Sudden inexplicable and severe constipation - help!

[embarrassario]

What it says on the tin. On HRT, have been for a while. 50s. Suspect and have suspected for ages I have a rectocele - need to self splint ( SOOO embarrassing) to go and have for ages. But now suddenly, my bowel seems to have, um, stopped moving. About a week now. I've tried loads of fruit and real coffee, and porridge, and even fybogel. I am very fit and active and healthy weight. But bowel immobile. I went to GP on Friday and mentioned I worry that I have a prolapse, she gave me a quick examination and said no you don't and that was it. I've done a FIT test, but an amazon one, but presume it's accurate, and GP thought so, so dismissed idea of colonoscopy. . No blood. (have one from the GP need to hand in) I am getting a bit worried now. What on earth to do. I really do think I have a rectocele, as I can feel it, and it matches diagrams I've seen online - where the uterus pushes through like a bulge. Bloody hell I hate talking about it but so worried. What should I do? Any help gratefully received. Feeling v uncomfortable.

I have been, a bit, it's not like not at all. But it's uncomfortable down there, a feeling of pressure, and going very small amounts, infrequently. Aargh sorry.

I have ongoing constipation which is like you unrelated to diet/exercise. A year ago my GP suggested Movicol/Laxido soluble powders which I have a sachet of every 2/3 days. It has changed my life! You can buy it over the counter. Before I started it, I had two weeks where my bowel seemed to have completely ground to a halt.

thanks! I will try. Really want to see if I can get some help with the rectocele too. Have to work out how as GP not interested. Also a bit worried as to why bowel has just ground to a halt now. So strange.

What HRT are you on?
I'm on the evorel sequi patches and I notice when I'm on the combi ones I'm much slower in the poop department than when I'm just on the oestrogen only. Also remember that if increasing fibre to also increase liquid intake.

If you feel however that things are not how they should be, I'd write it all down and then go see a different GP and tell them your concerns, how uncomfortable it is and how you're self-splinting.

Good luck!

thanks. it is very hard to see a GP and you have to make the appointment online now, so I will try but hard when she was so adamant that I didn't have a prolapse. I have a blood test booked for two weeks time. A little worried about getting my uterus checked as she didn't do that so have booked a private ultrasound. I'd like to see a private gynae but so expensive. I am on 50 mcg oestrogen patches and 100mg of progesterone daily.

I had severe vitamin b12 deficiency which meant gut mobility had ground to a halt.

Psyllium Husks are more pleasant than Laxido.

oh that's interesting - I will try b12 thankyou. Got myself worried about ovarian cancer now!

My Gp said Fybogel once a day and lots of water, increasing to two Fybogel sachets a day and lots of water

thankyou. it hasn't helped so far. it seems that my bowel has just stopped moving even though my diet is high in fibre at moment.

Lactulose and prune juice or syrup of figs, loads of water. Don't take any more fibre, you need to soften and lubricate it. Try glycerin suppositories. You can buy them over the counter.

You need a bit B12 blood test as if it’s that low you will need injections to raise your level sufficiently.

OP
Short term try glycerine suppositories and Macrogol/Laxido.
Also try a stool or box underneath your feet when on the loo to make you in more of a squatting position to help you poo with less straining.
Similar to this but you can use a sturdy box or an ikea children’s foot stool.
https://squattypotty.uk/

Longer term ask your GP to refer you to a pelvic floor department or specialist. Not all hospitals have this but there will be a centre nearby.

There is a difference between a full thickness rectal prolapse and a rectocoele and your GP may not fully understand this. Either way, the pelvic floor department is what you need.

I would follow all this advice in your situation. The Laxido and glycerin suppositories should make you feel much more comfortable within a day or two.

35 grams of fibre a day. Every day. It’s easy to get, but very easy not to. Add two tablespoons of chia seeds to your porridge, a tablespoon of flax. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds on top. 3 litres of water per day too. Works like a dream for me.

Drinking 2 tbsp of olive oil works for me - in extremis like this.
Within about 18 hours it seems to coat the bowel wall and ease transit.

Magnesium has helped in peri menopause but thats more an ongoing complementary treatment, right now you need a stool softner by the sounds of it. Certain fibre can bung you up as well believe it or not so you have to be careful.

Ive had a rectocele diagnosed on a colonoscopy, they wont do anything about it, unless really really sgnificant. I cant go by leaning forward, I have to lean backward, the consultant explained to me why that happens, the shape of bowel etc.

Max dose of good quality Magnesium at night keeps me very regular.

I was going to say much the same.

I eat mountains of veg and pulses every single day and I need to take Movicol every day. It works like a dream.

I do have a chronic illness though and take a few medications so in my case, it could be the medication or the illness causing it.

I do that but still need a sachets of Movicol every morning.

thankyou so much for all your responses. WhamFantastic I think you are right - the GP just ruled out full thickness rectal prolapse. I can feel the bulge from my womb when I strain (sorry for TMI!) and it is quite significant, but they didn't think about rectocele I don't think. The good news is that my bowels are a bit better today after a week of what felt like a spasm. I've also had a blood test (privately) and my CA125 levels are low so feel a bit better about that anyway. I can imagine a GP referral to a pelvic floor specialist will take 100 years but I can try. Baked potatoes and kiwi fruit seemed to make the difference as well as some Acetyl L Carnitine which I remembered can help when I took it for another thing in the past!

@dizzydizzydizzyare you taking capsules or the hard form of magnesium?

Hard form. Tesco own brand. They do the trick .

@dizzydizzydizzy I find the capsule way for effective for the purposes of the thread. Not quite sure why the hard form doesn’t help keeping me regular though. Kind of weird.