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I finally found a solution to 17 years of constipation

Posted , 50 users are following.

Caybee
Caybee

This isn't a question but I just wanted to share this for anybody that it might help because it truly changed my life. I've had chronic constipation since I was 3 years old. When I was 3, I was molested, and (I was told by my doctor but I'm still not sure how the two are connected) I began holding my poop. I would only hold it for a few days when I was younger, but it became a habit, and by the time I was 10 years old, I could hold it for about 3 months. Some people say that's not physically possible, but trust me it is! My body began to work in a cycle. I would poop, then I would not poop again for 2 weeks, then I would become constipated and hold my poop in for 2 weeks, and then finally I would let one out the size of a softball. This often tore my rectum and cause hemhorroids. When I was about 15 years old, I finally began to realize how serious it was that I only pooped about once a month. So I tried to change it. But by then my body was so adapted to the cycle that nothing I did ever changed anything. I had already taken every type of stool sofener ever, and eventually even enemas stopped working for me. Constipation was literally controlling my life. I had no friends anymore because I was too uncomfortable to go out and do anything, and I often missed weeks of school at a time because I could not move or I would be in so much pain. Over my life I had been in the hospital a few times and they gave me an enema and stool softeners and discharged me. The problem always came back. I suffered with this problem all the way through my junior year of high school. I would come home at 17 years old my would be crying and searching the Internet for anything that could help me. Doctors didn't even know what to do anymore. One day, when I was 17 years old, my mom took me to the hospital because I had not pooped in about 2 months and I felt like I was dying. They gave me an x Ray and told me that I was completely impacted. No enemas or stool softener a could fix it, I was going to need surgery. I was transferred as to Neumors children's hospital as an emergency patient and placed in the icu for a surgery the next morning. Then my doctor decided that a surgery should be the last option. They gave me enemas and had me drink 2 gallons of mural ax in one night. It made me have to poop so bad but I couldn't. So here I was, a 17 year old girl in the icu on tons of pain medicine, crying and leaking poop all over the bed and floor, while my mom was in the same room. Not a pretty picture, I know. I was in so much pain and so depressed in the icu for four days before they finally did the surgery. I was put under anesthesia and when I woke up I felt great. They had manually removed all the stool from my body. I was told to take miralax twice a day and a stimulant laxative every morning. Doctors advise against taking these regularly, but in my case it was necessary. I was also put on Zoloft, for anxiety. I'm not 18 years old and I have not had any problems with constipation for almost a year. I've had this problem all my life and I honestly thought nothing would ever work for me. I thought I would never get married or have kids, I would be a virgin my whole life. But my entire life has been turned around in such an amazing way. For any moms out there desperately looking for a cure to their kid's constipation, this may not work for everybody, but it sure as hell did wonders for me. Fist you need to get ALL of the stool out so that you can completely start over. I had this done in a hospital, but you can do a simple intestinal clean out, just find one online. Then I took a cap of miralax every morning. When I got home from school, I took a stimulant laxative to give me the urge to poop. If you have done the clean out and taken the miralax, it should be almost diarrhea and it would come out easily. Continue this for a few months until your body get used to NOT holding poop anymore. And if you hold your poop, you may want to consider an antianxiety medication to relax you. The Zoloft did really help me a lot. I'm currently still taking Zoloft, but no stool softeners. And I haven't had a problem in almost a year. Sorry for all the nasty details and everything that was TMI, but it's worth it if it helps ANYBODY because nobody truly knows wheat this is like until they experience it.

14 likes, 50 replies

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  • colleen73927
    colleen73927 Caybee

    Posted

    I have been constipated all my life and I am 52. % years ago I started taking Miralax and ithelped butI still could go two weeks. I was put on LInzess in April of this year but 2 weeks later I was hospitalized because I gained so much weight all in my abdomen I look like I am 8 months pregnant. I have had every test they found spots on my liver but liver function was fine. They found gallstones and Fibroids. Its been a year now and I just read that too much Miralax can cause aDistended Abdomen. Another weird problem which my Dr laughed and said most people wouldn't complain is that I can never pass gas? I am in so much pain cause now I sloweddown on the Miralax and its like I have to deliver a basketball out of my ass. I need help because I don't know if the damage I've done is reversible. ANy suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
    • Caybee
      Caybee colleen73927

