Constipation & Liver Diease

[Abby14]

I have been having awful constipation, does anyone else here suffer with it? I am wondering if it is connected with Liver diease

[Millie09]

Hi abby14 .

I have been suffering constipation .not for very long though , I have cirrhosis stage f4 fibrosis .insomnia , lethargy etc.. foggy brain etc.alll the things that eventually come with liver problems .

How long have you been diagnosed ? .I am now under liver unit at QEHB. I have been given lactulose to take but it hasn't worked . I have lost two debit cards in 4 weeks .. argued with the pharmacist yet it was my fault as I had not ordered all if my meds . I am now waiting on two hospital appt where I am going to speak to my dr again

[Abby14 in reply to Millie09]

I have been diagosed in 2011. I also have Insommia & I have a foggy brain can"t rembemer things & I have always had a good memory! I am going to see my GP on Monday as I am worried as my ALT is rising sorry that you are suffering to

[carllovatt in reply to Abby14]

hi abby i assume you are on lactulose. on the bottle it says you can take up to 30ml 4 times a day if you badly constipated and it wont move see the doc

[Abby14 in reply to carllovatt]

I am not on Lactulose at the moment,on cosmoal powders, I am diabetic as well & Lactulose can make sugars go high, that is what my Gp says.

[carllovatt in reply to Abby14]

i would suggest that you drink lots more water. you may need a ennama to get things started your dr would get the nurse to see you about it

[RHGB in reply to Abby14]

Don't you just love doctors.

From the NHS site:

"People with diabetes often think that lactose is the same as lactose – a sugar that can dangerously raise blood sugar levels. ... If you have diabetes and are taking normal doses of lactulose for constipation, the medicine will have little, if any, effect on your blood sugar levels."

A better explanation:

"Most patients think that lactulose is like lactose and that it is a sugar that will raise glucose readings. However, lactulose is a synthetic sugar that is broken down in the colon into products that pull water out from the body and into the colon. It works by drawing ammonia from the blood into the colon where it is removed from the body. Because it is broken down in the colon it is not absorbed in the intestines and therefore has little if any effect on glucose levels."

[Abby14 in reply to RHGB]

Thanks for that I did not know that!

[Millie09 in reply to Abby14]

Yes , sounds so much like myself and others on here who suffer hepatic encephalopathy.i actually left my back door open all night and only realised at 11am this morning when I crawled out of bed .I do have a good diet etc. but the lactulose is not working as it should .Good luck with the Drs . Let me know how you get on 👍

[Abby14 in reply to Millie09]

Thanks I will

[Guyb in reply to Millie09]

I was really badly constipated was on lactulose but didn't work now I eat loads of pears,plums,peaches eat fresh veg etc and now regular as clockwork fitter as well

[Abby14 in reply to Guyb]

Thanks I do eat alot of fruit, could eat a bit more veg though!

[ribus60]

Have Probiotics, lots of water, fibrous food like oats barley, caffinated coffee and have luke warm water empty stomach first thing when you wake up.

[Abby14 in reply to ribus60]

I will give Probiotics a go I never thought of that. I love porridge so will start having that for breakfast a bit more! The out of hours Dr said to drink plenty of water. I have to be a bit careful with coffee as it can set my mirgaines off. So I have tea & that helps me go. thanks

[ribus60 in reply to Abby14]

Have green tea or lemon or ginger tea.

[Pussycat432]

I'm in a lot of pain under my left rib seems like got something trying to get out the pressure is horrendous I've got autoimmune hep had it for ten years I'm suffering with flatulence not v lady like I'm due at drs this afternoon

[Abby14 in reply to Pussycat432]

Hope you get on ok at the drs. I get awful wind & it is hard to control! it can be very embrassing! so i understand what it is like.

[Guyb in reply to Abby14]

I heard that a healthy digestive system farts 24 times a day

[Abby14 in reply to Guyb]

I am always farting, LOL

[Smyally in reply to Guyb]

My husbands must be extremely healthy then !!

[Abby14 in reply to Smyally]

Ha ha ha LOL

[Pussycat432]

Thankyou Abby14 I didn't get on that well at drs to be v honest . Nurse told me to take paracetamol after feeling round the pain area then called in a dr he was pressing in the area too I thought I was going to go through the roof he said as I'm having a scan in 10 days the scan would pick anything up, I'm due a fibroscan in 10 days I told the dr it's a liver scan n obv livers on the right this pain is under and around the left rib which obviously he knew as he was examining me . So that was it and I was sent home

[Abby14 in reply to Pussycat432]

So sorry to hear that I am on tramdol for my liver pain! Hopefully the fibroscan will give them more of an idea of what"s going on & start treatment!

[mrsmerlin]

Ok answer from the left field here ...

Get a step stool that children use to reach a sink to clean their teeth or to reach the toilet.

When you are in the toilet put the stool in front and rest your feet on it. This puts you in more of a squatting position which is more natural and makes things a lot easier.

If you are constipated for a while and you don't have a doctor's appointment remember that you can always talk to a pharmacist. They may recommend a suppository or something.

Rita x

[Millie09 in reply to mrsmerlin]

That's so true rita. And it helps too 😉. Xx

[Abby14 in reply to mrsmerlin]

Thanks I will defo give that a try & I will talk to my local pharmascist ,they are very good

[Gemma68 in reply to mrsmerlin]

Squatty Potty!!! I held out on buying one for ages because of the "embarrassment factor" but glad I did, use it every time now and I wouldn't be without it!

[19581979]

Hi

I have to use laxido. I've been on it since my spinal cord injury as I need codeine to deal with some of the pains. I can't cope with the neurological pain relief and I've tried a few. I have found that the more fruit and vegetables I eat as long as I have plenty of fluids it helps to reduce constipation caused by the bowel muscles not functioning as well as they should. It is important to have a variety though as some have better roughage than others.

Now I realise I'm dealing with a double whammy with cirrhosis. So I am going to really start looking at what veg option s as well as fruit there are.

G

[Guyb in reply to 19581979]

Hi I got a nutri bullet to make my smoothies spinach,tomato,broccoli carrot,and one fruit item put in fridge till ice cold looks disgusting tastes great always more veg than fruit hope it helps

[Hidden]

That's strange... In the months leading up to the liver transplant, my bowel movements were extremely frequent and regular, at least twice a day. Probably the only thing that wasn't going wrong.

[georig]

Hi

I too am stage 4 cirrhosis.

I have suffered from bad constipation for 2 years - I have an obstruction in my upper bowel so have to take Laxido and Senna at night.

I go from constipation to explosive diarrhea on a daily basis.

I also forget things, have insomnia and have severe sweats.

I would see your GP as it is very likely the constipation is related.

[Hidden in reply to georig]

Hi

I have bowel problems but I think it's made worse customer I have IBS, diverticulitis as well as Nash and under active thyroid. Lactulose seems to help me, I never know what it will be like from one day to the next. If I'm in s long journey I take imodium to be in the safe side. Please take care. Lots of love Lynne xxxx

[georig]

Thanks Lynne

Try and stay positive - it isn't easy - I know.

Take care.

George x

[Gemma68]

Has anyone tried Fybogel for this sort of thing? My aunt uses it dues to diverticulitis and keeps trying to get me on it.