Can't poo!

[Charlavail]

Sorry! I promise I'm not the poo troll. Just a desperate woman. I had DS four week ago today and seem to have lost the urge to poo! Now it's been 5 days since I've last been and I am in agony. I managed to get a bit out last night but today I can hardly walk because of it. As I've had 3 ginormous poos in 4 weeks it's all a bit of a mess down there and I am bleeding so much just trying to go. I've tried using a stool every time and my fingers in my vagina. This time it hurts so much I jump up in pain every time. I can't take laxatives as I'm breastfeeding but have taken stool softeners. Please help me. I'm so scared I'll have to go to hospital!

To add! Dulcolax suppositories you can get in a chemist and don’t need a prescription! Unless by some small chance you live in Plymouth I can drop you some 😂

Glycerine suppositories should work. They’re not behind the counter. You just pick them off the shelf with the other main constipation treatments.

Glycerine suppositories are MAGIC

I had this with really bad piles after giving birth. The only relief was a sitz bath which you put over the toilet and fill with warm water. The warm water takes away the pain and stinging.

Suppositories. I had this when pregnant and literally drank buckets of laxido. Nothing. Midwife gave me a sweep and said you cannot go into labour like this, suppositories are your friend. Worked a charm. Worse part of pregnancy. Felt i may as well have had the baby every time I went. Honestly, labour was easier, my body just did it.

Are you taking any meds that could have caused this- cocodamol or codeine.

Might be worth stopping them and doing the stuff the others on the thread have advised.

Hope you manage to get glycerine suppositories. I discovered them after dc1 and they are invaluable

Try milk of magnesium.

I've ordered some glycerine suppository from amazon. My poor anus is too sore to do anything else for the next few hours. I tried to poo in the bath as suggested. It came part way out and the pain was too much so I lost my stride and it went back in.
Soulstirring, I text my sister saying if this was a baby at least I would have some pain relief!

Oh Lordy that sounds painful. I hope you get some relief soon.

Is there anyone that could go and get you some suppositories tonight OP? A big Tesco for example might have them.
If you can’t get any tonight definitely get some first thing rather than wait for Amazon as it could be evening before they deliver. When you’re blocked up like this suppositories or an enema are the only things that will work. You do need to take Movicol or Laxido as well so it doesn’t just carry on, but that won’t help what’s blocking your rectum now.
Vaseline or some other kind of lubricant will help the pain and it would make sense to take some painkillers as well, you could even get co-codamol over the counter and take a dose before you use the glycerin suppositories.
As a PP said you want to lie on your side once the suppository is in and try your best to keep it in for at least 15 mins to give it chance to work properly. Sometimes that’s difficult and it might take a couple of attempts.
Movicol/Laxido is safe while breastfeeding as it just draws water into your bowel it doesn’t enter your blood stream. If the glycerin doesn’t work definitely speak to a doctor tomorrow.
I feel for you OP I suffered in pregnancy like this and it was by far the worst symptom!

You may have caused a fissure from all the straining. There's a cream from GP called Analgese (it's got GTN in it though so don't know if suitable for breast feeding)

OP I’ve been there postpartum and it’s absolutely horrendous. I don’t know much about laxatives helping with what’s already stuck. I was crying on the loo for 45 mins before I plucked up the courage to go and it honestly felt like I’d birthed another child 😨 one thing that helped slightly was squeezing fairly hot water using a peri bottle at the area while I was going, it was a sort of distraction more than anything else.

Good luck and please do phone the docs if you struggle for much longer. Hope it resolves very soon!

As an interim measure put lots of Vaseline on your anus

It's remarkably soothing and healing

@BettyBootsie

Something that really helps me in this situation is to support just beneath your anus with one of your hands while you are pushing. Sounds gross but I swear it sort of helps the poo "find" the hole when it feels like it just won't come out - it's as if the poo needs pushed in the right direction

You need to sit on the toilet, wrap toilet roll around your fingers, go in front ways in between your legs and put your wrapped hand just below your anus where you will probably feel the hard poo lump pressing through the outer wall. If you then press up towards that lump with your fingertips almost touching your anus from underneath as your push out with your muscles, hopefully that should do it.

This works 👍🏻

I've sent DH on the hunt. Hoping DS falls asleep soon so I can deal with this in peace. I am going to make big changes to my diet!

You're probably going to need a rectal laxative or use your finger (preferably gloved) to manually remove the poop -- unpleasant but you can sort things out pretty quickly this way.

I get this problem and was once on the loo for EIGHT HOURS before I had to resort to the finger method!!

I actually started to feel quite unwell and even once I'd 'sorted myself out' was unwell for a couple of days.

'Fecal impaction' can be a very serious problem so get your finger ready if you start to feel unwell or can't resolve things soon.

Been there! You can use glycerin suppositiories and laxido while bf. Respectfully, keep doing your pelvic floors snd look over your right shoulder when you strain (don't know why!)

This happened to me after birth with first DD when breastfeeding, its awful and you really have my sympathy. I ended up tearing when it did come out and then every time I went it was like pooing glass! It was awful!! For me a dose of lactulose every evening until healed to soften things and LOTS of water. Second DD a fruit smoothie every day with lots of prunes stopped it happening.

Please speak to doctor though this must be really common

Also, sit on the loo and you need to go for as long as it takes? I got pushed aside to sleep/ feed/ pump etc, but poo when your body tells you too ❤️

Sorry but why order if your in that much pain. Whizz does to the chemist, there's always a 24 hours one somewhere. I 3rd the glycerine suppositories, these will do the job. Ordering things online, your surely prolonging the suffering

Press on your perineum as it’s crowing. It’s the only thing that helped me.

Glycerin suppositories all the way - they’re brilliant. After my last baby, I had internal bruising and swelling and couldn’t even feel to poo. I just knew I had to go and felt so uncomfortable. One glycerin suppository - hold it in for the recommended number of minutes or as close as you can, and then it just all comes out. Not painful, not horrible, just an amazing relief.

Walking is the tonic you need. A long walk will exercise your bowel and then push out what’s stuck.

@Thesefeetaremadeforwalking

Please 'phone your GP surgery OP.

They will arrange an appointment with the Practice Nurse for a Manual Removal procedure.

Err that's only done in extreme. Circumstances and under GA!