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No Poo for 4 days now very painful what should I do
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crystal552000
- Little Blue Penguin
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Sat May 08, 2010 8:14 am
- Location: kansas city Mo
No Poo for 4 days now very painful what should I do
I have been on entocort for 4 months now and they just started to taper me down to 2 pills a day been doing that for a week, just went to the GI and told them I was still having pains, he suggested I start drinking miralax everyday been doing that for 3 days now, however I haven't had a bowel movement in 4 days, I am a little concerned with this considering the ones before I stopped having them were really skinny, Im not sure what to think of this situation any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated
If the Miralax hasn't worked, then other OTC laxatives may not work, either, (though a different brand might be worth a try). Your GP might have some suggestions, but if all that fails, and you don't make any progress after another day or to, you may need to go to the ER.
Blockages can become a serious problem, after a few days. If you happen to be taking any narcotic type pain pills, (opioid-based), they could be the problem, because they are notorious for causing impaction problems, due to the fact that they slow down motility. Even a mild opioid, such as Lomitil, could possibly cause problems for some individuals who happen to be more sensitive than normal to them.
Since you presumably recently had a colonoscopy, your GI doc should be aware of any physical causes that might potentially result in a blockage, so the problem is almost surely just impacted feces. That being the case, before I went to the ER, I would try one or two of the commercial enema products designed for colonoscopy prep use, (available at any drug store). I would assume that they would be the next step up the treatment ladder, after unsuccessful treatment with a laxative.
Tex
Blockages can become a serious problem, after a few days. If you happen to be taking any narcotic type pain pills, (opioid-based), they could be the problem, because they are notorious for causing impaction problems, due to the fact that they slow down motility. Even a mild opioid, such as Lomitil, could possibly cause problems for some individuals who happen to be more sensitive than normal to them.
Since you presumably recently had a colonoscopy, your GI doc should be aware of any physical causes that might potentially result in a blockage, so the problem is almost surely just impacted feces. That being the case, before I went to the ER, I would try one or two of the commercial enema products designed for colonoscopy prep use, (available at any drug store). I would assume that they would be the next step up the treatment ladder, after unsuccessful treatment with a laxative.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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crystal552000
- Little Blue Penguin
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Sat May 08, 2010 8:14 am
- Location: kansas city Mo
Ultram, (tramadol), is considered to be a "narcotic-like" pain reliever. The exact mode of action of tramadol is unknown, but it's said to work like morphine. Tramadol binds to opioid receptors in the brain -- receptors that transmit the sensation of pain throughout the body.
From a U. S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration site, (dated June, 2009):
Those noises suggest that you should be having diarrhea, (IOW, the laxative is working), but there seems to be a blockage of some type, that prevents any flow past that point. Without an X-ray, it's difficult to say what's going on.
I'm not sure if Urgent Care centers handle issues such as this, or not, but unless you have good insurance, the ER is a pretty expensive option, though it's certainly the quickest one, when time is of the essence.
Tex
From a U. S. Department of Justice, Drug Enforcement Administration site, (dated June, 2009):
That said, it probably isn't the cause of your problem, though it may have contributed, (especially if you have been taking it regularly), since it slows motility. Is your GI doc aware that you have been taking Ultram?Introduction:
Tramadol was approved for marketing as a noncontrolled analgesic in 1995 under the trade name of Ultram®. Although the company initially claimed that this substance produced only very weak narcotic effects, recent data demonstrate that opioid activity is the overriding contributor to the drug’s pharmacological activity. Because of inadequate product labeling and lack of established abuse potential, many physicians felt this drug was safe to prescribe to recovering narcotic addicts and to known narcotic abusers. As a consequence, numerous reports of abuse and dependence have been received.
Those noises suggest that you should be having diarrhea, (IOW, the laxative is working), but there seems to be a blockage of some type, that prevents any flow past that point. Without an X-ray, it's difficult to say what's going on.
I'm not sure if Urgent Care centers handle issues such as this, or not, but unless you have good insurance, the ER is a pretty expensive option, though it's certainly the quickest one, when time is of the essence.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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crystal552000
- Little Blue Penguin
- Posts: 38
- Joined: Sat May 08, 2010 8:14 am
- Location: kansas city Mo
finally went
Well I finally went to the bathroom and well lets just say my skinny poo got even more skinnier not even pencil size smaller like the size of a worm or something. I called the nurse at the GI clinic and she still has yet to call back. I have an appointment at the GI on the 27th so I don't know if I should wait till then since im moving now or if there is still a problem because of the size of the stool. And yes the GI doc knows Im on tramadol even though he didn't prescribe back in July I had a really bad episode went to the emergency room because Ive always had right side pain and this switched to the left, so I was concerned about that, well needless to say they put me on morphine while in there and then tramadol at home which I only take when needed I still have the 1 month supply he gave me in July.
