No bowel movement in 2 weeks

[social me]

Hi, I was diagnosed with Crohns Disease in March. I am frustrated. I havent had a bowel movement for 2 weeks I have used 5 enemas, which only produced 3 small bowel movments, other 2 were simply water. I have tried EVERYTHING to go. I went to docs' office 2 this week. Second time because I have started vomiting, can't eat, I am horribly distended, and getting cold sweats. They sent me to ER, there they took blood ( which showed my throid was low) and took a cat scan ( whic Amiteh showed that I was quite backed up). They gave me IV and sent me home with 6 pain pills and told me to take mylax. Hello! Been there am doing that, walking, massaging, water water and more water, prune juice 2 daily, stool softner overload, fiber supplements and eveything else. This was Friday, they said I had no obstruction and said follow up with doc on Tues. I am hurting and miserable. I just wonder why no one seems overly concerned. My doc is on vaca so the on call doc did call in a med that is to help encourage me to go its called ametiza. Taken 3 of them So far now luck last bm was small on Thursday. Enema yesterday..nothing at all. I can't eat and I feel I will burst. I am tired because I havent been able to eat much. Has anyone had this problem? I am completely miserable and don't know what else to do. Any info would help plz. :frown:

 

[25times]

I recently had this happen to me as well. When I went to the er, they took blood and did a rectal, then gave me a jug of bowel prep. It worked like a charm, my diarrhea was back for about two days. My painkillers make me extremely constipated for the first week of taking them. I'm doing alot better now. The prep helped clean me out, then I just make sure I take the max dose of stool softeners per day with my meds, and drink lots of fluids.
You can get your doctor to prescribe you colyte or whatever they have where you are. As long as you don't have an abstruction (which they said you didn't) it's not dangerous. Good luck! I know how completely awful it is to be constipated. I definitely prefer diarrhea at times. But the grass is always..browner..on the other side. hahaha

 

[Crohn's 35]

Wow...this can be very dangerous, why would a doc just send you home? You need a smalll bowel follow through asap. Infection or worse perintonitus could set in...what are docs thinking? You must have a stricture or narrow somewhere, because it is not normal. Just stick to fluids or ensure, as mentioned above pain killers can cause constipation. A vicious cycle I know. At the very least you should ask for a colonoscopy. I hate stupid doctors that just push you along. You must be in so much pain. Please dont wait to long ok? Let us know your updates.

 

[archie]

that sounds awful but it does sound like you need something stronger to get you going if your not obstructed. It does sound like an obstruction though esp as your vomitting. It sounds like some more tests mentioned above are in order. Have you been constipated before or is this totally new? It might be making you dehydrated untop of it all which again would make the problem worse. Maybe time to get a 2nd opinion or at least some more help.

 

[kjw1112]

i had to take magnesium citrate when i needed to clean myself out for the pill cam. you can buy that over the counter at any grocery store.

 

[social me]

Thank you so much everyone. This is all very new to me. I have been constipated my whole life, which is odd to be a crohnie and never have the D problem. Usually it was vomiting that was the issue and being exhausted. I have never gone more then 3 to 4 days before so 15 days is a bit worry some. I think between my doc being on vacation and the ER at the hospital getting slammed I seem to have been pushed a side for now. I have tried colace, mag. citrate, etc. No one has offered me colon blow (bowel prep) yet, but even when I drank that for colonoscopy the GI said it hadn't cleaned me out. I can't eat much w out bneing in pain or having it come up again. I am dumb founded because I understand that since the cat scan showed no blockage everyone seems to no its painful and miserable but not in any serious danger. But, how long do I have to wait before someone agrees this is becoming problem? I have to say every comment I read gives me hope, education and a sense of community. It's wonderful to have! I will ask doc if he thinks bowel prep or any other test could help. How do they know I am not impacted somewhere even if there isnt blockage. Is there anything else that could be a problem and it just didnt show on the cat scan? I wish I could have seen a picture to know in what area is the worst or exactly how backed up I am. BTW do your docs show you your imaging tests? Mine have not. I also think I need a new GI I live in Columbus Ohio. Any rec? Thanks again everyone I am taking notes so I am informed when I see doc on tuesday.

 

[Gems867]

New Doc, call Dr Ward. He is wonderful - really he is. He works out of Mt Carmel East.
http://www.ohiogastro.com/physicians_staff.php

I noticed you said they gave you pain meds. Those will constipate you too...

