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Help - Constipation for 5 weeks
MissCaptainKirk posted:
Hi everyone, glad to have found this support group. Hope you all are doing well! This is kind of long and maybe TMI and I am a very private person and hate to talk about my health issues but I really need some help.
My problem is that I have been constipated for about 5 weeks. Not complete constipation, like every once in a while I would have a BM but it was very small and black and hard, like compacted, like it had been in my intestines for a while. I went to my endocrinologist and told her but she said not to worry it would just go away. (She is not very helpful.)
I eat a lot of fiber every day and eat very healthy. I started a new diet my primary doctor recommended a couple months ago that was helping the IBS and making me feel great so I don't think it's a food issue.
When it started getting bad my mother-in-law (who is a nurse) said to use a suppository. That gave me a very small BM but when I tried it again twice it didn't work.
Last week my insides hurt so bad from the constipation that I was crying and it felt like my intestines or whatever were going to explode. My husband called my mother-in-law and she said to use milk of magnesia and an enema. Well I did the enema (welcome to Hell) and THAT didn't work either. So I drank the milk of magnesia. The next morning I had a BM but it was like before, hard and black. Since then I have had one or two BMs a day but it is only very small and like before. And I still feel like everything is clogged in my intestines.
My theory is that it is because I had been on so many antibiotics last month for health issues and thats whats causing this. But I thought it would get better by now. I see my primary doctor next Fri and they are very helpful and can always tell me what's wrong. I cannot afford to go to another doctor until then.
Does anyone have any suggestions for the time being?? I have to force myself to eat so that I don't make it worse but I feel so sick. :(
I appreciate any and all suggestions!
(Sorry if I grossed anyone out.) :P
My problem is that I have been constipated for about 5 weeks. Not complete constipation, like every once in a while I would have a BM but it was very small and black and hard, like compacted, like it had been in my intestines for a while. I went to my endocrinologist and told her but she said not to worry it would just go away. (She is not very helpful.)
I eat a lot of fiber every day and eat very healthy. I started a new diet my primary doctor recommended a couple months ago that was helping the IBS and making me feel great so I don't think it's a food issue.
When it started getting bad my mother-in-law (who is a nurse) said to use a suppository. That gave me a very small BM but when I tried it again twice it didn't work.
Last week my insides hurt so bad from the constipation that I was crying and it felt like my intestines or whatever were going to explode. My husband called my mother-in-law and she said to use milk of magnesia and an enema. Well I did the enema (welcome to Hell) and THAT didn't work either. So I drank the milk of magnesia. The next morning I had a BM but it was like before, hard and black. Since then I have had one or two BMs a day but it is only very small and like before. And I still feel like everything is clogged in my intestines.
My theory is that it is because I had been on so many antibiotics last month for health issues and thats whats causing this. But I thought it would get better by now. I see my primary doctor next Fri and they are very helpful and can always tell me what's wrong. I cannot afford to go to another doctor until then.
Does anyone have any suggestions for the time being?? I have to force myself to eat so that I don't make it worse but I feel so sick. :(
I appreciate any and all suggestions!
(Sorry if I grossed anyone out.) :P
4 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Help - Constipation for 5 weeksHi everyone, glad to have found this support group. Hope you all are doing well! This is kind of long and maybe TMI and I am a very private person and hate to talk about my health issues but I really need some help.<br /><br />My problem is that I have been constipated for about 5 weeks. Not complete constipation, like every once in a while I would have a BM but it was very small and black and hard, like compacted, like it had been in my intestines for a while. I went to my endocrinologist and told her but she said not to worry it would just go away. (She is not very helpful.) <br />I eat a lot of fiber every day and eat very healthy. I started a new diet my primary doctor recommended a couple months ago that was helping the IBS and making me feel great so I don't think it's a food issue.<br />When it started getting bad my mother-in-law (who is a nurse) said to use a suppository. That gave me a very small BM but when I tried it again twice it didn't work.<br />Last week my insides hurt so bad from the constipation that I was crying and it felt like my intestines or whatever were going to explode. My husband called my mother-in-law and she said to use milk of magnesia and an enema. Well I did the enema (welcome to Hell) and THAT didn't work either. So I drank the milk of magnesia. The next morning I had a BM but it was like before, hard and black. Since then I have had one or two BMs a day but it is only very small and like before. And I still feel like everything is clogged in my intestines.<br />My theory is that it is because I had been on so many antibiotics last month for health issues and thats whats causing this. But I thought it would get better by now. I see my primary doctor next Fri and they are very helpful and can always tell me what's wrong. I cannot afford to go to another doctor until then.<br />Does anyone have any suggestions for the time being?? I have to force myself to eat so that I don't make it worse but I feel so sick. :(<br />I appreciate any and all suggestions!<br />(Sorry if I grossed anyone out.) :P
sheba_q responded:
it's too bad that this section has gotten so quiet the last few months. Hopefully that means that some of the regulars are, well 'regular' and that's why they haven't been around.
