Trouble with constipation

[Alicass]

Hi. I'm new on here and desperate for our situation to be sorted. My youngest son started potty training in June 2014 and took to it like a duck to water. A few weeks later he regressed and has hardly been dry in the last 2 years and 9 months.

We've tried everything in that time but to cut a long story short he went into hospital in February 2017 for a week. He was unblocked (again) and was doing well. However, he's regressed again!

We're feeling very alone, lost and really don't know what to do any more. His Paediatrician isn't empathetic at all and the only reason he was admitted to hospital was because I threatened to complain.

He's been under the NHS for a year and we're​ no further forward than we were 12 months ago. All the tests he's had is a bladder scan last March and nothing since.

He started school in September and the school have been extremely supportive and can't do enough. However, we have no child care in the holidays as the local clubs won't take my youngest. This is really stressing me out I don't know what we'll do during the summer.

The situation is now effecting the whole family. My 9 year olds behaviour has changed and my husband and I argue a lot. I just want my life back and not to smell wee or poo any more. I want to be able to go out and not have to take a bag of spare clothes with me. I want to be able to get rid of the nappies he's in still overnight as night time pants won't hold the amount of poo and these are getting too small.

Is there light at the end of a very long tunnel?

[SallyandPaul]

You have my every sympathy. It does sound as though he is constipated which will also affect his weeing. Is he on any medication? Have a look at a you tube video by a marvellous nurse called Sandra Hanson about disimpaction with magrogol( movicol). I'm afraid it does take ages we've been going through this with our daughter for over four years it has been pretty horrendous for everyone. Last week a GP ( not the first) said that it will probably be a lifetime issue but as adults we can deal with it better. I do hope that things will improve for you. Have other things to suggest but this is probably enough for now!! X

[Luella19]

Hi there, I just wanted to give you some hope. My daughter had various poo issues since 3, constipation, withholding, pooing in knickers sometimes a whole formed poo sometimes just small bits inbetween 'normal poos' in toilet. I gave up work due to not being able to put her into holiday clubs. We went through good periods and not good. She was treated with movicol and then a consultant added senokot for her to take daily which made a big difference. And he advised we add a stricter toilet routine.

She never had any wee issues.

Fast forward to now, she is nearly 7, off all laxatives now for 6 weeks and pooing on toilet every couple of days with no messy pants at all. I am tentatively optimistic that we are through the worst and I never thought we would get there. Felt so desperate at times.

Stay hopeful, it is so tough and upsetting and frustrating but you are not alone, lots of parents and children in a similar position.

I believe age is a big factor, keep going with everything you are doing x

[BumblesMum]

Similarly to you, we've already been on this journey with Bumble for about 3 years! I'm so glad your son's school have been supportive, it has been an ongoing uphill struggle, since Bumble also started in September​. Could a childminder be supportive of your son's needs? Together with siblings, i know they're would be a cost involved. Sorry, it was the only thought re childcare i had.

[Alicass]

Thank you everybody. It's such a relief to know that we're not the only ones on this horrible journey.

My son's school have been amazing and very supportive. Funnily enough, his teacher was at the nursery where my son went when we started potty training. She worked part time whilst doing her teacher training.

My son wasn't constipated when we saw our GP last Tuesday. I've asked her to review him regularly rather than the irregular appointments we get from the Paediatrician. Mind you, since coming out of hospital we don't even know if we're getting a follow up appointment or have been discharged from the Paediatrician.

My son is on 7ml of Senakot each night. He's been on Senna for a year now and still gets bunged up. I'm determined this time he won't which is why we're seeing our GP so regularly.

What about putting him in pull ups to go to holiday clubs? Do you think that's going backwards? I've got an ad on Childcare.co.uk but no responses and I haven't mentioned the toileting issue.

I will look for the video on You Tube - anything to help us cope really. I'm so glad I found these forums. Thanks guys. Xxx