Is anyone else annoyed with their bowels??

[Writerwannabe83]

Apologies for any TMI but I know bowel issues are a part of a pregnancy and I need someone to moan to as I'm not sure my husband wants to hear all about it

I'm currently 19 weeks and have so far been lucky I think - had a few days of diarrhoea around weeks 10-11 but otherwise fine. However, over the last 2 weeks my bowels don't seem to know what they are doing!!

I think the constipation has set in...I find myself taking some form of entertainment into the bathroom with me (puzzle books, kindle, iPad) because I don't know how long I'm going to the be in there! I'm still able to go at least once every 1-2 days but for all the effort I'm putting in (and taking into account how much food I'm eating) there isn't much of a result

It probably doesn't help that I appear to be addicted to full length French baguettes and am eating at least one a day

Then, the next thing I know I'm having really painful cramps, you know the ones where you have diarrhoea and it is a warning that says, "Get to the toilet now!" It's like going from one extreme to the other.

Can Lactulose be bought over the counter or do you need it on prescription? And for those who braved a visit to the GP, how 'bad' did things get before you went and do they have a set criteria before prescribing lactulose etc??

Apologies if all this is a bit grim but I'm fed up, uncomfortable and need to know that I'm not alone....

I really hope you can bypass that bit! My advice is don't try to force anything, just let it do it's own thing. And I'm starting to see that Lactulose is a very good thing indeed.

I've been to see my midwife today and she's given me lots of advice about how to manage all this fun I'm having, and she was quite sympathetic too which made a difference. She also told me she's known pregnant women who are so constipated they only poo every three weeks!!! That made me feel like things could be a lot worse.

I'm just hopeful that all this disappears after the baby comes, I'm not sure what I'm looking forward to most at the moment!

3 weeks Bloody hell!!

I managed to go this morning quite easily but my bottom does still feel a little sore

Someone should write a book about the realities of pregnancy.....I naively thought it would all be pretty bumps and glowing cheeks

I'm so glad to find this thread!! Constipation is something that never occurred to me before getting pregnant whereas now I feel it's ruining my life! I'm 6 months pregnant and it only really hit me after about 20 weeks. Went to the doctor who gave me fybogel. Praying at this point for nothing to work. Agony!!!

I thoroughly recommend prune juice,apricots and tinned prunes!

I had the same issue at 37 ish weeks.

Lactolose and prunes became my saviour!

The thought of eating a prune now makes me want to gag!

Oh Lordy, what we've been reduced to, we're the constipated sisterhood! I never thought my daily life would revolve around my flipping bowel function....

During my last pregnancy I seemed to be constantly drinking Gaviscon, and now it looks like I'd better start loving prunes with a passion because they're going to play a big part in my life for the next few months. I am prepared to embrace the prune!

Oh gosh, my bowels have been awful. The first trimester was all about having continual diarrhoea. All the time, with painful cramps. Then I had a period of constipation. Now I go from one to the other.

It's lovely.

Womma - " embrace the prune"!

It's the only way to go!

Oh thank goodness someone said Lactolose (sp)?

I never want to grimace through another prune or mouthful of prune juice ever again!

I will be visiting the chemist tomorrow for above said relief and a big bottle of gaviscon!

Thank you ladies

Feeling your pain, i was the point where i was going once every 7-10 days and its a nightmare & it always tears causing minor bouts of bleeding.

I would suggest less white bread and start taking Lactulose. Since i started taking it and cut down on the stodge im more like 4-6 days now and its not as painful and hard.

Got some Lactulose and took it as soon as I got home so awaiting results eagerly.....please just not at work tomorrow!!

White bread will be the end of me I think, I get stuck with what else to use for lunch. At the moment I grab a quick sandwich (white bread) from the sandwich lady at work and shove it in as quickly as possible as I only get a 20 minute break....possibly where I am going wrong!

Make sure you drink loads of water with the lactulose...

and prepare for the worst wind of your life!!

Good luck!

Well, I can report that the Lactulose worked well today ( I think I OD'd on it actually), but yes, I've been windy as an elderly Labrador all day. I wonder if it also helps to soften everything a bit as well?

I feel like whatever I eat causes a build up of wind and rotten stomach cramps, peppermint tea helps a bit but it's still miserable. I tried eating just small bits today, and went for high fibre food (ryvita, carrot and hoummus for lunch, for example) and very quickly felt like I'd been blown up like a beach ball... feel like I can't win, even eating the sort of food the midwife recommended.

Baby's due in April, so only another 5 months to go...

Does anyone know if Lactulose comes in litre bottles?!

I only used it on two occasions, and have been ok since then (luckily!!). Be careful of taking too much though as it made ne feel so sick and dizzy amd generally ill when I took it for a third day even though it had already worked on the second! Next occasion I only took one lot on one day, and took it eith breakfast as it says on the bottle.

It says you can take a dose of up to 45ml twice a day on my bottle, that's a bit much isn't it?

My GP told me you could drink the entire bottle if you needed! I don't think there is much harm it can do.

Yuk! Just thought I'd let people know the side effects I suffered from having too much. Wouldn't have more than a single dose again (30-40 ml)

Thanks for the warning blackholes and I'm glad things have been better for you with this awful tummy trouble.

Yep can totally relate! I have serious IBS issues at the moment. Don't need a number 2 for a couple of days and then I get a couple of days of bad diarrhoea and cramping pains. I also get this horrible shooting pain that is agony when I go to the loo sometimes, has anyone else had this?!

could you have piles littlecrumb?

I find i only get constipated if i dont eat enough veg and drink enough water. I've been so thirsty all the time that i think i'm having about 3 ltrs a day, hence no constipation- yet at least.
I also sprinkle some psyllium husks on my breakfast and i think this helps, it's extra fibre basically. If all eles fails, drink some Prune juice. There is NOTHING worse than constipation.

I think the key is to avoid refined carbs (white bread and pasta, cakes, biscuits etc) and eat loads of fruit and veg especially the dreaded prunes, drink loads of water and take daily exercise - just a walk is enough.

Veggie curry and Weetabix have worked wonders for me and I persist with Fybogel as well although Califig has been used quite a bit too.

I also try to make sure when I go to the loo I raise my feet off the ground (sit them on a pack of loo rolls) and this helps me go as well - gravity becomes another friend!

Weetabix never fails me either Xenadog
2 Weetabix after dinner washed down with a glass of water and by god i'll know all about it the next morning!

That sounds great, I'm glad someone's having success!

I'm still really sicky, so I'm limited in what I can eat. If I ate all that cereal it would sit there and I'd be feeling it wanting to come up all day, it's bloody awful! And I really can't drink very much liquid either. I'm stuffed aren't I?