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Son has really bad constipation

Posted , 2 users are following.

shirley84100
shirley84100

Hi there, I don't mean this to sound so bad there's no other way to put it. My son has had constipation for years. He started off by holding it in when he was a child and now hes 20 its still affecting him. He's not going to the loo properly for a few weeks and its all impacted up inside him. We have been to docs over the years and even to A and E where they gave him an enema. But this didn't clear it out either. I understand its very unpleasant for him and anyone else come to that, who may be suffering the same way. He leaks loose stools (Round the edge of the blockage )so his underwear is often stained. But all the doctor will tell him is to take movicol till things clear then take it on a regular basis. I have every sympathy with my sons condition but not with the fact that he could have sorted it out several years ago. I am scared to death that he will end up with serious bowel problems and yet he refuses to do anything to sort this out. He is also using it as an excuse to stay at home computer gaming rather than go out and look for work. Do you know if there are any other things besides movicol that will help with this?

0 likes, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • janice33981
    janice33981 shirley84100

    Posted

    Hi Shirley. My daughter has suffered with the same problem though she is

    Only 10. She was very constipated and when I took her to the doctor a few times

    He told me she would grow out of it. Her tummy became very distended so I took her to a and e. She hadn't moved her bowel for over a month by then. Luckily we were seen by a gastroenterologist who prescribed the bowel prep treatment picolax and dulcolax for 3 days. This was dynamite and result was very quick though

    Very messy! Her bowel was emptied and she had to take movicol twice a day

    And dulcolax at night. She has had no bother since though she still taking the medication. Encourage your son to seek out this treatment as it will work for him. Though after he will have to persevere with going to toilet after meal and exercising. Plenty of water is also good, but be careful with certain fruits as they can bung him up more. I hope you get sorted as this problem affects the whole family and is awful for him. Good luck and let me know how he gets on.

  • shirley84100
    shirley84100

    Posted

    Hi Janice, Many thanks for your reply to my message re my sons constipation. Like your daughter, he doesn't go for 3 weeks or a month at a time! I have not heard of picolax before though I have heard of dulcolax. How often did your daughter have to take 2 movicol a day for? Does she take it in a glass of orange juice or something. My son doesn't like the taste of it even though its not the worst tasting medication by any means. Yes I will definitely encourage my son to go for this treatment though he can be extremely obstinate and I can't seem to get through to him that he doesn't have to live like this and that it can be sorted. But after all this time he has done nothing concrete about it. Yes it would be great if he drank more water as he loves fizzy pop and anything with loads of sugar in unfortunately. This won't be helping his bowel problem either.Also he eats too quick and I often have to tell him to slow down. Yes I hope he will sort it out soon too and I agree that as much as its awful for him, its affecting us all too. I honestly feel he hasn't bothered to sort this problem out because its "Allowing him" to stay at home gaming all day (Apart from two days a week in college doing an HND) He failed the HND because he put gaming first. I told him and told him and told him that his future was at stake and so on bit he wouldn't have it. Anyway I will try and get him to seek out this treatment. Many thanks again. Will need good luck for sure. Will come back another time with an update. Shirley
  • janice33981
    janice33981 shirley84100

    Posted

    Hi Shirley, yes my daughter takes movicol mixed with orange juice as its easier to drink. She has been taking these sachets for 11 months now as the gastroenterologist said as she was so impacted her bowel has stretched, so she needs to keep taking meds while her bowel shrinks back to normal. Which can take about a year apparently. Your son seems to be stuck in a rut with gaming which is probably another

    Issue or typical teenage behaviour. Mind you he probably feels very sluggish if he

    Is blocked up. Try to encourage him to visit a and e and be persistent. Ask about

    Picolax as I think only hospital can prescribe this. I promise this will work but he has to keep up the routine and try to cut down on fizzy drinks and sweets and this with gelatin in. If he likes liquorice that is very good for bowels. My girl doesn't like it

    Though. It's a horrible problem but it can be sorted. We have just had a hospital

    Appointment and don't have to go back for a year for check up as she is doing so

    Well. I thought it would never get better but it has. You are not alone as its very

    Common judging by all the blogs on netmums. Let me know how you get on.

    Sending much support.

  • shirley84100
    shirley84100

    Posted

    Hi Janice, Here is an update: Amazingly my son is now taking medication to clear the blockage! I have told him to stick with it as it wont happen over night and that he will probably need to keep taking it a couple of times a week for ever more. But at least he is now making an effort as I have spoken to him about this a lot in the last couple of weeks. Maybe something  I said finally "Hit home"? Also he actualy applied for job seekers allowance the other day too! So perhaps finally he is seeing sense. I have tried all sorts to get him to look for work and sort his bowel problem out. Maybe this is a turning point. I really hope so anyway. My son is also going to have to start drinking water and not eating so many sweets etc.  Another thing is that he eats too quick and I am sure that this isnt helping as he is not chewing things properly. Anyway at least its better news today. I hope your daughter is doing ok too. Shirley
  • janice33981
    janice33981 shirley84100

    Posted

    Oh that is great news. It's a step in the right direction and it sounds like he really wants to solve this problem. I am really pleased for you both. Yes my daughter is still doing brilliantly thank you. Fingers crossed for more progress for your son. He can do it! Good luck.
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