Hideously awful constipation - had to ummm manually extract.... [blush]

[gnocci]

Good grief can't believe I am going to admit this but this evening I spent 40 mins on the loo had had to resort to manual removal..... It was huge and solid... groan. I am torn and bleeding

Can you take normal constipation remedies during pregnancy - ducolax or whatever it's called??? I can't allow this to happen again. Seriously, forget the episiotomy - I'll be going into labour with one already done at this rate!!

Am 30 weeks btw...

try fibregel drink. its not too tasty IMO but it did the trick for me. Im 32weeks pregnant and have to drink that as i suffered with constipation too. not as bad as you seem to have it tho...you have my sympathy really! I live on the fibre activia yogurts too and drink lots of water. Not sure if just one of those methods would work on its own but darent cut one out in case i go back to square one!! Hope this helps.

Ah you poor thing... This has brought back memories of after my c cation with DD2!!!

I've no idea if you can take anything but I think my midwife said she'd prescribe lactose or something after DD2 if things didn't improve.

Lots and lots of water and fruit.

You poor thing, you have my sympathies!

C section even....

We need the Poo troll on this thread. Sorry for your troubles OP.

Dried apricots really work.

Oh my, I suffer with constipation but never had to do that! I so feel for you

You can take lactulose while pregnant and fybogel - both of which you can buy over the counter.
I've taken both of these throughout my pregnancy and also took senokot last week (double the normal over the counter dose as instructed by my doctor). But I think it's not advised to take senokot in the last trimester as it may make your uterus contract as well as your bowel! Speak to your doctor though as in your case the benefits may outweigh the risks.

At least you know that you'll cope with labour now lol!

Good idea with the apricots - DS has them so I can steal some of them.

God it was awful. Really awful. The damn thing was like 3 inches across!!!!!!! I had to flush about 8 times!! Maybe I can laugh a bit now but I seriously wasnt laughing at the time.

Will have a wander around superdrug tomorrow and read the back of a few packets of constipation remedies to see if ok during pregnancy.

I swore by Lactulose, dried apricots (about 6 or 7 day) and a glass of yummy prune juice with my evening meal.

Oh yeah it definitely brought memories of labour back!!! Sheesh!!

I honestly do feel your pain, I've been there myself
I just try to drink lots and lots of water
Hot water and lemon in the morning does help
Dried apricots- not the sulphur orange ones the natural darker ones
Eating kiwi skin and all does help, you get used to the skin!
Museli
You need soluble fibre as well as non soluble.
Lactolose only works if you drink a feck load of water and you need the max dose if you are at the manual removal stage IMO.
Hth feel better soon.
Also a wet wipe afterwards feels much better!
And feet up on a stool will help when you are on the toilet.

I had this after my c section. I drank hot water with half a lemon squeezed in first thing in the morning for a couple of days and it works a treat.

Been there after an ectopic.

A feel your pain

I did the feet on stool! (well DS's bathroom steps!!) and did the wet wipe as well!!!!

Will get prune juice as well - would rather stick to "natural" remedies IYKWIM. If possible..!!

YOu need to drink probably twice as much as you are drinking and try fruit like grapes. I found that effective. In my case post-birth wasn't great but the worst time was when my brother in law was diagnosed as terminally ill. This coincided with my period and the result was terrible constipation. Apparently stress - and a load of other things will slow the gut down. This is one reason why if you're ever suporting somebody through a bereavement you should check they're drinking plenty because they do not need to add constipation to their woes!

You can use enemas in pregnancy, a micro enema or phosphate. You can also try glycerin suppositories to help you go and avoid the need for the enema stage! Dietary stuff is okay to try and prevent bad constipation but sometimes if you get stuck on the loo you need something to help there and then!

I think I read on another forum once about someone who was in equally dire straights and had tried any and all constipation cures recommended during pregnancy, to no avail. In the end her doctor gave her Movicol (I think) and apparently just one sachet did the trick. I'm not sure that it's necessarily recommended during pregnancy though, so you would need your doctor's blessing.

www.nhs.uk/medicine-guides/pages/MedicineOverview.aspx?condition=Constipation&medicine=Movicol&preparation=Movicol-Half%20oral%20powder%206.9g%20sachets
(if you scroll down there is info re use during pregnancy)

I usually drink loads of water and prune juice and eat prunes and they eventually get things moving. However, I know that for some people literally nothing works and it can be a serious medical issue, so you should probably get in touch with a doctor.

Good luck!

Oh bless you

Lactulose is great. And doesn't taste nasty, just thick and gloopy. A little goes a long way so be careful or you'll have the complete opposite problem!

And def. take some if you end up with a cs. Your first pop after cs is a shocker!!

Much sympathy. Had horrendous constipation for weeks earlier in this pregnancy caused by the shedloads of drugs I was on for hyperemesis. I was unable to eat at all so obviously couldn't do all the dietary stuff. None of the pills (dulcoease, dulcolax, senokot) worked for me because my colon was being paralysed by the drugs, but my GP was OK with my trying them all. In hospital I kept vomiting up the lactulose immediately so in the end they tried glycerin suppositories but it was too far gone for that (!) and eventually I had an enema in hospital. When I was discharged I tried everything but the only thing that worked properly was a home enema (I bought the 'fleet' enemas but never needed the whole bottle). I also had a bit of success with the max dose of movicol (the 'impaction' dose - 8 sachets in about a litre), but had difficulties getting that much of it in without vomiting it all up.

All the constipation remedies say "do not use in pregnancy" but I had a long chat with the GP on the phone and he was OK with me trying them all in the end, he suggested starting with the gylcerin suppositories. Might be different for you as you're nearer the end of pregnancy but worth talking to a GP and stressing how bad it had got. Agree with others that it's worth drinking much more water/squash than you think you need.

Been there. Magnesium supplement (I get Boots own brand) 1 capsule if you need a bit of help going or 2 if you get all blocked up. Take overnight, never fails.

Forget lactulose - go straight to movicol if you're at the Bobby Brown and Whitney stage.

I am in the same position at the mo......have been on Movicol for 2 days and still nothing :(

My only remedy to avoid constipation is bran flakes with stewed prunes, rhubarb and mixed berries on top. It's tasty and does seem to keep everything moving a bit. I just stew them all in a pan, don't need any sugar. It's also nice warm on yogurt.

you poor thing, bran flakes every morning and prune juice to get things moving! Hope you find something that works for you.

I am in same position too. It's horrible and tummy is really sore. Am now eating massive bowl of fruit, prunes and All Bran for breakfast and seems to be helping a bit. No-one ever tells you about constipation do they!!!

glycerin suppositories. You can buy them over the counter. I'm so angry they don't tell women about that and just let them suffer!