I suffer with terrible constipation and I am beginning to wonder if it's endo related. I have coeliac and my stomach pains improved slightly since going gluten free; but I am finding more and more that I can't go to the toilet naturally, or it totally flips and I find myself having to sprint to make the loo in time esp during time of month - the first two or three days it's horrific and I get terribly dehydrated from it. Generally though it's the other and I have to take a lot of laxatives to get any relief. My diet is very healthy, i work out 6+ times a week and sleep well. I am a healthy weight and I drink plenty of water and take in lots of fibre (but not too much as it makes things even worse!). It's almost like my bowel is asleep! I'm worried about taking laxatives too often so don't take them more than twice a week and try and stick to senna or movicol which I have on prescription but I have to take a lot of those for anything to happen. I have a fairly large endometrioma that is due for removal, so I'm half expecting that when they do that they'll find I have problems with my bowel? I have got bad IBS but I honestly think IBS is a cover all for "we aren't sure what it is". I've been tested for crohns and colitis and was ok. Sorry for the detail of this post I am just despairing, I get terrible pains around the area of my cyst and it is made worse by the fact my bowel is full
Hi, I also get very bad constipation. After years of trying to manage it naturally I’ve ended up taking Movicol every other day. I still do all the other stuff - water, soluble fibre, etc - but the Movicol is what really works.
From what I have read if you are looking at long term use, it’s better to take one of the softeners like Movicol. They don’t interfere with the natural gut rhythm, which of course you want to preserve. It’s also not absorbed, so no side effects.
I’d be wary about taking Senna long term as I believe it works by stimulating the gut rhythm. That’s OK occasionally but with regular use I believe there is a danger it makes the bowel even more lazy. A good example of when natural isn’t necessarily better.
Thanks, I will bear that in mind as it is worrying regarding the senna. I have been on movicol for three years now - but for good effect I have to take four a day and upto eight! If they are safer though I'll stick with those as I am scared of making my bowel even more lazy. Thank you
One of the best bits of advice I’ve been given is to drink two large glasses of cold water as soon as I get up in the morning. It seems to shock the gut into action.
I have breakfast about half an hour later and then things usually start moving.
An Indian friend told me this is a traditional Ayurvedic method.
I do try this as often as possible, my work patterns don't help but I find drinking water as fast as possible occasional does give me the urge. Aside from that, unless I've had one wine too many I literally never get the urge to go, just the feeling that I'm full it's horrible! Thanks for the advice
I have also removed bananas, oats, soya and lactose, I buy lactose free milk. With my breakfast I have a large mixed drink of 1 vit C tab, with lactose free plain yogurt or a bacteria yogurt tab. half water, some orange juice and importantly 'Meverbrine Fybrogel'. This makes a nice smoothy. After a few days there should be some improvements. It is important that you try to set a similar time to poo, give yourself time. If you are still having problems try get your feet higher while on the toilet as this will change the position of the bowel. If you still can't go you will have to result to getting a black bin bag get down on knees or crouch and evacuate the bowel by hand. Bowel habits are important so create 1 that gives you a regular schedule. I feel for you as I have the same issues but have managed to at least improved it to be exceptabo
Did you find removing those by the diet helped? I have prescribed enemas that I resort to every now and again but they make me really sore! I maybe need to look at my diet again it's super healthy but maybe some of the foods don't agree with me
No enemas didn't work for me, they just made inflammation. Once I went 10 days without going, finally the weight of it pushed it down. I stopped eating as I was vomiting and having chest pain. Sometimes I can't feel the poo cos of pain or the painkillers. Tomato and fruit pips can have a gluten effect. If poo has undigested bits in it. Perhaps cut out pips, peas, sweet corn etc as they could be getting caught up in the bowel, Fermenting and obstructing. You could try taking a antihistamine to reduce inflammation. Have a look at the Food Map online and check out it for Histamine. Is your poo a normal colour? x
Thanks, this is all so interesting. My longest was 3 weeks which was horrendous. 5-7 days between is my usual at the moments I didn't know that about tomatos and fruit pips. Colour varies - I pass menstrual blood when it's my period time from my bottom, but it's normally dark or when I occasionally flip and get the runs it's almost glowing orange (sorry for the detail!!!). My diet is stable in that I eat the same things most of the time, so I don't think food causes the upsets as such but I'm really not sure. Bowels are complex things! I'd love to be like my partner, like clockwork morning, lunchtime and evening!
