Suspected colitis, constipation advice needed!

[Zogster]

Hi,

I'm looking for advice for dealing with constipation from colitis. It's been going on a week now. Was so badly constipated I started vomiting.
Tried sennacot but that triggered horrific abdominal pains. Ended up in hospital.

Been on lactulose for four days so far. I think I'm getting overflow d. but it's not shifting the impacted stuff.

Awaiting colonoscopy.

Is it worth trying senna again now my left side isn't as sore?

TIA xx

I have Crohn's and sometimes get constipation due to a stricture (narrowing of the bowel). I always find movicol/laxido more effective than lactulose or senna, so you might want to give that a try? You can buy it OTC.

That said, keep an eye on how you're feeling and might be worth going back to hospital (or at least calling 111) if things don't improve. If you've got a blockage that can turn nasty quite quickly and put you at risk of perforated bowel.

Good luck OP, hope you get the colonoscopy soon as sounds like you need some answers x

The only thing I can tolerate is fybogel as it’s very gentle and you can take a sachet a day all the time to keep things regular. Laxido etc always gives me the worst stomach cramps.

For DD I always found movicol worked better.

I use Fybrogel as it softens poo so easier to pass and doesn't cause stomach cramps.

Thanks @MunsteadWood for such a quick reply! I had read that if it's uc then fiber bulking things aren't a good idea? But sounds like it works for you.
I was vomiting last week which I think was due to the bowel being solidly blocked. I thought the pain was a twisted bowel but they said they can see thickening of the mucuol or something - bowel wall thickening I think that means).

Thanks also to @PragmaticWench @Xrays @caringcarer for the same advice.

I'm assuming you are all women... If so can I ask if any of you have a history of pelvic adhesions? I do, so was expecting them to say that was the cause of my pain, adhesions on the bowel not colitis. Although I'm not sure the ct scan could pick up adhesions anyway... So it could still be. It's all very confusing and worrying!

@Zogster I don't think movicol is a bulking drug - it's an osmotic, which means it draws more water into the bowel.

Do check with pharmacist though! I use it for myself but am not medically trained

Laxido and lots of water is the only thing to help my chrons constipation, takes a few days to get relief though

@MunsteadWood you are correct it's a stool softener, so brings water into the bowel. Just googled it

@HGC2 I've been blocked up with overflow diarrhoea for a week now so I'm going to ask gp for laxido as again a quick Google says that works on fecal impaction. It feels like being pregnant when I lie down... Hard mass inside.
Thanks for the response abs recommendation x

I'm not a medic but have resorted to saline enemas in the past for severe constipation during pregnancy, as the blockage was very low and too large to pass. (I have UC so have to watch my fibre intake.) I was overseas so could buy off the shelf in pharmacy, but believe there are also kits available to buy online.

@Zogster laxido / movicol are the same drug (macrogol - just different brand names) and you shouldn't need to ask your GP - just go to pharmacy and buy over the counter. I've had similar experiences in the past and it's always worked well for me, although as a PP said it sometimes takes a few days to kick in. Fingers crossed you get some relief soon - I know the feeling well and it's horrible

Hi all, I spoke to the nurse practitioner and she agrees it's impacted so given me some laxido. She's also prescribed an enema kit for at home but the pharmacy are out of stock so have to try somewhere else tomo.

Hi all... The laxido X8 sachets has caused a bit of diarrhoea but not much more. Anyone advise what you do when this happens?

I think you need to continue at that level for some time.

How about the enema you were prescribed?

Hi all... The laxido plus lactulose didn't do much so I managed to get the micro enema at an online pharmacy as mine didn't have any in stock.
It's called microlax I think. It worked really well... I've been feeling much better after two doses of that. But I still have the pain in the left side/descending colon so called the hospital to ask about the colonoscopy waiting times.
I am still taking 45ml lactulose each night and will probably do another micro enema tomo.

Thank you all for your support. Will have to wait to see what the root cause of all this is but I kind feel like my bowel just stopped working.

I've got EDS and I've read you can get gastroparesis as an issue with EDS.