- Joined
- Jul 10, 2010
- Messages
- 20
Hi folks! I usually just lurk here, but I've had one of those weeks. And I was hoping you could give some advice or at least reassurance.
I have Crohn's disease, with past history of a stricture which was repaired with a stricturoplasty. The GI says I likely have IBS too, and I appear to be gluten intolerant. I still tend to eat high protein, low fiber though, or I end up in lots of pain. But this year overall has been much better.
However, due to some traumatic stress, things got really bad for me over the last 6-7 weeks, so I started taking prednisone again. As much as I would like to complain about it, I feel so much better than I did before that I can't -- until this weekend anyway.
I have been really hungry though, and I have even been eating 3 meals a day for several days over the last couple of weeks, as opposed to my usual 1.5 or less. (Thank you prednisone.) The downside to that is that things aren't moving through as fast as I am putting them in.
Right now my stomach is distended, I look like I could be several months pregnant, and it hurts quite a bit. I was initially trying to avoid Miralax as I had associated it with some severe nausea in the past, but it did work to soften things up. And the nausea only seemed to happen when things got stuck. So I sometimes think it is just the way it fills/bulks the stool up that rubs the wrong part of my intestines. Or not? (Bowel issues are so weird.)
Instead this last week I tried taking milk of magnesia, which was painful but helped some, although it made me very dehydrated one day to the point I considered going to the ER. I also tried some bisocodyl tablets ... once... I won't make that mistake again until my next bowel prep. And I've even tried senekot-S, which is good for lots of gurgling sounds and cramping. But things really aren't moving. So I am back on the miralax as of yesterday.
My big question is: Should I stop eating? Is there a better way to manage this? I did liquids all day yesterday except for 1 meal. But this prednisone makes me feel like I could eat all day. (My dogs say "hey, save some for us.") And as much as I want to eat, I don't want to exacerbate my symptoms. (And really, I am afraid of eating right now, which is a very disconcerting feeling as I am sure many know.)
I have been having small little bowel movements, but the stools are hard. And I can feel things moving through the lower right side... or sitting there and hurting, either way. I think a lot of it may be gas as I have passed a bit in the last 24 hours whenever I have tried to go. But after about 12 hours of torture yesterday I ended up taking some pain medicine, which of course slows things down too. I was trying to avoid it though. (I usually take some pain medicine anyway, but I don't usually have bad constipation or distension like this. Usually I still have 2-3+ bowel movements a day.)
I guess I could do an enema, but I am afraid of mixing lots of laxatives as well as the dehydration / etc. Not to mention, I am afraid that things are getting stuck in a place where an enema won't help. (And I am trying to stay hydrated.) I haven't taken the milk of magnesia since I thought it was going to send me to the ER. The bisocodyl tables were a nightmare. And I am afraid of the miralax with the bowels in this condition.
I don't know exactly what I am looking for from anyone, but maybe just sharing your experiences would help? Or links to those experiences. I have done a lot of searching / reading, but I am still unsure on the should I stop eating thing thing. I just feel stuck... in more ways than one.
Thank you very much in advance. And I apologize if I am rehashing the whole C thing as well as my wall of text... Worrying makes me wordy.
I have Crohn's disease, with past history of a stricture which was repaired with a stricturoplasty. The GI says I likely have IBS too, and I appear to be gluten intolerant. I still tend to eat high protein, low fiber though, or I end up in lots of pain. But this year overall has been much better.
However, due to some traumatic stress, things got really bad for me over the last 6-7 weeks, so I started taking prednisone again. As much as I would like to complain about it, I feel so much better than I did before that I can't -- until this weekend anyway.
I have been really hungry though, and I have even been eating 3 meals a day for several days over the last couple of weeks, as opposed to my usual 1.5 or less. (Thank you prednisone.) The downside to that is that things aren't moving through as fast as I am putting them in.
Right now my stomach is distended, I look like I could be several months pregnant, and it hurts quite a bit. I was initially trying to avoid Miralax as I had associated it with some severe nausea in the past, but it did work to soften things up. And the nausea only seemed to happen when things got stuck. So I sometimes think it is just the way it fills/bulks the stool up that rubs the wrong part of my intestines. Or not? (Bowel issues are so weird.)
Instead this last week I tried taking milk of magnesia, which was painful but helped some, although it made me very dehydrated one day to the point I considered going to the ER. I also tried some bisocodyl tablets ... once... I won't make that mistake again until my next bowel prep. And I've even tried senekot-S, which is good for lots of gurgling sounds and cramping. But things really aren't moving. So I am back on the miralax as of yesterday.
My big question is: Should I stop eating? Is there a better way to manage this? I did liquids all day yesterday except for 1 meal. But this prednisone makes me feel like I could eat all day. (My dogs say "hey, save some for us.") And as much as I want to eat, I don't want to exacerbate my symptoms. (And really, I am afraid of eating right now, which is a very disconcerting feeling as I am sure many know.)
I have been having small little bowel movements, but the stools are hard. And I can feel things moving through the lower right side... or sitting there and hurting, either way. I think a lot of it may be gas as I have passed a bit in the last 24 hours whenever I have tried to go. But after about 12 hours of torture yesterday I ended up taking some pain medicine, which of course slows things down too. I was trying to avoid it though. (I usually take some pain medicine anyway, but I don't usually have bad constipation or distension like this. Usually I still have 2-3+ bowel movements a day.)
I guess I could do an enema, but I am afraid of mixing lots of laxatives as well as the dehydration / etc. Not to mention, I am afraid that things are getting stuck in a place where an enema won't help. (And I am trying to stay hydrated.) I haven't taken the milk of magnesia since I thought it was going to send me to the ER. The bisocodyl tables were a nightmare. And I am afraid of the miralax with the bowels in this condition.
I don't know exactly what I am looking for from anyone, but maybe just sharing your experiences would help? Or links to those experiences. I have done a lot of searching / reading, but I am still unsure on the should I stop eating thing thing. I just feel stuck... in more ways than one.
Thank you very much in advance. And I apologize if I am rehashing the whole C thing as well as my wall of text... Worrying makes me wordy.
