Movicol dilemas!!!!

[Frustratedmum1]

My son has undergone discompaction programmes and his maintenance dose of Movicol is between 4 and 5 sachets of movicol. I have currently moved him back to 4 sachets. In my opinion he is to wet and it should be reduced but he doesn't do enough on a daily basis. His appetite keeps reducing his behaviour keeps kicking of and his poos are smelling again. These are all signs he is starting to block again. Also he messes more when he is on 4. So I feel I need to put it back up to 4.5 usually he will then go daily and everything else improves. However it is just to wet. Has anybody else found this or has anyone got any ideas. Or am I just trying to rush things. We have come along way in the last couple of months and I don't want to let him go backwards.

[Bmcz]

We were on 4 sachets of Movicol for maintenance for many months while encouraging our daughter to improve her eating of vegetables, fibrous foods and fluid intake. When I was confident that her diet was healthy, we reduced from 4 to 3 and then very quickly to 2. We tried to reduce to 1.5 and then she started blocking up again so went back to 2. I think Movicol is trial and error, and my suggestion would be to keep him on the dose that works even if his movements are loose.... We have also found that eating oats for breakfast seems to help my daughter whereas when she eats cereal, on the same dose of Movicol she gets blocked up. Cucumbers, strawberries, blueberries, apples and grapes are the fruits she likes has plenty of those. And I put lots of vegetables in casseroles. Perhaps you can try and work out what vegetables and fruits he likes and give him plenty of those and once he is consistently eating healthily you can gradually reduce the Movicol.

Hope this helps.

[Frustratedmum1 in reply to Bmcz]

Thank you for this it is much appreciated.

[Chocolate-chicken]

We're in a similar situation... We were on a maintenance dose of 4, but the accidents have been getting worse and worse, and the other morning there was such an explosive poo it was EVERYWHERE....I rang the continence nurse in tears begging her to help (we're on the waiting list to see a paediatrician). In the end we have gone down to 3 sachets (she was very loose on 4) but my daughter is also on sennacot to help the bowel move it all along... The nurse said there are other types of medicine and that once we see the paediatrician we may change as this one might not be the right one for us...

Not sure if any of that helps, but you're not alone...

Xxxx

[Frustratedmum1 in reply to Chocolate-chicken]

Thank you. I hope your appointment goes well.

[811Katharine]

Hi

I had a similar problem but felt that movicol caused as many problems as it solved and he wasnt over keen on it - could get 1 down him but that was it. We use califig (syrup of figs) start at 10ml day 1 and then increase by 5ml every day until he goes then back down to 10ml. Doctor happy as it is natural and better than movicol (but we pay for it) but she did warn us this will take a good year to sort out. Also told us to eat more dried fruit. Hope this helps.

[Frustratedmum1]

Thank you for this. Anything is worth considering. Never thought of dried fruit as he is not a big fruit eater but he might eat this.