How long before I should ring OOH (if at all)?

[doughnutty]

DS is constipated. He is screamimg in pain because he's holding it in. Started in earnest yesterday afternoon so by the time I realised it was too late to call gp/hv. But only then realised I couldn't remember the last poo. Might have been 3/4 days. He normally goes every day or twice in a day if he has one poo free day. He's 2.3 and has good vocab and understanding but he obviously doesn't understand the concept of "no pain - no gain"

He's passing liquid which soaks straight into his nappy, but what's left is like sand! Really gritty. DH and I have been trying to pull it out when we can but it's really difficult and we're scared of hurting him more.

He had a bout last week but he was ok in himself. This time he's lethargic, shivery and hot while he's straining/holding. Hasn't eaten much today and can't force him to drink much. I have got some orange juice in and a wee bottle of flavoured water (won't drink it straight).

If not doctor worthy, what else can I do. I'm almost as distraught as he is.

Oh, and to clarify. He's not on so many as I said in yesterdays post. I misheard the doctor, probably through tiredness and a screaming child. I had it clarified (made them write it down). He's just on 2 a day for 10 days, then 1 a day for 3 months.

It took about 5 days on that dose for DS to get back to semi normal. He'd got really bad, was sleeping all the time and was so miserable. We kept him on 2 a day for 2 weeks and occasionally after we switched to 1 a day, we'd need to give him an extra dose to help him.

kidney stones?? i know hes minny for them but thats what it sounds like! and is he eating lots of fruit? if so that could be "bunging" him up! Give him prunes and rice cakes, and lots of water. SHould clear his system out and stop things hanging around! poor little babba sounds like hes developed a fear of pooing, maybe if he pooes in his nappy it hurts his bum, could you keep him nappy less and playing, he might forget! although you said there is a younger baby, just hike that baby out if / when a poo happens! Does he drink milk still? Pretty sure you can get formula milk that helps digestion, rub his tummy after a feed, might get things going! x

Doughnutty, I'm so sorry for your DS & the rest of you. This sounds just awful.
I have no experience of this and can only recommend the Metanium for a sore bum too.
Please keep us updated, you are not alone x

Oh Jareth , if only he would sleep. He went to bed at 7 last night as normal. He was still screaming for daddy at 10pm with every cramp. I think, when he is sleeping, it's pure exhaustion that knocks him out. He's waking early too!! And it's only been 3 days since we first had a nugget of poo!! Don't know if I can stand even 2 more days of this!

He just looks awful. He's lost all his chubb. He looks 5, not 2!!

nickleby strangely, the sore bum is not external. Even though he's unavoidably in dirty nappy for a while, during naps, nighttime etc, there's no nappy rash

surprise no chance of him forgetting, even when he's totally distracted by play or tv he stops dead, clenches and moans (at best) or screams for a cuddle. He's definitely scared to poo and now terrified of doctors and probably one of those kids still in nappies at school. Apart from having a potty in the loo, and sitting him on the toilet just before his bath, we'd not started potty training as he's not ready. Never been aware of weeing, though has always gone to hide to poo since he could move, so has been aware of that since around a year/14months. Maybe that's also distressing him as this has become such a public thing now. Poor wee soul. My heart has broken a little bit over the last few days and I don't think i'll ever feel right again. It has scarred me too. I hope he can forget when he's better.

I have been lurking a bit on this thread. Just wanted to say that my little boy went through this when he was 3. No idea why it started. He didn't go to hospital but we did see the GP a LOT. I spent a lot of time hugging him while he was sat on the toilet screaming in pain He was on 2 movicol a day for a long time. It took 6 months to wean him off it. He is now 5 and rarely has a day without a poo. I felt like you, that we would never get over it and I felt dreadful all the time. Movicol is great stuff - give it time. I hope he starts to feel better soon.

On a much more positive note, every nappy today has had proper poo in it, not just overflow. But....the cramps are still stopping him in his tracks.

Also positive, he sat (knelt) at his table and ate a 'proper' lunch. Then declined pudding which is good as sweet stuff (fruit, yoghurt, biscuits, toast with jam, cereal etc) is what he'd been asking for if he asked at all.

Gone for a nap now and he's quiet, though it's puntuated with the odd shout for daddy every 10 minutes when he cramps.
Maybe this is the beginning of the end of the worst of it. I'm under no illusion now that this will have fairly long term repercussions but if it is downgraded to a little discomfort occasionally I think we'll all be happy with that.

I will keep posting but, in the meantime, thanks again.

That's fantastic news, fingers are firmly crossed for more poo

My advice.....stop the weetabix as it can have the opposite effect by clogging him up and becoming more of a solid mass especially if he is not drinking properly!
Get a couple of Humzingers in a day ( dried fruit but they work a treat)
Small amounts of lactulose spread through the day rather than all at once.
Movical sachets spread through day.
get into a momentum and cut down on meds (rather than cut them out altogether when things resume IYSWIM )
Loads of fluids etc
Try some stewed fruit with breakfast.
Hope things get better soon

Been lurking a little here as spotted this yesterday on main page - can't help I'm afraid but I'm so glad you are finally getting some poo!! I bet you're sick of the thought of it now :)

I have just seen this and I second jammy. Also, old fashioned but works a treat - prune juice.
We still give ds movicol. We have cut it down to a half sachet every other day, but he still needs it and needed more for a while.
We Cut the wheat way down also cut down milk, cheese and yogurt.
It is horrible, seeing your child like that. :( I empathise.

