Movicol and Sodium picosulfate

[Dolphin51]

My son has constipation since March went up to 12 movicol sachets a day. Did not poo for 4 weeks. He was impacted so he had a flush through for 3 days in June. Came home all clear on movicol. Severe cramping pains since September and feeling sick. Just been in hospital for another 3 days. Cries himself to sleep every night hardly eating. The hospital said they can feel a little impactation on left and right side. They have stopped movicol for a week. He feels he needs a poo nothing comes out just says it really hurts and only wind.

Anyone else had their child in severe pain and nothing helping. Just seeing if anyone has any advice pls.

[Robinia]

Yep I relate to this. My son is on 12 sachets a day, 3 Senna tablets and 1 bisocodyl tablet. He’s also using balloon irrigation daily. From bitter experience and seeing loads of doctors/specialists I have learnt the most important thing is to completely empty the bowel and then work out the right maintenance regime. Until the bowel is completely empty you can’t really tackle the problem. My sons pain is caused by trapped wind. He got prescribed the balloon irrigation by a paediatric surgeon. He was under a gastroenterologist before that who wasn’t very helpful. We are finally on top of the problem (although he’s still not clear right now) we did have 5 months of no soiling and he’s only soiling lightly now so I know the bowel is almost empty. Once he stops soiling I will start to reduce the movicol extremely gradually. We tried picasulphate but it caused gastritis so he doesn’t use that. Persevere and find a good doctor who understands the bowel.

[Starryeyes2000]

Yes this is all very familiar for us too. My daughter has been on 12 movicol on and off over the last year or so, with Senna and sodium picosulphate too. She’d take all this medicine and not poo at all. It just didn’t make any sense to me. Since Dec the hospital recommended reducing her movicol and adding irrigation as even with high volumes of medicine, nothing was coming out. She now irrigates daily, takes 2 movicol and bisacodyl rectal solution in the irrigation water and we now have a bowel movement daily. She still complains every day and wakes up in the night with abdominal pain. I was hoping that reducing meds might help ease the pain but not so far. I should say we also decided to cut out wheat from her diet, she was tested for coeliac disease and that was negative but thought removing wheat might improve her sluggish bowel. She doesn’t complain of nausea like she did before. No idea if she is wheat intolerant but she’s willing to give anything a go. As Robinia said, you have to make sure they aren’t impacted and then find a dose that works. For about 2 months my daughter was going naturally and I stopped the Senna. Then all of a sudden she could no longer go again and hasn’t been able to since unless using irrigation. Persevere, know you are not alone and keep on at your doctor, paediatrician, specialist. It is all consuming so take care of yourself xxx