[balancedgrub]

Hi Everyone,

This is my first post on here and I have to say as I'm writing this I feel I'm at the point of dispare. I'll keep my story short. I have suffered with chronic constipation my whole life (now 28 year female), as a kid I was always constipated living off dulcolax. From 18 years old up to 1 month ago I was on Movicol (miralax US).

So a month ago I went to the doctor complaining of every time I ate something I would bloat or have pain in my bowel. I was down to tolerating some liquid foods but even then it was hit and miss. Anyway, he was very sympathetic and really listened which was a change from other doctors. He advised that I have:

• a breath test for SIBO (came back positive)
• Sitz Marker test (Positive for slow bowel transit)
• A colonoscopy (Found a polyp)
• An anorectal manometry (Found that I have a hypo-sensitive sphincter, meaning I can feel the need to go to the toilet...ever)

So, last week I finished a 2 week course of antibiotics for my SIBO, and am now on a low FODMAP diet, which is OK but i'm still in the process of learning. I'm also on 2mg of Resolor, which started off amazingly well, I was having a bowel movement everyday, until last monday when I had a difficult BM and now nothing since then. I feel it is slowly grinding to a halt. I also take Fybogel before bed. I drink at least 3 litters of water per day my diet mainly consists of fruit and veg, with a little rice some days too.

**Last week however I was eating omelet for breakfast (2 eggs), does anyone have any experience of eggs or bananas linking to constipation?

I'm now on day 3 of no bowel movement and am starting to feel gassy and bloated. I guess what i'm asking is:

1. What is your experience of Resolor?
2. What foods do you find constipate you?
3. Does anyone have hypo-sensitivity of the sphincter?

If you have got this far, thank you for reading my case, as you can see I have various conditions all feeding off each other and something that eradicates one problem seems to inflame another. If there is anyone one else out there the same as me I'd like to hear from you.

Best

K.

 

[annie7]

Hi--so sorry for all your problems. yes it is very difficult struggling with chronic constipation especially for a very long time such as you've been doing--and i as well

like you, tests have shown i have slow transit constipation and rectal hyposensitivity. i also have pelvic floor dysfunction and megarectum.

i live in the usa and unfortunately resolor is not available here. i sure wish it were because i'd love to try it. so sorry it quit working for you!! what a disappointment. although you might to experiment with not taking for a while--a week or so--and then start taking it again and see if that makes it work. that's what i would have to do back in the day when zelnorm was available. zelnorm is a medication similar to resolor. for me, zelnorm worked better if i took it intermittently since my body seemed to get used to it too easily. zelnorm has been taken off the market because of safety issues. if you do try this, do a clean out before starting resolor up again. these meds seem to work best if you're not all backed up and constipated before taking it.

about the hyposensitivity--i have not found anything to help with that, sadly. i simply cannot get an urge to go unless i take laxatives. someone else on this board recently posted a topic about hyposensitivity, asking if anyone out there has found any success in dealing with this but unfortunately no one replied. i have tried biofeedback with the balloon retraining which has helped with my pfd but has not helped my hyposensitivity. i have done some research online as well and of course asked my gastro docs about treating hyposensitivity. i did read one report from the NIH which said that the balloon retraining therapy can sometimes help with that but it is not a sure thing--it does not work for everyone no matter how hard we try. that' s what my gastro doc and biofeedback PT have also told me. but it's worth a try if you haven't tried it already.

like you, i am a very complicated case with several different problems contributing to my chronic constipation. i do totally understand what you mean about having various conditions and the difficulty of treating all this successfully.

good luck to you---wishing you all the best.

 

[balancedgrub]

Thank you so much for replying, it's good to know that their are others out there like myself

I will try stopping and starting the relsolor to see if that helps.

Thank you again

 

[annie7]

oh --thanks--you're more than welcome

and fingers crossed that works!

 

[Dreamcatcher32]

Okay, going to ask two questions. Have you had a GI Transit Study done along with a Defecogram? You need to see if your stomach has slowed and if you pelvic floor dyssynergia. (tension) I'm guessing if you have hyposensitivity that you'd be more likely to have dyssyerngia or dysfunction. If you have a stomach that is slow along with pelvic floor tension, biofeedback can really help with that. People often overlook the pelvic floor (even most GI docs will) and this is a big big mistake. It is the cause of my chronic stomach pain along with constipation and difficulties evacuating. Biofeedback can really help you out. Mayo Clinic does a 2 week biofeedback retraining with balloon expulsion - which may help your hypo sensitivity. You could also try to find someone local who does, it just takes a lot of research as not many do.

Have you tried Magnesium? (liquid Bluebonnet does it for me!) Aloe Vera Inner Filler (not whole leaf)? All Veg/fruit/fish/chicken diet? Many cut out carbs (rice, pasta, bread, etc) and do well. What about the fibers - Citrucell, Metamucil, psyllium husk, insoluble fiber, soluble fiber? How about coconut, olive and fish oil? Tons of things to try at least! Though I will say none of these things worked for me since my pelvic floor was so tense. I'd also try Bentyl for the pain after eating. Your stomach could be going into spasm. I also ice my stomach for at least an hour every night. I sometimes alternate with heat. I will say that yoga is also extremely beneficial!

 

[Dreamcatcher32]

Yep, eggs and bananas can be constipating. Avoid them! Eat apples and fish/chicken instead.

 

[dhansen8]

I feel your pain- literally. I too have a host of medical issues (yay me

); diabetes 1, fibromyalgia, ibs-c, chronic fatigue, depression & anxiety. I am only 32. I feel like I am 82. I, like most on here have tried every over the counter 'remedy', all the diets and fiber available and have drank an oceans worth of water- obviously to no avail.

