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Original poster

The dreaded Movicol

28 replies

grumpygertie · 25/09/2015 08:26

Would love to here from anyone who's DC has had to use movicol to help with severe constipation.

My DS has been prescribed movicol for the third time to try and help with his bowels.

We have used lactulose for the past 18 months as tbh it's the only medicine we can get down him. Lactulose is now ineffective and his consultant wants us to try again with the movicol.

DS hates the stuff and no matter how I try to hide it he knows it's there. We were given plain and chocolate flavoured one - tried hiding in juice/milk/syringing down back of his throat which resulted in him gagging it back up and being sick to get it out Shock

Consultant states he wants this to be used long term to finally get on top of DS constipation but I can barely get a mouthful down him.

Any ideas welcome! DS turned 2 two months ago and is a strong willed little monkey at times. There is no medical issue causing constipation - it seems he is just one of the 'common' ones who suffer with it Confused

Thanks!!

OP posts:
SleepyForest · 25/09/2015 08:34

It doesn't taste too bad in pineapple juice. Perhaps try a sports bottle so he can't smell it first? First thing in the morning so he is thirsty? Chocolate button chaser? I feel your pain.

cookiedoughyum · 25/09/2015 08:39

We put it in apple juice at breakfast, kind of 'you must have this before cereal'; dd1 (3) gets to use a straw to drink it...would one of the big twirly straws help as an incentive?

laundryeverywhere · 25/09/2015 08:40

Yes it is foul and I struggled to get dd to drink it too. Dd is much older than your ds and sometimes still gets this problem. I now give her lactose and then if it is still a problem some ex lax (senna). As I say she is older and you would have to talk to your doctor about this, but emphasise that he refuse the movicol in all forms and it is causing a lot of problems.

Also have you looked at his diet and fluid intake.

Catzpyjamas · 25/09/2015 08:43

I used to split the sachet over 2 drinks so it wasn't so strong. I always put it in squash with a tiny bit of forbidden lemonade so DD saw it as a treat.

BreeVDKamp · 25/09/2015 08:51

Oh no, sounds difficult OP!! I think this may be in my future as DS is on lactulose which is amazing at the mo. He was on Movicol but I took him off it as it didn't help and gave him awful painful wind. He's only 4 months old though.

Hope you find a way!

lavendersun · 25/09/2015 08:52

I put 2 sachets in a tumbler sized drink of Robinsons Orange Squash, you can tell it is there, but it isn't too bad - I know, I always have a swig when DD tells me it is vile.

If you put it in a sports bottle you can keep shaking it if necessary.

Original poster
grumpygertie · 25/09/2015 09:33

Aw such a lovely response whilst out on the school run - thank you!

Diet and fluid intake looked at and is fine. DS is originally under consultant due to being dinky and dropping centiles in red book for his weight. Loads of blood tests done and a few sessions with a dietician and his weight has just been put down to one of those things also. Small toddlers run in DHs family. Only thing picked up by dietician was to reduce milk intake (was still a big bottle/milk drinker) so we have now less than halved that and replaced with juice/water during the day - all tickety boo in that department now! Though his constipation is now worse?!

The consultant was quite firm on the movicol must be mixed with exactly the right amount of fluid to be effective (62ml per sachet Confused random amount). Have managed to get a few sips down him by mixing powder into paste with a drop of water then shaking into a smoothie but it's gone all claggy and slimy now.

To those of you who mixed in with larger amounts did you find it still worked?

OP posts:
Bogburglar99 · 25/09/2015 09:40

DD 7 has two sachets in a tumbler of strong Ribena (one of the IKEA tumblers I think its 200 ml). Seems to work and she drinks it without too much fuss. Two sachets in a 200 ml tumbler and you wouldn't be far off your consultants measurements. It can't be that exact a science.

In desperation we have occasionally put it in Coke very bad mother when I can report it has been drunk!

lavendersun · 25/09/2015 09:40

Yes, it still works perfectly grumpy.

Brindler · 25/09/2015 09:44

My dd has been on movicol for almost 2 years. We use the plain one and I put it in a large cup - you know the big tommee tippee style ones? So def bigger than 62ml and works fine for her. Have you maybe tried splitting the dosage? So half a sachet in one drink, half in another one a bit later? Also have you def got the paediatric one (purple writing)? We were accidentally given the adult one once (blue I think) and was a big difference taste-wise

Original poster
grumpygertie · 25/09/2015 09:59

Thank you all. Will persevere then with larger amounts of fluid and currently trying to bribe with chocolate! Will also spread the dose out over the day - may even be able to hide it in his bedtime formula if diluted more.

It's definitely the peadiatric one (just double checked).

