Senokot and Movicol Dosage, worked, and now not....

[JodieS28]

Hi

I apologise if I am repeating both myself from an earlier post and anyone else asking similar things. I have tried reading through for any help, but no one seems to be in quite the same situation as me.

My 4yr old son has suffered from constipation for many years, so I am fully clued up on the whole leaking poo, disimpaction etc etc.

We've also been through a variety of different medicines such as movicol, some sulphate one (to which the proper name now escapes me) and now senokot.

It was deemed that my son was just over sensitive to both the movicol and sulphate one as even the smallest dose took us completely the other way, and he would have very frequent and very very loose stools.

We moved on to the senokot around 2 months ago. I found after the first few days that although it was seeming to work in that it was giving my son the feeling that he needed to go to the toilet, he was still struggling to pass as the stool was a little hard. I found that 3ml of senokot a night, with 1/2 sachet of movicol every other day worked really well. It was like a miracle and we turned a massive corner.

Until...... for no reason at all, no change in dose or anything, we seem to be back to square one!!! My son is now back to poo'ing daily in his pants.

Why oh Why? Anyone have any idea??

Should I up the dose of either one of the medicines, or possibly reduce. Maybe is overload again and he's struggling to hold it in as its too loose?

Just so frustrated that the doses were perfect for a while, and now not.

Like many of you, he started school this week too, and has soiled every single day at school.

Any help much appreciated.

[Georgina1475]

Nerves because of school maybe ? Too busy playing and still not having full feeling and sensation? Or too shy to ask to go with the whole class there.

[Scottie42]

Hi. We have had similar issues. My little girl has had constipation right from being a baby, shes six now and still struggles but we use sodium picasulphate after seeing a specialist. The dose is really difficult to get right and the amount she needs changes depending on how she is herself. However all the other medicines just did nothing at all for her.

She also really struggled when she started school and I found fetching her home for lunch helped. We did that for the first few months until she settled into a routine. It meant I could clean her up if she soiled and she knew she could use the loo at home with me.

I hope things get sorted for you soon.

[Luella19]

I think nerves about school and change can cause issues for children in the bowel front. It maybe that he is trying to withhold his poo as a reaction. This then causes soiling. I totally understand your frustration. Do you do a regular toilet sit after dinner? 10 mins reading , we did this for many months and really helped regulate and relax my daughter on toilet.

[JodieS28]

Thanks for your replies, much appreciated. Unfortunately the bad turn happened about 3 weeks ago so doesn't seem to be as a direct result of starting school.

He also doesn't withhold, so don't think it is that causing the knock on effect either.

Ah yes, that's the name of the last medicine we had, sodium picasulphate, but he was so sensitive to it, after just a 1ml dose, he was passing water 7 or 8 times a day, every day.