Movicol disimpaction regime - please help

[Hopingforbetterluck]

For background DS is 4, wee trained since 2.5 but only ever did a poo in his night time pull up until that stopped recently too and soiling started. Possible ASD, diet is good but he withholds.

On GP advice we started the movicol disimpaction regime but we have been going since Friday, now up to maximum dose (8 sachets) and he’s still only had two what I would call decent bowel movements but they were mushy not runny. Dr also gave Senna so I gave him 2.5ml last night which is what I think caused the second bowel movement this morning.

My question is should I just keep going with the movicol or should I up the senna to 5ml too (GP did say this was ok). I’m just concerned to get all the backlog out as he’s so pale and tired but his powers of withholding even on maximum doses of movicol are impressive.

Anyone have any experience/advice?

Yes do what ever the doctor says to clear the backlog. My daughter has been taking paediatric movocol every night since she was 5. She is now 14. She is autistic and had so many problems with her bowels that she had constant UTIs from holding on, hating going to the toilet, and not passing urine either. The problem was she couldn't really feel pain, depending on where it was in her body so we had no idea she wasn't well. Keep going, it will be worth it for both of you

Yep keep going til you have a waterfall.

Are you making him drink lots of fluid? We’re doing the disimpaction regime at the moment, we’re currently on 6 sachets a day but also finding not much movement, particularly if DC hasn’t drunk much water between the sachets, GP’s advice was get fluids in however you can to help flush it out - I’d push on with the movicol as better to keep it up than to have to start over again…… the Movicol Mummies Facebook group is helpful for advice and tips etc

@Knickersinatwist36 ah my son is likely autistic too and I think this plays a part in the severe withholding which we’re trying to work on. Perhaps I should up the senna to 5ml then to help him actually release the backlog. The GP said to start at 2.5ml but that only caused one bowel movement this morning and he’s not been at all since then. Poor kid, I hate to see him suffering with it.

GP also diagnosed impaction as he was soiling but said his tummy was soft so I’m concerned about overloading him with laxatives in case he’s not actually impacted.

@Pickpickpicky yes I have no plans to stop the movicol, just unsure wether to up the senna. Yes I’m trying to increase fluids but trying to get him to drink all that as well as the movicol is a challenge. I think he’s fed up of drinking and I’m finding it difficult to even get him to drink his favourite juice that he’s only allowed occasionally.

Will he have ice lollies?

@Alwaysoneoddsock yes, loves them….great idea. I’ve just ordered some ice lolly moulds to come tomorrow.

As the others have said make sure he is drinking enough fluids and definitely continue to up the dose to the maximum suggested by the GP until you have liquid stools. It feels like a lot but 8 sachets of Movicol and 5ml of Senna is still a relatively low dose plus there are other medications they can try if those don't have the desired effect

ERIC are fantastic for help and support, there is also a Facebook group called Movical mummies with lots of other parents on the same journey

eric.org.uk/information/

@Summerx thank you - I actually spoke to ERIC before we started disimpaction and joined movicol mummies a few days ago. Thanks to tips I picked up from both we’ve actually managed to get DS going on the toilet which is a miracle to me and I thought the day would never come!
We are still on full dose of movicol and a long way to go but both those resources have been fantastic

@Hopingforbetterluck ahh amazing! You must be so pleased / relived!