Small Intestine Motility Problems

[shoesies888]

Hi All!

I am in need of some serious advice from people who have been there already!

I had surgery about a year ago (small bowel resection, 2 feet of small intestine removed) and since have had problems with motility. My bowels are not moving/contracting like they should. Probably a result of the surgery. I have had problems with partial obstructions since that include severe pain, nausea, heartburn, vomiting, gas...

I have been on Remicade since November of 2010. Not sure it's working...

Has anyone with this problem found a good solution/treatment for small intestine dysmotility? My doctor suggested DOMPERIDONE but I don't know how effective it is for the lower part of the GI tract.

Please help!! Thank you in advance!

 

[kekemonster101]

Do you take a daily iron supplement? Iron can often cause constipation depending on the form its in. I believe magnesium can also get things moving a bit more but can also be upsetting to the stomach. Look to see what form your iron is in on your multivitamin as well. The more standard forms like ferrous fumarate and others can make it feel slow.

I dont know if you take any painkillers or not but just in case you arent aware, opiates can slow your motility quite a bit. Eating fiber for me makes it feel like it takes FOREVER for stuff to move through. Consider changing your diet a bit - it can really make a big difference in the intestinal transit time.

Also, consider taking a probiotic more consistently. If you only take it sometimes it wont work. Align has made a difference in the consistency of my stool, but the biggest factor for the actual "transit time" for me has been diet. Even a little fiber makes it reeeeal slow. Even certain things low in fiber but "dry" like crackers make it slow. It seems a little counter-intuitive since for most people fiber is known to make you go! Im talking fiberous stuff like cheerios, whole grains, oatmeal, etc. = bad.

Drinking lots of fluids helps as well.

 

[shoesies888]

Hi Kekemonster,

All good tips! I don't take an oral iron supplement, it's way too harsh on my GI tract. I get it through IV, which is great for the GI system but such a pain because I work and it takes a lot of time.

I have found some relief eliminating wheat from my diet by going Gluten-Free but I will use your suggestions by taking it a step further. I'll limit my fiber/dry food intake.

I only recently stopped taking Probiotic (Align) because it's pricey but I will get back on it.

Seems you've been through a lot too. Thanks again for the tips!

 

[kekemonster101]

If you want a tip for a gentle iron supplement, look for iron in "glycinate" or sometimes labeled "bis-glycinate". Its much easier on the stomach. Sometimes its labeled "gentle iron".

Its cheap as well if you want to give it a try. Its like $2 a month or something. Heres a link: http://www.amazon.com/Natures-Bounty-Gentle-Iron-Capsules/dp/B001G7QYM4/ref=cm_cr-mr-title

Bifera is great too but more expensive. About $20 a month, but more effective since its got dual iron in it. Ive tried many iron supplements and these two are the only ones that wont upset my stomach or give me constipation or sour stomach. And remember, if your multivitamin contains a lot of iron, thats another source you should consider.

 

[shoesies888]

I'm going to buy the gentle iron! Thanks!!

 

[kekemonster101]

Great. Give us an update if you take it and let us know how it feels on your stomach. It also contains Vitamin C, Folic Acid, and Vitamin B12, all ingredients that help with iron absorption. Of course, with any supplement, you should ask your doctor beforehand. I take two per day, one with breakfast, one with lunch. Iron supplements in general are best taken with a meal to reduce any stomach upset.

Side note: that brand of iron has been tested by consumerlab.com, which is an independent lab that tests popular supplements. Its great, like $39 for unlimited reports for a year. You'd be surprised at the popular products that fail the tests, it happens all the time. I try to take supplements that have been tested by them.. they test to make sure theres no contaminants like lead, and test to see if it contains the ingredients they claim. (although I sound like a commercial I dont work for the supplement company I promise! )

 

[shoesies888]

So I went and bought a different brand: Solgar Gentle Iron from Sun Harvest for 15 bucks for 180. What does consumerlab say about it? I already take 1000 mg of Vitamin C from Solgar and it's the only one that doesn't hurt my tummy. I love it. I also give myself a B12 shot every month bc the portion of small intestine removed is the part that absorbs B12. Do I need to take Folic?

I also just went and bought 2 months worth of Align. Dent in the wallet but at least I'm being proactive!

Thanks for the help!

 

[kekemonster101]

I checked the iron report for you and luckily enough they did test that particular supplement. It passed - no contaminants and it did contain the claimed amount of iron.

If you feel that Align isnt worth the steep price, you can always try a less expensive probiotic. Different strains of bacteria work differently with different people. Id recommend if you aren't sure a product works for you, order a 1 month supply first and go from there. Since amazon offers free shipping, theres no extra cost for ordering seperately.

As far as cheaper probiotics goes, I've always recommended http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BQ8ATQ (about a third of the cost of align) which contains the same bacteria found in yogurt (acidophilus). Align is more clinically studied in IBD. Try one or two different ones and see if any of them work for you, but make sure to take them on a daily basis. Forgetting every other day wont do you any good

As far as folic acid goes, I dont really hear of many people supplementing with it. Your multivitamin probably has some in there, and its also got Vitamin C too, so supplementing usually isnt necessary. However, things like folic acid, vitamin c, etc are water soluble, meaning you can safely take lots of it with little chance of toxicity. This is why you will sometimes see vitamins with thousands of % of the daily value. Your body can easily get rid of the excess. This is not true with certain other vitamins/minerals though (such as iron, usually when little kids decide to swallow them like candy!).

 

[shoesies888]

Thank you for your tips! I am having to get back on Prednisone bc I have active inflammation right now...not feeling so great.

Also, thinking about starting the SCD once I get to feeling better. Several people I know have found relief from the diet. I've been skeptical but I figure it's worth a shot...just to feel good again and keep feeling good!

 

[kenvh]

Thank you for your tips! I am having to get back on Prednisone bc I have active inflammation right now...not feeling so great.

Also, thinking about starting the SCD once I get to feeling better. Several people I know have found relief from the diet. I've been skeptical but I figure it's worth a shot...just to feel good again and keep feeling good!

How are u now??
Is ur motility better??
Pls reply. I could be in simular situation
Thx.