VERY personal q for any Movicol users... look away if squeamish!

[emeraldgirl1]

Have been put on Movicol for thrillingly bad constipation that have posted about on here before, been trying to get the dose right since started on Monday. 2/3 sachets had no effect whatsoever so y'day evening I went for the big one and took 4 in one go. Lo and behold, success this morning, the biggest BM I've had in about 6 weeks. However, now I don't know what to do! I still feel constipated and now it's later in the day I'm back to my previous situation of trying to squeeze out hard poo!!

Do I assume y'day's big dose will continue to have an effect throughout the day, if I just leave it for a few hours, or do i need to have another dose, either similar or a bit less, to keep up the momentum?

I'm obsessing about what I eat too - Movicol seemed to have much more impact the first day I took it (at lowish dose) because (I think) I'd only eaten fruit and juices for 2 days previously. Scared that if I eat normally it'll have less effect. But I'm aware that I should probably try to eat normally - my diet isn't bad and I don't think is cause of the original problem.

Sorry for TMI

Actually - just to be horribly accurate - now I'm back to my previous situation of trying to squeeze out hard poo and what's actually coming out is teeny tiny amounts of very soft poo! As if the Movicol is having some softening effect but it's limited

Not sure if it's quite the same for children and adults but my ds has been on Movicol for a few years now. I would say you need to keep taking it (either same big dose or just under) to keep up the momentum. Also, drink lots of water and/or juice as I think this has even more impact than diet. Good luck

I saw my doctor this morning and was prescribed Movicol. I obviously have the same problem! I don't have any personal experience as yet but my Dr told me that once I'd had initial 'success' to carry on taking it for a bit, reducing the dose to 1 sachet, to encourage my bowel back to a more normal rhythm. HTH.

Can I please ask you a question?!! If I start taking it tonight, do I need to be very close to a toilet for the forseeable future? How 'urgent' will the situation be?! Thanks!!

thanks klarkykat!! Yes, I think you're right about the water/juice effect. and keeping up momentum... in your experience, once the momentum had got the problem back to 'normal', as it were, without weeks of backlog (IYSWIM!) to catch up on, was it then OK to switch to a lower dose?

And Joyce - join the club! (Not a very distinguished one...) Thanks for passing on the advice from your dr, it may answer my q to Klarkykat above. I guess the thing to do is to keep up the large dose for a bit and then try to reduce. As for your q - in my case (and in the case of 4 sachets all at once) I was fine overnight (though I did wake up thinking I needed to go to loo but in the end couldn't when I got there) but did need to go shortly after waking this morning. It wasn't a dash for the bathroom by any means, but I was glad I was at home at the time rather than out and about. Hope that helps? :)

Thank you. I am at home most of this weekend, so fingers crossed! TBH, I'm so uncomfortable at the moment, I think I'll just be grateful for some relief!! Hope it all goes well for you

I think you aim to reduce the dose once you get your body back to a steady rhythm but don't rush it and obviously you don't want to be going too often! Because my ds is only young I have to decide for him so I'm not speaking from personal experience but its good stuff so I hope you get some relief soon!