Constipation From Morphine

[Davewm]

I had a Triple Heart Bypass and Mitral Valve Repair and now have also been diagnosed with Heart Failure. Before my surgery I had a Laminectomy for Severe Spinal Stenosis. Unfortunately this failed so after a couple of months I was back to square one with my pain with the added complication that a lot of the normal pain relief is not available to me because of the Heart Failure. The Spine surgeon said he couldn’t offer further surgery due to my Heart Problems.

I was the put under Pain Management Clinic but after three years (and multiple trials of eg: Tramadol, Pregabalin) he’s discharged me and sent me back to the Spinal Surgeon (42 weeks wait.)

A couple of years ago I was taken into hospital as I couldn’t pass water. I think that was causing the bowel to not work properly so I had an enema and catheter.

Recently the GP put me on Oramorph. I was still in a lot of pain so they said I should have Zomorph a slow release morphine medication. They never mentioned for me to stop taking Oramorph.. I was, again having bladder and bowel problem so GP sent me straight to A&E and finished up on the Surgical Assessment Unit where they did an enema, a catheter, and another enema. I was discharged from hospital after an overnight stay without being seen by a doctor.

We had recently changed surgery and the new GP I spoke to said she wanted to see me as I’d not been seen when I had been discharged.

Over the last 5/6 weeks I’ve spoken to the GP a couple of times and each time they’ve added another form of laxative.

I started off with 2 x Senna tablets. They then added Fibogel twice a day. The latest one is now Laxidol twice a day.

You’d think this would work but I am still going two or three days between bowel movements. The last was Thursday night and it’s now Sunday afternoon and nothing passed.

Does anyone have any advice/guidance as to what I can do? I think I’ll have to contact the Surgery again in the morning if this carries on.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Kind regards

David

[Xene]

Hi Davewm, obviously I’m not a dr. but I take Laxido daily and it is possible to take up to 8 sachets within a six hour period if you are severely constipated. I remember taking 5 or 6 sachets once and it sorted me out but maybe you should check with your GP first as you are also on the Senna and Fibrogel.

[Davewm in reply to Xene]

Hi Xene

Thanks for your quick reply. I will, I think, take your advice and contact the GP tomorrow.

Thanks again.

Kind regards

David

[22buteo22]

Hi Dave,

So sorry to hear about your problems.

I’ve been living with constipation caused by having to take opiates to help with my spinal pain.

I was advised to take 4 sachets of Cosmocol to start things going again after days of being ‘corked up’. And yes, it worked - and how!

But as for ongoing constipation- it’s a problem. I’ve tried Lactulose, which is quite helpful. A couple of sachets of Cosmocol taken daily can help too.

Have you had a colonoscopy?

I do hope you can find something that works for you. In the meantime, I would certainly get back to your GP and see if you can’t be referred to a consultant who deals with bowel problems.

All the best, Annie

[OSTEOARTHRITISRA]

Hi sorry to hear Everyone different

Hope it clears up a bit soon for you, It is a bit positive if your passing bowel 2 3 days

The water a diffent issiues there not sure about that with opoids, Seems you have tried lots of meds

The stool as a long term opioid user

I get

Lactolose

solution

It does help a lot if you persevere with it ,

Hope you get some improvement and answers soon especially the waters

[cyberbarn]

My son has found the sweet spot for him. Four sachets of laxido a day and it is really important to put it in the amount of water it recommends for four sachets, so he has a very big glass of water and drinks it all in one go. He also drinks two litres of water through out the day. When he drops it to three sachets he notices, and five is too many for him.

So play around, but the best advice we ever got from the specialist nurse was make sure you take the right amount of water with the laxido because if you don't have it with enough water it won't work.

[Ingy50]

TBH morphine isn’t that good for chronic long term pain and can cause bowl & bladder problems, I was on all the tablets you mentioned for 20 years but now very rarely take morphine as my Drs have put me on max dose of Diazepam and Gabapentin plus Baclofen and of course paracetamol and I still am in a lot of pain but at least my bowls/bladder work fine and mentally I feel better and not in a constant haze. The best thing I did was to come off all types of morphine. All the best John

[Delboy1]

Hi Dave,

Unfortunately, I know the feeling and I feel putty for you. It’s 100% the high doses of drugs that cause the blockage, I’ve been taking 4 x Cosmocol sachets and 4 x Desmopresin every day which seems to do the trick.

You do have to take it for 3 days before you see results as the body has to get used to it.

To be honest I self medicated as I always need to go to the loo every 24hrs, so I double the sachets, it’s only natural powder , it can’t do you any harm.

Other than that, it’s cut down on the meds which you don’t want to do due to the severe pain ones in.

Good luck Dave

[Konagirl60]

I recommend eating dates, apples, walnuts, lots of fresh fruit and drinking coconut water. Also, magnesium citrate will help you have a BM. Good luck.