How many sachets of movicol if I haven't been for a poo since Friday?

[cultkid]

I'm 31 weeks pregnant and taking dihydrocodeine and it's savaged my guts

I've had a horrible kidney infection that has left me in hospital and taking also oramorph and IM morphine so I'm double constipated

I had a hard week at home on meds eating a minimal amount

On Friday I did go to the toilet
I haven't been since

On Monday I took 3 sachets of movicol but I didn't go to the toilet

Today I did 4 this morning, nothing so 4 more this evening, nothing so I took 2 more...

Shall I wait until Tomo to see if I'll go? I'm so stressed because I've ended up in a&e before needing an enema I was so constipated

I feel so groggy

Firstly

I would wait maybe try having a bath?
Also drink a lot of water (3 litres a day)
And maybe one or two more

If nothing I'd go see someone tomorrow.

Not helpful right now but I found with movicol that it's better to keep things going rather than to help when things have come to stand still.
I take 2 a day now to prevent issues and it's been helpful.

If you can use a glycerin suppository while pregnant (do check) then they tend to work quickly.

@Totalwasteofpaper

Firstly

I would wait maybe try having a bath?
Also drink a lot of water (3 litres a day)
And maybe one or two more

If nothing I'd go see someone tomorrow.

Not helpful right now but I found with movicol that it's better to keep things going rather than to help when things have come to stand still.
I take 2 a day now to prevent issues and it's been helpful.

What do you do to get going again? I feel like a prize idiot for leaving it on Sunday I should have been on it I don't want to start trying to attack from the other end because there's nothing in my bottom if that makes sense. I will hate myself if I get to that cold sweat, throwing up, wondering if I'm going to bleed to death stage in the bathroom.

I was trying to stay calm and just hoping I'll go tomorrow morning

I'm so upset with myself

I had some sore cramps this afternoon and a bit of wind

So so worried I'm going to be really sick

Should I do an e consult for my GP?

@RagzRebooted

If you can use a glycerin suppository while pregnant (do check) then they tend to work quickly.

You can, I have in the past but there's nothing in my bottom if you get me? Should I still try? I feel so annoyed with myself x

Coffee can help as well as a pint of squash. With kids they recommend increasing the movicol until your clear so you could have some more

I think you might need something stronger. I had a complete fail at one point leaving me on daily piccolax. Not eating does not help - the gut does not want to move much with low food intake - I was on 500-800 calories a day for years and that was part of the issue.

A suppository tells the bottom end to start moving sometimes. You can get bottle enemas that do the same thing but as you are pregnant I'd go straight to GP.

Good luck

I get constipated regularly due to my pain medication. I use dulcolax. I take 2 and it gives you a bit of stomach ache around 30 minutes before you need to go but it gets rid of absolutely everything in your bowels and intestines.

You need prune juice. That will do it. Yes I speak from experience. Couple of glasses and wait.

I had terrible constipation when pregnant and my midwife advised one dulcolax a day to keep things moving, to get things moving I took 2 lots of 2 12 hours a part. Hope this helps and you have my sympathy I suffered terribly with constipation and tried everything before going with the medication route

I basically threw all options at it.
Including strong coffee, prune juice, a good longish walk, laying down and gently massaging my sides (my guts around/ just inside hip bones rather than middle of stomach/baby)

Ultimately I ended up... resolving the issue it was uncomfortable to stay the least.

after that I really stayed on top of it upping fruit and veg, water and 2 x movicol AM and PM

I wouldn’t take any more today OP if you’ve had 10 sachets? I think you should try the glycerin suppositories try to keep it inside for at least 20 mins if you can, I found it easier if I laid on my side and watches tv to distract me.
I also think you should contact the GP first thing in the morning, or triage at Maternity if you struggle to speak to a GP.

Prune juice works for me when it's from medication.
I have to put it in the fridge first because I dislike the taste but it's so effective I make sure I will be at home and awake for a few hours after I drink a glass.

I've just been, it wasn't very easy to go I'm so so so shocked that ten sachets basically gave me the chance to go for what I would classify as a completely normal poo 😭
I've been at hospital so much this pregnancy. I'm going to ring them today to have a chat to talk about a maintenance dose. I'm really shocked I wasn't on the toilet with awful cramps all night and it took ten sachets to go 😕 it's not good is it

Thank you so much for all the kind support it stopped me crying last night

So glad you were finally able to go! Lactulose has always worked for me, it's about £3 OTC from the pharmacy - in fact, it can be a bit TOO effective! 😅

You need to use movicol daily, it's not designed as a one off to get you going (there are other things for that) you need to find the right amount, try a sachet a day for a few days and then increase or decrease it.

Yes going to get some advice on the maintenance of this now as I can't be living like that it was so worrying wondering if I'll end up back at hospital again

Hey! Glad you got the issue resolved and hope they can offer you some help!
Just as a side note - I was also on dihydrocodeine for a long term condition and nobody told me until I had literally had the baby that I can't take it and breastfeed. obviously you may not be planning to breastfeed or your doctors may be more organised than mine but just in case I thought I'd give you a heads up in case you needed to talk to your doctor to get a plan in place. I ended up on tramadol instead which is safe for breastfeeding.

@Littlehouseinthebigcity

Hey! Glad you got the issue resolved and hope they can offer you some help! Just as a side note - I was also on dihydrocodeine for a long term condition and nobody told me until I had literally had the baby that I can't take it and breastfeed. obviously you may not be planning to breastfeed or your doctors may be more organised than mine but just in case I thought I'd give you a heads up in case you needed to talk to your doctor to get a plan in place. I ended up on tramadol instead which is safe for breastfeeding.

Nobody had told me that.. thank you I thought as a regular pain killer user that would be a conversation they would have had with me 😩 I have used tramadol in this pregnancy already and it's what I took after the two other c sections so I'll have a chat with the consultant when I see them next time I see them

Thank you x

Yup, I thought they'd have had that conversation with me too! Which was why I was caught out 😂 My midwife also had a panic after my second daughter was born that they should have been looking for withdrawal signs for the first 24 hours, but since it was already 2 days after she was born and she seemed fine they decided not to worry 🙈

This is probably irrelevant but after I had surgery for bowel cancer, I was prescribed Laxido. I take 2 sachets a day, both at the same time In A morning and I manage to ‘go’ every day. It really softens my stools (tmi) and I’d recommend asking your gp whether Laxido May be better for you x

@Littlehouseinthebigcity

Yup, I thought they'd have had that conversation with me too! Which was why I was caught out 😂 My midwife also had a panic after my second daughter was born that they should have been looking for withdrawal signs for the first 24 hours, but since it was already 2 days after she was born and she seemed fine they decided not to worry 🙈

Yes also with my first born they watched him for withdrawal but didn't tell me I would have withdrawal from tramadol after taking it every day for months on end 😩 I didn't know what happened I thought I had the flu