Can't friggin go and it hurts!

[hannah-rose]

I'm really constipated oo:

Wtf is wrong with my body? I went to an all you can eat chinese Friday night (SO good) and then felt really full and bloated and swollen all Saturday and was really hoping today my digestive system might've sorted itself out, except I've woken up exactly the same - stomach is really swollen (I look a bit pregnant), no appetite, feel slightly sick - I can feel that there's something going on low down on my left side but I also keep getting sporadic stabbing, cramping pains there too. (NB Have been to same all you can eat chinese and had NO problems afterwards before, it's not the chinese, it's my crap body.)

Constipation sucks for anyone but if and when my body decides to go and I'm impacted I'm gna end up ripping myself a new one and possibly passing out from blood loss.

Lovely!

FML.

 

[LauraJade]

Ouch..I've actually NEVER suffered constipation, always quite the opposite, so I can't really sympathise with how you feel but it sounds horrible!

On the plus side, how good is all you can eat Chinese!!!

Feel better soon!

 

[toneloc]

Hi Hannah Rose
Sorry to hear that.
I had a similar experience too.
I have to avoid a substance found in lots of Chinese food (MSG Monosodiun glutamate)
It is a flavour enhancer that is neurotoxic look it up on Wikipedia you'll see
It has the same effect on me (diag with Crohn's Nov 10, on Modulen, Predisolone 40 mg & Mercaptopurine 6MP 100mg) and my Daughter 10yrs old.
We both avoid MSG also known as E621 a dreadful additive, Chinese food from restaurants is choked full of it.
We still have home made chinese food (Asda's own brand sauces are MSG free) and taste great too.
I took Lactulose (you can get this from your pharmacist today-it is not a drug as such it makes stools softer and easy to pass-nothing scary) 2x 15ml per day & soft black liqorice, this did the trick big time in 1-2 days the flood gates will open, be prepared for a sudden rush.

Hope you improve soon!!!

Tony xx

 

[hannah-rose]

Hey everyone - I went! Yeyyyyyyyy!! You cannot imagine the sweet relief. I am so happy lol. And my bm did not resemble the battle of the Somme either - result!

I didn't think there were many Crohn's ppl who had C and also D but apparently there are:

http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=11946&highlight=impaction

All you can eat chinese is the best LauraJade - you need to go to The Real China in Leicester, by far the best I've ever been to!

Tony - I'm certain your right and there's probably a bunch of stuff I eat that messes with my system, it's just really hard to isolate one particular thing when for example I've eaten The Real China before and been perfectly fine. Think it's just my useless body.

 

[hannah-rose]

Oh the hilarious thing is I just rushed to Tesco to buy Lactulose and drank 9 spoonfuls so I'm clearly going to now get the runs. Oh well, I'm still happy!

 

[toneloc]

Hi Hannah Rose
No worries, it is soooo hard to isolate which food is the trigger, a daily battle inbdeed

At least you have gone to the loo now.
Bet you are feeling 'top of the plops!'

Tee hee

Best wishes

Tony

 

[toneloc]

Seen this diary?
Creating a diary can help you in a variety of ways. The following are some of the variables you may want to keep track of and share with your doctor.

PAIN
Where is it located.
What is it like - stabbing, ache, constant, intermittent, etc.
Rate your pain on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst pain imaginable.*(see comment).
Was there anything you did that relieved the pain - medication, hot packs etc.
Was there anything you tried that didn't work.
Is there anything that the pain stops you from doing - standing up, walking, sitting, etc.

OTHER INTESTINAL SYMPTOMS
Is your stomach noisier than usual.
Are you producing gas.
Is the gas offensive.

STOOLS
How often do you go.
How much are you producing each time.
What does it look like.
What consistency is it.
Is it offensive smelling.
Is there any blood or mucous.
What colour is it.

DIET
Are you following a diet or have you eliminated any foods from your intake.
Are there any foods that make your symptoms worse.
What is your appetite like.
Does your appetite fluctuate.

WEIGHT
Are you losing, maintaining or gaining weight.

OTHER SYMPTOMS
Do you have other symptoms that accompany painful episodes or do you suffer with other symptoms generally, such as:
headaches
eye problems
joint aches
vomiting
fever
sweats
rashes
mouth ulcers

MEDICATIONS
What time did you take your prescription medications
Did you take any over the counter medicines, even for something unrelated to your IBD
Have you been taking any supplements
What is your impression of the effectiveness of the medications you take. Are they making a difference.