      Posted

      The miralax alone didn't help me because although it made my stool softer, I didn't actually feel like pooping for about two weeks. My doctor put me on 10 mg of dulcolax which is a stimulant, and it almost forces you to poop every day because it makes you have to go so bad that you can't hold it. Eventually I got used to pooping every day and even after I stopped taking it, I still go every day. And I used to not be able to pass gas either and it's actually really painful but as soon as I was pooping regularly, I was able to pass gas fine and it makes you feel a lot better.
    • Mandahugs
      Mandahugs colleen73927

      Posted

      Hi Colleen, I'm in a similar situation although without so much distension. I used to eat masses of muesli- like cereal and although I was more regular then, I was very distended with gas and people would ask me if I was pregnant - I think it was too much of the wrong sort of fiber plus I chewed quite a lot of sugar-free gum. There are loads of different types and makes of fiber supplements, as well as laxatives. My gastro is currently prescribing Movicol (osmotic type laxative similar to Miralax) plus a special kind of Magnesium (Magnesiocard) as well as Metamucil for fiber and of course drinking lots of water. I am also taking Amitiza which helps a little with lubrication (lubiprostone) and I'm considering trying Linaclotide instead. I take Simethicone for gas which is the ingredient in almost every Brand of anti gas supplement other than Beano. This helps the gas to be expelled more easily. I'm sure if you can switch to a different type of laxative for a while and deal with the constipation, that will make it much easier for the gas to escape. Also whatever fiber you consume or are prescribed, treat it with caution and build it up slowly to allow your body to adjust and not start producing even more gas and bloat. Good luck!
    • carol27042
      carol27042 colleen73927

      Posted

      Hi colleen will the dr not prescribe laxido ? At the moment im on 4 sachets a day as i have an anal fissure. But because im usually constipated i take 2 every day . Which seems to be much better for me. ? X
    • Thejudy68
      Thejudy68 Caybee

      Posted

      Maybe do you take the Doculax every day with the Miralax ? I wasn't sure. It's strange how some things work on some people and not on others. Thanks..

    • noconstipation
      noconstipation Mandahugs

      Posted

      I had movicol before and while it kinda worked (some of the time), The taste was horrible, even with squash (really concentrated fruit juice which you need to put water in), it was disgusting and now, I feel grateful I had it.
    • rosaly01927
      rosaly01927 Caybee

      Posted

      Hi Caybee

      What have the doctors said since this last post? I'm in a familiar situation like yours, I asked about having Linzess but got Lactose instead which I'm trying everyday to see if it will fix my constipation.. Mine is also severe, I thought maybe getting a Stoma would help but not sure. Keep me updated with your situation.

      Thanks

    • louann95772
      louann95772 rosaly01927

      Posted

      Oh i never knu this forum.existed. You feel so alone and peopls never understand. Finally foe me at 50 my appendix broke. Then they removed my large colon. I continued to get bowell obstructions. They gave me an ileostomy and.still got obstructions. And ilsostomies are disgusting, hard work and just a pain. The bags break. And i still got obstruction s. which doctors blamed on me. I wNted to die. Finally after multiple surgeries a doctor reversed my ileostomy. Which left me.fecally incontinent. But now i am constipated again. My grandmother had a lot of bowel issues so i believe its inherited. Along with her bowel i got her scoliosis - crooked as a jahbired with very limited mobility. Nevsrgot pregnant, or remained successfully in a relation. I have so many adhesions, take so much abuse. i really wishi would just die. Going tl dr in dec. again. Hopefully she can help. i eat well, exercise butnothing. Thanks for listenkng.

