I've given birth with no pain relief so surely I should be able to deal with this awful constipation!!

[suiledonn]

Please help me. I am 10 weeks pregnant and have constipation. I really need to go but it hurts so badly every time I try that I just stop myself. Is there anything that can help with the awful, burning pain?? I am at home with my 23 month old dd. Dh is at work and I am on the verge of tears.

Oh you poor thing! Are you able to leave the house and get to a chemist or is it too bad? If you can get to the chemist fybogel is good, it softens it up and makes it easier to pass. If your bottom is too sore though you may have a fissure (tiny split/cut) which keeps opening, I've heard there are anaesthetising sprays you can buy to numb the pain while you go.

If you can't get to the chemist though I would say a warm bath, plenty of fluids, and eat some fruit/dried fruit and roughage to get things moving.

Sympathies, it must be horrible!

Not sure about the Fybogel as heard it can be dehydrating and already struggling to keep hydrated due to morning/all day sickness. Dh will be home in a few hours so maybe he can get me something then.

oh poor you .. it is immensely painful (I had it when immobile from a broken leg and it was the worst pain of the whole accident)

text friends / call neighbours and ask them to bring round some fybogel (it works)

are you constipated because of morning sickness? I think you need to speak to GP .. because that's bad dehydration and you may need to be put on a drip

I think the sickness is the cause of the constipation. Can't eat any of my usual foods just crackers and toast. Really trying with the fluids as I was in hospital on a drip during last pregnancy and want to avoid that this time if possible. I might ring the out-of-hours doctor service and see what they say.

yes I think you should do that .. good luck ..

hmm, yeah does sound more serious than just bogstandard constipation then, I hope you get some help with it soon, the ms sounds awful, poor thing x

prune juice, 1 glass a day, doesn't taste that great, but helped me out no end.

Vegetable soup works great for me with both nausea and constipation, as it's so bland, fat free, and basically just water and fibre and obviously that helps, and also berries (raspberries, blueberries) if you can stomach them - full of fibre, water, and lots of little seeds - really gets me moving.

I've had a couple of days on bread and pasta because I couldn't be arsed to get more berries or soup, and I feel too sick to cook. Mistake - I'm bunged up and in pain again. Back to berries & soup & steamed veg & mashed potatoes it is... you know, I can't believe how vile pregnancy is, and how little fuss women make. Anything else that made you feel this shitty, and people would be off work for months.

Oh, and in terms of dehydration - it's freaking expensive, but Pret a Manger sell cans of ginger beer made just with ginger, fizzy water and grape juice, so not too sickly. That really helps me if I'm so desperate I can't even keep plain water down. But they're a quid a can, which is excessive.

Thanks for all the good advice. I rang the out-of-hours doctor and the nurse I spoke to was quite concerned as she said the constipation is not normal this early in pregnancy and I am probably dehydrated. I have an appointment to see the doctor later this evening.

How are you feeling now, Suiledonn? Are you any better?

Hi, thanks for asking. I went to the doctor on Saturday and he gave me a glycerine enema thing that worked liked magic. He was really concerned about my level of dehydration though and wanted to admit me to hospital but I really didn't want to go. He told me to go home, rest and try and increase fluid intake and go back to him in 24 hours. I went back yesterday and had improved enough to stay out of the hospital but was really sick last night and today. Looks like it is hyperemesis again.

Sorry to hear you think it might be hyperemesis again, it sounds horrible, will the doctor give you any antisickness medication? Doesn't sound like ginger and seabands will cut it!

Glad you got the immediate situation sorted out though, hope you have an easier time from here on in!