The product you've linked to on H&B could well be the same thing as the brand that slow dragon suggested. They appear to have the same ingredient of magnesium citrate powder. certainly worth a try I would think.
Book in a colonic irrigation, this will get things moving, you may require two. When I had my gallbladder removed I had serious problems but the above sorted it out. Years later I am fine.
I just happen to know someone it really didn’t work for. And this GI site said colonic irrigation is not recommended by the GI doctors who inform its work, so I thought it worth repeating my anecdote:
Sorry I have no tips to share but just in case you were hoping to speak with a GP on Monday, don't forget it's a bank holiday!
Also if you happen to be in Scotland I believe Tuesday is a bank holiday also? Though I'm sure any forum users in Scotland can correct me if I've got that wrong?
You need to up the dose of the constipation medication that you are taking.
If I was v constipated I would take 8 sachets of Laxido over the course of a day. And then 8 the following day, accompanied by a lot of water.
If wanting to stay un-constipated, having fixed the problem, you would need to stick to a maintenance course of 1-2 a day until e everything is back to normal again.
This increased dose and very gradual taper I my off is what a gastroenterologist told me to do, when I’ve had the problem, and what the GP and paediatricians tell me (with Junior Laxido) for my kids, if ever they’ve had it.
I’ve never had any problems caused by taking too much laxative. Though they may exist. But the situation you are in is horrendous and I feel for you.
I usually try to up my fruit and veg / other fibre intake at the same time, and decrease the total amount I eat, until all back to normal. It seems the logical thing to do, even if it’s the laxative that is the real game changer.
It’s the faecal impaction course that you need to follow.
This pharmacy link spells out how many sachets to take over how many hours.
Laxido / Movicol - doesn’t matter which one of these you use. My gastro has recommended Laxido but both work.
I don’t feel squeamish talking about most medical things any more but those of a squeamish disposition should look away now.
Slight tangent first - I used to belong to a Facebook group called Movicol Mummies and there’s nothing those women (and some men, I imagine) don’t know about helping the wheels of our digestive systems start moving again. I recommend that group for anyone here who has kids with constipation isssues.
With babies / small children who are blocked up, sometimes people recommend that you physically help the unblocking along by just using your fingers. I am guessing the same applies to adults. If your constipation was happening high up in the digestive tracts, this wouldn’t help. But if the blockage is very low down, this might also help.
As other people have already said, call your family doctor on Monday or 111 before then if the unblocking doesn’t work today and you feel any worse.
There are other ways of dealing with an anal or rectal blockage.
There are products called Micralax Micro Enemas available from pharmacies without prescription - they are not available on supermarket shelves. There is another brand called Micolette Micro Enemas, also pharmacy only. Pharmacists tend to have one or the other but not both. I've never noticed any difference between them.
Please note there is a product called MicrOlax which is about three or four times the price of MicrAlax. Go for the cheaper one. Pharmacists may be willing to sell you just a couple to try out. Sometimes they have a box they've used some from for patients with prescriptions and they offer to sell me a partial box at a pro-rata price (a full box contains 12).
Another option you could try is "glycerin [or glycerol] suppositories" which you do need to use fingers for.
They are cheaper than the micro enemas I've mentioned above.
There may be infant or child versions of the products I've mentioned.
Suppositories have plastic wrapping on them - always remove it.
If I'm particularly bunged up I use a micro-enema then a few hours later will take a maximum dose of Sodium Picosulfate, also known as Pico Liquid. Only available from pharmacies, but no prescription required.
I may need a second maximum dose of Sodium Picosulfate two days after the first dose.
The guidance on following a faecal impaction course of constipation meds (Laxido) below (Weldricks pharmacy link I’ve pasted below) explains how you must space out your dosage if you do have one.
If you go to one and chat to the chemist - some close at midday / 1 on a Saturday but bigger supermarkets might have one on duty - see what they recommend / have in stock. They will have a good idea.
Thank you for all the info! I was rather childish and sent my husband to the pharmacist for me! She just gave him dulcolax. I'll give it another day but will have to go back tomorrow if nothings happening.
Took the recommended 2 tablets of Senakot on day 1 with zero effect. Skipped a day to see if it would kick in. Then took 4 Dulcolax the next day; 2 in the morning 2 in the evening and that had a small effect so it's all moving now... Just at a galacial pace. 🏔️
If you can reach a pharmacy this week, I would get some Movicol / equivalent type of constipation vanquisher to have in the cupboard. It works reasonably quickly and in future would be good to have for when you need it.
What about taking Fybogel morning and night for a while? I also read somewhere about eating a few kiwi fruits and have found that works for me - I wash mine first and eat everything apart from the hard stalky bit in the middle.