I am not real familiar with constipation, I have the other problem... But what your describing sounds like when I had my obstruction. But they said yours is not so that is a plus.

I know I have heard for a distended bowel they can do a couple things if laxatives don't work. They can use the NG tube to try to get things moving or they can also do some tube thing thats kinda like a colonoscopy but they suck all the air and stuff out to get things moving. My grandfather had surgery recently and had distended bowel they gave him senticot (spelling?) miralax and magnisum citrate then they did the tube up the butt thing.

Are you still vomiting and do you have a high fever? Are you really bloated? I would say if you are super miserable and have a high fever go to the hospital and refuse to leave without some kind of help.

Oh also did they tell you how distended your bowel was. I know when my grandfather had this problem they said your intestines should be a 4cm and if they go past a 14cm there is a chance for rupture.

 

[social me]

Gems,
I was seeing Wenzke at ohio gastro and wanted to switch, I will tell my Family doc to refer me to him. Thank you. Here are some answers to the questions.

Everyone to see me has stated I am real distended and full of gas.

The vomiting is on average 1 x a day since Thursday night off only after I eat.

I have been waking up drenched in sweat, freezing cold. But no fever.

Thanks for responding, you were of great health because I needed to stay in their network. I hope to hear from you again and will keep in touch. Thanks!

 

[social me]

I will ask do to refer me from Wenzke (not happy) to Dr. Ward.

 

[Gems867]

Good luck with everything I hope someone pays attention soon and gets you feeling better. It totally sucks to feel miserable and to feel as though no one else is concerned. I spent years trying to get someone to pay attention to me so I totally know how you feel. Hopefully Dr Ward can get you in quickly and you like him as much as I do.

Dr Ward is a very blunt and honest doc. He will takes much time as you need to discuss things and weigh your options. And his medical secretary person (Eta) is wonderful and super sweet.

 

[xJillx]

I am so happy you have an appointment lined up. I can't believe the ER sent you on your way. Your symptoms sound quite serious and are not to be taken lightly.

To answer your question, I have never seen results from my imaging tests. I have only seen results for my scopes.

Please let us know how your appointment tomorrow goes.

 

[social me]

Hi everyone,
First let me say all of you help me so much, because of you I am more educated and feel less alone. So thank you.
I am now on day 16..I am on day 3 of eating very little and only soft foods. The last two enimas I used resulted in releasing water only. I am more distended every day and pain gets more every day. I am calling my family doc in the morning asking he refer me to dr. ward. This has completely ruined my Labor Day Weekend with my family. So now I am worried and disapointed. I feel bad for my children, I wanted to go to the park and have a picnic or day at the pool. I just can't believe I am on day 16 and I seem only to be getting worse. Oh what I would pay for a magic pill right now. Oh, BTW I noticed that my doc only prescribed 1 amitiza a day and the rec adult dosage is 2. So that hasnt been helping and they only gave me 1 a day until Tuesday. So I have just 1 left. UGH!

 

[kllyeve]

HI there social me --- OMG another Crohnie like me!! I too suffer badly with constipation not the usual D.

I just went to the ER on Monday in such bad pain that I needed morphine to touch it. I had been having cramps since 2 pm and at 11pm I couldn't take it any more - thought it was another of my partial small bowel obstructions but upon x-ray I was just full of shit!!

I ususally keep on top of the bowel movements as I can back up pretty quickly - I didn't even realize I was constipated as I was having numerous small bowel movements up to the day before the cramping started up again.

ER docs gave me 2 enemas - but no luck as the rectal area was empty - the shit was stuck higher in the colon than the enema could reach. So they brought out the big guns - they gave me some Magnesium citrate solution - no luck. So then they tried the colon prep solution and after a couple of hours that finally worked.

I take a stool softner every day and a GAS-X( gas pain is so bad sometimes I cry)
I also have a tea called DTR from walmart that I drink every day.
I also just found a supplement from a chinese hebalist called San Huang Wan. It contains - Huang Lian, Da Huang, and Huang Qin. It keep everything going like crazy, I have had 2 movements a day( yeah me!!) since I started taking it 4 days ago.
I also try to drink as much water as I can tolerate and only take pain meds to help with sleep as they can also back me up.

