Not urinated for 2 days and not had bowel movement for over a month

[Bepis]

Just wanting some advice really.

My daughter is in hospital, currently sectioned under the mental health act.

I'm really worried though because she's not urinated in 2 days. She had a bladder scan yesterday at 11:45am and her bladder was full at that point but she still hasn't been. I don't understand why the hospital aren't taking any action.

Also, she's not had a poo since being in hospital (13/02/23). Granted she didn't eat for a long time but she has been eating full meals for the last 4-5 days but still no poo. Doctors have felt her stomach and there are no hard masses but shouldn't they be scanning her bowels or something?

I'm really worried about her.

She's 19

When I was in hospital I didn't have a poo for ten days and laxatives wouldn't shift it, they do x-rays for bowel blockage and I wasn't blocked. They eventually gave me an enema which worked but wasn't pleasant. They're probably not overly concerned about the bowel at 4-5 days, they certainly weren't with me and I was there for renal failure.

That's what I'm wanting, for them to do an X-ray as she hasn't had a poo in 5 weeks. She's only just started eating properly though.

It took them ten days to do it and that was after they tried lactulose, senna and picolax. They might try something like that first.

Has she consented to treatment? And would she have the capacity to do so? Sectioning allows them to force treatments for the mental health condition, but not other things. If they can prove that the lack of bowel movement and urination is as a direct result of the mental health condition then they could go ahead. Otherwise she needs to consent to catheterisation just like anyone else. Perhaps this is limiting progress?

If she is drinking a fair amount and in retention then she would normally be experiencing quite a bit of pain or discomfort, it sounds as though she is passing urine a bit as the bladder scans aren't hugely different in volumes.
Are the staff taking her to the toilet at regular intervals ? is she in a side room and does it have a toilet attached or is she expected to use a commode ? Can she actually get up and use the toilet unaided ? Are they checking her incontinence pads, as someone else has mentioned, the ones they use on the wards, are designed to hold quite a lot of urine.

Have you managed to contact or see dd today? Is there any change in her condition?

hope so

Hi, I phoned the ward this morning and they said she had been for a big wee so all is ok for now in that area. They did say she still hasn't had a poo though so will have to keep an eye on that.

👍
hope your feeling better

Your poor daughter