agony/screaming in pain constipation TMI

[dobbysmum]

I was admitted to hospital a week ago today (Wednesday 4th June) with Pre eclampsia and had my son relieved by c section on Thursday 5th. He's a premature baby born at 33 weeks 5 days.

Right before the c section I was given a liquid to drink, the nurse said it was to settle my stomach, my husband tells me it was to stop my bowels working.
I was discharged from hospital on Saturday 8th June, the nurse gave me a stool softer buy with all the other medications I had to take, and info I had to get together I forgot to have it. It turns out I was supposed to be given some stool softening liquid to take home too which never happened.

Yesterday afternoon I felt I needed to go but only a tiny bit came out,like a tiny ball, later on another tiny bit came out but I really felt I needed to go, it just wasn't happening.

I went for my check up at the hospital last night and was given this liquid, its name escapes me, but its in a white bottle (NHS UK if that helps), I was desperate to go once I was home from hospital and sat down, my body was pushing naturally, I wasn't having to force it, and I wished it would have stopped because I was litterarlly gripping my husband screaming and crying out in pain, I've never been in so much agony, I imaging its what birth feels like only from a different "end" and with birth you have drugs and medical help!.

My husband rung the hospital and they told him to run me a bath which we tried, I had some orange juice, and I had 15ml of that liquid.

I managed to get to bed, although I've barely slept, I keep getting stomach pain and passing wind, but its still not happening and I'm having panic attacks every time I feel the need to go.

Has anyone got any similar stories, any reassurance at all?

I'm back at the hospital tonight for another check so I'm deffinately going to talk about it then, but I'm so frightens I'm going to tear myself in two! I'm home alone today as my husband needs to work, I'm terrified of being alone screaming in pain again, someone please help me.

The hospital have said I can have an enema but hubby says that would be horrific and I would need another hospital stay, again something that terrifies me, I never settled in Hosp and had panic attacks most all the time, which I'm prone to, and no matter how painful, trying to have my stools naturally would be best..

Sorry for the TMI

So sorry to hear this. I used to get terrible constipation nd I really feel for you, it is so uncomfortable and upsetting. Apart from a stool softener, I would try a suppository, combined with a coating of Vaseline (applied to you, not the suppository!), as well as drinking more (water, herbal tea and so on). Have to go as am at work, but wishing you lots of luck.

I've not heard of them making you bowels stop working but most of the pain meds they give you after a c section can cause constipation.
If you haven't done a poo in almost a week I would phone the hospital back again and ask for some more help. You might need more help and leaving it longer and longer may make it worse.

Water, moving some softners and suppositories might help or you might need some more manual help.

Don't take this the wrong way but maybe stop listening to your dh, he doesn't seem to help and what's he's said doesn't sound right to me.

Congratulations

I remember being terrified of my first poo. It took me quite a while but definitely not a week.

Your bowels have been disturbed quite a lot during surgery so it's not unusual for them to be playing up.

Try hugging a cushion to ease the pain.

I doubt it's possible to tear from trying to poo but on the same note, if it's hurting you're trying too hard.

I'm not sure they can do much apart from the white liquid but keep with it. It will work soon.

I find with these things, the more you worry, the worse it is.

Oh and I hear good things about prune juice...

Ask them if you can just use a glycerin suppository instead. They are highly effective pretty much immediately, and not at all horrific.

I suspect the liquid in the whit bottle you have is Lactulose. Very sweet and quite thick?

I didn't have a poo for nearly a month when I was pg, and then it took a good week or more after dd was born. Keep taking moklooyoithe Lactulose, it will stop the poo impacting. I ate lots of dried fruit (figs and apricots) and liquorice, because these are very fibres or slightly irritating.

I know you've just had a c section - and I've been there twice - but what really got me going again was walking about. Nothing too vigorous, but an afternoon up and a about had vet positive effects after a month of desperation (I had hyperemisis and has been in bed for several weeks). Also after the births - when I was constipated for a week or so.

When you do try and go, sit on the loo and put you feet on a low step/ box, this will put less pressure on your bowel. Also, hug a cushion to your stomach to support your scar.

Good luck.

Thank you guys, I'm on my own soon so I can't get to Hosp, hubby won't take a day off work "because you need a poo" :-(

I'm sending him to shop first for fruit juice and I'll try dry fruit if he can get some, he's not going to a big supermarket. If I'm desperate I'll ring my mum and get her to take me, but I'm going to ring the hospital soon for more advice.

The liquid says Lactulose Solution on it, I'm not due another dose til around 10am as I think you have to wait 12 hours, I've been taking lots of cosine too which I read can cause constipation.

Between writing my first post and now I've managed, with great agony to get more out, the first one was bigger than the ones yesterday, then i needed more but was just completely stuck.

Im in the bath now, when I first squatted down into the bath I felt I needed to push again, I think a bit came out and when I wiped there was mucusy poo on paper, and (really sorry) and I could feel more in there but the feeling has eased for now so I'm back in the bath.
There was no blood when I wiped but there was a bit in my underwear from earlier.