  • fiona9688
    fiona9688 Caybee

    Posted

    Hi, Caybee, I have had the same problem as you, all my life i have been in and out of hospital searching for the answer for my bowel problems, after having a large baby then had problems with pelvic floor and prolapses { due to severe constipation all my life} I have searched and searched for any kind of help to get my bowels moving without taking laxitives, Even a high fibre diet which i  have recently found out that it can have the opposite effect causeing even more problems. Anyway cut a very long story short i have found the answer in Chia seeds, not only do they help me they are extremley health aswell, I soak about a desert spoonfull in a cup of water and then add them to a smoothie,  because of the gel like consistency they help my constipation amazingly. { it is really inportant to presoak otherwise the seeds will absorb fluid in the body and will make you constipated ]
    • Mandahugs
      Mandahugs fiona9688

      Posted

      Thanks for your post Fiona, I've heard of the benefits of Chia seeds too. I will give them a try.
  • Mandahugs
    Mandahugs Caybee

    Posted

    Dear Caybee, I am a long-term sufferer of constipation and have had impacted stool, been given a stimulant enema in ER by a young inexperienced doctor and was in horrible pain as it was being pushed out, but was too large. I had a previous one removed under sedation - only took 5 mins, but because the second time it was the weekend, the gastroenterologist who would do that procedure "wasn't available". Well that bad experience was down to a poorly managed ER. 

    Anyway, my experiences pale into insignificance compared to what you and your mother have been through. I am so happy for you that you are on the mend at last and so sorry you had to go through all those years of suffering.

    I want to thank you for posting your story, as it is so uplifting to hear when someone finally has a big success. I think it renews hope for others still suffering and your description may be the answer for someone else with similar problems. My problems are a bit more complex, but not as serious, so for me - reading your story makes me feel happy for you, a bit more hopeful and puts my troubles in perspective. All the best to you, enjoy life and look after your body so that when you get to my age you're fit and healthy enough to deal with anything life throws at you. This is something I wish I'd done as I'm now in my late forties and don't have the stamina I would like to cope with my current difficulties. I know you will look after yourself because you already know what it feels like when things aren't working right and how much physical and mental energy it takes to deal with chronic health problems! Great post!

  • kimla10
    kimla10 Caybee

    Posted

    i am late at replying but i got Miralax from my dad a couple hrs ago and it is great. i use it alongside (or when needed,) a smoothie in ice tray - this is green apple, carrot, frozen spinach cube, with a hint of frozen ginger & other relief herbs if want. Put this in an ice tray and have one every evening. This is absolutely great! this is so good i use Miralax as a stand-by.

    i just wanted to say Miralax is the best!!  i just wish i could find a way of combating the middrift weight gain associated with condition!!!! Pilates okay, Zumba x1 mth but determined.......

    thank you all

    • Thejudy68
      Thejudy68 kimla10

      Posted

      Miramax is the Best thing that I have tried and I have tried lots of things ! It desolves good and has no taste plus keeps your stool soft ! I hope that everyone with a constipation problem will try it. I take it in a glass of room temp. water every night and no more problems. Thanks for sharing.
  • jenni32981
    jenni32981 Caybee

    Posted

    Thank you so much for posting this, although quite an embarrassing and tramatic event in your life, you are now so much stronger than most girls your age for your perseverance! I was in tears reading your story as you never know what you will find when you do a web search on - constipation, fever, & softball-sized stool....and I was blessed to come upon your story.My daughter has never had a regular bowel movement. Doctors do the same things every time so they are useless, but my daughter has been through so much at only 7 years of age that I shutter at the thought of her future mirroring yours if we dont fix this now. She clogs the toilet every single time she goes, and it fills the entire pipe, even having needed manual chopping with a knife to get it flushed. I can only imagine how this pains her, she is embarrassed naturally and tries to hide it, so the toilet tells us every time, and she goes back and forth between 2 households so it is hard to keep ontop of. Her stepsister has the exact same, very picky, selection of food choices that constitute her less than square meal plan and I dont think she eats at all at school, but she goes every morning like clockwork.This child is so picky, for desert, if there is no plain chocolate icecream, she goes without any sweets. But anyways, we have been trying all sorts of supplements and even the age old mineral oil solution( she says it is like eating lipstick😛wink, but your suggestions are simply a god send because it is easy for dr.s to give you meds and send you on your way, like this is common, but they dont know what to do, and nothing makes you feel more helpless than watching your child suffer and being unable to help her. Your mom knows all too well I am sure. But thank you for your courage in telling this story and pray that my Naomi can turn this around before it controls her life.

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