Constipated for 6 months now..

afuckingHELICOPTER · 11 months

If your normal doc doesn't have suggestions that sound reasonable, see a G.I. doctor ASAP. You should have gone to one months ago.

backpackwayne · 11 months

Get a bottle of "Magnesium Citrate" at your local pharmacy. It's non-prescription. It comes in a ten ounce bottle and actually tastes good. You drink the entire bottle and do not be more than 100 feet from the bathroom afterwards. It takes about an hour but I promise you it works. My doctor had me take it after a similar problem. Nothing out there works better.

flappingumbrella · 11 months

You seem to be at high risk of an obstruction, and you need to get taken care of ASAP. Hopefully your doctor isn't a complete idiot and will take some action immediately tomorrow, and commit to some follow-up in the days following. You need to be prepared to go to the ER to rule out an obstruction. Hopefully you are not vomiting. If you start, get to the hospital.

Keep us posted on what happens after this. You may want to consider a gentle stimulant laxative instead of a bulk laxative next time -- like Senna. How much fluid have you been taking in?? Miralax acts a lot like cement if you don't take enough fluid.

mag_star · 11 months

google ileus or bowel obstruction

omegaphora · 11 months

I've had a colonoscopy. They make you drink this horrifically large quantity of liquid semen/sea water (2l in my case) in a short amount of time and then you have to fast. It was called GoLightly and it made me poop hourly. For 24hrs. I cant describe how humiliating the process was. I threw out the cup I used to drink the fluid.

Anyways. You can't get a colonoscopy until your gut is 110% empty. I will never recommend this to anyone.

Good luck, whatever happens.

curious_skeptic · 11 months

How do you poop? Do you sit down on a toilet? Do you sit on the seat? Serious question here.

I had terrible constipation problems daily for many years, and later hemorrhoids, and they all went away with the combination of fiber, water, and by far most importantly - not using the toilet seat. Some people just squat, but I sort of sit on the rim, with the seat up, my butt cheeks quite wide. And it works like a charm.

TL;DR - try not using the toilet seat for a few days.

nakedandfamous · 11 months

Read http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/jo5at/iama_guy_that_hasnt_pooped_in_the_month_of_august/ cover to cover. Pay special attention to the terms "manual retrieval" and "torn anus."

squeeze_me_macaroni · 11 months

This is a long shot, but you mentioned that sometimes you feel the urge to go but then once you sit nothing happens...I would suggest squatting because when you sit you bend your colon and your insides in a way that restricts the poopage. Westerners have adapted to it, but back in the day a lot of Eastern cultures would squat to poop versus sitting.

Read: http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2010/08/dont_just_sit_there.html

[deleted] · 11 months

Constipated for six months and your stomach is hard and protruding?

First suggestion: see a different doctor. You sound like you have an intestinal obstruction. At this point you should probably ask for a referral to a surgeon.

Secondly: be very careful taking laxatives. If you have a bowel obstruction then taking these may wind up killing you.

Third suggestion: did I mention that you should see a different doctor? Do this NOW.

ManOverBeard · 11 months

It sounds like an impacted bowel.

MidnightSlinks · 11 months

My cousin had a similar issue where her digestive system just kind of... stopped. She stopped pooping then as it backed up, she stopped being hungry. She was put on a regimen of 8 Pepto Bismol pills per day. One before and after each meal she ate and 2 at bedtime if she only ate 3 times. I think she had to drink a lot of extra water too. This probably won't provide the immediate relief you want, but this might be something to consider more long-term. I think she did it for a few months then tapered off and everything's normal now.

As a fun constipation fact: if you have a small mass that's stuck (as opposed to days of poo filling you up) near the back of the colon, you can get liquid from the small intestine flowing around the blockage, resulting in liquid poop.

Hawk_Biz · 11 months

I took 2 bottles of Fleet before my Colonoscopy. It was the exact opposite of what you described. Try that.

segroeg · 11 months

Coffee?

paisefilhos · 11 months

Once you get back to normal, try physilium husk powder. I mix it with my shake every other day. seems to work well. Also, water and apples daily.

centech · 11 months

This sounds like its WAAYYY past 'hey should I try a new laxitive'.. You need a new doctor, or the emergency room. My mom had a bowel obstruction a few months ago, it's no joke. Not saying that's what you have, but I think you really need to get some tests done and not just take miralax.

_lastly_ · 11 months

First of all, I think stress has a major impact on your condition. I have periodic constipation if/when I'm carrying some emotional drama around silently while trying to tough it out, keep going, and being hard on myself mentally. When I finally talk about it I have the most enjoyable, glorious shits ever. I am not even joking. I think this is where the term "tight ass" comes from but don't quote me on that.