I think I'm going to have to have lots of baths today and I've been drinking loads and loads of water.

I've got a chair to try putting my feet on next time, and I'm trying to keep calm by watching comfort TV on my tablet while I'm in here.

Thank you all again so much for your support and advice

Taking lots of Codine (not cosdine), while in Hosp and at home

I had exactly this after my c section a year ago,
I was told to fold a piece of toilet roll and hold it over your perineum ( the bit between bum and vagina) as that is what you feel is going to rip in two. Put a bit of pressure on it when you are pushing, it makes it so much easier.
Even now 1 year on, I do this when all my trying isn't working.
Tip; make sure your fingers are well covered by the tissue.

Stool softeners can take a while to work in the system, once you get that first poo out it will get sooooo much easier. Hth x

Please stop straining as you can really injure yourself. Use a suppository as advised upthread. There is not enough fluid there to lubricate and help the passage of faeces so it is partly a mechanical problem.

Lactulose is a stool softener it works by drawing water in the gut you must take it regularly for best effect with plenty of water, it can be taken three times a day, it is a very safe laxative.

I just wanted to say it's not that you need to do a poo it's a side effect of the medication you need to take because you had major surgery less then a week ago. Please don't feel silly or like it doesn't matter.
Is your husband not taking any paternity leave?

Taking lots of Codine (not cosdine), while in Hosp and at home

Just been to loo, I had wind and there was number 2 when I wiped but not had anything proper come out.

No, hubby not taking paternity leave until baby Joshua comes home so we can bond and take care of him together. He's talking about taking a week off work at some point so we can get everything ready for when Joshuas home, as it all happened so sudden and we thought we would have longer to prepare, he's not coming home for another 6 weeks or so though.

I understand my husband has to work and people are relying on him, and he got very behind with work when he took a holiday in March, hes an accountant and he says its time for an inspection soon, he'll be in trouble with auditers if the works not complete, I just wish he could take a day off when I'm feeling so poorly. He was going to go into work the day after baby was born and I was still in the high dependency unit, its only because his mum told him not to that he didnt go in.... I only hope my little boy takes that much notice of his mummy when he's older!

I've been so upset this morning, he was shouting at me for using lots of towels, but I've had more baths, and I've been sick, then he shouted because I was sick on the lounge carpet because I'd been crying so much.

I was so happy last night, cuddling baby and bonding properly with him, I've not felt depressed at all until today with all the pain and panic, I was going to mention it to the midwife at tonights check because they ask how I've been feeling emotionally but he said not to because they won't let me bring the baby home. He told me a few days ago when I was crying at the hospital that he would never forgive me if they take his baby away, I just feel under pressure tonact normal when I'm doing today is crying, I don't know how I'm going to keep it in at tonights hospital check up.

Sorry for going on, I just need to let off some steam

Wow it sounds like you really are having a rough time and that must be tough on both of you but shouting over towels and because you are sick isn't OK.

Can you mum come and spend sometime with you today? Just so you have some nice company and maybe a visit to see your baby.

You need an enema. You can buy them over the counter. Ducolex? Microlex? I had a terrible time after the birth of ds. Using an enema was like a little bit of heaven < words I never thought I'd say>

Just read your first post about an enema... There's absolutely nothing horrific about it. I felt nothing at all, then 10 mins later had a completely pain free poo. That's all there was to it.

In fact I think your dh sounds horribly unsupportive. Why would a baby be taken away when the mum is a bit upset?

I'm 99% sure it's the codeine, my oh had a similar reaction, you can buy glycerine suppositories and if they suggest an emema surely it can't be worse than what's happening at the moment!! Would your gp give oh tramadol instead? I took that after my section good luck!!

Agree with pushing on the perineum to help it along. And do try a suppository. An enema would probably feel fab in your current state.

OP I don't want to sound harsh but please ignore your husband and tell the midwife how you're feeling. That's what they're there for! I can see why he's not taken paternity leave yet but it doesn't sound like he's being very supportive. You've just had major surgery! Could he split the weeks and take one now and one later?

Having an enema isn't painful or prolonged and certainly doesn't entail a hospital stay. My dd has constipation problems and we've had to give her a few and it really just unblocks it all, within 10 minutes she is poo free and much much happier. Up your lactose dosage too, the side effect of too much is runny poo (which isn't the worst thing in the world). But if you don't mind me being honest, I think your dh is a bigger problem than your bowels :(

please ask for a supposedry (sorry for the spelling). nearly two weeks post op I was back in hospital with sepsis and was constipated and in agony. midwife gave me one and half hour later I went and was totally pain free.

for you op. its OK to get upset you've been through a lot. your husband is being very unsupportive.

Your husband is being awful. Please don't listen to him. Be honest with the midwives. It's completely normal to be crying and struggling! They don't take your baby away for that FFS.

Please get your mum to come round and give you some proper support.