Crystal,
Like Joe, I have been on Tramadol at times. I don't think it has an effect on this nasty problem. Vicodin, on the other hand, does, at least for me. Agree with Tex on that.
Regarding skinny poo. I get that a lot. I stopped worrying about it years ago. I get it at random times, I get it after using lomotil. Heck, I get it whenever... Sometimes it is more flat than skinny.
I have been told I have a redundant (torturous) colon, and that could have an effect on my stool shape, etc. You would think that having any type of redundancy in your body is a good thing. As an engineer, you design-in redundancy to improve reliability. But apparently, for the colon, it means you have too much of it. And this makes it bend all over the place, causing movement of stool issues, and a host of other unpleasant side effects.
Anyways, you sound somewhat like me so I wonder if you have too much colon? Or, if the entocort has affected your peristalsis (contractions of the colon). It seems to be messing with mine. Who knows. Seems the more I learn, the less I know :)
I hope this information helps you!
Rich
Like Joe, I have been on Tramadol at times. I don't think it has an effect on this nasty problem. Vicodin, on the other hand, does, at least for me. Agree with Tex on that.
Regarding skinny poo. I get that a lot. I stopped worrying about it years ago. I get it at random times, I get it after using lomotil. Heck, I get it whenever... Sometimes it is more flat than skinny.
I have been told I have a redundant (torturous) colon, and that could have an effect on my stool shape, etc. You would think that having any type of redundancy in your body is a good thing. As an engineer, you design-in redundancy to improve reliability. But apparently, for the colon, it means you have too much of it. And this makes it bend all over the place, causing movement of stool issues, and a host of other unpleasant side effects.
Anyways, you sound somewhat like me so I wonder if you have too much colon? Or, if the entocort has affected your peristalsis (contractions of the colon). It seems to be messing with mine. Who knows. Seems the more I learn, the less I know :)
I hope this information helps you!
Rich
Rich,
To the best of my knowledge, Entocort does not affect motility/peristalsis. It might reduce unnatural spasms, (as a result of reducing inflammation), but I don't believe that it artificially reduces the normal motility of the intestines.
FWIW, be aware that I also had a much longer than normal, (and larger than normal), and tortuous colon. In fact, my small intestine is also much longer than normal. Note that I said "had", because as you may or may not be aware, I had a colon resection 5 years ago, (due to a blockage), and a complete colectomy, last February. I'm beginning to suspect that a redundant, tortuous colon may not be an ideal arrangement, though the guys in the white coats say that it's nothing to be concerned about.
Tex
To the best of my knowledge, Entocort does not affect motility/peristalsis. It might reduce unnatural spasms, (as a result of reducing inflammation), but I don't believe that it artificially reduces the normal motility of the intestines.
FWIW, be aware that I also had a much longer than normal, (and larger than normal), and tortuous colon. In fact, my small intestine is also much longer than normal. Note that I said "had", because as you may or may not be aware, I had a colon resection 5 years ago, (due to a blockage), and a complete colectomy, last February. I'm beginning to suspect that a redundant, tortuous colon may not be an ideal arrangement, though the guys in the white coats say that it's nothing to be concerned about.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Tex,
I am aware of the resections and colectomy you had. Did you ultimately end up having an ileostomy?
I have always asked my docs about getting rid of some of my redundant colon. They routinely tell me that many people have redundant colons and they are asymptomatic, so they dismiss it. Further, they proceed to tell me about the risks of such surgery. But I tend to agree with you on this, sadly.
So I never know what to do. When they had trouble scoping me a couple months ago, I really was preparing for resection. But that is when they diagnosed the LC. I haven't seen my doctor since diagnosis so I am unsure as to what he wants to do next.
Obviously, I want to do what I can to alleviate my symptoms.
Rich
I am aware of the resections and colectomy you had. Did you ultimately end up having an ileostomy?
I have always asked my docs about getting rid of some of my redundant colon. They routinely tell me that many people have redundant colons and they are asymptomatic, so they dismiss it. Further, they proceed to tell me about the risks of such surgery. But I tend to agree with you on this, sadly.
So I never know what to do. When they had trouble scoping me a couple months ago, I really was preparing for resection. But that is when they diagnosed the LC. I haven't seen my doctor since diagnosis so I am unsure as to what he wants to do next.
