Crohn's and Constipation?

I hope somebody can help shed some light........

I am a 31 year old female 5'4 135 pounds.

I have been diagnosed with Crohn's disease for 10 years now.  I was taking 6mp for about 9 years. Was on prednisone and weaned off by taking the 6mp. Within a year of starting the 6mp I was constantly constipated. I continued to take it although it kept getting worse so I  stopped taking my 6mp in hopes I would finally go to the bathroom. Never worked. Been off it a year! I have been in emergency about 5 times within a year to get a milk of molasses enema (it worked!!!) I have tried amitza, magnesium citrate, Miralax just to name a few (no relief). Come to find out I had a parathryoid tumor that had caused the constipation all these years. The pathology report came back saying I had it 8-10 years! It caused severe osteoporosis and a lot of other problems. Finally...I foud out why I was so constipated. High calcium caused by the parathryoid tumor.  I had surgery for the parathyroid tumor  in Dec 2007 and was able to go to the bathroom like every other day. Still was not taking the 6 MP. Was hoping this was behind me.  All of a sudden 2 months later I am constipated again!!! Going on 2 weeks now feeling sick, bloated, and fed up! I have not taken medication for Crohn's disease for a YEAR....wouldn't anyone with Crohn's disease be in the bathroom a lot??? I had 2 opionions years ago and they say yes I have Crohn's. I do have other medical problems too: Hypothyroid, Gerd, Fibromyalgia, Osteoporosis, sacroiliitis, osteoarthritis in hips, and back, perphieral Neuropathy in legs and feet, carpal tunnel in both hands. My GI was livid when he found out I stopped the 6mp so I told him I started it again.....but I didn't.

My question is what is going on?? Why am I so constipated all the time? I excersise 30 minutes a day everyday. I drink water all day long. Granted there are days I don't feel good and skip a day of excersising but come on. Is anyone else constipated all the time?? Nothing works for me. How I get constipated I don't know but I have to go to extremes to finally go to the bathroom. I started taking peppermint oil daily in Sept and that used to help. I am deciding how long I should wait until I go to the ER this time? Never have a blockage and they always tell me to use enemas when I get this way. Which never works. I do get Lower right pain a lot but it goes away.

ANY advice please??

THANKS

Yeah, I have a lot of trouble with constipation too. Three things have helped more than anything else:

1 - Gluten free diet. Apparently in my case, gluten slows down my gut.
2 - Gallbladder removal. Had a pile of large stones. After the surgery, my BM's became a lot better color and consistancy.
3 - Burdock Root. This herb makes the difference for me. I took magnesium supplements for years, because that used to help, and then all of a sudden it quit working. Adding 2-4 capsules of Burdock Root /day (usually 1 cap per meal) keeps things nice and regular. If I stop taking the herb, my gut quits working again. Burdock is mucilaginous, meaning it improves the health of the mucus membranes in the gut.

Probiotics (acidophilus, etc.), iron supplements, Miralax, aged cheeses, sticky foods (like peanut butter), and lack of sufficient water intake make my constipation worse. I used to have good luck with Flaxseed Meal (2 Tablespoons/day), but had to stop using it because of small bowel inflammation (the pain was intolerable when that fiber went through the inflammed part).

Another suggestion is acupuncture - the theory goes that energy pathway blockages in the body can cause physical symptoms. Acupuncture balances out the energy flow in these energy pathways (called meridians) and balances Qi (pronounced "chee"), which is your main life energy.

Good luck,

Thanks everyone for helping. I have before gone gluten free and yes that makes a difference but somewhere down the road I goof up. I guess I feel so much better I eat whatever. I am so full and bloated right now and feeling just yucky! It seems the doctor's just don't care. I am really getting depressed. I am not overweight so it is obvious my abdomen is "full" and distended. I cannot fit into my jeans at this point.

People look at me funny when I tell them I have Crohn's yet I am constipated all the time. Amitiza makes me sick. Miralax does nothing but bloat me. Fiber pills do nothing at all as do the stool softners. I have had my gallbladder checked 4x and they see no stones. That runs in my family big time too. I see my GI who is of no help to my situation in a few weeks. I remember when I got diagnosed and I was in the bathroom all the time!! I had to be put on prednsione and was in the hospital for 2 months! Now 10 years later here I am can't even go to the bathroom more than once or twice a month. I don't get it. To make matters worse I just starte on Lyica for fibromyalgia and that constipates you. I give up!!

Thanks again,

Clare

? I have small bowel movements everyday. But not nice formed movements. And I feel so bloated and like my stomach is stretching to hold in all the poop that can't escape. Is that what constipation feels like?