think I need a colonoscopy. Severely constipated. Laxative not providing relief

Posted , 3 users are following.

april14718
april14718

I have had issues with my bowels as far back as when i was younger. It seems as the years progressed my issues have escalated to serious problems. I don't go every day and never have been one to go everyday. Normal, for me was once or twice a week. Which, I know is quite bad. I am in my mid twenties now and seem to have reached a peak when it comes to the constipation. I have tried increasing water, exercise, Ex-Lax, and stool softeners and have not had much luck. They might work occasionally but then a week later I'm back in the same boat. As of right now I eat an Activia yogurt once a day and all that has seemed to do is make me increasingly gassy (I know, not appealing). I do not have healthy stools. I usually strain (push very hard my head hurts) and all that comes out is pellet sized poops. My stomach is almost always bloated and it sucks. As of recently I am having a serious issue. The past week and a half has been very uncomfortable/ painful for me. I had pain in my upper left abdomen, pain in my left hip, pain in my pelvic area. I've had the constant pressure on my bowels like I have to go, even after just going. I wasn't sure what it was and I never considered constipation because I had pain all on the left side so I went to the ER. They did a CT scan and all looked normal. The doctor said it's constipation. They prescribed me magnesium citrate for the cure. Well, my instructions were to drink half the bottle last night and half tonight. I did and last night, instantly I felt the urge to go over and over. I ran to the bathroom a lot but only got small pellets out each time. Finally, I just went to bed. In the morning, I woke up with the urge to go again. I went and this time it was golf ball sized poops. After this BM I felt empty. That is, until a few hours passed. I had errand to run today so I decided to take the rest tonight once I knew I would be home. And I have been really bloated, and my stomach has gurgled, I've had some gas but everytime I try and poop, there is nothing. It feels as if something is hard almost like something is blocking the exit. That's the only way I can think of to describe it. I am still having the pain in my pelvis and hip area. Not so much in my upper abdomen anymore. So could there be an underlying cause as to why I am unable to go tonight? Do I give the magnesium more time? Should I call my doctor and ask to be seen or beg to get into a specialist? 

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • fiona9688
    fiona9688 april14718

    Posted

    Hi, I have just read your problem, i to have had problems all my life with my bowels, started with spending six weeks in hospital at the age of three, (not sure if the problem was related to my mother having depression when i was born and somehow affected me} I Had had several bowel operations {including rectopexy] I was told that my bowel was baggy, I suppose due to constant constipation. As you can imagine i have tried everything drug wise and diet {which is extremely healthy} also tried high fibre which is what all the doctors and books say, but all that does is blow you up and makes the problem feel worse. I think you say that you empty your bowels twicw a week, some people would say that was fine, but having pellet type stools does means you are constipated [ i to have this but eat prunes to keep it all soft, thay do make you have smelly wind though] has anyone suggested a proctogram xray it may help to see what is going on. Also i was told by a bowel surgeon not to let my bowels rule my life, which i suppose in a way could cause anxiety and stress which dose not help.
    • april14718
      april14718 fiona9688

      Posted

      No, no one has suggested anything for me. I call my doctor and all he said was to drink lots of water, stay moving, and give it more time. The doctors in my area suck.
  • fiona9688
    fiona9688 april14718

    Posted

    Hi, I did'nt get any help from the doctors either, i did all my own research, i found a great consultant that dealt with bowel problems in the private hospital in Oxford, I thought maybe if i paid i would get help quicker than waiting on the NHS, they new straight away with xrays and past history discussions. If you are worried you can phone and make an appointment with a private consultant, thats what i did because i was fed up with getting no help with Gp.
  • april14718
    april14718

    Posted

    I was able to get some relief with a stool softener but I am still quite bloated. Also, I still seem to have a dull pain in my pelvis, which is where all this started. 
  • fiona9688
    fiona9688 april14718

    Posted

    HI, The trouble with stool softeners is that they do bloat you out, but to be sure maybe you should be refered for a colonoscopy then at least you may get an answer to you problem. If it helps i take a stool softerner at night so most of the bloating is when im asleep.
  • amy57522
    amy57522 april14718

    Posted

    I completely understand I am 24 and I didn't have any bowel movement at first for 3 weeks then my doctor just prescribed me laxatives after laxatives until I was calling them every 2 days complaining of the pain I was in but they never listened. It was until one day it got that painful it hurt to eat. I was admitted in for a week and the hospital gave me loads of different surgical medication like movie rep and pick lax (movipreo os not nice at all) the first 2 sachets didn't work so I was given 4 doses until it worked and I found it was just overflow I was passing. I had an x Ray twice a day to see the progress of the medication but it never cleaned me out. I finally got my large bowel clear enough for them to do a colonoscopy 2 weeks ago but there was no indication to show crohns or Inflammatory bowel disease at all. Still suffering 3 month on. Clean eating drinking plenty but nothing works but I am not at risk or an obstruction so they won't operate or admit me again. I bleed now with strain. I use suppositories and I friend not to take laxatives all the time in case I got immune to them so now I take cosmacol which is a high in fibre drink that acts like a laxitive. Hope you get sorted soon. Plenty of people on here feel your pain. I was told that a GP have not been training to deal with bowel troubles that's why patients are thrown laxitive said its a gastroenterologist you need to be referred too your doctor doesn't have a clue what to do with bowels unless they specialise in that area. Good luck get better soon x
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