Are you taking any steroids as this can effect the bowel. I took them for 15 yrs and they damaged my pancreas..I can't take any type of steroid cos of chronic pancreatitis. The blood you experience in your bowel is very caustic that could be adding to the inflammation. There probably is nerve damage and inflexible parts of the bowel where the muscles are static. It is also possible that you may have a second autoimmune disease like crohns, a celiac etc. I also on and off had it in my bowel bleeding lungs the same with fluid in them. Overtime more days in month were effected with just a few days after a 10 day heavy period would be free of symptoms. x
I've been checked for chrons and colitis, I have got coeliac but I do manage my diet very carefully. No don't take any steroids I take very little medication I don't like to. Gosh that sounds awful, you've had some horrid symptoms. Xx
I was on cancer drugs but as with all drugs with me they start to damage me. I now take Codiadramol and morphine. I managed to do chores between resting, I manage to odd trip to the Department Stores and a couple of nites out a mth. I don't have a regular boyfriend cos I am unreliable though I am a reliable person and try my best to be normal as I'be found people are not very understand of illness so I try to hide it. If you say you feel unwell firstly people keep asking, it's not exactly a subject at a party and its a downer to get invited again. I am a fighter, People see me as a positive person. I keep the framework up, try to be brave, but often get low as I still miss my husband who walked out. It a deep longing to talk with him but he refused. I know his angry but why with me I have no idea? This illness has ruined a lot of my life. But I am not giving in! I have become a expert on Endo and what it causes and search to unlock answers for its presence! Hope I can be of help all the newbies to jump years of what I've learnt the hard way. L J x
I too have the same problems, I also pass menstrual blood when i open my bowels during my period. I have had a colonoscopy and was told I have a redundant bowel which means it’s too long which makes it lazy. My GI doctor suspects my endo is rectovaginal. Still awaiting a lap. I have found that taking bromaline has helped with bowel problems and digestive problems, I still have flare ups of bad days but I’d still recommend the bromaline, you can get it online or Holland and Barrets sell it x
Ive not heard of bromaline so I'll look at that thank you! My colonoscopy revealed mine was also fairly lazy but also what he described as spastic (I was a bit shocked but apparently it's ok to say about bowels) and it twitches a lot.
I had the same problem and was chronically constipated. I was found to have severe endo and in the end had to take laxatives every day otherwise I just wouldn't be able to go at all, and nothing I tried made any difference - prune juice, flaxseed, allbran, figs, you name it, I was eating it, and nothing. I felt the same as you, like my bowel just wasn't working. I had excision back in march where they removed a large rectovaginal nodule and endo from elsewhere on my bowel. It was hoped that this would help with the constipation, but to be honest it hasn't and I have gone back to using lactulose on a daily basis. FWIW it is safe to take something like lactulose regularly and long term as it works differently to senna but if you are worried about using laxatives it is worth seeing your GP and getting some advice. I think now I just have so much scarring on my bowel that it doesn't work properly :/
Constipation is the worse, i got ibs c and i was lucky if i went once a week!
On finding out i had ibs i saw a naturopath, alergist and nutrionalist... to try to understand.
I was put on probiotics, digestive enzyme and peppermint oil capsules, which have helped me pain wise and bein able to eat. I also found out i was gluten intolerant. The thing that changed me most was i was magnesium deficient, so i went and brought some supplements and it like i got a new body... as soon as i wake up first thing my body does is poop ...so if i was u instead of all these lax and stuff try magnesium.
I've not tried that I'll go and get some today! I take an enzyme, a daily probiotic and peppermint but they don't make a difference (I've tried 2 months on then 2 months off) but magnesium is a new one! X
Yeh it has been proved that most people that have ibs c are magnesium deficient. I started on them and within 2 days i was goin daily. I just gave a friend who suffers to and she has started goin everyday to so it a bit of a miracle worker for me..
I hope they work for u. I just got mine in holland and barratt and took the three a day to start but now i do 2 as u can go the other way if u take to many more then u need. So when u become a bit more regular if u find ur then goin 2-3 times a day which i went 5 times in ones day and i was like hmmm i dont want that either so i just cut back abit
Fingers crossed the same happens to me! I take their aloe colon cleanser I don't think it does much either haha but I will have a look into this definitely, I'll get some today! I've been on both ends of the scale and I'd rather go too often then hardly ever, the feeling of being blocked up is so horrid 🤢 thank you x
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