This may seem like a daunting list, but by updating the diary regularly it will only take a few moments each time. You will also find ways of abbreviating things to speed up the process, for example writing BM instead of bowel movement. There are also smartphone apps which can help to speed up the process, for example CDDiary available on iPhone/iPad.

Take the diary with you when you visit any health professional, not just your Gastroenterologist.

 

[hannah-rose]

Thanks Tony that's realy helpful I did do a diary for a while but i think that layout will be easy to follow so I'll give it a go.

 

[Misty-Eyed]

9 spoonfuls?!!? How much was that? I have to take 15ml of the stuff twice a day just to keep going HATE the disgusting smell and wind it gives me haha.

Glad you managed to gt rid of the constipation so quickly though.

 

[hannah-rose]

9 teaspoons lol, it said on the bottle - take 3-6 spoonfuls once a day or 9 if 'obstinate'. I class my bowel as obstinate. However I think I am regretting it as I do feel a bit dodgy now!

Yeah i think I would've gone anyway, thank god, but the lactulose is certainly having an 'efficient' effect. It does make you feel a bit bloaty but I'm not suffering too bad atm.

It's not as bad as epsom salts though, have you had that? Tastes vile.

 

[toneloc]

Yesh I had epsom salts, bit like picolax does exactly what it says on the tin.
Lactulose is a bit more gentle though.
There is always good old prune juice-works fine too.
£1.50 a litre from Asda. (I don't work for Asda, there is just 1 decent supermarket in my town & Asda is it's name!

Cheers

 

[hannah-rose]

Lol we don't have an Asda in Bedford (I know crazy huh?) but I might pop down to Tesco for some prune juice haha.

NB 9 teaspoons of lactulose is WAY too much - I have had D all day now. Thankyou all for being part of my very dodgy Sunday!

 

[toneloc]

Hi
Not a problem, I have had the same issue, diahorrea then constipation, not so good

Weapons in the arsenal for constipation include


All Bran
Prunes
Prune Juice
Movicol
Lactulose
Apple Juice
Apples

One, or a combo of the above to suit your tase will work (but be careful of the prunes/Juice major episodes have occured for me!!

Have a nice week!
Tony:lol:

 

[Nyx]

I always had constipation and never diarrhea and wound up ripping myself a new one as Hannah so eloquently put it! lol If you get constipated alot I'd suggest adding a stool softener to your daily regimen of pills. And if you don't go for a week, get yourself to the hospital - bursting a hole in your sigmoid colon and distending your bowel really, really, REALLY hurts!!! And you wind up with a bag (which isn't so bad...lol).

Glad to hear you went though! It's always such a great relief...

 

[hannah-rose]

Christ alive Cindy I was about to start crying for AnE this morning and I'd only not gone for 24 hours haha. A week? Oof you must've felt rough. And that sigmoid colon ripping sounds horrendous :S

Do you know why people with Crohn's get constipated? I can understand why they get D because of inflammation but what is it about Crohn's that causes constipation?

 

[Nyx]

I'm not sure why some get D and some get C. My theory is that because my Crohn's is all in my rectum and anus, and all the inflammation is there my fully formed stool couldn't make its way through. Not sure though. But now that I have the stoma, I don't get constipated at all and I don't get D either (unless I eat something that really disagrees with me)...so it's pretty good!!

 

[sunflower]

I used to have D and now I am having C. I HAVE been taking stool softeners, and it is only helping marginally. I have to take laxatives to go. I do have a narrow place (I would call it a stricture but doc said it is not one, yet). It is awful! There have been a few times I thought I was going to rip myself, but it finally came through. When I take the softeners, it doesn't get as hard, but it still isn't coming out too good. It is Sooooo uncomfortable. But, I am not going to say I would rather have the D! LOL!!!

 

[CrohnsGA]

I can relate to all the above.

Sunflower. I have been dx with a stricture. Had anoplasty...only temporary relief. Have a history of fissures and abscesses. Getting a temporary ileostomy on the 19th. Looking forward to some relief.

 

[ellipse22]

I suffer from D when I am having an episode (flare up) and then I suffer from C. I have 4 different types of BM's. 1 is an episode, 2 is going to the toilet 3-7 times a day, 3 is considered a normal/regular BM and 4 is not going for a long period of time up to a week. I am currently sitting at almost a 4. It's been 3 days now. I can't even attempt to "push" because it hurts on my left & right side. I am hoping I go soon because I'm not sure how much longer I can take it!

Glad you were able to go Hannah :ysmile:

 

[hannah-rose]

Yeah bms back to normal though but I'm v upset atm just had another let down of a consultation just posted on the 'Vent Away' forum. It's days like this I wish I had a punching bag.