Pregnancy and colonic irrigation

[afromum]

I'm at my wits end. I have done/tried everything including fibre, flaxseeds, yoghurt, lots of fruit, more vegetables and plenty of water. Laxatives are no longer effective, I've had laxido, senekot and the syrup one I forget the name of. I'm now considering accupunture and have a consultation week after next. I haven't been now for 9 days and now struggling to keep food down. I saw the midwife today and just told the same thing...continue eating fibre and drinking plenty water - which for anyone that suffers constipation is the most patronising thing to hear!

i know all the advice is against colonic irrigation but I really do not know what do do now. I'm 25 weeks pregnant and have had the procedure pre pregnancy so it wouldn't be my first time.

Did anyone ignore the advice and do this anyway? Has anyone done it during pregnancy and had any adverse effects?

thanks ladies x

[Flisspaps]

If you find a practitioner willing to carry it out on a pregnant woman I think they'd be pretty shonky

[hiviolet]

You poor thing. As a lifelong sufferer of constipation I really do sympathise. It sucks being pregnant and not being able to take certain laxatives.

Since its been 9 days I really do think you're far beyond the "fibre and water" stage. There's no point adding to the backlog, right? I really think you need something like a glycerin suppository (you can buy them over the counter) but I'm not sure whether they're technically safe. You should maybe check with a pharmacist.

[lyndie]

See your GP tomorrow please!! Don't try anything unsafe, get a prescription for some more effective laxatives (there are stronger ones which will definitely help though used in caution in pregnancy).

[afromum]

Thanks ladies - I will go to the GP then, medical professionals at the moment seem to be very unsympathetic hence why I was avoiding it. Can you though explain what an enema is? I tried to go today and it was right there but refused to exit! Sorry if TMI :(

[How2GetItOut]

Glycerin suppositories should work for you and are perfectly safe and effective during pregnancy. I used them when DC2 kept trying to come out but couldn't for a whole week (real contractions kept fizzling out to nothing). Doctor prescribed them for me but as previously stated, they are available OTC (apparently constipation really can delay labour!). They work very fast (literally within minutes). DC was born next day in less than 2 hours .

[Runningblue]

Gp it! Had dreadful constipation in first preg- bit of a lifelong sufferer too- and gp was excellent and sympathetic. It also sounds like you're a knowledgeable - if unwilling- expert on your condition so getting palmed off with the old 'eat more fibre' line from mw is irksome... Grrr

I ended up on a very punchy course of senna over 7 days- I hadn't been for over 2 weeks, so doc felt that was needed to clear out as it were.

I agree with those saying suppositiatories tho - your constipation sounds low down so they just help smooth the way out. But gp it, you don't want to be causing too much upheaval in your nether regions..l

[afromum]

I clearly had reason to be concerned as I have been up all night vomiting for the first time in my pregnancy,is it possible to be so backed up that you can't keep anything down? I'm now to scared to eat and awaiting a phone call back from my doctor...oh the joys of being pregnant!

[Runningblue]

Yes.. It is possible, poor you.. If there is a positive this gives you even more clout with the gp, to emphasise this is a pretty full on episode which needs more than the 'eat more fibre' approach.
Hope you get a response from gp v soon x

[afromum]

Thank you Runningblue, have just come back from seeing the doctor and although she was very skeptical and said she doesn't think I'm vomiting because of my constipation (in her words theres a viral infection going around...but I don't feel sickly or anything! o_0) she prescribed me a glycerol suppository

Now I just need to figure out how to use the bad boy...I wonder if there are any youtube videos on it...

[sundaesundae]

Push up asshole. The end.

[hiviolet]

sundae

She's right though!

Please tell me the GP didn't prescribe just the one? With a backlog like yours, you might need a few!

Anyway, once you've put it in (try to, er, get it as far inside as possible) try to give it a good 15 minutes to work. If run back to the bathroom too quickly you might find the only thing you pass is the unmelted suppository, then you'll be back to square one.

Good luck!

[sundaesundae]

I would recommend not going downstairs (or upstairs) if you only have one loo and going to lie down for a bit and as hiviolet said, try and hold on to it for as long as possible!

[afromum]

Thanks both - here goes...bottom's up! pun intended :)

[morethanmama]

Sex works for me when I'm like that. I think the friction sort of pushes it down. Although prob the Last thing You feel like Good luck.

[afromum]

morethanmama I tried that 2 days ago, just made me more uncomfortable haha

So quick update - the suppository seems to have done the trick although less came out than I expected. Doc has told me to use every day for the next week so hopefully will empty me out good and proper! Very pleased I didn't give in and do the colonic, it is thinking about it way too risky but when you've tried everything you can think of your mind plays tricks on you and rationalises that it might not be so bad...

Thank you to all you lovely ladies for the support and advice - you saved me!

[Runningblue]

So pleased you got a result, what a relief in more ways than one!