rectocele and constipation and movicol. I'd like a buddy

[OnlyWantsOne]

Hello

I have a rectocele. Still waiting to see gynea about it. I have constant nausea which I think is due to constipation so today I have bought movicol from the pharmacy. I've taken it before when it's been prescribed but can't get a DR appointment and I was hoping this may help me make things more comfortable.

That's it really... there's no one in real life I can talk to about this :(

It is ok to buy movicol if you have previously found it helpful.

Sorry to be graphic, but can you "brace" the posterior vaginal wall with your fingers to stop the rectocele prolapsing while you "go"?

You can buy glycerine suppositories over the counter. That might help to get things moving.

Have you got a gynae appointment?

I am post rectocele op and have never got rid of the constipation. I have a sachet every other day to keep things moving. Make sure you drink plenty whilst using it - keep a glass of water by you to sip when you feel thirsty.

Have you tried kiwi fruit?

Have you tried a 'transit test'? You can do this yourself by eating a load of sweetcorn and seeing how long it takes to get through. If it is more than a day or two, then you can work on eating things that help keep it moving. If your transit is slow, your stools get dried as they go through the colon and that slows everything down again. Progesterone slows smooth muscle down, so if you are pregnant or on the pill, this may make it worse. (Coffee is supposed to speed it up, but not in my personal experience - just get a headache )

I have taken 3 movicol a day in the early days until it is all running smoothly.

Soluble fibre (fruit, veg, oats, pulses) and plenty of water are your friends. Bran not so much, as it dries out and slows things down in a slow intestine.

Don't forget to look up the squattypotty, pelvic floor muscles, and pelvic floor relaxation exercises.

Glycerin suppostories are good for moving the hard stuff. Don't suffer!

Sugar free mints and sweets have laxative properties. You can control the amount and therefore the effect - more than if you take a proprietary laxative.

I might as well be honest with you as you've answered me in my desperate time

I can't have a BM unless using my fingers inside my vagina. I have a very slow transit and have suffered with this even before DC.

The rectocele doesn't worry so much as basically the last bit of my bowel not working at all and having to manually push to get a bm. I thought movicol might make that easier.

I drink 4l of water a day plus tea and juice etc still very hard stool. I eat a good diet and I'm fit,

I suffer too and I've found syrup of figs to help. It's just a little bottle from the supermarket near the medicines etc

I would take the movicol regularly and continue as you are doing. It is common for people with rectocele to have to push against the back wall of the vagina - not nice, but necessary sometimes.

Can you ask your GP to chase the gynae appt?

I did worse for 20 odd years. It is not uncommon.

I find the movicol on alternate days keeps it all moving. I also eat lots of other things to help it. I am supposed to have porrige and prunes or something like that for breakfast every day, but am having a bit of a rebellion at the moment.

I think I manage about 90% self-propelling these days, IYSWIM

Off to eat a kiwi fruit - I am feeling guilty now I am told that two of these a day will shift anything, but I sort of hate them..........

I hate kiwis bleurghhhh

Self propelling ;) that would be nice

Yes gynea appt on Christmas bloody eve!!!!

If you are having a problem getting an 'urge', then regular habits will help;

ie High soluble fibre breakfast, cup of coffee (or tea will do), glycerin suppository more hot drink and visit loo. Yoga breathing, relaxation, feet on step.

If you can fit a bit of exercise or moving about before, that will help too.

It takes a while and doesn't always quite work out as it should, but over the long term, things get better. Two years ago, I could not go without 'helping' at all and just used to do it when I felt heavy in the undercarriage . Things have come a long way.

Movicol is excellent stuff. I have chronically slow moving bowels (quite literally all my life) and now I've realised no dietary change is going to fix things, I take Movicol (or Laxido, same thing) as and when I need it. On average 3/4 sachets a week, but considerably more now I'm pregnant!

You really can't harm yourself by taking too much, other than giving yourself runny poo which is preferable to constipation. Get yourself a repeat prescription though, it's expensive over the counter. A kind GP might let you have two boxes at a time - cheaper still.

It cost me £10 for 30 sachets

It's laxido orange as they had no movicol. I've taken one. What should I take? One a day? Two?

Thank you all so much for your responses. I finally feel not quite like such a dirty freak

Prunes are fantastic!

Movicol gave me my first experience of self-propulsion in 20 years.

Still, it is better to try and get it from your diet if possible.

Kiwis taste surprisingly acidic and smell really weird when they get overripe (after being avoided). I made 'prune jam' out of some tough prunes I bought from Waitrose the other week in was nice on the porridge.

Meant to add, I always used to have to apply pressure on the perineum to be able to go, when I was chronically bunged up. Used loads of suppositories too. Not anymore.

One sachet tends not to do much for me. I pretty much always take two sachets, at night, when I feel I need it. If you think you are VERY bunged up then start at three.

I started on one sachet 3x per day. I can get away with less once things are moving and if I eat well/don't take codeine or get dehydrated.

You could try a glycerine suppository or a small enema if you can get them up ( depends how impacted you are low down). If you get a little bit out then it might help everything else to get moving. If you use one lie on your left side after inserting and keep it in as long as possible.

I developed a rectocele with dc3 and had awful constipation. Movicol and fybogel daily worked for me as well as flax seed on my porridge and a glass of prune juice. 3 years later I only occasionally have to use my fingers to help push so it's deginitely got better.

I've had 3 sachets of the stuff in 24 hours and still nothing

I found that 3 days of 3 sachets worked beautifully. Then one was too much once things were on the move. Which is why I have one every other day now. It is fairly gentle, which it a good thing, but it does work. It might be worth trying a suppository if you want to go but nothing is happening.

Things like ducosate and senna are quick, but they hurt . I had dulcolax once when I was getting fed up of it. The one that is supposed to work gently overnight. Ended up on the toilet in the early hours trying not to faint at the same time.

Keep going. It WILL work but if you're very backed up it might take a day or two more to start moving. And once it starts moving, you'll probably want to be close to a toilet for a while! But Movicol doesn't give you horrible cramps or anything, so don't worry, it shouldn't be too traumatic.

OP I have a near the exit rectocele and have to support (and sometimes push along).

I take x1 fibogel and x1 laxido sachets per day. It makes all the difference.

I saw a gynae a few months ago who basically said a pessary was my only option as they wouldn't operate on my whilst I'm young and still in an active sexual relationship so I asked to be referred to a gynae physio to see if strengthening my pelvic floor can help at all.

I'm still waiting for that appointment so on the meantime I have a kegel8 and it seems to be helping with self-propelling!

Should I take another tonight?

I've had 3 in 24 hours... no results, nausea levels as high as normal and uncomfortable tummy as normal too.

How much liquid should I be drinking

I found one at each meal time enough. If you keep a glass of water by you and drink it as you fancy it, then have your usual 'tea breaks' etc, that should be fine. And fruit

You won't do yourself any harm by taking another tonight.

Shitting conkers

That is all

throws away all shred of decency