MOVICOL

[LilRedWG]

Hi, DD has been on Lactulose since she was six months old (she is now 26 months) and this week she was moved onto Movicol and off Lactulose.

We gave her the first sachet on Monday (she's on one a day). Wednesday she had a huge poo, some formed, some squishy. Yesterday she had a really unformed/mushy poo that absolutely stunk.

Is this normal?

Isn't she meant to be having formed poos rather than this diarrhoea?

Thanks.

Aaah that is the movicol effect I'm afraid. I was so glad when DS1 came off the stuff after a year or so - his nappies were vile!

Are you at the worcester meetup later? I have a very informative movicol leaflet with poo pictures to help with dosage if you would like it

Ooo - yes please.

Poo pictures would be wonderous - we can discuss over dinner. LOL

It sounds like your DD has type 6 poo (like porridge; fluffy pieces with ragged edges, a mushy stool)

Maybe not appropriate dinner table conversation.....

Niiiiice!!!

You can tell I'm working class - I described it to DH as being like Readybrek.

Wait till you see type 3 - corn on the cob

or type 5 - chicken nuggets

Bleughhhh.

lol at this thread.

My dd has been on and off Movicol for about 10 years now LilRedWG. Try half a sachet or the whole sachet but split into two doses. It can take a bit of experimentation to get the dose right. You'll probably go through all poo types before you get just the right one.

I am going to hold out until Monday (when it'll be one week) and then try a sachet every other day, as long as she is still going. The consultant recommended trying each new dosage for a week before giving up and trying something else. Would you ladies concur?

BTW - I'm nominating, "You'll probably go through all poo types before you get just the right one." for quote of the week.

From my experience this is something you really need to keep going with and don't give up! The "runny poo" will be the "overflow" - the child ends up that constipated that there simply isn't any where else for the poo to go or to form - all this needs to clear out of the system before the big "BUNG" comes out! That bit won't be pleasant - believe me! My DD1 was constipated for 3 years and on Movicol for 12 mths - it's a miracle worker in my (humble!) opinion. Be patient and re-assuring. Good luck!

Thanks Mae - DD luckily does not appear to be impacted, just chronically constipated. We will persevere.

Washersaurus - I've tried to show DH the Bristol Stool Chart - he wasn't impressed. Mind you, he was about to eat his dinner at the time.

Hi LilRed,
My dd1 was on this for ages. We would have the mushy stuff you describe, but over time it became more normal until we got to whatever you are supposed to be aiming for (a smooth sausage iirc?). One thing I would say - we were advised that she would need to be on it for as long as she had had the problem - in our case it was nearly a year before we could begin to wean her off it. She has been fine now for over a year (she is nearly 6 now) but we keep a stash in the cupboard in case of problems.

(Nice to meet you in the swan the other night!)

Thanks Slouchy - great to meet you too. It's a shame that they don't do round tables really so that we could all hear each other