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Children's health

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Original poster

Serious constipation

21 replies

Sadstuck · 22/10/2022 23:32

Hi, this may take a while but I'd actually like to write it all down so I can take it forward to medical practitioners and would really appreciate anyone else who has been in this same situation.
I'll get the worst out the way first, I'm panicking a lot now. She is 5 and withholding, now soiling for the past 5 days regardless of sachets of Laxido. I am trying to get as much into her as possible but she won't pass the "big" poo. She's soiling and holding it in as she knows it's going to hurt. I'm changing her at least 6 times a day and this hasn't happened before. I've always managed to sort it out. She's impacted, and terrified of going back to school on Monday. Now I'm also scared as she's never been this bad before. We watched poo videos tonight from the Eric website too. Has anyone else been through this? Or any advice please?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

FennelAndOnions · 23/10/2022 14:11

How much Laxido are you giving?

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 23/10/2022 22:32

You need to give laxido that she cannot hold it in.
I wouldn't send to school with impaction, no way.

My son witheld from 1 to 3 and still does occasionally but laxido and occasionally lactulose us eating cucumber and watermelon or drinking orange juice did the trick.
I bought the book "no more nappies" which helped.
We watched JJ from cocomelon go on the potty.

You basically need to get her to do so many soft poops that she forgets she ever had a sore one (I guess that's what kicked it off?

My HV told me that you need to keep on with laxido for months because when they withold, their bowel stretches and it needs time to shrink again.

coffeepleeease · 25/10/2022 10:49

How much Laxido is she having? If you go on the Eric website they have a disimpaction plan to follow

Bobbybobbins · 25/10/2022 10:54

Enough Laxido that it is very very loose. Then whatever you do, don't just stop the Laxido -needs to be taken regularly. Are you under the continence team? They have been great for us with managing medication etc (we have moved on from Laxido to a better medicine for my DS) - GP not great for us.

Squiblet · 25/10/2022 10:56

My HV told me that you need to keep on with laxido for months because when they withold, their bowel stretches and it needs time to shrink again.

Months? Years, more like.

ClaryFairchild · 25/10/2022 11:05

Agree that you need to keep your DD on laxative for ages due to the bowels stretching, and also the nerves that tell you it is time to go can be damaged and take time to heal.

Take enough that it is runny and she can't deliberately hold it in then have a think about what is causing it. Lactose intolerance is a possibility - my DS had this, the change when we went lactose free was extraordinary.

Original poster

Sadstuck · 25/10/2022 12:20

Thank you for the replies. I got to a point on Sunday that I was so worried about her swollen tummy we went to out of hours. Once again fobbed off with give her up to 8 sachets a day. That's fine if she was drinking enough juice/milk/yoghurt but I can't get her to physically drink that much. I'm certain she is impacted and I can't go on like this. The GP is calling me today for more advice but to be honest I want her x-rayed now. She is off her food and still soiling and off school who I have now emailed to tell them what is going on. It's all just such a worry.

OP posts:

Original poster

Sadstuck · 25/10/2022 12:22

ClaryFairchild · 25/10/2022 11:05

Agree that you need to keep your DD on laxative for ages due to the bowels stretching, and also the nerves that tell you it is time to go can be damaged and take time to heal.

Thanks, she has been lactose free since age 1 as the issue got worse when we tried to move her to cows milk x

OP posts:

Original poster

Sadstuck · 25/10/2022 12:23

Bobbybobbins · 25/10/2022 10:54

I will ask today about the continence team as we definitely need more support, thank you

OP posts:

Ship · 25/10/2022 12:27

Squiblet · 25/10/2022 10:56

My HV told me that you need to keep on with laxido for months because when they withold, their bowel stretches and it needs time to shrink again.

Months? Years, more like.

