Movicol everyday/ Tummy ache

[Kajayla]

IBS / My 12 yr old girl has had ongoing bowel issues for at least 6 years.

She has been on 1x Movicol every day for the past 4 years and if we miss it for a few days she will experience overflow. Then I will have to give her Dulcolax to clear out which she hates. This was all recommended by her consultant.

She is always complaining of tummy aches and I feel it's the movicol but it will be worse if I stop.

We have tried to cut out Lactose and wheat but it didn't change anything. We got an intolerance food test with a very very very long list of foods to avoid.

I'm not sure if an MRI would help or rule out any issues.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Yaleamanda]

Have you disimpacted her?

[Kajayla in reply to Yaleamanda]

Yes with Dulcolax and now on a sachet a day and doing a BM everyday but always compalins of tummy upset.

[Yaleamanda]

Did you reach watery stools with no lumps consistently for days before you started reducing the doses down extremely slowly ie dose every few days until you reached a suitable maintenance dose to remain on?

[Kajayla]

No I used Dulcolax, its empties the bowels then continued her usually dose of 1 sachet of movicol a day. This is what the consultant said to do.

[Yaleamanda]

Doesn't sound like you have fully disimpacted or found the correct maintenance dose. What kind of consultant do you see.

[Stants]

I think she’s still got a backlog of poo there and it’s not totally disimpacted. I highly recommend ringing the ERIC helpline - they are by far the most knowledgeable people in my experience.

[Kajayla]

Ok Thanks I'll give it another go.

[Mollyjoemax]

Disimpact with a macrogol as NICE guidelines recommend. As your daughter is 12 I would recommend watching the video on macrogol use with her so she understands why she needs to take such large quantities. Www.thepoonurses.uk