I don't know. I just thought it would give your poor impacted gut a rest from trying to digest further foods. I would be on liquids only by now - prune juice and water, and be doing some yoga poses known to stimulate the colon.
Prune juice will give you some energy, and lots of iron/nutrients/antioxidants until you manage bowel movements, and then can reassess your diet perhaps incorporating prune juice in every day to prevent a reoccurrence.
You could also try putting a little step infront of your toilet so when you sit down it brings your knees up into squat position. See vid - youtu.be/pYcv6odWfTM
I was going to suggest this too, when the kids were small, we used to get them to put their feet up on the seat and squat. Works wonders. One book suggested having a wipeable vinyl sheet for the bathroom floor for adults.
I suspect there's an element of gastroparesis or something. Usually, I dont have a problem but every now and again I have a big problem. 😐 Had a gut issue not that long ago where I was just utterly bloated and my stomach felt heavy.
So while I definitely do need to look at my diet I think there's something else too. 🕵🏻♀️(Detective with magnifying glass)
I've had small success so I think things are beginning to move again. Thank heavens! 🙏
Not surprising your appetite has gone, poor you. When I meant Weetabix that's with milk as a breakfast cereal not like a biscuit 😂
Also, fresh papaya is really good too.
These are apparently my mum's fool proof methods for inducing a bowel movement! You have to eat to produce a stool. I've tried Movicol etc in the past when it got too much. All the best!
One of the things that I would say about constipation remedies is that different products help different people. And something that works for a while may stop helping at all for non obvious reason.
For example, I've tried Movicol/Laxido and it has never moved anything for me.
I've also tried Lactulose (which is NOT suitable for anyone intolerant of or allergic to Lactose), and for a long time it did help me, but now it fails to move anything.
I've tried Fybogel (aka psyllium seed husk powder) and it helped for a long time. Then I developed a huge bleeding polyp in my colon, and I've wondered ever since if the psyllium seed husk powder had anything to do with it developing. I was taking a high dose but I wouldn't take it again.
I am currently taking (when necessary) Sodium Picosulfate (aka Pico Liquid). I hope it keeps working.
I also take Magnesium Citrate powder in orange juice, several times a week.
I've tried senna tablets and only found them effective once - and that was when I had to take 10 tablets at the start of a clear out prior to colonoscopy.
It is useful to know that there are several types of laxatives :
and I have found from experience that if, for example, a stool softener doesn't work for me then I have to try one of a different type e.g. a stimulant laxative. I try not to stick to the same type all the time, because I don't want to end up with nothing that works.
The laxatives I've mentioned so far are mostly available from pharmacies only in the UK, but I'm not aware of any of them requiring a prescription.
The magnesium citrate powder can be bought on Amazon or Ebay or other supplement websites.
This list of laxatives is USA-based, but people can research any of them, find out the active ingredient, then look for a suitable substitute wherever they live :
Having diarrhoea makes the body lose a lot of electrolytes. It is worth having a pack of electrolyte powders or supplements in stock so that you can top them up when necessary. In the UK the most well known branded product is probably Dioralyte. Note that Tesco sometimes sells them too (on the shelves, not just in the pharmacy), and they are substantially cheaper than the branded product.
It is also possible to make your own electrolyte drinks (also known as oral rehydration salts).
Thank you, HumanBean! This was great. Well, between the laxatives, prunes, magnesium, coffee, and gallons of water ... Safe to say I'm not constipated anymore.
Wonderful, glad to hear it! Just wanted to add, if it does happen again, try not to use the laxatives too frequently as they can affect bowel motility in the long term.
the easiest and amazing results for chronic constipation or intermittent constipation , Rhubarb complex, Look up ,Twentyfirstcenturyherbs , UK. These capsules give no nasty bloating or gripe pain ,
I truly hope you've been able to go since writing your post BUT in the event that you're still constipated - MagO7 or Colosan are highly recommended. And if you're not - hurrah!- they are very useful for regular maintenance. Particularly if you've been unsuccessful with pharmacy or prescription stuff, much of which can be very harsh. An irritated colon will simply make your issue worse. The two products above are the only things that help my father. He runs out ( not a pun), doesn't take anything for a while , doesn't drink enough water and within a few months is back to square one, with a prescription from the Dr that doesn't work very well and lots of discomfort. I buy him one or the other of above products and things start moving again.
They can be bought at the Finchley Clinic - an independent UK healthcare retailer, which neither Amazon or Holland and B are.
Hopefully you have sorted it by now but for future reference, if it has been a while since your last poo, Movicol from the chemist is very effective. On an ongoing basis use Kalm Assure Magnesium Citrate powder, not too bad as a hot drink before bed, or magnesium citrate capsules maximum daily amount if that suits your body.
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