Hi all - I have extreme faecal loading and nothing I am taking is working. Last time I had this I had colonic irrigation which worked like a charm. Unfortunarely I can no longer have this as I have a hernia. Has anybody experienced this or has anyone any suggestions for tesolving this situation?
Thanks in advance.
Hi..I definitely can relate to your discomfort..decades of it..unfortunately. I am wondering..did you develop a hernia after the irrigation? I did an irrigation a long time ago..and had a hernia right after this. My gastro told me to never do this again..because irrigation forces so much into your colon..people get hernias and perforated colon. My friend got a perforated colon after hers was done and had to go through extensive repair surgery. So..this is something I wouldn't advise unless done by an ER Doctor only if absolutely needed. Have you tried an enema? I had to get enemas only after my hernia. Will never do a colonic irrigation again. What has worked for me if I get a very severe case, is an enema or suppository followed by a strong and fast acting laxative like Magnesium citrate. It starts to work within 3-6 hours..1 bottle. Now the only thing that helps is Senna-lax and daily stool softeners.. I am supposed to be taking Trulance on a daily basis..but it's not doing much. I am still trying to find something, where I can go days maybe a week without a bm..and Have to take Senna once a week. Are you allowed to take a stimulant laxative? Do you see a gastro?
Hi Eliana5,
Thanks for your interesting reply. I hadn't considrred the fact that it might have been the colonic that caused the hernia. I am currently taking prucalopride which is meant to increase gut motility, laxido a stool softner and dioctyl another stool softner. I am currently taking them every day and having some telief but not enough. It was a routine hip x-ray which showed up the faecal loding. I am under a gastro but have not got another appointment scheduled so she is unaware of my situation.
I am in the same boat.nothing seems to be enough..which is why I have to take the Senna-lax once a week to clean me out..or I would be in agony. I have tried everything too..fiber and fiber supplements makes things worse..bulks up stools too much and then I can't push them out. Every doctor or gastro I see wants to prescribe Miralax..(Laxido, Movicol, PEG) but it only makes me cramp too much..it's also on the FDA black box warning. Sadly Doctors prescribe this like candy. Please keep us posted on what Doctors say..but I am glad you are not doing the irrigation again..
Just checking on you..hope you are feeling somewhat better? Were you able to have a movement or try an enema?
Hi the best thing I think is glycerol suppositories. They work for me within 10 minutes. Regards xx
They don't work for me, I have severe IBS-C. The hospital ER dept gave them to me once, and they did nothing..they just burned. I went unfortunately to what's rated as one of the worst ER department in the country. I will never go back. After they were burning my rectum badly and only the liquid came out, I was in tears from the pain and God awful burning, I begged them to give me a professional enema and they said "they do not do enemas". That's crazy..they just wanted to send me home with that awful Miralax, which too only causes me to cramp badly and doubled over in pain. So..right after I went to another ER department, they gave me a soap sud enema right away..and relief. Even the over the counter fleet enemas don't help me..not enough Saline water in them..😳
You need to get to the root of the problem. Laxatives, herbal or otherwise will only further damage the lining of your intestines and take you further away from your goal of healing the problem. Suffered from similar issues for more than 20 years. I too believed at one time I would be on Senna, psyllium, and heavy laxatives for life. Until I realized my high sugar, high refined grains, high dairy and fatty food diet was killing me. Have your doc test your feces for a bacteria called Helicobacter Pylori. If your gut is infested with this bacteria you will never be constipation free. Even if the test is negative you can still have the bacteria imbedded deep in your intestinal wall behind a coating of hardened fecal matter and mucous. Your body is telling you that your diet is killing you, if you let it progress for years the backed up fecal matter will damage your gallbladder and it will need to be removed. H pylori feeds on sugar, dairy and refined grains. Also gluten can clog you up and slow your digestion especially if you have a sensitivity or allergy to it. If this is the case it will need to be eliminated. Eat more raw vegetables especially greens. Broccoli, probiotics, Mastic gum and Manuka honey will help eliminate h pylori. Refined white flour and Sugar are the worse things you can eat in my opinion, it's hard to digest and hyplori feeds on it like crazy. My constipation issues are also caused by a form of dysautonomia that I have called POTS. Dysautonomia means the automatic functions of your body like blood pressure and digestion and bowel movement are sluggish or slowed, so treating that condition will also help you out. Google dysautonomia conditions and see if you have one of them. I use a supplement called colon helper, it has Aloe, slippery elm etc in it , and the occasional Senna tea or psyllium powder when I need to have a BM. Just don't overdo it with the laxative or colon cleanse products they can cause tears in your intestines over time. And don't let the condition progress to the point where they have to start yanking out organs.
