Movicol Clear out - what to expect immediately afterwards.....

[Pumpkin222]

Hi. Having seen a paediatrician it has been confirmed that my 6 year old is constipated and probably has been for some time. So we need a clear out. He has recommended 8 sachets a day for 3 days. I get that it will be messy and we will need to stay around the house but what a about when we drop back to 1 or 2 a day? Will it immediately become less messy? What a start to the summer holidays it's going to be......

[Luella19]

Hi, once you have had the messy clear out and you get down to the maintenance dose things should be more 'normal'.

It varies how much a child needs as a maintenance and how intent they are on trying to hold poo in. My daughter was on 1 sachet per day maintenance dose for some time and was doing a fairly soft sausage poo every 1 to 2 days. If she had 2 sachets it would still be messy. It's a bit trial and error. Eventually we reduced the dose to half sachet per day and now nothing.

Good luck. Also establishing a toilet routine was key for us. You will read lots about this on other posts. Try and sit after meals on loo and stay on loo for at least 5 mins, reading or doing something else to distract from the act of sitting/pooing. Praise for sitting regardless if anything comes out.x

[Pumpkin222 in reply to Luella19]

Thank you. I'm beginning to feel very frustrated about the withholding. We have tried to be gentle but firm in advising she goes to the loo but we will catch her holding it in, usually she has gone into another room, and point blank refuse to go at that point. I guess once we start the clear out she will have no choice. The paediatrician we saw was very nice but didn't seem to feel the psychological aspect of this was worth discussing, and that once we had a clear out and set a routine, it would all stop.

[squizita in reply to Pumpkin222]

I use Youtube videos of 5 min ... i.e. something they'd sit and watch anyway!

[emmasue]

I would agree with what Luella says. It may take some trial and error to find the correct maintenance dose. I was surprised how quickly my daughter went from having several messy accidents a day to being able to go to the toilet naturally. It was like flipping a switch. Good luck and I hope it works out for you.

[Hidden]

We are doing disempaction just now . Today is the 12 sachets tomorrow and sunday and stays 12 until running luke clear water.

Hoping after it does to go back to 10 8 6 etc ...

We have been allocated a nurae now thank god after 2 years and 10 months on or own !

So praying for results !

Our son turned 7 ... 2 weeks ago

[ranmu in reply to Hidden]

Stephanie - this is what I'm going through just now with my 7yo but it has been going on for 3.5 weeks and still not clear, do you remember how long it took for it to run clear? thanks

[Hidden in reply to ranmu]

Hi it was about 9 days .... good luck

[ranmu in reply to Hidden]

ok thanks - think we are in for the long haul

[Hidden in reply to ranmu]

Yes we did disimpaction then lowered and lowered to eventually he is on no movicol. Our son now has 2.5mls senna every 2 days.

It was a never ending nightmare.

We still now need to keep on top of it !

[squizita]

You have to reduce it gradually. I guess so as not to shock their insides - so I'm afraid it will be a good few days of 'the runs' ... and it takes 24-36 hr so you need to cut down by 1-2 sachets every other day till it's soft but not too soft.

Also their insides can be battered, bruised and stretched so they might struggle holding their poo once more comfortable ... we use 'dry like me' pads or value panty liners during that time.