I have tried over the counter laxatives and although they somewhat work - I will have the promised movement in 8 hours - they do not keep things moving. I am also leary of anything that my bowels will get dependant on.

Talking a walk in my "tight" jeans also sometimes gets things going - I just head to the mall and start browsing in the book store and sure enough I'll have to run to the bathroom!!

It's amazing how awful you can feel when so backed up - tired achy cranky nauseas. I sometimes envy the people who can't seem to stop going!! As one poster said the shit is always browner on the other side!!

Hope you have a "shitty day" soon!!!

 

[archie]

also abdomen massage is quite effective, work round in a clockwise direction small circular movements and be quite firm and take your time

 

[social me]

Doc scheduled an apt for me Wednesday at 3pm. Around 30 minutes ago I finally finished drinking the swill you drink for colon prep. I am a little down because nothing but water comes out and its just brown. I barely have a feeling that I need to go. Its almost as if my body doesnt send me a signal saying time to use the bathroom. Ugh. I am so nervous and I can't believe this didnt help? What is my problem?

 

[Crohns08]

I did a manual bowel evacuation on myself when the doctors refused to help me and I was blocked up because of my pain meds. I would see if you can get a doctor to do it for you first since there is a risk with doing it. But if you can't, I would do it. Just read up on proper technique and don't do it too hard because it can hurt if you aren't careful.

 

[Carrie630]

I don't know if I missed it, what did they give you for bowel prep? You can buy miralax over the counter and mix it in gatorade. a 14 day bottle and two bottles of gatorade was the second half of my colonoscopy prep (ducolax - 2 tablets was the first half). When I did it for constipation it took a while to get going. It was painful as stuff moved and stopped and was pushed, etc, but after the first few bms the dams broke and the rest came out.

 

[kingofqueen]

That's no good at all . Last time I had that happen , I had my first bowel resection .You have make sure its known you have chrones and that you have a blockage and fear an rupture is coming ! I get blocked like that too but after having it happen so many times I can tell ahead of time the signs of it starting . At this point I step up stuff such as yogurt, apple juice and cut out solids , it's not woth the pain or the damage it can cause if you are fully flared up while backed up .

 

[xJillx]

How did the appointment go today???

Thinking of you.

 

[social me]

The cat scan showed I didnt have a blockage and I did have some help with the golytly however it wasn't nearly what I had expected. It took all 4 liters and 3 hours after before the water starting to come out, thats all. So here I am trying dulcolax and mryalax I am just not sure how how much is to much. I dont want to hurt my colon but I need to get bacl to my life, this issue has been a problem for to long and it gets in the way of so much. I have other concerns to take of and I cant because I am scared and miserable. Thanks all you have been more help then my docs. I would be lost without all your help and ideas. Thanks so much.

 

[xJillx]

I am glad you don't have a blockage, but did the doctors give you any reasons at all as to why you wouldn't have a BM for so long?

I sure hope you get some relief soon!

 

[social me]

No and the doc that said I had no blockage is the ER do. I think I need a second opinion on those ct scan films. I am starting to get nerovus, how long doe this go on?

 

[sf925415]

have they done barium studies/small bowel follow through? you should try that maybe, they could watch under x ray how the barrium gets around your intestines -mabye it would show the narrowing or impaction problem?

 

[sf925415]

and cant there be neuropathic problems that interfere with normal peristalsis such that your intestinal muscles simply don't move food down properly causing you nausea etc... isn't there meds to try for that kind of problem? or have they done upper endoscopy look for problems in stomach or upper intestine contributing?

 

[bamboling]

I am having the same problem! I had small bowel movements, and everything else was water. I don't know what to do! I am trying to get an appt with the Gastro.

 

[social me]

Bamboling and all friends. First let me thank you for you time and your help. I was in the hospital for a few days after 2 ER visits. I was diagnosed in March and by June was starting to feel much better. Vomiting is my biggest issue. :stinks: I am left wondering what to eat? Soft food, no dairy, jello etc. But is there anything I could have thats is more heallthy and gluten free ( preferably) I had salad yesterday I eat it with chicken and fruit. I wonder since I tend to b constipated if a bland chili or rice or tuna would work. Do I eat or dont eat fruit during a flare? Still finding my way around this. I am determined to bet it and feel healthy again! I was going to run the Crohns team challenge half marathon..so much for that now. But one day I will be able to take control..we all will! Until then we have eachother for support and guidance. :ghug: