Constipation?!

[LuSmithTheMyth]

Hey guys..

I know this isn't the loveliest of subjects but was wondering what symptoms you get if you've been constipated! I've been told I am and at times I find it hard to go (but I do have hemmorhoids which contributes to the pain of making BM at all), but when I do it's soft and sticky. I know there's still some problem though because I never feel relieved, like I've got an incomplete evacuation, and lately I've started getting rectal pain, lower back and coxyx pain, and leg pains as well as abdominal cramping... but sometimes I feel all this pressure in my vagina and perineum... I just wondered whether this is normal??? I've never actually been constipated before, only since giving birth, so now I'm all worried that I'm not gonna be able to go to the toilet properly for the rest of my life (irrational fear I know...)

Is it normal to feel these weird symptoms?? I get constant achiness and spasms in my rectum!! It's driving me crazy...

If anything what do you do to relieve your symptoms? I've only been prescribed laxatives, colofac and been told to drink loads of water but I have a problem with frequent urination which isnt fun! Guess the hot water bottle calms the pain sometimes... Is there anything which will make me just go?! :(

I suffer from constipation almost all the time, tummy feels full quite high up, also have pressure down below as you suggest, esp if a bit impacted.

I think the feeling of non evacuation comes from being too hard and too full, so all you ever manage to do is let a lit escape, not the full amount sorry if that is TMI.

I have had this most of my adult life, kind of thought it was normal, until my gp had a feelof my tummy one day and reckoned I had not gone for five days, when in fact I had managed a tiny rbbit poo like passing that morning.

I now take a stool softener twice a day which does help a bit. I find too much red wine can also help me go lol. I keep meaning to try prunes.

Not TMI - helpful, thank you!! What stool softener are you taking out of interest? I've got Miralax/Movicol atm, though it doesn't always do the job it seems! Not sure.. sometimes I go and yet I still feel impacted so I think my stools are too sticky for some reason, god knows how I'll get rid of them!

You have the pressure in your rectal area and vaginal area? (sorry to be crude) just want to know I'm normal then haha!

I'm trying to drink loads of water and eat fruit but I'm not a big fruit eater and I don't like to have to keep watching what I eat or I won't be able to enjoy life haha!

There is help available for you! Ask GP to refer you to a consultant with an interest in "functional bowel disorders", you may need a few (not too scary) tests, and could be offered an appointment with a women's health physio, who will probably be able to help you with the minimum of fuss, as it sounds like it is difficult to evacuate,and your muscles may need retraining, rather than true constipation, which is more related to a slow-acting bowel. Good luck, don't just put up with it and suffer in silence.

What tests are you talking of? Problem with my GP is they aren't helpful in the slightest and don't think I need a colonoscopy or anything, they keep shrugging everything off! I do believe I need to retrain my pelvic muscles etc as they must be dire after childbirth with all the problems I'm having!

I use lactulose, and am meant to drink lotsof water. Some days e better than others.

I think my muscles have almost forgotten what they are for down there, they maybe they need retraining!

Ah yeah I used to use lactulose and think it worked okay but I was still going 4 times a day which was worrying.

I'm not sure whats wrong with me half the time, wish the doctors would just give me one diagnosis and stick with it!

You do need to have plenty of fluids for the movicol to work properly, as it works by drawing water into the stool to make it easier to pass iyswim. Weetabix and/or soda bread are meant to be good for constipation - plenty of fibre! Probiotic yoghurts might be worth a go as well.

Yeah I found weetabix can be good sometimes. I'm having high fibre cereal anyway, mayb my water intake has not been good enough but I usually drink a ltr and half.

A consultant would screen you to check its nothing to worry about, and would either refer straight to physio, or poss. for a test that looks at how you pass a poo, using a special X-ray thingy.
If this really bothers you and you can't live with it, do seek help, there are consequences to long-term laxative use and you may become dependant on them. In physio, specific analysis of your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles would show what kind of therapy you'd need, there are loads of options. Best of luck with this.

Thanks! I guess its best to really pressure my doctors and tell them its something I want investigated or advice for! I thought physio may help gain control of muscles so I will ask for something like it. I feel like where I used to live I used to get alot more help with my problems and most of the time they were anxiety related but I still got referrals to physio and urologists. Maybe I just have a bad doctors surgery here.

avoid caffiene, dairy products, bananas and white bread/pasta/rice. drink orange juice and water. eat high fibre cereals and get lots of weight bearing exercise, jogging, long brisk walks etc. senacot can help and is quite gentle and bordering on natural. it all worked for me.
good luck

Sesame seeds, prunes and loads of water.

I have Senna tablets actually but they tend to make me go too much :\ I've got movicol which I use if the going gets tough but it seems like every laxative i take makes me go too much and never clears the problem.. I guess I should be finding out what the problem is really. I don't really drink caffeine anymore and I don't touch many dairy products.. drinking tons of water but it makes me pee too much!! thanks though :) was thinking of just getting some prunes as maybe thats the best way, how many is too many though?

Linseeds should be your new best friend, dessert spoon first thing in the morning soaked in half a glassful of water for about 10 mins & then followed by a big glass (3/4pt) of squash (sugar not no added sugar).

You need to drink more & eat veggies like carrots, brocolli & potatoes.

Dont go the laxative or lactulose route.

Was going to say linseed too

Recommended by a gynae physio for me.

Also prunes and aloe juice

Gynae physio recommended little book called constipation let's get things moving published by australian woman weekly.
It is excellent for giving advice. Is about £7 online.

Also be careful and try not to strain - could cause piles and a prolapse in v severe cases.

Linseeds should be your new best friend, dessert spoon first thing in the morning soaked in half a glassful of water for about 10 mins & then followed by a big glass (3/4pt) of squash (sugar not no added sugar).

You need to drink more & eat veggies like carrots, brocolli & potatoes. Also have maybe 2 or 3 dried apricots, you really don't want the high fibre stuff because it dries your poo out.

Dont go the laxative or lactulose route.

If you increase your fibre intake, you also need to increase your fluids to help flush them out.

How does this sound? Cook some dried apricots up in a bit of OJ, then purée - v.yummy mixed up with some plain Greek yogurt!

haha I actually brought some natural yogurt the other day hoping that probiotics would help.

as for linseeds, I have no idea where to get them?! the only thing I bought recently was flaxseed (ground) which I haven't started yet but have heard can be good for IBS.. any idea? I do try and eat more veg and fruit and stuff, and potatoes etc.. and I do try to drink a ton of water now.

Thanks for the advice!

How many prunes is too many?

IMO 1 !

So I'm guessing prunes didn't work for you?

Linseeds from holland & Barrett, tesco probably Asda & Sainsburys. Flaxseeds are the same thing. Have you bought ground ones ? Soak same amount, buying them as flaxseeds is cheaper.

Try it tonight & report back, but make sure you drink enough !

Plenty of fluids
Kiwi juice or whole fruits best dietary thing
Exercise (really)
Look at your medication things like codeine will bung you up, so ask about alternatives
Avoid things like senna until it's soft of it'll hurt

Can you just sprinkle flaxseed on some cereal or something or do i have to dissolve it in water?

Also I don't know if I really have any medication that causes constipation - taking lanzoprazole for reflux and sertraline which should do the opposite really at first! Don't take much else other than paracetamol occasionally.

You won't dissolve it, it goes slimy. My dh crunches it & gets I caught his teeth, i hat that. I suggest you try I as I've said for a couple of days & then try it how you like.

Softening it before you drink it helps, IMO.

So do you just soak them in half a glass of water for ten mins? I see. Well I could give that a try since nothing else seems to be working that well, might be good for hemmorhoids too!