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AIBU?

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Original poster

Movicol question

12 replies

homeishere · 14/11/2022 19:14

Dear all,

posting for traffic and insight.

my DD (4) recently started holding in her poo after a painful motion. She held it for 5 days, before going and then another 3 before going on the 4th (today).

Movicol has been prescribed. We’ve been using it, but not consistently (had the wrong one to start with etc).

my question is, do we keep on with it for a while, or see if the problem is righted? I’m minded to carry on for a while on a low dosage to help her pass more pain free stools for a while.

does anyone have any experience on this? What sort of dosage? One sachet a day?

Thanks in advance for any help.

OP posts:
TheLette · 14/11/2022 19:21

My daughter had this issue, recurrently, but now seems to be ok. Got very vague advice regarding how long to take it. The first time I suggest taking it for at least 2 weeks, maybe reduce each dose down slightly when tapering off and see what happens. If not, continue with it for about 6 weeks and then taper off again.

We found that mixing it with a homemade smoothie meant she drank it. A smoothie is not a bad idea anyway for this problem.

Brendabigbaps · 14/11/2022 19:23

You’ll need to keep going for a few weeks.
we used to mix with milk so it was like drinking chocolate milk.

AnnoyedByAlfieBear · 14/11/2022 19:24

You need to be consistent for it to work. The same about every day for a while. How many sachets a day does she take? You may need more than you imagine. Don't assume that one's she's gone you can stop giving it. You need to have a full watery clear out as it's normal to have "leakage" around the blockage and for parents to assume the problem is solved.

Also, don't just stop giving it. You need to reduce the dose gradually.

x2boys · 14/11/2022 19:26

Movicol is really good if your daughter will drink it ,but its not really designed as an ad hoc thing ,it can.take a while to build up so it beeds to be daily

TimmyMeatballs · 14/11/2022 19:28

Carry on for a while to keep stools soft. Usually start at one sachet daily and increase until poos are very soft - I believe sometimes needs up to 8 sachets daily to get there. Then you need to keep the poos soft for at least a few weeks.

Did the doctor not give any instructions?

eric.org.uk/childrens-bowels/parents-guide-to-disimpaction/

frenchnoodle · 14/11/2022 19:30

You need to use it until her poo is like water, her bowel needs to be cleared completely to remove the impaction and return it to it's normal size.

Nursemumma92 · 14/11/2022 19:34

Yes my daughter started this age 3, 3 sachets a day initially for a week or so and that got things going to really clear things out. She's 4.5 now and just has 1 a day to keep her regular. If you are worried about a high dosage then try 2 a day then build up to 3 depending on whether she's passing stool and how hard it is. Hope it helps, it's awful when they're constipated poor things x

Blev2022 · 14/11/2022 19:35

Lots of experience (we had to do a disimpaction routine, and daughter is still under paediatric care for withholding).

What dose is she on? If she has been withholding 5 days and then 3 id be tempted to do a disimpaction routine (you up the sachets you give every second day by 2 to a max of 8) just until she reaches the point of watery poo so you can be sure there is no backlog. If it reaches watery poo stage fast without many sachets it's unlikely she's backed up, if not then you'll be glad you did it.

Then as PP said I'd keep her on a lower dose and gradually taper off just to make sure the fear of withholding is gone. GPs are generally useless I've found. ERIC website has good info

allboysherebutme · 14/11/2022 22:20

I have to take it everyday.

Original poster
homeishere · 14/11/2022 23:03

Thanks for advice everyone. She did several school today followed by two more visits to the loo at home today. Seems happy with herself and was singing in the bath for the first time in a fortnight! I think we’ll start with one or two tomorrow and see how we go for a fortnight and increase or decrease depending on whether she’s going to the toilet or not.

GP wasn’t great. Put her on the one not suitable for U12s…lemon and lime flavour. She refused it, unsurprisingly. The plainer one is much better. Think we can a dose or two in her via milk/chocolate milk. she only normally drinks water. So even squash or milk is out of the ordinary for her.

OP posts:
Mamai90 · 14/11/2022 23:59

My 12 month has been on it for a few weeks, we had covid in between which gave her diarrhea but she started on it 4 weeks ago and I agree it's important to be consistent. She didn't have it a couple of nights ago and was fine the next day but the day after she was crying in pain when going.

I still haven't managed to get the dosage right between diarrhea and constipation. At the moment I'm giving her 1 sachet one day and a half sachet the next so I'm hoping that'll work well.

x2boys · 15/11/2022 17:13

homeishere · 14/11/2022 23:03

Thanks for advice everyone. She did several school today followed by two more visits to the loo at home today. Seems happy with herself and was singing in the bath for the first time in a fortnight! I think we’ll start with one or two tomorrow and see how we go for a fortnight and increase or decrease depending on whether she’s going to the toilet or not.

GP wasn’t great. Put her on the one not suitable for U12s…lemon and lime flavour. She refused it, unsurprisingly. The plainer one is much better. Think we can a dose or two in her via milk/chocolate milk. she only normally drinks water. So even squash or milk is out of the ordinary for her.

They do have a chocolate flavored one ,but it isnt great tbh ,so the plain one is ptobably the best.

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