DS has constipation - now lump in stomach

[bethdivine]

DS is 2.5 and is on lactulose for constipation - he's been struggling to go for a few months, so has had a suppository to help move any blockage and also a dose of something sulphur pico ish - bottle upstairs can't quite remember, so we'd hoped the blockage has been moved and the lactulose will just help keep him regular now until bowel tone is back up. However, when changing his nappy, I 've noticed a lump in his stomach about 2" diameter, hard just above belly button, but can move about.

Have got a GP apt booked, but am panicking in the meantime that this is something sinister, whereas DH thinks it's poss the impaction causing his insides to bulge out. anybody had similar in their DCs?

He's still straining a few times a day and doesn't always produce anything when he does strain, but tends to have around 3 between half a thumb and full thumb sized poos a day (my thumb not his! - sorry if weird measurement, but it's nearest when doing nappies! ), which are soft solid. He used to just do runny efforts, which must have been getting round the impaction, but it's nowhere near back to normal, but how do we tell if the blockage is back?

have searched archives, but any new advice most welcome. - try and get as much fluids in him as possible, watching diet etc. (but tricky as currently at the fussy eater stage, so some days just glad to get anything in him!) TIA.

[mummytopebs]

My dd has chronic constipation and sometimes i can feel her stools in her intestines and move them around so it could be this. When did he have the picolax - is that what it was?

[bethdivine]

sodium picosulphate is on the label, I think it's the same as picolax yes. he had it about 2 months ago now and has been on the lactulose since. It's so hard because we want him to eat to help move things along, but he's off his food a lot as this is obviously bothering him.

we were given baby suppositories initially, but although these made him go, they didn't make him have the clear out the GP had hoped, which is why she moved onto the pico stuff followed by the lactulose.

[sazlocks]

My DS had this which is how we first found out he had constipation. I was so freaked out. I took him to the GP and we ended up in hosp that afternoon. They established it was constipation and he was given Movicol which has done the job. He had to take quite a bit to clear the impaction. I have heard that Movicol is better than lactulose so wonder if it might be worth you asking about trying him on that ? My DS went off his food as well.

[bethdivine]

yes, HV said she'd prefer him on movicol. can't see GP till next week, so will keep food & poo diary till then and discuss it with her. thanks.

[mummytopebs]

My dd has had lactolose, picolax and now is on movicol. We have been on movicol for 2 years now and have weaned her down to one sachet a day, it really is the best one to be on

[sazlocks]

You sound like you are doing everything you can and sorry to sound alarmist but I am not sure I would leave a suspected impaction until next week. I know that the GPs are busy with swine flu etc but wonder if it might be worth seeing if you can get a prescription for Movicol before he is seen by the GP ?

[bethdivine]

thanks sazlocks, will ring GP in morning then - although we've had a couple of movements since, and there's some old looking stuff coming out too, so am hoping it's started to break down again, as can't feel anything.
Feel dreadful as if it's all my fault as I delayed taking him to GP in first place, as so many people had told me a lot of babies struggle to go and it's normal - plus had seen another GP at the practice one time, who pointed out just how many times I'd taken DS in, so I felt I was being told off and ended up the other way - avoiding taking him in about stuff that I thought I was just being paranoid about . Same GP got a telling off after palming us off to out of hours, telling us we had to wait 20mins for them to switch the phones as they couldn't see us at 5.50 - his temp was 39.8 (this time I hadn't put off taking him!) - next time I went in was for DD's first lot of imms and the nurse apologised to me as soon as I walked in - they'd ended up having a practice meeting to discuss it as an adverse event!

[sazlocks]

Oh that's good - sounds like things are moving in the right direction.
We just had the poo nurse here today (a childrens nurse allocated to us as part of the aftercare from his visit to the peadeatric assessment unit) for a review of DS and I said exactly what you said about feeling guilty about not realising sooner what was happening. I didn't realise he was constipated until he had quite a big impaction and I felt so bad. The nurse said its a very, very common thing in childhood but not many people talk about it so its easy to see why many people don't recognise the symptoms. Above all she said it happens for lots of reasons so don't feel like its your fault.
Good luck with your GP. Given the issues you have had with them have you thought about changing practice?

[bethdivine]

thanks, that makes me feel better.
Am happy overall with our own GP, she's really good and knows us well as a family too, we just avoid the other one like the plague now - and the practice nurse told me the GP had been given a real telling off, so I'm reluctant to switch - live in rural area, so don't want to travel too far to another as well.