Wish me luck! We are on 2 sachets a day until he starts going once a day again (we are currently as bad as one full day of poo every 10 days Blush it's bloody awful to see him struggle!!). Once he is back to once a day we need to find out what dose keeps him at once a day which he will stay on in the long term Sad

May the poo be with us!!!

OP posts:
lavendersun · 25/09/2015 10:01

Good luck OP - DD had up to 8 a day at one point - truly grim. I thought she might like the chocolate flavour - chocolate orange with a bit of Robinsons. Not in a million years, so we have stuck to the plain one.

I have read about people putting it in porridge and that sort of thing before although I never tried that.

iwouldgoouttonight · 25/09/2015 10:10

I sympathise. DS is on it long term (he's 9 now) and we've been through stages where he's had to have up to 12 sachets a day. The only drink he really can't taste it in is lemonade, but I'm guessing your DS is quite a bit younger so you might not want to be giving him lemonade every day. We had used to mix it with larger quantities of liquid to dilute the taste a bit more and it still worked. I'd try that and then when he does get used to it maybe gradually cut down on the amount of liquid with it.

My DS has to have 20ml of senna each night too which he also hates the taste of. He drinks it out of a little cup, and knocks it back like a shot of tequila and then quickly drinks water after it. Watching him doing it give me visions of what he'll be like in a bar in ten years time Shock

LongHairDontCare · 25/09/2015 10:10

My 3 year old is on this long term at the minute, and I have been known to put it in quite strong squash, yogurt and even milk for his cereal in desperation and just encouraged him to drink more to compensate later. (I'd mix it with small amount of water first then add it in to yogurt/milk)

bookwormbeagle · 25/09/2015 10:13

My dd also hated the taste of it but if you split a sachet and mix into 2 of the little petit filous Yoghurts she wolfed it down without a murmur. Not sure if it's advisable to mix in with food but if you're desperate!

DriverSurpriseMe · 25/09/2015 10:33

Put it in strong juice, with a straw, and/or with ice.

It works SO well, you really have to persevere.

You can also mix with food, although I was advised to mix the sachet with a tiny amount of water, then leave to dissolve and go syrupy, before adding to yoghurt etc.

Brindler · 25/09/2015 10:49

Yes good luck op. Feel your pain - it's so horrible to watch them struggle. Hope you find a way to make it work - it's been a life saver for us!

quirkychick · 25/09/2015 10:54

Dd has long-term chronic constipation, we give it in apple juice or a smoothie for breakfast. She's not had much drink before breakfast, so usually gulps it down as she's thirsty.

I think it's supposed to be a 1/4 cup, but I'm not too precise. It still works.

My sympathies with you and your dc, we have had a backward slide with constipation and have had to up the dose .

blackteaplease · 25/09/2015 10:57

I put 1 sachet of plain into hot chocolate made with 200ml of milk first thing in the morning. Ds knocks it back and has been regular since we started on it.

I tried mixing it with the proper amount of water and he would only sip at it. I found it's much more effective to have the sachet in 1hit.

eddielizzard · 25/09/2015 10:59

i mix my dd's into innocent banana & strawberry smoothie and i use maybe 10 ml! that way she only has to take a mouthful. she wouldn't drink a whole cupful no way.

lavendersun · 25/09/2015 13:36

Really interesting to hear how everyone gives this stuff. DD is now 9 and has been on it since 2, poor thing. It is an ongoing struggle.

We were able to stop it for about 4 months at one point when she decided that she loved to drink gallons of freshly pressed pear juice from a local orchard, but that love did not remain and she ended up back on it!

Mummytron · 25/09/2015 22:23

I'm amazed how many children are on Movicol nowadays and for so long!

My dd1 (4) has it in strong squash and I've never told her its in there, just drinks it, job done! X

DriverSurpriseMe · 25/09/2015 22:27

I know what you mean Mummytron. My DD has just turned four and started at seven months. God knows if she'll ever be able to stop it.

Four month old DS is very sluggish of bowel too.

Probably should mention I use Movicol too! Definitely a hereditary link.

hazeyjane · 25/09/2015 22:37

I must be wierd, I have drunk ds's drinks with movicol in and not noticed it is in there.

I mix it in 62 ml of water until it is fully dissolved - this takes a few minutes of shaking and letting it sit, top the water up a bit and add squash.

I never let ds see me do it, as he wouldn't drink it if he knew something was in it - the only time he refused was when he had to have it at school (he was on 12 sachets a day!) and they did it in front of him.

Original poster
grumpygertie · 26/09/2015 07:47

Thank you all for your replies. Must have got more down him than I thought as we had a full afternoon of poo Blush I am managing to get more down him now it's diluted more so hopefully we are on the right track now.

OP posts:
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