HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Diarrhea now constipation how do you handle this

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 2/29/2008 11:43 PM (GMT 0)
I don't understand I had bad diarrhea now for over a year and a half and now recently it slowed down to only 2-4 times a day.  Now recently it is just a few very small formed pieces a day.  Am I now constipated.  What do you do?  I don't have any cramping...could this be an obstruction and how would I know?  I send my doc an email too.  I started VSL#3 so maybe that is doing it??  Thanks for sharing any thoughts that might help!!

Hugs

Chris

Posted 3/1/2008 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
The same thing happened to me only I just plain stopped going, I called my Gi he told me to take miralax daily for a week. I did this but I stiI ll had days where I wouldnt go at all, I would get very distended and uncomfortable . I have had crohnes for 20 plus years and the only time I got constipated was when I was Pregnant with my son. I still have trouble and the dr has increased my miralax to twice a day. my stools are very narrow when i do finally go or they are little specs. I am going to mayo clinic march 17 for a colonoscopy and a consult with a surgeon, Icurrently am on no meds for I have been through them all at this point. Sorry I am babbling as usaul try miralax its safe and effective until you can get in touch with your dr. good luck
Posted 3/1/2008 2:37 AM (GMT 0)
I am going through cycles of D and C too! My doc feels this is more related to my IBS and less to my Crohn's, but I don't know how he makes that determination. If you have no abdominal pain, and no vomiting, it doesn't sound like an obstruction. For some reason I didn't tolerate Miralax well...it made me very nauseous. Senokot or colace work better for the constipation for me. I still haven't really got this under control though. Definitely talk with your doc, and let me know if you get any good ideas!
Posted 3/1/2008 4:33 AM (GMT 0)
Wow. For me it was the complete opposite. This all started in August 2007 for me with chronic constipation. Now I have really bad diarrhea..since like February 7 or so. I got so dehydrated I was in the hospital for a week. Anyway, for the constipation I did use Miralax, Colace, and Citrucel. I think the Citrucel helped but if you really feel uncomfortable try a Ducolax (spelling?) suppository. It says it can take 15 minutes to an hour to work..I always sat on my bed and waited out the hour and then just walked around a few minutes. After that it all came out..there would usually be some bad cramping while going but there was no struggling to push or anything..it was literally like it was all falling out. And I finally had relief. I know suppositories aren't pleasant but if you get to that point of discomfort you should really try it at least for relief for the time being. Best of luck!
Posted 3/1/2008 5:38 PM (GMT 0)

I totally understand your frustration!  While it is better in a way to be constipated than have to go 20 times a day and be dehydrated and weak, I know it's really really uncomfortable and painful to not be able to go.  Whenever I am on the steroids I have that problem, and I'm gonna throw my vote in with the Miralax also here, it was pretty effective and it also seemed to kind of make a little bit of a gel coating on everything that calmed down the pain of going to the bathroom.  It's a bit expensive but I feel it is very much worth it when I am having trouble going.  Using the milk of magnesia/philipp's products can help too, and they are pretty cheap, but just make sure you drink lots of water and do not eat too much sodium or you won't be able to go, they require lots of water to work.  I also had to go have a sigmoidoscopy this week for the first time ever and they said to use two "Fleet Enema"s before the procedure....those things emptied me out within 5 minutes!  It wasn't particularly fun to use but if you want -immediate- relief you could try one of those.

Good luck finding some relief and let us know how you are doing :-)

Posted 3/1/2008 9:04 PM (GMT 0)
Well that used to be an issue for me as well, until my GI told me to take a fibre supplement daily for the rest of my life, it's been about 5 yrs now and I havn't had those issues since I basically started them. Fibre helps with C and D, it keeps you regular.

:)
Posted 3/2/2008 3:02 AM (GMT 0)

pb4-

What fiber supplement are trying?  Also, where do you purchase it?  I am going to call me gi on monday and speak with him about what to do and the fiber supplement as well.

Can this be an obstruction?  I am not nauseous or vomiting but my stomach is growing larger each day.  Not sure what is going on. No pain just tight clothes!!

Thanks

Chris

Posted 3/2/2008 3:54 AM (GMT 0)
If you had an obstruction I think the symptoms might be more than a bloated stomach...I've been using a fibre supplement for the last 5 yrs called Prodiem, it's similar to metamucil (it has psyllium in it)...once I started taking it, it did increase my severe bloating and gas but after my system adjusted (for me it was 3 months) all my bloating disappeard and my gas is very minimal, it's normal for it to cause excess gas and bloating this can happen to healthy people as well. I can even tolerate eating fibreous foods without getting all gassy and bloated, so it's been well worth it and I plan to continue with it everyday as my GI suggested.

:)
Posted 3/2/2008 12:33 PM (GMT 0)
PB4-
Can you buyt the prodiem over the counter? I will ask my Gi about it when I call him in the morning. Crohns is so confusing...for a person who is an A type personality this is the worst! First diarrhea all the time, then constipation, now both! It makes sense that the fibre supplement would work because it regulates you. I hope this is an option for me. Thanks so much for sharing your ideas. I think I am stressing out as I know my crohns isn't under control and I am so afraid of having an obstruction or other complicatons.
Thanks so much!
Posted 3/2/2008 12:34 PM (GMT 0)
PB4-
Can you buyt the prodiem over the counter? I will ask my Gi about it when I call him in the morning. Crohns is so confusing...for a person who is an A type personality this is the worst! First diarrhea all the time, then constipation, now both! It makes sense that the fibre supplement would work because it regulates you. I hope this is an option for me. Thanks so much for sharing your ideas. I think I am stressing out as I know my crohns isn't under control and I am so afraid of having an obstruction or other complicatons.
Thanks so much!
Posted 3/2/2008 3:32 PM (GMT 0)

Good ole Metamucil is my fiber supplement of choice. Remember when chosing a fiber supplement that soluble fiber is good, and insoluble fiber is evil. Look for something that is 100% pure psyllium or methylcellulose. Both of these are soluble fibers. Personally, I've had better success with the psyllium (Metamucil) than the methylcellulose. There are other types of soluble fibers, but right now the names are slipping my mind.

Three tablespoons of the sugar sweetened Metamucil in a full 8 oz. glass of water, followed by another 8 oz glass of water really helps with my D and C cycles. When things get bad (either lots of D, or really C'd), I'll do a second dose of three tablespoons later in the day.

I've been taking at least three tablespoons of Metamucil every day for the last five years. It has done more to help my Chrohn's (both the C and D, and even cramps) more than anything except prednisone.

It has also lowered my cholesterol a bunch.

✚ New Topic ✚ Reply