Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Children's health

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Constipation/with holding

74 replies

sazza040 · 10/01/2014 18:44

Daughter is 2yr old 3 months , been suffering with constipation for a while now. To cut a long story short , found out she has been with holding and have put her on daily doses of Movicol and Lactulose. Now the witholding is obviously worse than ever. Its been going on for a week like this now, I feel like I am losing my little girl. Its affecting everything. It has been to the point today where she wouldnt even leave her bed as she was trying to hold it in, she was trying to get me to leave her alone so she could hold it in peace. I cant bear her doing this to herself. Im trying to ignore it and its breaking my heart. Any one who's had experience to this how did their little ones cope when put on the medication- J seems worse than when she wasnt (but then shed eventually pass agonising bm which was also heart breaking).

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
sazza040 · 16/01/2014 18:15

Brettgirl2 how did you go about potty training her? A lot of people have said to lay off it but I think It might help my girl too. Today she hasnt got off the sofa trying not to go, Ive barely got any food into her or anything.

OP posts:
sazza040 · 16/01/2014 18:46

Also does any one know can senna able to be bought over the counter and if so what dosage is ok for a 2 yr old.

OP posts:
clare8allthepies · 16/01/2014 20:07

My doctor told me that while lactulose just softens the poo, movicol does this and stimulates the bowel (like senna) not sure if this is true though as it goes against what someone above was told by their paediatrician

pudseypie · 16/01/2014 21:55

We were definitely told by a couple of paediatricians that movicol only softens the poo and stimulant meds are sodium picosulphate which my ds has, or senna. Don't think you can get senna over counter but could be wrong. Worth asking at the pharmacy?

I would take her back to gp as an emergency appt tomorrow and say she's in pain lying on sofa all day and refusing food. Is she drinking ok?

Kundry · 16/01/2014 22:03

You can get senna over the counter but probably not if you say it is for a child.

If she is not eating I'd keep taking her back to the GP - eventually they will refer you as an emergency, especially if she isn't eating.

sazza040 · 16/01/2014 22:44

I just cant believe how severely she is holding it ..seems shes getting better at holding it in??! Its like the laxatives are only teaching her new tactics, still going on and she wont , shes had enough to keep her going but barely anything- definitely not enough to drink..my 6mo is loosing out because my milk supply is down because of the stress of it all.

OP posts:
Kundry · 16/01/2014 22:56

Poor you and her Sad

Really keep going back saying she isn't drinking or eating until your GP is sick of the sight of you, eventually an urgent referral will happen. You need to see a paediatrician.

Twinsplusonesurprise · 16/01/2014 23:07

I'm with brettgirl2
One of my DDs used to be very constipated, rabbit pellets despite very healthy diet. It's so much easier now she's potty trained. I'd suggest asking your DD if she'd like to use the loo and see if she copes better. And yes, lots of talk about poo and reassurance that it's fine and normal - and better in the loo than in her tummy! Good luck

brettgirl2 · 17/01/2014 07:55

sazza I just kept gently suggesting that she used the toilet when she needed to go. One day she said ok, got onto her toilet seat. It is hard and I would try softly softly rather than whipping nappies off overnight.

brettgirl2 · 17/01/2014 08:01

Oh and I got a couple of potty training books one pink one was her favourite bedtime read Hmm . She was 2.4 at the time btw.....

sazza040 · 17/01/2014 11:49

Thanks, Ive phoned the Drs this am. Suspect a urine infection/thrush too with all of this its not looking very good down below. I have to wait up until Wednesday for them to come and weigh her. Feel really let down..I just want to cry all day but I know that is not going to help her or my son . I knowthis is really trivial to what some people have to deal with in life but its unbareable seeing her so miserable all the time. She has been talking about poo's all morning, 'Mummy poo's , Daddy poo's, baby poo's' but just wont let it go. Its so annoying,and i feel tempted to just pin her down with her legs open but i dont think that would help either. Dr also might prescribe her another laxative starts with a D cant remember exactly what he said. Thanks for all of your replies they are all a great support.

OP posts:
Kundry · 17/01/2014 14:42

I'm glad you are getting somewhere. If the doctor wants to add another laxative it should be a stimulant like senna or picosulphate - can you remember what it was that began with a D? (If it's docusate it's a softener not a stimulant - DDs poo is due to your fantstic efforts already v soft so it isn't needed plus the liquid tastes utterly vile)

sazza040 · 17/01/2014 14:57

Believe it or not I think the Dr may have finally let us have some Senna according to the phone call I have just made It seems to have been prescribed and the referral has come back for a week monday. Shes just so determined and she needs the choice taken away from her for a while. She has had nothing to eat all day now and how on earth she is holding on to it i have no idea!!! I have had to practically force sips of water in to her.

