Taking Movicol since 2 yrs old, Paed. has advised I stop, go cold turkey ?

[ballynacargy]

Hi, any advice on this would be greatly appreciated, my daughter has been taking Movicol paeds since she was 2, shes 6 now, I have tried to wean her down to less that 1 1/2 a day but she always went back to withholding, now after a consultation with paediatrician she has advised stopping completely, that she has been on it for too long and as it is a psychological reason my daughter is withholding my daughter needs to be seen by a psychologist, I'm terrified of what this is going to bring on, constant withholding, soiled pants, my daughter feeling bad about it all again, we have been here before. surely we should wean off whilst trying to get to psychological reasons behind withholding, my daughter has told me she will stop withholding, but her brain tells her to do it.....

how many is she on currently?

Hi, she is currently on 2 daily, if I go under that she withholds

I would hold off stopping movicol until you have consulted pschych (sorry about spelling )

The current consultant, are they an encopresis specialist ? Has dd had scans/ xrays to see how far backed up she is ?

No, no, no.

Don't stop it until you have had lots of input from a properly qualified and experienced psychologist.

She is only 6.

There is still time to get this sorted out. Is the paediatrician experienced in this condition, and, more importantly, have they been managing your daughter's treatment since the beginning? If not, I would be very cautious about this advice.

Nope, don't do it, awful advice.

this is my gut feeling, but this paed. has a good reputation, but she has said if I see my daughter withholding give a movicol, this is going to happen if not tonight, tomorrow, as I have given her no movicol today. She has recommended Tesco Fruit and Fibre!!, my daughter told me she hates it. I feel like I have entered back into the dark days of before we got her sorted with Movicol.

I absolutely wouldn't give fruit and fibre either. It produces a huge, hard lump that is painful to pass, and the whole witholding cycle starts all over again.

Honestly, I would keep going with the movicol until all physical and psychological causes are explored and dealt with.

Jeez no no no to fruit and fibre

Thanks for advice, really appreciate it, I gave her a Movicol last night, as I could see that look on her face, when she starts concentrating on bodily functions, god love her, waiting for psychologist to ring and make appointment, in the meantime, will speak to paed again.

It took us over a year to go from 2 a day to completely off. I wouldn't cut back unless she's fine with slightly less and take it very slowly.

I think it's terrible advice!

If the paed thinks she really needs psychological help (which i would be a bit about, she is only 6 ffs) then how is sudden, acute constipation going to help that process? Any therapy should be in conjunction with a very slow daily decrease so DD learns how to cope with it gradually over a period of months. you can manage that yourself, you don't need the paed to do a plan for you - drop by say 1/2tsp a week, or even better get some of those micro-weighing scales and measure it accurately day by day.

AFAIK there aren't any negative physical side effects to taking movicol - my DD has been on 1 a day since she was 2, she is now 5 and we'll continue letting her have it until she is old enough to understand properly about drinking enough water etc, which she doesn't have the self-discipline to do yet.

thanks again for all advice which I note is all against coming off movicol completely, which is my gut feeling too, MangoHedghog, 1/2 tsp a week seems very low from 2 sachets a day, do you mean 1/2 sachet a day? Psychologist not available until August, so will maintain her on Movicol until then, my paed, seems to have lost the plot with regard to this she was great when dd first diagnosed with impaction but thinks now shes on it too long and Fruit and Fibre way to go, which is bizarre, not really showing any real understanding of Movicol, Encopresis etc., told me she's no good and mother/daughter struggles and psychologist will sort us out!!!!!! Shes says I must be strict, get dd to eat F&F and all will be well with the world, since I cant/wont force the child to eat it she has suggested my husband and/or my mother get her to do it, ...... I'm having to listen to this and my husband is getting all ... I have no control over her diet, thats up to me!!!!

You may already have this but have you read 'constipation withholding and your child' by Anthony Cohn. It's a ally easy and accessible read and helps understand the psychology of withholding, how many health professionals do not understand it and the effects of the medication used to treat it.

My instinct would be to cut down certainly not go cold turkey.

To suggest its as simple as eating Fruit and Fibre is terrible advice.

well not necessarily 1/2 tsp a week, like you say that is a very small amount, but I would say make it a very gradual decrease, so she doesn't even notice the difference.

thanks, have decided to reduce and see if she is ok with that, up to and until and I see psychologist, thanks again for all imput, great to feel I'm not alone with this and others understand this problem. will keep posted. regards

thanks for recommendation, have read it, very good.