Severe constipation- PLEASE HELP ME (Warning TMI!)

[PillowTalkFork]

A combination of rubbish eating, lack of water and codeine for period pain has led to me being constipated. I haven’t ever had it this bad and I am in total and utter agony. I usually go every day and I haven’t been in 4 days. I’ve tried mainlining fibre rich food, loads of water, going for a walk and laxatives. This morning I can hardly walk. I can feel the stools in my rectum And they are rock hard. I think they may be becoming/have become impacted. I’ve sat on the toilet for hours and I think I’ve torn myself, there’s no bloody but I was literally
Shaking with pain earlier, it was taking my breath away . I do not know what to do, I’m totally panicking. It hurts to sit down, it hurts to stand up. The pressure in my back/buttocks is unreal and it’s spreading down my legs.

Can I go the walk in centre? Or ring 111? I would really rather avoid that because I’m a single mum so would have to take 7 year old DS with me but I will do anything. It’s just so painful when I push, feels like I’m Labour.

Please can ANYONE off any advice on what I can do. Thanks

Get to a chemist today for suppositories.

Ok so 4 days is nothing (apparently) DSis was 6 weeks! Can you get to supermarket to get suppositories? Or syrup of figs or laxatives? Failing the try and manipulate it out?

Actually I would call 111.

Go to the chemist and buy laxido/stool softener before using glycerin suppositories. You need to soften everything up before passing it otherwise you risk a fissure. This, and lots of water to drink, should help you. Good luck, it is not much fun

Or Movicol sachets. Highly recommended for impaction.

You may have already tried but prune juice and v strong black coffee which is a stimulant

I really wouldn’t call 111 at this time, it’ll take forever.
See your local pharmacist for advice.

Definitely call 111. You are in agony and need some relief, the health services don't want us all suffering at home while they deal with covid.

I hope you get it sorted

Stool softeners for 24 hours then a glycerin suppository tomorrow will sort you out, over the counter at the chemist

Thanks so much for the quick replies.
Will the pharmacy sell me that or will I need a prescription? I wasn’t sure if I was kind of, past the point of no return with how hard everything is?

All of the above, and sitting in a warm (hot if you can) bath. You have my sympathy as it’s a really horrible feeling

Pharmacy is your answer. Be honest (they will have heard it all before!) and they can advise on the best products.

Also get some vaseline and/or sudocrem (or ask the pharmacist to recommend a cream) as you are very likely get small tears and it will help healing

Laxatives and stool softeners can all be bought over the counter, you don’t need a prescription.

Glycerin suppositories are your friend.

And a warm bath with bubbles. Soap up your butt. When you're on the loo raise your legs and relax.

Normally prune juice with hot water too. But I don't think I'd fancy hunting down prune juice feeling so crappy.

Ok I had this when I reached my second trimester of this pregnancy and I’ve never felt so unwell with it. It lasted a week and it was horrific. Someone recommended to me to sit in the squat position and relax, and I ended up having to actually pull the poo out myself Whilst squatting. Once I got the dry stool out , the rest managed to follow but it did hurt . I couldn’t get to a pharmacy so tried this first. But if you’d rather go to a chemist then definitely do that, Movicol is good that worked for me when I was a teen and I couldn’t go for 5 weeks.

Glycerine suppositories. You can buy them over the counter. Follow the instructions carefully. It might take several goes to clear all the blockage.
Stop eating high fibre foods and take regular movicol instead. Too much fibre can really bung you up, especially if you are not getting enough exercise and drinking enough water.
Tinned prunes are great.
Ordinary fruit and veg is a lot safer than things like allbran.
I learned this the hard way years ago. I discovered a high fibre cereal that I really liked. Had it for breakfast 3 days running.
It set like concrete in my innards.
It was worse than labour and delivery.

Tesco sell suppositories in their medicines section if you can't get to a pharmacy.

You poor thing 💐

I'd speak to the pharmacist iiwy. 111 is inundated at the mo and it might take forever to get a solution.

I hope it's sorted soon xx

@aladyofindeterminateage

Precisely this op. I have learned over the years to avoid fibre like the plague and a very big yes to suppositories and also yes it may take a couple or three goes at it but they will definitely sort you out.

Movicol, glycerine suppositories and stool softener, dulcoease takes a few days to work but is helpful if you're having consistent constipation you wish to avoid. Stop straining on the toilet, use a gloved hand to support your pelvic floor if you are. It's unpleasant OP but if you can face it you can use a gloved finger to manually break up a large stool or aid its removal in the rectum, using lubricant and carefully. This is done in hospital if it comes to it. I sympathise OP, it's awful.

As an aside codeine is an awful drug, I would speak urgently to your GP on the phone for proper treatment for menstrual pain if you haven't, I imagine there are much better options and codeine is addictive with long term use as well as advised against for chronic pain as it can make it worse. Have you tried a TENS machine, heat therapy, or any other prescribed drugs?

Alas I am the constipation Queen. I know far too much on this subject.

As GaaaaarlicBread has already suggested, the best thing to do when it gets bad is crouch down and help get it out yourself just to get things moving. You'll then have some space to actually get the suppositories in, which should help getting at least some of the poo out.

I've tried every laxative under the sun. Too many of them promise the world, but don't deliver anything other than horrible stomach cramps and teeny weeny little poos (when what you need is a big clear out). The only thing I can rely on is putting a dessertspoon of flaxseeds on my cereal. I'm in the loo within 2 hours and everything is moving along nicely. No stomach ache, nothing.

If you find yourself getting this regularly, then you may need to look at your diet. I found that when I eliminated all dairy products and gluten from my diet I could poo like a normal person. Nearly impossible to keep to that of course, which is why the flaxseeds are handy.

The only other thing I'd suggest alongside all the good advice above, is when you are trying to get the pop out, you can press against the hard lump of poo via the skin just outside your anus. Some recommend going in via the vagina too. It can break it into smaller lumps which are easier to get out, and push it in the right direction.

If you have Vaseline, a smear of that round your anus & inside the rectum if you can might also help in a similar way to the suppository. When you do try & go, feet up on a stool or box to raise them slightly, and holding a wad of toilet paper or a washcloth against your perineum might also help you strain more effectively (sounds weird but can honestly help!)
Sip warm water, and stop eating fibre for now ... in fact stop eating anything else for a bit!

thank you so much for all your help, I’d still be suffering in silence if not! I’ve been to the pharmacy and got suppositories, laculose and anusol so I’ve put the suppository in and tried with the anusol. I think I’ll squat down and see what happens Not sure how long it’s going to take work, not sure if I should just sit on the toilet? Have DS to look after, he’s reasonably self sufficient if I bung him in front of a screen