I have diarrhea normally but last time I had a colonoscopy I was constipated and literally didn't have a bowel movement for a week and it was horrible.
You'll find a lot of people on these boards recommend probiotics, esp if you have to take antibiotics. Antibiotics don't just wipe out the bad bacteria, but all of it - which can cause major problems afterwards. Probiotics job is to replenish the good bacteria that our body needs.
Are you a coffee drinker? I've heard many people comment about how a morning coffee gets things moving. Any hot drink will work, but apparently coffee is the best for that.
No worries about TMI (Too Much Information) - there's no such thing around here. :)
I have diarrhea normally but last time I had a colonoscopy I was constipated and literally didn't have a bowel movement for a week and it was horrible.
You'll find a lot of people on these boards recommend probiotics, esp if you have to take antibiotics. Antibiotics don't just wipe out the bad bacteria, but all of it - which can cause major problems afterwards. Probiotics job is to replenish the good bacteria that our body needs.
Are you a coffee drinker? I've heard many people comment about how a morning coffee gets things moving. Any hot drink will work, but apparently coffee is the best for that.
No worries about TMI (Too Much Information) - there's no such thing around here. :)
Report This| Share this:Help - Constipation for 5 weeksit's too bad that this section has gotten so quiet the last few months. Hopefully that means that some of the regulars are, well 'regular' and that's why they haven't been around.<br /><br />I have diarrhea normally but last time I had a colonoscopy I was constipated and literally didn't have a bowel movement for a week and it was horrible.<br /><br />You'll find a lot of people on these boards recommend probiotics, esp if you have to take antibiotics. Antibiotics don't just wipe out the bad bacteria, but all of it - which can cause major problems afterwards. Probiotics job is to replenish the good bacteria that our body needs.<br /><br />Are you a coffee drinker? I've heard many people comment about how a morning coffee gets things moving. Any hot drink will work, but apparently coffee is the best for that.<br /><br />No worries about TMI (Too Much Information) - there's no such thing around here. :)
MissCaptainKirk replied to sheba_q's response:
Thank you for your advice! I am really glad you answered.
I am taking probiotics as suggested by my nurse mother-in-law and things have been getting better slowly but surely.
I drink coffee, but only decaf. I am thinking that since caffeine is a diuretic it helps people? Maybe I will try that for a couple days.
Thanks again :)
I am taking probiotics as suggested by my nurse mother-in-law and things have been getting better slowly but surely.
I drink coffee, but only decaf. I am thinking that since caffeine is a diuretic it helps people? Maybe I will try that for a couple days.
Thanks again :)
Report This| Share this:Help - Constipation for 5 weeksThank you for your advice! I am really glad you answered.<br /><br />I am taking probiotics as suggested by my nurse mother-in-law and things have been getting better slowly but surely. <br />I drink coffee, but only decaf. I am thinking that since caffeine is a diuretic it helps people? Maybe I will try that for a couple days.<br /><br />Thanks again :)
sheba_q replied to MissCaptainKirk's response:
How did your doctor's appointment go?
MissCaptainKirk replied to sheba_q's response:
It went ok, they told me it was most likely the antibiotics that were causing the problem. They told me to watch what I eat (which I already do, but they said watch it even more).
I have been trying your suggestion of drinking hot fluids in the morning and it may be psychological but it seems to have helped :)
It has gotten a lot better, but I still seem to be getting "clogged up" fairly often... :( I think stress may be a big factor in this, who knows?
Thank you for checking on me, that is really nice of you :)
I have been trying your suggestion of drinking hot fluids in the morning and it may be psychological but it seems to have helped :)
It has gotten a lot better, but I still seem to be getting "clogged up" fairly often... :( I think stress may be a big factor in this, who knows?
Thank you for checking on me, that is really nice of you :)
Report This| Share this:Help - Constipation for 5 weeksIt went ok, they told me it was most likely the antibiotics that were causing the problem. They told me to watch what I eat (which I already do, but they said watch it even more). <br />I have been trying your suggestion of drinking hot fluids in the morning and it may be psychological but it seems to have helped :)<br /> It has gotten a lot better, but I still seem to be getting "clogged up" fairly often... :( I think stress may be a big factor in this, who knows?<br /><br />Thank you for checking on me, that is really nice of you :)
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