Is it really constipation or something else?

[Tawanda]

I'm sorry, but if you're going to go all technical on us I'm going to be forced to correct your terminology. It's poop chute, not poop shoot.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
You do have to keep a sense of humor about such things. I had to also chuckle that this post was hidden in the "ladies room" of the Board!!

I have struggled with constipation my whole life but everything has gotten much harder (no pun intended) with M.S. for sure. I have learned to force feed myself raw vegetables that I can't stand, and drink my Metamucil(which really tastes pretty good if you ask me). Of course walking most every day helps. Inactivity really hurts (geeze, again no pun intended!) the whole situation.

I also take Probiotics for whatever that's worth. One additional trick I learned after having a baby and being more constipated than ever (probably due to the fear of bursting my stitches) was to remove the shower head and point the nozzel up my poop chute. Probably like an enema, but there the thing was, in the tub (gross), but you can clean your tub and nobody need know.

[Mynamegoeshere1]

My problem too

Call me gross, but I don't mind talking about poop. I've been to several drs. They all suggested laxatives and stool softeners in conjunction with one another. The probiotics and so on. Nothing worked. I went to a gastro dr and they said I had ibs, but that medicine didn't help either and just made me nauseas all of the time. Now, if I can't go for more than a week, the only solution is an enema. It sucks, but it is the only thing that works. I'm glad I'm not the only one with this issue!

[Dulcinea714]

Love this thread, reminded me of an evening back in March at the disabled veterans winter sports clinic, 4 of us having dinner, 3 with MS and we start talking about our bowel and bladder issues as if it is just normal dinner conversation, lol.
I make sure I eat fruits and vegies, along with plenty of water. I try to limit alcohol and simple carbs. I have stool softeners and sennalax, along with miralax, when needed. I did get stopped up once to the point of extreme pain, went to the ER and they prescribed that liquid stuff you drink half a bottle and are supposed to go in a few hours, but it took the other half of the bottle and a day before I could go.
Then there are the days where I got to go now and five minutes later and 5 minutes later or I have accidents (most have been at home-I don't work). I never know what the day will bring, but I find fruits, veggies and water can help me control it better, but, no guarantee.
Thanks for all the info

[WestMDWoman]

Constipation

You described by problem exactly. Are you still having the problem?
Went to a gastroenterologist. She gave me a few ideas but suggested I check MS websites for more help. So here I am.

[Wordsgood]

Hi.

Thought I would chime in because I saw IBS mentioned. I've been dealing with this oh so charming digestive disorder for so freakin' long. Years ago I never, ever ate in public because anything that went in...wanted back out in mere minutes. (Not fun in your teens and early 20s when came to dating. Date: What, your not eating? Me: No no, you go ahead. I'm not hungry/am allergic/forgot we were going for dinner so had something just before you we came...and so.)

Anyway, the problem switched to the other extreme and since then, it has been a daily battle. One med that did help me for several years is called Dicetel. You are supposed to take it 3 times per day with each meal. It helps to regulate your intestanal movement so it's niether over or under active.

Dicetal is not addictive and not a painkiller of any kind. It does not treat IBS "attacks" - when the intestines spaz out causing mild to excrutiating pain and or naseau - but may help reduce the frequency of them. Of course you still need to eat lots of fiber and remember that your other meds may be causing or exacerbating constipation and/or diarreha.

Another drug that helps deal with the IBS attacks themselves - IF you realize what the problem is soon enough - is called Buscapan. This one is basically a muscle relaxer for your intestines when they decide to have an unauthorized party. I don't know if it is targetted specifically at IBS issues or not, but if you have both bowel problems and severe abdominal pain, then I would suggest you ask your doctor about it. Again, this is not a narcotic.

Good luck, everyone.

[Wordsgood]

Thought I would pop by this thread and have a minor vent. My issue of not being able to go has now gotten so far out of hand that no amount of over the counter solutions are helping. I'm going to, ugh, have to get help soon if this continues much longer. Am losing weight because I literally don't have enough room for food and it's started impeding my ability to pee in the last few weeks.

I know, I know, I should not have let it get this bad. But the last few months with doctors and trying to attend to programs whatever programs they want me to, on little to no sleep, has left me unwilling to deal with this properly. I've been down this road too many times and know what embarrassing tests and gross meds they will want to give me.

Plus I have this other issue of how to get my Dad out of our house for several days so I can have unrestricted access to my own bathroom. His idea of rushing is different then the rest of us. Poor baby whines when a whole day passes and he can't go. I know he's old and doesn't get it, but damn. He's got way better mobility inside and out than I do!

Okay, whine over.

[Shashi]

Wordsgood, try eating 3 or 4 big tablespoons of ground flaxseed meal in a bowl of bran cereal for a couple of days. I don't usually recommend that much flaxseed because it can cause explosive diarrhea, but when you gotta go, you gotta go. Good luck!

[Wordsgood]

Thanks Shashi. I have plans already in mind but couldn't use them until after I figured out what to do with my father for several days. After posting the last note, I realized that it's deal with this now or end up back in the hospital. So had hubby call sister-in-law and while he doesn't yet know it, he's going tomorrow to spend a wek with them.

Might sound ridiculous, but he really is my biggest barrier for staying regular and getting decent sleep. The reason we moved him in has long since died and while we have told him he has to move, he's saving for it! at the speed of frozen molasses. He's just gotten so comfortable having money to burn for the first time in his life, that he's forgotten what a budget is. (And that we have to pay for everything he's broken out of sheer carelessness since moving into our rental unit's spare room.)

I love my father and yes, him and my mother were always there for me. But they have also always been a huge drain on my physical and financial resources. Plus my mother babied him badly until she died and he somehow thinks, as do my remaining siblings, that my life, marriage, our finances and health, should continue to be put on the back burner behind whatever he needs or wants, Nobody puts it that way, of course, but they still expect it.

[lisa1014]

Ok I searched this topic out of desperation! I am laying here in pain. My right side feel full and painful! I have tried drinking that stuff you drink before surgery. Miralax and prunes. I am going a little but no relief! I started having this problem a few weeks ago when I started provigil. I am calling tomorrow!

One thing that is worth a try that usually works for me is putting my feet up on my daughters stool she uses to wash her hands. Something in the change of position seems to help!

[amy82]

I tried all kinds of enemas, pills, liquids, etc, but nothing seemed to work. Finally I had to poke around for myslef , and it was right there waiting to come out, but there was no pushing movement.........didn't matter what the texture was , it did not get pushed out. MY BUTT MUSCLES JUST AREN'T WORKING......

I have this same problem. I have had bowel issues for years, was dxd with irritable bowel syndrome as a kid and contributed the progression of these types of problems to that. Now that I am in limbo I wonder if it is a symptom of MS. I must say it is nice to read someone else taking the same measures I have to on a regular basis; it certainly made me feel embarrassed, and honestly have never spoke of it before finding these forums.

[biker]

My daughter has ms and is a quadraplegic because of it. We do bowel digital stimulation every day. There is no way she could have a BM by herself. No pushing ability. Lately her bowels have been very soft and almost loose. She does not have accidents because we stimulate every day but I am wondering if we would not have to do it every day. It sounds like some of you only have bowel movements a couple times a week rather than every day. It would be a little easier if the bowels were a little more solid. Any suggestions.