With holding

[Westy83]

Hi im new here, my son who's 12 has suffered from with holding bowel movements since the age of 2. 10 years on we are still battling. ive read a lot about younger children but not a lot for older/teenagers. he can withold going to the loo for weeks!Any advice or tips gratefully received.

[Hidden]

Hi there, I feel your pain, my son is 16 in January and suffers with constipation, enconprisis and nocturnal enuresis. He has other problems as well, probably on the autism spectrum but I'm just going around in circles trying to get help for him. Is your son taking movicol or something similar. It does wear you down and worry you. I wish I had something useful to say, I often look for advice and struggle to find anything regarding teenagers.

[Westy83 in reply to Hidden]

Hiya

It’s ‘nice’ to know someone else feels my pain! Gosh 16.. poor, poor lad!

My son is on lactulose 20ml twice a day and laxido drink once a day but upped if need be.... and he can still hold it for a month 😱

[Hidden in reply to Westy83]

I know it's so hard, I'm so glad I saw your post. I really wish there was more support for parents and teenagers in particular. My son has got to a stage where he is fed up and doesn't like to talk about his health problems and ignores them.

[Westy83 in reply to Hidden]

Aw I really feel for him! And for you as I know it takes such a toll on your family and parent worries, but not the sort of thing you can openly talk about. What medication is your son on?

[Hidden in reply to Westy83]

Hi there, he is on movicol, domperidone, sometimes omeprazol and desmopressin. He should take sena as well but gets tummy ache a lot but at the moment he really doesn't take much medication apart from the movicol because he thinks it all doesn't work. Is your son under a paediatrician, my son is refusing to go to appointments too now, probably because of CHAms which makes him angry and anxious, he's been referred four times and they haven't helped for the emotional mental health or communication problems really.

[Westy83]

My son was given senna too but same thing tummy ache and added to the problem. We were under a paediatrician for a long time but he seemed to get little better then secondary school started and things got worse by far! We have just had a School referral for the psychological side but not sure how much it’ll help. Poor kids!

[Nicky555]

Hi I’m caring for a 13 year old who has been soiling since age 5. We have been prescribed huge doses of movicol (up to 12 sachets daily) to do a clear out then 3 a day to keep stools soft so he can pass them and we’ve seen s reduction in soiling in last 2 weeks

[Westy83 in reply to Nicky555]

These poor teens! My biggest fear is giving him too much lax and him having an accident at school as I’m sure that’d make things so much worse