I have found many OTC remedies made me vomit as well. Citromag made me blow up like a balloon. So, at long last I am on day two of RESOTRAN. So far, nothing yet- except gas. All I can do is hope.

I find that most people do not understand those of us who suffer from IBS-C. "What do you mean you can't use the washroom?"..... "If you eat enough it will come out."

Not true. I finally made my mom understand when we went away for 5 days and I didn't have a BM once despite eating normally. I cannot remember the last unassisted BM I had....

I am sure many of you can sympathize with what I am saying.

I avoid bananas, cheeses and breads for the most part. I don't eat fast food or drink colas, coffee or much tea. Water and juice. Fruit, Veggies and grains. I suspect I will see some long ago eaten morsels if I ever go again. Did you know that your colon is as long as you are tall? And each foot can contain up to 10 lbs of waste. I could be skinny under all this belly bloating and waste!!

I don't ask for a lot in life. I do the best with what I've got. I am happy. I love and am loved.

But man, I would like to take a .......

Is that so much to ask???

Take care all and remember, somewhere out there someone else is sitting on a toilet just like you are, hoping for a pile of.......

 

[garza5266]

dhansen8, you are too funny! So true about people not understanding. I also feel like that. At times I envy people that have dia ! BalancedGrub I too have PFD along with non relaxing sphincter. Have been doing the therapy for about 6 weeks. Don't really feel a difference. Still feel tight all the time and have trouble even passing gas. Was diagnosed with H-pylori about a month ago and am on day 11 of the triple therapy. Thought I was on to something when the first 3 days produced normal BM. Albeit only in the morning as usual. But now feel like I am getting C again. I thought that with taking 3000 mg of antibiotics a day would have me running to the bathroom, but sadly it hasn't. I was also diagnosed with SIBO at the same time. My GI doesn't want to treat the SIBO until after the H-pylor. I'm thinking he's hoping all the antibiotics will kill all the "flora" and not have to treat it. My body always does the opposite of what you'd like it to! Before the antibiotics I had found that taking Metamucil in the AM and Miralax in the PM really made a difference. Miralax alone makes it too mushy to try to get out, so the two combined worked pretty good. Probiotics are ok, but haven't really found one to rave about. I tried Calm mag and it only made my guts hurt. HMMM... I drink a ton of water, eat moderately healthy, although lately my sweet tooth has gotten the best of me. Also work out 4 to 5 times a week. Take a deep breath, stay calm and take it day by day. There are days where I feel great and then days where if I didn't have to work I wouldn't leave the house, but being positive helps. Also having these forums and chatting help! Take care and God Bless!

 

[balancedgrub]

Everyone thank you so much for your support, sometimes it's just nice to look on the light side of our less than comfortable situation.

Dreamcatcher32 - yes I have had a GI Transit Study with a Defecogram. The biofeedbacks sound really good but I'm living in Thailand at the moment and unfortunately they are not that advanced here. I have also tried magnesium and it has no effect on me

Dhansen8 - Thank you for your light humour, it made me laugh out loud It's true that the more you go to the bathroom the more weight you lose (obviously) I was 47kg 3 weeks ago i'm now 40kg, at 5ft4.

Garza5266 - If your on antibiotic for SIBO you also need to be on a Low FODMAP diet to starve the bacteria. It will be more effective oh and stay away from probiotic if you suffer with SIBO as they can play havoc wight the antibiotics. And yes staying positive really helps, but as we all understand it can be difficult at times.

Love & stuff

K.

 

[Tricis56]

I am so confused now with the different foods. I have tried all the diets. Nothing works. I have slow transit constipation for 5 years, ibs for 20 years not with constipation then though,severe GI dysmotility ,autonomic dysfunction, CFS, Fibro. But I have chronic constipation. Nothing works. I am on Resilor which did work but stopped working so I take bisocodyl every day as well and Picolax. I have experimented with different food but it takes so long to pass through my system that I d ont really notice any difference. I cant take fibre as that totally blocks up inside.
Does anyone else have anything similar.

 

[Tricis56]

How is low fodmap working? I havent started it as I am so confused now with high fibre low fibre solubile insoluble and everyone saying something different!!

 

[balancedgrub]

Tricis56, I'm the same as you, I feel Resolor has stopped working for me so i'm going back to my doctor again on tuesday to see if he has any other bright ideas. I am on a Low FODMAP diet which helps with speed up my bowel transit time. Also I find my stool are never as hard or as big on the low fodmap diet. Here is an example of my daily food intake.

I eat everything in small portions and snack on seeds or low fodmap nuts in-between.

Breakfast: Porridge oats with Raspberries & Blueberries (They are soluble which means it draws water into the bowel and creates a gel like substance).

Lunch: Tuna, cucumber and red wine vinegar quinoa with a little olive oil.

Dinner: Pumpkin soup homemade without onion and garlic.

Insoluble means that the fibre adds bulk to your stool to help it move more slowly through the bowels.

 

[glitzy]

I've been on Resolor for years and it works great for me. The key is taking extra magnesium with it. And not eating constipating foods like rice, nuts and seeds.

Since the Fybogel has fiber that could be making you more constipated. The low fodmap diet is very good but a lot is focused on people with IBS-D so you have to figure out which foods are constipating and stay away from those.

 

[Tricis56]

Hi
Do you follow the Fodmap diet. Which foods have you cut out?
Do you take other meds for constipation?
How much magnesium do you take?
Tricis 56