Thank you so much for your informative post. I shall look into what you have suggested and hope i can find a way out of this.
I wish I could..but my gut won't cooperate. Gastros told me.."just take whatever will make you go"..and it's the Senna unfortunately..
Hi Eliana, could you please advise the difference between colonic irrigation and an enema..thank you, ernie
Sure thing..☺. A colonic irrigation is a number of medical interventions..mostly holistic to "remove toxins and left over fecal matter in your colon" however, this has long ago been debunked..as it is known now, that fecal matter in our colon or intestines is no longer thought of as Toxic. It is where a huge volume of water is forced into your colon or intestines to remove fecal matter..forcefully..this method is thought of as dangerous and not done as much due to high risk of complications. An enema is a lot gentler. A small hose is inserted. It could be a coffee enema or soap sud enema. This is for people who are constipated or perhaps impacted..but the water only goes on your lower abdomen..It is slowly inserted from a small tube from a liter bag which are used in ER departments in Hospital. The water is not forced into your intestines like irrigation methods. Has fewer risks and complications. I have had several of these done in a hospital..no complications. Or one can give them selves an enema from a small over the counter bottle such as a "fleet enema". A small tube or insert is put on the bottle and gently inserted..you hold on the water for about 5 minutes and you will have A large bowel movement.
Thank you Eliana,
Some years ago my bowels gave up on me, in a very short period of time I went from very regular to no movement at all. Over a period of time I was prescribed the usual medications some of which had a brief positive impact but, very brief and I was soon back into no movement. After some research on the internet I tried self administered enemas and this gave me relief from bloating and discomfort which prescribed medication failed to do. I contour to do this, typically every second or third day - certainly not an ideal situation but it works for me.
I know what you mean..as a long time chronic constipation sufferer. Now, I'm finding sadly, that the over the counter ones don't work anymore. There is just not enough liquid in those tiny bottles. The liquid just comes out now..so will probably have to invest in a large volume liter bag that I can somehow hang in my bathroom..the kind that hospital uses. Now I have heard of colon cleansers like MagOx that have worked well for some people have posted on here. Unfortunately suppositories are not enough..and just end up burning me after insetion. The only things that works for me is a stimulant laxative like Senna and it works! I wish it didn't have to be this way..and lots of coffee.
Thank you again for your response.
Can I ask the strength os Senna you take, and how often you take it.
I have previously tied over the counter senna tablets, with a strength of 15mg.
Sure..my pleasure. Ask all the questions you want. I'm glad I can be of some help. ☺. It makes me feel somewhat useful..since at this time I am on SSDI, unable to volunteer due to no transportation. So..being on the forums on here helping people gives me a lift..as I'm pretty much homebound except I am able to walk 5 days a week. Right now, feeling a bit bunged up...so drinking strong black instant coffee with six packs of Stevia sweetener in each mug. I know it's not the healthiest, but it's the only way I can maybe have some movement during the week (even if it's loose stools). I don't know if it's the strong black (only) coffee or the Stevia sweetener..but at the end of my first mug..I go..no straining..and it's all over quickly. Thank God for coffee sometimes. Yes, I take Senna (tablets)..I take 4 maybe sometimes 4 1/2 Every Saturday night at 10:30 or 11pm. I take the 8.6 mg tablets. I have been on it for 10 years..and I started off at 1 or 2 (8.6mg) tablets, and slowly increased it to 4 1/2 now. This has been okayed by my gastro..because the maximum dose is 4 in the morning and 4 at night. I just take it in Satuday nights. It works very fast in about six hours..and it peaks about 10am..I take it with my other meds with two glasses of water. I wake up at 4am. Put some brewed coffee on along with Powerade for electrolytes. It helps the Senna along. About 6 or 6:30 am I have my first BM..no cramping, no stomach pain..it just works. I do take stool softeners (Colace) about two daily, but it does not produce much and it's a "big ordeal" and I still strain..but the Senna..no straining and it also takes my hemmorhoids away. I finally am pretty much done going and cleaned out by about 2pm. So..it works! I think it is the best laxative out there for impaction and severe constipation. I have tried all others..but nothing works but the Senna. I have seen posts on here about Rhubarb complex helping..but it has Aloe in it, which makes me a bit nervous. So..I'll just stick with the Senna. Let us know if you are still taking it..how it works for you. I find that strong black coffee (no creamer..just the Stevia) and Powerade helps things along. Hope this helps..☺
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