Obviously, I want to do what I can to alleviate my symptoms.
RichRich,
Yes, I ended up with an ileostomy, but the cause of that issue had nothing to do with MC. I've been in remission for 6 years and 9 months, now. The ileostomy was needed in response to a massive bleeding problem that seems to run in the male side of the family.
I have to agree with the doctors that while too much colon can cause certain problems, it hardly justifies surgery, unless something serious happens. The surgery is indeed risky - there's a high risk of infection, due to the possibility of leakage. And these days, with increasing incidence of cases of antibiotic-resistant C. diff, and staph bacteria, the risk of infection is not to be taken lightly.
Probably the greatest risk of an overly-lengthy colon would be a twisted colon, due to an inadequately supported section of it rolling over and causing a blockage. That happened to my uncle, and he wound up with a colostomy. They managed to roll it back into position, the first time, but it promptly rolled over again, so they had to do a Hartman procedure, since the surgery had to be done without a clean-out, and due to his advanced age they were afraid to try to do a resection afterward, so they left the colostomy in place. That was several years ago - he's in his 90s now. Remember, though, GI issues run in my family. He's the only male in that group of siblings who did not have the massive colonic bleeding problem.
You can eliminate MC by having an ileostomy done. Research shows that if the colon is bypassed by the fecal stream, the histology of the colonic mucosal surface promptly returns to normal, (100% of the time, if we are to believe the article at the following link). The downside is that the output of an ileostomy is always diarrhea, (or a reasonable facsimile), because the colon is no longer available to remove the water. That makes it a less than perfect solution, for sure. You learn to live with it, but it requires some major dietary changes, and some lifestyle adjustments, unless you don't mind servicing the ileostomy appliance every few hours of the day, around the clock. It's possible to do a resection connecting the ileum to the rectum, but the output will still be mostly liquid, so I'm not convinced that's a good solution, either. At least with an appliance, you don't have to run to the bathroom, every time you need to service it, (provided you use replaceable pouches). Also, if you have food sensitivities, it might still be necessary to observe a strict diet, because the leaky gut syndrome affects the small intestine. With an ileostomy, though, the D is normally osmotic, rather than secretory, (absent any IBD, or celiac disease, in the small intestine), which is a big improvement over the voluminous secretory D so common with MC.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7615194
Tex
Yes, I ended up with an ileostomy, but the cause of that issue had nothing to do with MC. I've been in remission for 6 years and 9 months, now. The ileostomy was needed in response to a massive bleeding problem that seems to run in the male side of the family.
I have to agree with the doctors that while too much colon can cause certain problems, it hardly justifies surgery, unless something serious happens. The surgery is indeed risky - there's a high risk of infection, due to the possibility of leakage. And these days, with increasing incidence of cases of antibiotic-resistant C. diff, and staph bacteria, the risk of infection is not to be taken lightly.
Probably the greatest risk of an overly-lengthy colon would be a twisted colon, due to an inadequately supported section of it rolling over and causing a blockage. That happened to my uncle, and he wound up with a colostomy. They managed to roll it back into position, the first time, but it promptly rolled over again, so they had to do a Hartman procedure, since the surgery had to be done without a clean-out, and due to his advanced age they were afraid to try to do a resection afterward, so they left the colostomy in place. That was several years ago - he's in his 90s now. Remember, though, GI issues run in my family. He's the only male in that group of siblings who did not have the massive colonic bleeding problem.
You can eliminate MC by having an ileostomy done. Research shows that if the colon is bypassed by the fecal stream, the histology of the colonic mucosal surface promptly returns to normal, (100% of the time, if we are to believe the article at the following link). The downside is that the output of an ileostomy is always diarrhea, (or a reasonable facsimile), because the colon is no longer available to remove the water. That makes it a less than perfect solution, for sure. You learn to live with it, but it requires some major dietary changes, and some lifestyle adjustments, unless you don't mind servicing the ileostomy appliance every few hours of the day, around the clock. It's possible to do a resection connecting the ileum to the rectum, but the output will still be mostly liquid, so I'm not convinced that's a good solution, either. At least with an appliance, you don't have to run to the bathroom, every time you need to service it, (provided you use replaceable pouches). Also, if you have food sensitivities, it might still be necessary to observe a strict diet, because the leaky gut syndrome affects the small intestine. With an ileostomy, though, the D is normally osmotic, rather than secretory, (absent any IBD, or celiac disease, in the small intestine), which is a big improvement over the voluminous secretory D so common with MC.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7615194
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.