Movicol for soiling - anyone tried it?

[Flabbio1]

My son (of nearly 5) has chronic constipation (fecal impaction) and has soiled for months and months (probably years). I just thought he was lazy and would just wee and poo himself on a daily basis. Turns out he's so constipated poo leaks out the sides on the bowel and he can not feel it. The wetting is caused by the excess pressure on the bladder from the bowel.
We have a incontinence nurse on the case now. She has told us to take Movicol. Its apparently better for fecal impaction. Only just started on it but have been told that it will take a few months. Firstly emptying the bowel and thereafter, the bowel had been stretched so much and needs to reduce.
We're on day 3 and not much movement so far. been told to take 1 sachet a day. Maybe I should increase (will ask the nurse first). Has anyone tried movicol and would they be able to share their experience. Does it work and how long does it take?

[confuddledDOTcom]

One sachet is not going to do a thing! We were on two for ages, over 6 months, nothing was happening, she was still in pain and not moving anything. Paediatrician said we needed to give her four for a few days, totally clear out her system and then bring her back down to whatever keeps her going. We got it down to one but we've had to ask school to give half a day because she's struggling again, we've also just had lactulose just added in. She's not quite at his stage but we know we're pushing that.

It's crazy to start with, do it now whilst it's holidays, don't plan to go out and buy up loads of cheap pants. Once you've cleared him out bring it down to two for a few days until it settles. If he's still runny drop it down to one.

You can't overdose Movicol so don't worry about how much you give him.

[BoysAreLikeDogs]

yes you need to persist with the movicol

good luck

(PS stay in, or at least near a loo because when he goes he'll GO iyswim)

[bigknickersbigknockers]

sorry for the typos, i would love to say i have a broken arm or a baby bouncing on my knee but there is no excuse!!

[bigknickersbigknockers]

DS 2 suffered from constipation from 12 mths to 5 yrs of age. He was on movicol during all that time. we used it 3 sachets a day to get things moving and then one sachet in the morning as a preventative measure. Eventually we got down to half a sachet a day. Once DS 2 would eatt bromn bread we stapped the movicol and he has been fine since. There were a few times that we stopped the movicol before that and he got constipated again so we left him on the half a sachet a day for a long time. I did find califig was fast acting and used to give him that if he did get to the stage where he was constipated and in pain which also seemed to help.

[girlywhirly]

I don't know if this will help in changing the DC diets, but I found this Easter recipe which might get a bit of fibre into them in an enjoyable way!

Mini Easter Nests. Makes about 12.

100g butter
2 tablespoons golden syrup
200g milk, white, or dark chocolate, broken
6 shedded wheat
Mini sugar coated eggs to decorate

Place butter, syrup and chocolate in a pan over low heat, stir until smooth and melted. Crumble shredded wheat and add to mixture, stir well, then leave to cool slightly.Line a muffin tin wth paper cases, put in the mixture and make a hollow in each to form a nest. Put in fridge to set before putting in mini eggs.

It's a long time since I made these, so I can't remember how big each cake was, you could use ordinary fairy cake cases and baking tins, in which case you may get more than 12. Unhelpfully the recipe says you can use any cereal and only gives quantity for shredded wheat, but Haggis could use branflakes if she wishes!

Flabbio, I understand you need to rely on the Movicol at the start, but sneaking extra fibre into his diet by whatever means will also help.

[Flabbio1]

The incontinence nurse thinks its gone beyond branflakes and such like. Apparently you do have to give it a go for a while.

[HaggisNeepsnTatties]

I think this is the same as faecal fluid? I have used Movicol with dd2....and Lactulose... The best remedy though, I found, was Branflakes!!