Really struggling to go, getting worried

[Devlin26]

Hi Guys, I'll try to keep this brief.

2 years ago I was doctoring with left sided bowel pain. Had scan and colonoscopy and diagnosed with impacted bowel although I though I was going OK. Tried numerous things but eventually put on Movicol and had been on this for a whole year. Towards the end and now I'm off this I have been struggling to pass motions, especially a second one in the afternoon. I go with relative ease in the morning but always seem to feel like my rectum is filling up as the day goes on. This can feel very painful but I do not get the urge to go.

I'm male 51, fairly fit, dog walk and on feet all day at work and eat healthy stuff. Porridge, fruit, nuts, dried apricots, vegatables all on top of non processed food.

I have tried pelvic floor exercises for last year, more exercise, drink lots of water, massage tummy etc

Any advice will be gratefully received. The surgeon gave all clear from colonoscopy and couldn't answer why I was struggling.

Thanks

Dev

[Devlin26]

To add, I have tried glycerin suppositories and when I insert them I can feel there is some stool waiting to come out but I still only get a bit out with them. I'm taking magnesium, Vit D and Lansoprazole for GERD. Tried fibrogel, linseeds and Bisocodyl too

[xjrs in reply to Devlin26]

I found that supplementing with Vitamin D made me constipated.

[Maureen1958 in reply to Devlin26]

I echo what xjrs said. Vitamin D made me constipated and I am more on the diarrhoea side of things!

[Mutleyforever]

Hi Devlin, I had a similar problem that I resolved taking flaxseeds. If you have not tried I strongly recommend. I soaked a tablespoon of them in warm water overnight after giving them a stir and drank it all in the morning before breakfast.The pain I felt I felt I think was visceral hypersensitivity which may be what you are experiencing, so your large intestine is slowly filling up again and normally we are not aware of this activity, but with heightened sensitivity we feel it acutely at times.

Btw I also stopped taking prescribed vit D as it contained calcium which can b constipating but now take Vitabiotics Vit d. Hope this helps,

[Devlin26 in reply to Mutleyforever]

Thank you for your reply, is that ground Flaxseeds you're are talking about?

[Mutleyforever in reply to Devlin26]

Hi Devlin, no sorry it’s golden flaxseeds, u can get brown ones too, all widely available, not ground, that may not work the same.

[FRreedman]

It is possible that the nuts are not helping you as they are indigestible by your guts. I also take flaxseeds, but I take them in gel form as I don't like the taste. I take 1g per day. I use a daily suppository of 1g in order to encourage my bowels to work, and not to work for them, as you can, very quickly, become dependent on suppositories to enable your bowels to work.

[Lamly]

I understand how you feel I have almost the same symptoms, it is a nightmare and the pain can be unbearable, I have had tests but the doctors keep saying it is your IBS, I have had this for about a year and it is getting worse, there is no help whatsoever for ibs the Doctors don’t want to know they more or less tell you to get on with it, I could not pass stool without laxatives, for a long while, I had to give up on that due to my constipation I no longer take pain killers or laxatives they made the problem worse, I have started taking stool softeners and fibreGel, I am withdrawing off Amitryptiline I am hoping that when I come of these addiction drugs my indigestion and problems will go,

[Devlin26]

Thanks guys, I'll be trying the flaxseeds for sure and ditching the Vit D

I just feel as I need something to bind everything together so that I just go once in the morning rather than trying to pass small stools in the afternoon so fingers crossed for the flax. I feel for you Lamly, I hope you get some resolution soon

Cheers

Dev

[Fernsmum]

Hi Dev , I really wish I could help, but you seem to have done as much as you can to help yourself , I have no advice , but can sympathise with you its no fun is it , good luck hope you get sorted soon xx

[cpidoc]

Hi, have you tried sodium picosulfate? a gastroenterologist I know suggested that this is good because it stimulates both small and large bowel.

Phyllium husk?

Probiotics? I have used Symprove and alflorex

[Devlin26 in reply to cpidoc]

Thank you, I'll look in those. I like to just try 1 thing at once otherwise you don't know which is working

[needlewoman22]

Take a good probiotic each day and maybe the little a timely drinks too- you have to have sufficient good bacteria to help your bowel do it’s job. You could try a course of Symprove to improve the gut flora.

[needlewoman22]

Sorry-autocorrect again! Actimel probiotic drinks.

[Catty1234]

Hi Devlin , I know how you feel have tried all the things you have I feel like I’m banging my head against a brick wall ! Recently started to take digestive enzymes thinking they would help , I thought wrong made the constipation worse 😫. Can I ask why did you stop taking the movicol ? ,I have also , now I’m thinking have to restart it x

[Devlin26 in reply to Catty1234]

Hi Catty, When I went on it I was told to use for about 1 year to help my bowel shrink back into shape from the impaction. I was also struggling to pass the second or third loose stool of the day, so I slowly reduced my intake until I had stopped. So hard to see a Dr and especially the same one that prescribed the Movicol as others are a bit dismissive to say the least.

Hope you are getting sorted now x

[Catty1234 in reply to Devlin26]

That makes sense , only thing I could suggest is eating maybe less fibre as too much really can block the pipes up ! Does with me anyway lol x

[Devlin26 in reply to Catty1234]

Thank you, I've started on the Flax and going to cut out the nuts and and maybe the dried apricots see what happens. I like to just try 1 thing at once otherwise you don't know which is working x

[Catty1234 in reply to Devlin26]

Good luck let us know if you find a cure as I’ve been trying for years 🤣x

[Devlin26 in reply to Catty1234]

Will do x