[Guest]

I have just been diagnosed with ibs at age 60. Four months into this diagnosis, I am struggling on a daily basis.The constipation was so severe that I tried the Mag Citrate/Miralax prep for a colonoscopy yesterday. The fluid excretions never ran clear. This morning I repeated the 64 fl oz of Miralax, 4 enemas, followed by 2 dulcolax.Still, the fluid excretions are not clear.Any suggestions about how to clear my bowel?

 

[BQ]

Hopefully you have had success by now. If not.. call your Dr and ask for his/her advice.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for your response.Unfortunately, I've had no further results. Even more difficult is the fact that the M.D. who diagnosed me appears to have knowledge to share with patients that is limited to handing them a pamphlet of very basic information on this very complex situation. "Check the internet" I was told.Perhaps ibs-c/cic is so complex that it is difficult for medical people as well as those of us afflicted.Thanks again. I'm happy to have found this forum.

 

[BQ]

dcshultz Sorry you haven't had any further results. I think you may need a new Dr for one. Have you tried like an enema?If you don't mind.. could you tell us which diagnostic tests you had before the Dr. reached this diagnosis?

 

[Guest]

I had a sudden onset of severe constipation 4 months ago. Never any bowel or health issues of any kind in the previous 59 years. Eventually had a normal colonoscopy, normal vaginal ultrasound, and normal abdominal CAT scan.I juggle Miralax, lactulose, Benefiber, and lots of water on a daily basis. Still severely constipated. Concerned about an obstruction, I tried the prep used for a colonoscopy. The bowel evacuation was disappointing at best.The physician who diagnosed the ibs is the gastroenterologist who did the colonoscopy. Even with insurance it is very difficult to get an appointment with a physician where I live.I have no pain, no cramping, no mucus. Any suggestions are a help.

 

[BQ]

Benefiber... um.. I have read that SOME folks with constipation can have it worsen with SOME fiber supplements. So maybe stop using that & try using food to up your daily fiber intake. Insoluble fiber may help more than soluble once you get going again.The thing is to try to prevent the constiaption in the 1st place. So.. maybe once you feel you have been cleared out with this episode... use something daily (osmotic in nature maybe) to prevent any impactions. If you were using something daily osmotic in nature.... then at least call this Doc's office to ask guidance on what else you can take to prevent impaction.Have you tried dried prunes or prune juice?? You may want to add the prune juice.... like replace some of the water you drink with prune juice.But the biggest help to you in the future will be to prevent yourself from getting stopped up in the first place. SO even though you may go one day.... you still may need to use a stool softener at the least or an osmotic on a DAILY basis to prevent where you are now.I know that may be hard to accept since you had a "normal" gut for all of those years before now...but taking something everyday could prevent getting yourself stopped up completely.I doubt you are obstrtucted because you were able to pass some. Plus I think you would have pain. (VERY glad you don't have it though.) Also sure a colonscopy, US & ab CAT scan are good diagnostics but have they mentioned anything else test-wise to you?BTW...Did you know we have a Constipation Forum? You can find it by using the site navigator at the bottom right of every page here right to the left of the "Go" box.Have you had any more success at passing stool today?Also I wanted to ask if you take any Calcium Supplements (as we are of a certain age lol and I know my Dr was strongly suggesting I take them to prevent osteoporosis...etc). If you are taking them make sure they are not calcium carbonate.... because that could be causing your stools to be even firmer. Use Calcium CITRATE supplements instead.

 

[Guest]

I've been taking 2.5 x the daily dose of Miralax every day since I had the colonscopy in mid-October. Guess it obviously wasn't adequate. Yesterday I added lactulose for the first time and took it with prune juice (!) and had Miralax at bedtime. In the middle of the night I was able to pass 2 cups of gloppy stool. You probably understand how this changes one's outlook on the day.I'll replace the Ca carbonate with Ca citrate and ditch the Benefiber. Prunes and prune juice will be a daily staple.WHAT OTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTS MIGHT BE HELPFUL?FYI:1. It is a consolation that you are not alarmed by the sudden onset of the constipation at age 60.2. I can't put into words how wonderful it is to be treated as a normal human on this forum. It is useless to protest to the doc's office but I always want to explain: I am not "just" an anxious, constipated old biddy. Thank you so much for your quick and thoughtful and useful reply.

 

[BQ]

WHAT OTHER DIAGNOSTIC TESTS MIGHT BE HELPFUL?

I dunno... it has only been 4 months.... but maybe anal manometry or gastric emptying.... I dunno. I'm an IBS D person who has just been on this BB for like 9 years and have read a bunch.. but doesn't make me anywhere close to an "expert". So I was just thinking out loud.... kinda..

It is a consolation that you are not alarmed by the sudden onset of the constipation at age 60.

Weeeeellllllll>>> Not much alarms me anymore..... I am the mother of teenagers... LOLI don't "do" alarmed anymore. LOL Figured I would live longer that way... Look I know I am a D person and have the opposite problem.. but I know my monthly periods (that just don't know how MUCH they are unwanted at this point in my life!) can cause my symptoms to flare. And there you are a few years ahead of me and I am thinkng.. hey.. maybe she's done with all of that and maybe because she is ... things are a bit firmer??? Now maybe you have been done for awhile or maybe you are not done. But that thought crossed my mind. There I said it out loud and everything! lol So no.. not alarmed. Also not alarmed because I know sometimes IBS shows up like that without much warning or much happening beforehand. I know some folks have post-infectious IBS.. meaning they got it after a bad virus or flu or perhaps even food poisoning or somethign generally infectious....etc. IBS is a pain in the arse in that we don't know a WHOLE lot about it. But experts are working on it so there is hope for the future.Just changing from the carbonate to the citrate may improve things for ya! At least I am hoping so! So see how that & dropping the benefiber & adding your own dietary fiber goes first. And then if you do not see enough of an improvement... add something to that miralax. Also take a peek at the Constipation Forum and see if other treatment methods have more appeal or are easier for ya... Keep us posted!ETA:

You probably understand how this changes one's outlook on the day.

Yup >>>> Just as I am sure you can understand how having several bouts of liquid D within the first hour of waking can do that too. lol