4yo DS1 very constipated, can't get a GP appt, and Movicol not working. What else can I do?!!!

[MrsHelenBee]

Hi everyone,
Tearing my hair out here and worried I'm going to give my son a fear of going to the loo at this rate!
He had a couple of days of not going before Christmas, which I explained by the fact that he was away with grandparents, and he's always been one to need taking to the loo to avoid accidents. He also had a cold and I've noticed he can often have a day or 36hrs without going when he gets a cold, but when he hadn't been for 2.5 days, it was less like him, and I gave him Movicol when he got up on Day 3. Yesterday was ok, he went twice, but nothing earth shattering, and certainly not enough to catch him up. It also looked like a lot of lumps stuck together, so I wondered if the issue was more discomfort and avoiding going, but today he hasn't been at all again, so apart from yesterday, we've had a problem since Thursday last week - 5 days.
Movicol has always worked for him within 24hrs or so (he periodically has a problem, which always seen quick to resolve), but he's been on it since the weekend.
I've tried and failed to get a GP apt today, so will have to try again tomorrow, but in the mean time, wondered what anyone would suggest.
Sadly, his sensory issues mean he doesn't eat fruit and veg, which means it's always going to be a potential problem, and making it very hard to up his fibre intake. Just brown bread and wholegrain cereal to cover that at the moment.

[GRW]

If you have just given one sachet of movicol a day I would increase the dose. It should work if he takes enough of it, and in some circumstances you can give up to 8 sachets a day. I hope he feels better soon.

[bumbleymummy]

Will he drink apple juice? We've found that it can help.

[KissMyFatArse]

It sounds like an impaction. Which he won't be able to pass on his own. Feel his tummy and when he sits down on the pan is their a large mass at his backside? This sounds like excess from the novicak squeezing pass and not the actual movement of that make sense

[SeasonalVag]

Prunes and strawberries have always shifted the worst of our kids constipation...it's worth a go.

[hazeyjane]

How much movicol has he had? D's has has ended up on 12 sachets when he was very blocked. I would increase to 3/4 as sachets, and see if that helps

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

As PP said increase his Movicol, DD ended up on 12 a day for a couple of days, lots of water and get a GP appt as soon as you can

[SeasonalVag]

Would he even eat them mashed up or on toast?

[Scootergrrrl]

Xylitol - an artificial sweetener made from beech trees or something! - sorted out my poo refuser. Not too much though, or you have the entirely opposite problem. We also sat him on the toilet at the same time every day which made it, eventually, into a habit to go at that time.

[GinGinGin]

Massage his anus with Vaseline and the plonk him in a warm bath. This will work (GP advice given to someone I know)

[lougle]

If he had two bowel movements yesterday that didn't seem like overflow (loose), then I wouldn't worry too much. Up the movicol a little, encourage drinks and don't let him see you are worried.

[MrsHelenBee]

Thanks everyone, lots of things I can try.
He went a tiny bit before bedtime tonight but was complaining of tumny ache for most of the evening, so it's causing an issue now.
He's always been really good with fluids, so it hasn't been hard to up the sachets. He's had 3 per day for 4 days though, so while I can see higher doses on here, I guess I thought we'd be sorted now as a day has usually been enough to see him right.
I WISH he ate fruit, I remember having prunes as a child and it worked very well. And dried apricots fixed me when I was pregnant, but he won't touch any fruit or veg. That said, he does like apple juice and the occasional fruit smoothie, so I might try that tomorrow, but I'll be back on the phone first thing again in the morning to try for a GP appt. Even if I only get told to up the dose, I'll feel relieved he's been checked over as iverall he doesn't seem well.
Thanks again everyone!!

[helensburgh]

12 sachets a day of movicil here. You can't overdose. I'd increase and see