severe constipation - beyond the prune juice zone...

[emeraldgirl1]

I'm so embarrassed as I've been being investigated for all manner of possible ailments and it looks like constipation is the cause. It's getting so bad these last couple of days that I'm now getting shooting pain in my tummy. I'm waiting to hear a test result from my GP but quite keen to start something over-the-counter in the meantime. I haven't taken anything OTC yet - probably foolishly in retrospect - because I've really hated the effect eg senekot has had on me in the past. But it looks like that's unavoidable now. :(

The GP is hinting darkly at more serious medication that will, in his words, 'dynamite it out of you' so I'm keen to try something more gentle as a first step. My senekot packet though says not to take it if you're getting abdominal pain, which I am. Should I just wait to get a call from my GP (hopefully) later today, or should I just go ahead and try the senekot or similar?

Sorry for TMI!!

oooh, laptopwieldingharpy, thank you!! Interesting that you say turmeric in your recipe, DH has to dash for the loo if he has a turmeric-rich curry!! Will try this out in the future for sure... finally spoken to fantastic GP who is giving me prescription for movicol, yay!! Off to boots I go...

Lactulose is great stuff. Cheap and available otc.

Also tummy massage - if you rub in little circles slowly going clockwise round the top three sides of a square over your tummy, ie over your colon, that should help a lot.
When I did a professional massage course we were supposed to do the stomach and then the fronts of the legs and the feet but invariably the 'patient' would have to leg it to the loo before we were finished!

Fellow sufferer here - thanks also for the advice! From my experience Senokot is rubbish. And Milk of magnesia has too explosive results! Am looking for something in between, will try Movicol...

Agree with notcitrus re the tummy massage - I went to a great acupuncturist once and he did a really deep abdo massage - it was quite sore at the time, but it was unbelievable what came out the next day sorry if you're eating

Also warm water is great at cleansing digestive system.