*** Support thread for parents of chronic constipation sufferers ***

[Totality22]

I have posted on here a few times about my DS and his constipation.

I was shocked (and quite sad) to see how common it actually is.

I thought it would be nice to have somewhere we can gather and swap notes / offer advice / have a moan.

I am so sick of people [well meaning family and friends mainly] telling me to give DS some prune juice or some figs and that will sort him out. Only other parents who have been through it or are going through it seem to understand.

[Totality22]

Our story is DS 2y4m and has suffered on an off since weaning. We did BLW and started at 6m but did it very gradually.

I remember him trying to pass a stool when he was about 9 months and crawling around like a demented puppy as he was in so much pain... I crawled around with him sobbing my heart out, it was so fucking horrible to see him like that.

We had many appointments between 10-13 months. One GP gave Lactoluse, two other GP's palmed me off with "eat better and drink more" and at 13m we were prescribed Movicol which seemed to help.

We did have a period of about 9 months when he started going every few days with no need for any intervention and I thought we'd got past it. It came back and is worse than ever.

At his worst he had one poo in 2 weeks. He goes roughly every 5 days at the moment and finds it incredibly traumatic.

In the past 4 months we've tried Movicol, Senakot and glycerin suppositories plus all the usual natural methods.

The suppository had the best effect. Worked within half an hour and kept him regular for 10 days but we've now got back to being every 5 days.

I have so many questions and I feel so isolated, it doesn't help that DS is now older and a lot more willful so controlling it through diet isn't as easy DS is in a fussy period and has been for about as long as the constipation has been awful again, so I am sure it's all diet related

My main worry is that it should be time for potty training soon but how the Hell do we potty train a child who doesn't poo and when he does finds it so bloody painful he sobs and begs me to make it stop?

Sorry - I am in tears writing this - no-one realises how something as innocuous as constipation can have such an effect on everyday life.

Just looking for a few friendly words I guess MN!

x

[HappydaysArehere]

When our girls were young we discovered that chocolate used to work. I don't know how but it did.

[Totality22]

I've actually heard that diabetic chocolate can have a laxative effect.