Is it normal for Enema to be excruciatingly painful?

hello.

I am just wanting to get some feedback from others about Enema... and wondering is it normal for it to be extremely painful after the liquid has been inserted??

I have Crohn's Disease and over the past 2 years I have had constipation on and off. until about 7months ago and I gradually just got more and more constipated, tried all different meds and treatments and nothing was working....I ended up being admitted to hospital a few weeks ago and am now doing lots better...

however, i was reading something yesterday about enemas and noticed it mentioned that the process of the enema clearing you out shouldnt be painful....and I was like okay well the enema I had 3 weeks ago was the definition of extreme pain.

I have had 2 or 3 enemas before that and they were sore enough when the liquid was working away inside and breaking down the stools. but it never hurt too bad it was always bearable.

but about 3 weeks ago when I was in hospital, they had to give me enema because my bowls hadnt opened in days. and I can safely say that even as a crohns fighter, I have never experienced pain like it. after it was put in it was just the normal niggly pain whilst it was working away inside...

then when i went to the loo it all changed. I was bent double in excruciating pain. I had spasms of cramping in my abdomen, it was like hot, sharp, tearing sort of pains and my whole body broke out into a sweat so much so that my clothes was clinging to my body....I pretty much couldnt breathe and ended up with my head almost on the floor and was literally seconds away from passing out. nothing was budging out of my bowels and yet this pain continued. it went on for what felt like a lifetime! It then eased for about 20seconds which i think was what prevented me from passing out.

and then i had the same pains and spasms all over again. I honestly thought I was being eaten alive or dying or something!! finally though my bowels opened and pretty much exploded (excuse the graphic details!)

afterwards I was exhausted and basically couldnt even walk back to the ward...I ended up curled up on the bathroom floor for about 20minutes before I could do anything.

so I'm just wanting to know is this quite common? or does it perhaps depend on hoe badly constipated you are??? someone I follow that has a chronic illness said her doctor warned her that it was like a mini childbirth!!!

be glad of others thoughts 😃

0 likes, 0 replies