Yes it will be years. My dd was on movicol for 6 years, she’s just finished now. Aged4 she withheld for ten days and it was awful. She was under the continence team who were amazing- you need your gp to refer you to the continence team for specialist support. I don’t think they would need to X-ray (could be wrong) but you’ll need a lot of laxido and also we were prescribed sodium picosulphate for a bit to help. It’s such a terrible thing to go through with them and sadly there isn’t often a quick fix. As pp said, the bowel has stretched and will take a long time to go back so don’t stop the laxido. She needs a mega dose - maybe ten a day- but check ERIC website. You could also try massaging her tummy. Best thing for us was advice from continence team. I also put my dd in pull ups when we were having to go through the disimpaction after ten days of withholding- she understood and preferred it to worrying about ruining her clothes and that it was just while we got all the poo out

nootsy · 25/10/2022 12:33

FennelAndOnions · 25/10/2022 12:53

We were told that it takes as long as they’ve had the problem, for it to be fixed. So yes, years.

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 25/10/2022 13:15

Squiblet · 25/10/2022 10:56

My HV told me that you need to keep on with laxido for months because when they withold, their bowel stretches and it needs time to shrink again.

Months? Years, more like.

Yes actually this is true. Ds has been on it for over a year. :(

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 25/10/2022 13:20

If she has been soiling herself are you sure she is actually impacted??

I know this is going to sound crazy but I did one baby massage class and we rubbed the babies soles of their feet. The instructor said the middle for the sole is for tummy issues.
My baby was constipated so I spent 5 mins rubbing the middle bit of the sole of his feet and these are the things I noticed:

he relaxed straight away. Went absolutely floppy and just lay there as I did it
pooped that day!!

And he has done that every time I rubbed his feet like that.

So I know she is older but maybe it's worth a shot!
Also, warm baths to relax tummy muscles.

Get laxido into some juice then freeze it?

Skala123 · 25/10/2022 14:38

If it's impacted then I would try a suppository. My daughter had this aged 10 and it was the only thing that worked.

40andfit · 25/10/2022 14:41

Sadstuck · 25/10/2022 12:22

Thanks, she has been lactose free since age 1 as the issue got worse when we tried to move her to cows milk x

Show quote history

Lactose intolerance in children in very rare but cmpa is common. Does she have a dietitian? I would be going dairy free. You need to do full disimpacting regime and then continue with maintenance dose.

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 25/10/2022 14:53

I agree with a suppository, you can get them over the counter from a pharmacist.
I had to use two on myself recently as I was definitely impacted and I had to use a gloves hand and pick bits of poop out of my bum. It was horrible but a necessity.

But since op is saying about soiling (and I know it could be bypassing the impaction) but maybe the child isn't actually impacted at all 🤔 it hell trying to figure it all out. I'm sorry for you op.

Original poster

Sadstuck · 26/10/2022 22:45

I thought I would update as you have all been very helpful and it's such a difficult situation. So, we went back to the GP yesterday, she basically told me she is not impacted after feeling her stomach and I'm overreacting. She changed her medication from Laxido to Lactulose plus we got Senna. She was with my Mum today while I was at work and had 7 soiling episodes. The great news is at about 8pm she passed it! Like a huge poo but it was soft enough for her to do it herself. The relief we all had jumping about cause she had pood was crazy. She had a lovely bath and I can tell she feels a million times better. Thank you for all your advice. We have been dealing with this for 5 years now and all I get told is she will grow out of it. Let's pray that's the truth x

OP posts:

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 26/10/2022 22:46

That's great she passed it. Now it is crucial to keep on with lactulose to keep it soft so she gets over the fear.

Original poster

Sadstuck · 26/10/2022 23:35

Hungrycaterpillarsmummy · 26/10/2022 22:46

That's great she passed it. Now it is crucial to keep on with lactulose to keep it soft so she gets over the fear.

Yes, that's the plan. We have been dealing with this for 4 years so it's not new to us. I think the stress is starting school plus infections have contributed.

OP posts:

Vaccine001 · 26/12/2022 05:09

Warm water, prune juice from a carton

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