ok so I know I have IBS with constipation. We all know the market is full of medications for this. But I have tried exlax and coalas (sp?) but neither one seems to help long term. I take it the next day I finally have a painfull bowel movement but then it goes right back to the way it was. Like yesterday I went all day long and today I am crapping and hurting again. I keep seeing a commercial on tv for synocote? For people who get constipated due to medications. I dont know if this is my problem or not but I think it has something to do with my medications. But I will go a week or longer without having a bowel movement and talk about painfull. Can anyone give me any advice on what they use to help go on a daily basis if anyone else has this problem?

I use Docusate Sodium at bedtime and it works for me the next morning.

Does it help long term? Is it something you take on a daily basic or only when you are backed up so to say. Today I am miserable, crapping really bad to where when I sit flat on my bottom I am getting really bad pressure, but I cant go.

My doctor recently gave me a prescription for MiraLAX - I take it as needed when I get constipated. (sometimes daily, sometimes only once or twice a week, whenever necessary - seems to be helping.)

I am going to talk to the doctor when I see him again and see what he can give me. Since it seems nothing over the counter seems to be helping. I cant keep going through this it is not normal. What am I saying are any of us just normal? LOL! I can only wish. Thanks all for the advice.

You can get Miralax OTC now.

When I had IBS w/C I took at least 3 things everyday and would have 2-3 bm's in 2-3 wks time. Yeah, it was bad and I usually had to add something else to make it happen. My hubby told my dr. that something will work for awhile and then it seems my body figures it out and stops it. It sure did seem that way, I was surprised he noticed it, too.

Anyway, I used Citrucel or Benefiber, took Walgreen's brand of Surfak (a dr. told me about this and it works really good) it's ducosate calcium. And hmmmm, can't remember the 3rd thing. I still use these for when I get constipated. I think it's amazing that I can have C with IBD. It figures.

There is an herbal supplement that worked for me too, it's called Experience (funny name, eh?).

Here are a couple of things that you should not do often: 1. drink 3 glasses of water 10 mins apart 2. the vit. C flush, that's granulated C (10g's) in 16 oz. of water. It's bitter, so I do it in 8 oz. of juice and then follow by 8 oz. of water.

You can take vit. C to bowel tolerance, too (if you can tolerate C). That is take it until it gives you D and then back off just a bit and stay with that to keep you going.

Btw, I was told not to use laxatives, but when I got desparate I used Exlax. And I found ducosate sodium too harsh, even tho it claims to be gentle.

hugs

Glutamine will aid constipation. Seems to correct some dysmotility problems.

Also a stool softener like "Col Rite" (100mg of Docusate Sodium) seems to help as well. Just started this recently and it's made a difference. Seems to work well with me. I just take one capsule though.

quote:

You can get Miralax OTC now.

I got the prescription so insurance would pay for it

lmv, that is very cool! I didn't know you could get a script for something that was OTC. I wonder if all plans are like that and how would you find out what OTC's you could do that with?

hugs

I went grocery shopping today and I am going to try that activa challange. I also picked up some stool softners with 100mg of docusate sodium. The ex lax gave me diarreha the next day all day and then I was right back to being backed up again so to say.

Misty! I'm in Tampa too. My name is Maribel Caban and I've been diagnosed with NCS/Autonomic Central Nervous Dysfunction along with a ton of other stuff. I had my GP order me Ducosate for the constipation. I was just hospitalized from another episode just two weeks ago - taken via ambulance to TGH, they discharged me and then I was readmitted at St. Joe's for pneumonia, asthma and bronchitis because I can't move around. I walk with a walker now, my balance is so off. I feel your pain. I live in Tampa Heights and yes, my life is up side down. I go to the Heart Center in South Tampa and am disappointed with them but, my other docs are just fabulous and they are disappointed with my EP doc too. My neurologist is Maria Carmen Wilson and Carvel Gipson along with Dr. Ailis Marrero and they are GEMS! Keep me posted how are you. My email is maribelcaban@aol.com - feel free to email me whenever you want.

KIndest regards, Maribel Caban

Hi Misty,
I read in a prior post that you take Flexeril and Percocet for back pain. Both of these medications often cause constipation. I was on Percocet after my shoulder surgery in April for 2 weeks and was extremely constipated. After I went off the pain killer, i had the worst case of diarrhea. My ortho said it was because I had been so constipated from the Percocet. You need to be careful taking these because of the possibility of intestinal impaction from constipation. It can require surgery. I would guess most of your constipation is coming from the percocet and flexeril. Talk to your doctor about what you should be doing to ease the problem. Good luck

Hi Misty,

I have severe constipation issues. If you haven't allready seen a gastroentorolgist I think you should do.

I have to chop and change large doses of laxatives to keep them working enough. At the moment I'm taking a mixture of docusate (coloxyl here in Australia) and senna.

I'm going to have to add to the above with a dose of parrafin oil (sold at chemists here) and play with the dosages until I find something that works better (at least for a while).

I had to stop taking opiate painkillers because of the impact it had on my bowels -- made an already bad problem worse.

I found out that the body has two receptor sites for these painkillers -- the brain and the bowel. Meaning the opiates shut down some (enough) of my migraine pain but totally shut down my bowel no matter what I took to keep it going. It got to the point that NOTHING I took would get my bowel working enough and I was in constant pain in that area and know just how you feel.

If you haven't seen a Gastroentorologist yet, I would suggest you see one -- a good one, (should go without saying but I came across a bad one late last year -- he was an idiot).

I haven't had a bowel movement without laxatives for about 3 and half years (except for a few episodes when all hell let loose). I think it's called 'dumping' --- involved a lot of pain and also vomiting.

Thank you all for your advice. I am going to see about going to a gasterologist since I have gasteritis and a ulcer. They arent getting any better either with prescription prilosec. I am going to have to do something. Tonight I finally went after sitting there for about 15mins and it appears to me there was blood in my bowel. I havent said anything to my husband yet about it. Dont need him to freak out. Is that normal to have blood in the bowel? Not something I have ever experienced before.

Meribel,
I live in Temple Terrace over by busch gardens. I usually dont go to TGH since it is alittle further for me. But that is where my cardiologist is. I see doctor Cintron at LifeLink. It is right by the bridge before you go over to tampa general. Lately every trip to the er I go to St Joes they have done right with me for the most part. I refuse to go to UCH, I hate that hospital they are nothing but idiots.