Oh yes and offering water all the time. Or even add a tiny bit of squash if he won't drink water. Ds will drink water but wants milk all the time. I have a straw thermos of water near him all the time

Peppermint can help with cramping so try it in any form you like - even freezing lollies of peppermint tea for him to suck can help the cramps.
Oh - I'm not a random peppermint pusher, I'm a nurse practitioner and worked in a GP practice for six years where I saw a lot of constipated patients and peppermint helped. And another positive is that it's natural and non pharmaceutical so can be used as often as needed. Good luck!

Eliza I haven't heard of that before. I will try it when needed. Ds doesn't like mint, though. I wonder how to conceal it?
My GP showed me a gentle tummy massage to do with him and that des seem to help the pain, too.

Yep, definitely get rid of the weetabix

Morning.

Not had weetabix for a few days now after someone mentioned it. He's definitely drinking more than he ever did but can't get plain water in him. It's very diluted apple juice and the odd fruit shoot (also watered down). I don't like it but he'll drink a whole bottle in one go when it takes all day to get 300 mls of anything else in.

We had the biggest poo of all this morning which is great. But, can anyone tell me when it's likely I'll get a non-soiled nappy?? Every one has smears in it and I'm sure every cramp is producing something, as, if he cramps during a change, I have to wipe again and always get something. I am changing regularly but he cramps lots. I can't change after every one or he'd never be off the mat. There's no nappy rash as I slather him in cream every change. He's due in nursery on Wed and he's missing his friends, but I don't think I can put him in til he's not soiling all the time.

So he's gone back to nursery today. Not convinced he'll last the whole day but I think it might be a better distraction for him. He was so excited last night when we told him he could go.

But, he's still pooing all the time, like a newborn. Except he goes completely rigid and clenches!!
He pooed in the bath last night and I whipped him out and held him over the toilet. With difficulty as he won't get into any kind of sitting position. I had to put him down after a minute or so as I couldn't hold him and then I had s#!t from one end of the bathroom to the other.

After we cleaned up, I showed him the little bit of poo in the toilet and he was so chuffed with himself. But, he doesn't connect the physical act (which he's obviously petrified of) with the proud feeling of doing something in the loo.

He is a very very bright boy. His understanding is excellent. This is the first issue we've ever had, physically or emotionally. He's always just 'got' it. Can anyone suggest anything to help him over his fear of letting go. I'm pretty sure he's not sore anymore. I don't want to potty train. I know he's not ready. He has no awareness of being wet. I just want him to be able to poo in his nappy without trauma. Any ideas?? I'll try anything.

The movicol will help with that. Eventually it won't hurt at all anymore and he'll get used to it, rather than being so scared.

Thanks for the reassurance. I'm just feeling under the gun a little as I'm due back to work in less than a fortnight, and I really want him to be back to his usual self before I have to leave him half the week.

He made it to 1.30. He was distressed as he needed to go but was holding it. His keyworker said he was fine this morning but, after eating lunch and having some calpol, he wouldn't go for his sleep. Just wouldn't lie down. At home we've been letting him shout for 5/10 minutes and he's eventually gone to sleep. Not so easy to do that at nursery.

He only goes one full day and I need him to last. Will he be ok by next week??

You'll see a huge difference by next week, I'm sure. Keep him on 2 a day though until you do

Spoke to hr to see what holidays I've still got. Have almost a week. Boss is off today so I'll phone tomorrow to discuss options in a worst case situation.

Is it selfish to be pissed off that I'm going to miss out on my 2 child free days before going back?

I think the pooing all the time thing is because he is actually having too much laxative.
What you are working towards is gaining a momentum without overloading him.

My advice would be to gradually start decreasing the movical sachets to 1 and a half a day instead of two and see how he goes, it might just help him to regain control without the pooing in between IYSWIM !

You can always increase again if he hasn't been! You could even try 1 and a half one day then two the next etc until you are sure he is going properly.

hTh

Just a thought re the weetabix thing, try cutting out wheat entirely for a week and see what happens. I had to go wheat free due to DD3's intollerance, even through breastmilk. After 18m I had wheat again and my constipation problems all returned with a vengance. I only have wheat as a special treat nowdays.
I hope things get better for you and him soon.

Sorry to disagree, but the pooing all the time is more likely overflow. It will take a week or so to clear the blockage, so op needs to keep to the prescribed 2 a day until he can poo without pain and has no cramping, otherwise he'll just go backwards.

OP its reasonably obvious once the blockage has cleared, demeanor changes, and he'll be so much better. Just hang in there :)