Older boy with a busy life...disimpaction help!

[CatDub]

My, nearly 9 year old son, has bladder and, more recently, bowel issues. We have been told to do a disimpactation. The doc has said we can just do a 1 day one and give him 8 sachets of movicol at once and ‘wait for the magic to happen’!! I took him off movicol as it was making the accidents worse, not better! What do those who have done disimpaction do about school/sports etc etc???? Do they just stop life for a week?

I’m at crisis point and I just want to help my boy but can’t see practically how to make it work. (I’ll do a separate post for wetting help!!)

[CatDub]

I just want to add that the accidents my son is having are not over flow - they are actual type 4/5 poo’s and, when he goes, they are type 4/5 poos!!!!

[Robinia]

Hmmmm, you have been told to do disimpaction so I take it the doctor felt your son’s tummy for signs of impaction? Sounds like you’re not convinced he is impacted. If the doctor is suggesting one day of 8 sachets and then tapering down from that you could try 8 on a Saturday, followed by 6 on a Sunday, 4 on the Monday and then drop to 2/3 on the Tuesday and stay at that for a week or 2. If you feel he needs a proper week of disimpaction after trying that then you could do it in half term week. I find it much more achievable in school holidays. Some people on here have said they have had success adding Senna to movicol to help push the poo out, whereas the movicol bulks and softens it.

I don’t know if he is impacted from what you are saying, if you doubt it then try to get someone to feel his tummy for impaction or ask for an x Ray to make sure, at least then you will know what you’re dealing with. Good luck x

[CatDub in reply to Robinia]

Thank you. I’m not convinced he’s impacted to be honest. BUT, if it’s not then what on earth could be causing all these accidents???? I’m literally at a loss! He does say he feels like he has a massive poo in his bottom that won’t come out (this was a very recent revelation)!

[Robinia]

Disimpaction wont hurt him and tbh it’s really good he still has sensation and can talk about it (without getting angry lol) on that basis I would go for it and give it a try. From my own personal experience it’s best to get on top of it as quickly as possible and if he feels like there is a poo stuck, chances are there is one and it definitely can cause wee accidents. School holidays are much easier for full week of disimpaction but you could make the most of this week end as a starter...

[Jfraser1]

Same thing happens with my son. As soon as he starts having wee accidents I know there is backup/Impaction going on. He was producing lovely soft poos every day so I thought there was no way he was impacted. He was, in fact the Movicol had just filled up his bowel and colon with masses of soft poo. I never did a proper disempaction regime (mainly due to life commitments etc) and I didn’t feel as though it was necessary. I did however give him 6 sachets 1 day, 4 the next alongside Senna and managed to get out most of that poo over the weekend. We have now been accident free and dry since then. I’m now reducing his Movicol maintenance dose and giving him daily Senna. I personally feel that Movicol is great for bulking and softening the poo but a stimulant like Senna needs to be added to keep things moving.

Why not try it over the weekend, see how he is on Sunday and keep him off school depending how he is on Monday.

Good luck x

[Frustratedmum1]

My son was having accidents and he was 4-5 on the Bristol chart. But when he was impacted he was going for wees all the time and they tended to small. O try and do it in school holidays but if it is necessary have done it in term time but then it resorts taking them out of school.

[Sdye119]

This didn’t work for my son he once had 30 sachets over 3 days as prescribed by the doctor and nothing not even cramps! His 9 as well, he has used sodium pisco prescribed this was making him go every 3-4 days. I’m going to get the full name and post it here for you once I get in, it’s a bowel stimulant the only time in 9 years my son has ever had tummy cramp and literally 3 hours late boom!

[CatDub]

Thank you all so much for your advice and responses. So...we’re back from camping! While away there were definitely some leakage accidents so, now we’re home, I’ve started the movicol. Monday, I gave 2, yesterday 4 and today I plan to give 6...now Thursday I know he needs to have 8 sachets BUT he has an important football match in the afternoon and a cricket match in the evening. I would hate for him to have an accident whilst at football or...possibly even worse, at cricket whilst in whites. I’ve tended to spread the sachets out in blocks of 2 so far. The football is at 1:30. Would you give 2 in the morning, get him to sit before we go, 2 when we get home (prob around 3:30pm) and the remaining 4 AFTER cricket which starts at 6pm and finishes around 8pm!