Chronic constipation/Movicol

[RoccoSpain1]

My four year old daughter had chronic constipation last year and from July 2021 she has been on Movicol everyday with Senna now and then. The problem is we can’t seem to get the dosage right for the Movicol! If she has one sachet a day she bungs up, two a day and she’s too loose! The doctor has said try 1.5 sachets a day but she is still very loose! This problem is really getting me down, she’s potty trained for weeing but we are having problems with the pooing as she just doesn’t know where she is with it! Any advice gratefully received!

[Yaleamanda]

Have you disimpacted her before?

[RoccoSpain1 in reply to Yaleamanda]

Yes we disimpacted her last July when she was really badly constipated and we just haven’t been able to get the Movicol dose right ever since! If she has one a day she bungs up and has overflow and usually does one huge poo a week, two sachets and she’s really loose, GP has said try 1.5 sachets per day but she is still really loose, I’m at my wits end with it all! Do you know if there are alternatives to Movicol?

[Yaleamanda in reply to RoccoSpain1]

When you disimpacted did you reach watery stools with no lumps consistently for three days before you started reducing the doses down extremely slowly ie one sachet every three days until you reached a suitable maintenance dose? You may find adding a stimulant to the regime may help.

[RoccoSpain1]

Yes we followed the guidelines to the letter and she was very watery with no lumps for at least three days, I think I may try the senna again, do you know the dose for a four year old?

[Yaleamanda in reply to RoccoSpain1]

I would speak to your gp about dosing or have a look at the nice guidelines regarding constipation management, easily googled.

[RoccoSpain1 in reply to Yaleamanda]

Will do, thanks for your advice

[14crosstitch14]

Have you tried dyrolyte, it replenishes her electolites and should make her solid again. Worked for my s daughter. Maybe something to bind her so she's not too loose.