OP posts:
Kundry · 17/01/2014 15:59

Fingers crossed for you and your DD, you are both having such a rotten time.

pudseypie · 17/01/2014 21:39

glad you are getting somewhere with the doctor at last. Was it Dulcolax the doctor mentioned? if so that is just a brand name for sodium picosulphate.
Just keep an eye on your dd drinking so she doesn't become dehydrated as you mentioned she's only taking sips and refusing food. My ds got dehydrated once from constipation and was put on fluids in hospital. Ice lollies are a good sneaky way of getting fluid in.

sazza040 · 18/01/2014 23:30

Thanks. They gave us Senna. No improvements yet. Although she did go last night when her body let her hold on no longer, back to crossed legs etc today and also thinking she has a UTI. I know this was going to be difficult but for just how long can she go on like this :(

OP posts:
pudseypie · 22/01/2014 21:58

how's she doing now op?

sazza040 · 24/01/2014 10:57

Thanks, still holding in obv but got it to the stage where she is doing a stinky every day (not through choice!!) so has been happier generally- its very loose but Ive never seen brown water??! Shes been having 4 movicols and 5ml of senna and Ive been making up the movicol to the letter. It seems allot to give 5 to a 2 yr old?? Seeing the paediatrician monday so things are moving in the right direction..

OP posts:
pudseypie · 25/01/2014 22:11

At least her bowels are clearing out. Good luck with the paediatrician on Monday. Hope they are able to help her.

notasausage · 25/01/2014 22:36

This situation sounds horrible for all of you. DD2 doesn't withhold but has suffered with constipation for over a year since she turned one. Now 2.4 we had to do the dis impaction program with her at Christmas. We took her up to 4 sachets before it worked and then gradually dropped her back to 1 over the course of 2 weeks. 1 sachet seems to do the trick as a maintenance dose but I don't know what to do next. Hope you get some decent support soon.

milkjetmum · 25/01/2014 23:08

My dd had similar issues, after a lot of worry, we have achieved a lot with psychology type approach. First we considered our language/body language. With hindsight we were always pestering her - have you poo'd, do you need a poo etc. So we just backed right off (despite it being hard to ignore the crossed leg, red face, gripping furniture etc) we just completely ignored it. And if accident happened neutral totally and just matter of fact clean up.

Then started toilet time. Chose a time of day she was most likely to fight the urge (after dinner for us), and just sat her on the loo with some fun toys. Again no poo talk etc, just sitting together, playing quietly. We have a little table next to the toilet so we could put toys there etc. We have a clock nearby so if no action in 10 mins we stop. Blowing bubbles or whistles is good as you can't blow and hold in poo!

Eventually this paid off. Hard thing is not jumping for joy when she finally did a poo! Again just neutral and matter of fact expression - she still looks at me for reassurance mid poo, and I just keep calm expression, no stress nor excitement.

Really worked for us, hope this is helpful to consider alongside the medication issues etc. I think we are more managing the situation than changing it, eg in our home with this routine all goes well, but if we go away anywhere she generally witholds again. But making small steps of progress all the time, dd poo'd at my sisters house a few weeks back, would have been unthinkable a few months ago!

frugalfuzzpig · 29/01/2014 20:23

Was your appt on Monday? Hope all is improving anyway :( poor thing.

sazza040 · 30/01/2014 12:26

Thanks for messages, have good days and bad. Still holding till her body forces her to go but I guess the habit has been ingrained for a while I just hope It Is possible that It can be broken. The app they just said to continue with what we are doing- the movicols and Senna. She hasnt done one poo that I know of through choice :/ she is still young, Im hoping when she understands more she might choose to go so Im not pressuring her too much. Got to wait 3 months for next appointment. Its difficult to go anywhere cos of anticipation of accidents. I have read very few success stories on this problem!!

OP posts:
sazza040 · 01/02/2014 13:29

Just to update you all little one still on same meds, still been as bad apart from the last 2 days where she has basically started to wee on the toilet. Last night she wouldnt put a nappy on then she was crossing her legs etc with the urges to go for a biggy and on and off the toilet. It came out with her legs crossed on the toilet in the end and today she went to the toilet and did a number 2 herself as well as lots of wee's! She wont put any clothes on now lol she is basically training herself!!!!! Massive progress.!!!!!!

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread