Constipation in my crohnie kid

[coolbeans]

Well we have been doing great for the last few months. Stelara seems to be holding the crohns at bay--all our labs came back in normal range except for the pesky iron.
Anywho my dd hasn't had a bowel movement since Thursday night. I started her on miralax on Saturday but she still hasn't went. As you can imagine her appetite has nose dived. I bought some glycerin suppositories but can't get her to use them (she had a bad experience w/a different kind & NEVER FORGETS!!). Any more tips/tricks? Should I be thoroughly freaking out? I called & left a message at GI office but haven't heard back. Why can't these kids ever catch a break? oo::sign0085:

 

[crohnsinct]

Bummer. My kids have done that to me from time to time. Could be run of the mill constipation but good you called the GI as they will have some suggestions about what you could do to help it resolve.

Unfortunately, if it is run of the mill constipation, not eating will exacerbate it. Have you tried prune juice? Bran muffins? Go for a walk or swim?

I think Miralax takes a day or so to work and you might not be giving her a high enough dose. Paging my little penguin as she is the miralax expert.

Good luck! I hope the GI calls soon.

 

[my little penguin]

So big question how much miralax did you give ?
Miralax takes three days to work if you only have a capful or less
Ds takes 1/2-1 capful a day every single day to keep ahead OT it
And still can get issues
If it’s been more than two days
I use a cap in the morning and 1/2-1 capful at night
If he is admitted for observation for abdominal pain due to constipation
He gets 1 cap three times a day inpatient
GI has gone straight to magnesium citrate before as well
To clean it out at home
For ds
Glycerin suppositories are useless
Colace useless

Definitely talk to your kiddos GI
On how to proceed
But plenty of water is needed for miralax to work

 

[my little penguin]

If she is cramping belly pain
Stay away from bran muffins /prunes
Trust me btdt and Crohns kids just cry a lot due to severe pain from extra fiber and cramping
She isn’t eating due to pain and those only make it worse

 

[my little penguin]

Warm bath and massage the belly
Lower right up and around in a circle can also help

 

[coolbeans]

I gave her a full capful at 1 pm today. Should I do another before she goes to bed? Moving definitely helps but she is walking like a 90 year old woman due to her bum hurting. Breaks my heart for her. We were just getting caught back up at school too--ugh.

 

[my little penguin]

Did she have acapful on Saturday and Sunday?
When does she normally go ?
Mine go the same time everyday -and then an odd extra time
We’re they worried about strictures ???

 

[my little penguin]

Not a doc so can’t tell you what to do
I can say for scope clean out Ds uses 14 capfuls in 6 hours and ducolax
For normal constipation issues
I have permission from his GI to give when needed
1 capful twice a day
Worst case scenario per GI is Ds will have a little diarrhea
So if he is in pain I increase to twice a day and hope he doesn’t have an accident the next day
So far so good never had an issue

 

[coolbeans]

Yes I gave her a capful those days. Unfortunately GIs office never called back. She just had scopes a month ago & there were no strictures at that time but I know that changes. Guess I will wear their phone out in the morning till I get some answers. We are drinking lots of water.

 

[my little penguin]

Can you call the on call GI fellow at the hospital ?
They tend to call back in 20 minutes tops after hours
Just ask if 2-3 times a day is ok till she moves things

 

[Maya142]

Talk to your GI. When my daughter has gone that long without a BM, my daughter's GI recommended an enema. It provides quick relief from pain and discomfort (but it will cause cramping till she poops) but it is really hard to get a teenager to cooperate and try one. My daughter preferred enemas to suppositories when she was first diagnosed and constipation was a BIG problem, because suppositories "were gross." Her GI also recommended Fleet enemas (and as you can imagine, it was a huge battle to get her to even try one).

The only way she agreed to use one was when she was REALLY miserable and in a lot of pain and nothing else had worked. Miralax had not worked and Milk of Magnesia had not worked and she hadn't had a BM in 5 days or so.

Now her constipation is not as bad, but if she goes 2 days without a BM, we use Milk of Magnesia which always does the trick. We do not let her go longer than 2 days.

I also want to add that when she had really bad constipation and was inflamed (had just been diagnosed) fiber made things worse for us too.

We now use 1 capful of Miralax daily but there were times she was on 2 capfuls daily.

You really need your doctor's guidance - some will suggest enemas or suppositories, some will have you do a cleanout...just varies on the child and the situation.

As for the glycerin suppositories, will she let you do it? Or would she prefer if she did it? If she does, use a LOT of vaseline.

 

[amw2003]

My daughter also had a problem with constipation and so I researched the foods that cause it. Once she cut out cheese and also drinks a lot of water she never had a problem again. Maybe there is a food causing it that she should stop eating.