Try seeing is there is a practitioner of colonic hydrotherapy in your city. Make sure s/he is certified and has a steady stream of clientèle. I've done this procedure 3 times, twice with a proper doctor and once with a hippy earth mama who's been doing them all her life, and was 65 years old and looked 35. I definitely recommend a doctor as he was all business about it, which is the kind of approach I personally appreciate.

Here is the page describing the procedure from the clinic I went to. If you have any questions or want a description, let me know. It's a pretty fucking wild ride with lots of disgusting shit (ha) but it's also probably the closest thing I've come to a religious experience.

Good luck dude!!

Roger_Roger · 11 months

Two apples a day gets me back on track. One yakult a day or other probiotic like good tummy helps keep it that way. Can't say it's gotten as bad as yours, though. Stay away from cheese and candy.

anonymousalex · 11 months

They might do an abdomen x-ray to check for large obstructions. After that, your doctor might order a small bowel follow through exam. You would have to drink a barium suspension and you would get x-rays done every 15 or 30 minutes to see if it's reached the large bowel. This would help find an obstruction in your small intestine.

If the small intestine is good, then you might be on to a barium enema. Exactly what it sounds like. Barium solution gets flushed into your colon, more pictures are taken.

BE's are done typically for an incomplete colonoscopy, so if your doctor says no go to a colonoscopy ask about other imaging methods like the barium enema.

However, I think you should ask your questions to your doctor. They're the only one who should be giving you real medical advice, like what laxatives to try, and what procedures they'll order for you.

Quick question: do you eat anything strange, like hair or fingernails? Materials like that don't digest and can form a bezoar, which can definitely screw things up in there.

bmingo · 11 months

This sounds serious & my suggestion isn't a cure for this situation but just to let you know for future incidents that Açai berries induce diarrhea.

They sell them as a "cleanse" at Costco & they do clear you out. So next time you haven't had a movement in a few days, keeps some nearby.

They really work. : ) good luck

Furthur · 11 months

colonic might not be a bad idea if you're truly stopped up since taking in more high fiber foods isn't helping besides gum up the works even more. When it's all said and done think about triscuits, popcorn and watermelon. super high fiber and in large doses combined with a little exercise guarantees an evacuation!

best of luck

takethecake · 11 months

Have you had your thyroid checked? The fatigue and the constipation are ringing the alarm for me, since that's how mine started. I didn't realize what it was until my hair started falling out, though. I would have the doctor check for hypothyroidism, or find an endocrinologist who will do so for you.

In the meantime, Magnesium Citrate is good, but I wouldn't take a large quantity at once. Take a smaller dose and drink a lot of water, since it works by attracting fluid into your bowels. I take a supplement nightly which keeps me regular, though I haven't really been constipated for a while. You'll find it also helps with your stress levels and if you take it at night, it will help you sleep.

raplvr · 11 months

In the same aisle as the laxatives there is a smallish bottle of Mineral Oil. Take a third of it. It will take everything with it as it goes through...

bootsNzero · 11 months

I had a similar problem where this lasted for 2 weeks with me. In the end what helped me was drinking Milk of Magnesia after meals and (the cherry flavor is best) and then fleet enema makes a drinkable saline that tastes horrible and is very salty but I drank 2 of those and it made me go. They are difficult to find but they did the job. Also Colace is a stool softener which helped as well.

flamingflipflop · 11 months

update!!

tinychestnut · 11 months

Perhaps ask your doctor about a soap suds enema? We do them frequently at work (ER nurse) but you need to make sure that you aren't obstructed, which I'm sure the new GI doctor will be seriously concerned about. Please update tomorrow OP!

Owlie · 11 months

There was an AMA from about a year ago on about exactly this same subject. Damned reddit search. As I recall though, the reddit comments saved the poster's life because what you are going through is some serious shit. I'll try to keep looking, but from what I remember, if you haven't gone AT ALL in 3 months this is a serious deal.

mamid · 11 months

phospho soda. it is the drink they make you take the day before a colonoscopy. Mix it with gingerale or you won't be able to take it at all. drink a ton of liquids. If you are that constipated, you may just have a plug and as soon as that plug is gone, everything that hasn't come out will over the next several hours to days.

joeanon · 11 months

Colonoscopies are notorious known to miss things, but something causing this must constipation I'd think you'd notice. However digestion is a multi organ process which even includes the brain and it's very complex.

GI doctors are no where near mastering the understanding of digestion, so ask lots of questions and read up. Don't be afraid to push on the DR, he is your employee.

rakista · 11 months

If you have a hand held shower head you can unscrew it and use the tube as an endless hot enema.

[deleted] · 11 months

I don't believe you, you're full of shit.

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