[Guest]

For over a month, I having trouble having regular, PRODUCTIVE bowel movements - everything seems to get "stuck" in my abdomen. Resultedly, I get VERY crampy and uncomfortable. I simply can't go. Thus I have begun taking one Glycerin suppository per day...and they have really helped - a lot. I am able to have wonderfully "productive" BM's within 15 min and feel TREMENDOUS relief therafter until the next day when I need to do it again.My question is: ARE they safe? Or should I be taking a laxative instead??What is the difference btwn a suppository, a laxative and/or a stool softener?Need some guidance!Thanks.

 

[Guest]

I have been told that as long as they are not used to excess that they are safe....I would give yourself a chance to have natural movements and only take the glycerin bullets when you really need em...

 

[Guest]

Percy,I'd try doing enema's instead. But read the ingredients on the suppositories. If it's all chemicals, don't do them too often. If you do an enema with a hot water bottle, with just plain water, you won't have the effect of the chemicals. And I know exactly that feeling of releif you described, the hot water method will do that with probably even better results! The down side of the enema is that it takes 1/2 hr or more. I keep a rectal syringe too which you can buy at any drug store, and put warm water in there, and you'll get immediate releif, however yeilding less contents. But I'd say water (boiled then cooled is best), is the best way to go if you're doing it daily or every other day.TH

 

[Kathleen M.]

Glycerine is quite safe and some of the enemas have stuff in them that is worse for you than the glycerine is (unless it's the pure saline ones).In my experience the Glycerine suppositories are much much easier on my system than enemas are.Basically all the glycerine does is lubricate things a little bit. Enemas tend to inflate the rectal area as your putting a bigger volume in and inflating the rectum for me causes severe cramping and a dumping of large parts of the colon where the glycerine suppository only evacuates the rectum in a pretty normal BM vs the big clean out that enemas even just water or saline does to me.The suppositories don't clean you out well enough to do any sort of of GI proceedure but enemas will.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html [This message has been edited by kmottus (edited 05-31-2001).]

 

[lk]

I agree with 4willieC - suppositories are safe so long as you take them only occasionally. Every day is definately not a good habit to get into as like any laxative, your body can get addicted to them. Have you tried either fiber or magnesium suppliments to help with C? They are both safe to use daily. You may want to do a search on them to find out the doses or recommended brands.Definately try to take the suppositories less - maybe slowly cut down (every other day, then once a week etc.). There are a few people on the board here who have been addicted to suppositiries/laxatives and are now trying painfully to retrain the bowels. you really don't want this to happen to you.Sorry to sound like I'm lecturing, but I'm a C type too and I know how hard it is to resist just taking a laxative to fix things. They may be a good temporary solution, but in the long run they can make things worse.Linda[This message has been edited by lk (edited 05-31-2001).]

 

[Guest]

God, this is exactly what I'm afraid of. I'm hoping I'm not TOO LATE. It's been over a month...I can't GO (I mean really GO and "clean myself out!") unless I take one.Have been taking 2 Fiber Con's for a long time, but to no avail. Instead, I drank Citrucel this am and took a stool softener too. Scared. SO just ween myself off and deal with the miserable cramping and bloating until I do it on my own, right???I just don't get this - I'm only thirty!

 

[Kathleen M.]

Yep it sucks to get IBS when you are young.It can be hard to convince the body to go again when it doesn't want to.A couple of things to think about. You may be having some problems with the muscles of the pelvic floor. Sometimes they contract when they should relax and it can make things difficult. Biofeedback can address this and it might be worth being evaluated.Zelnorm which should be out by the end of the summer may be another option. http://www.health911.com/remedies/rem_consti.htm under the habits section has info on how to retrain yourself to go on your own and break the laxative habit.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html

 

[lk]

Awhile back there was a really good article posted on retraing after laxative abuse - of course I can't find it right now.A few things to tryick a time every day that you set aside to 'go'. Try having a glass of water or coffee - these sometimes stimulate a movement. Take an hour if you need to.Keep using the fiber supplimentsTry taking up to 400mg magnesium suppliments (you can take more daily but you should check with a doctor first). They draw water to the colon to help stimulate a movement. I take mine before bed and then I have to go every day when I wake up.Eat high fiber foods. Drink lots of water- especially since your taking more fiber.Also, you should make post again with a different title like: Help I'm addicted to suppositiries, that should get you some more useful responses from people in the same situation. Just some suggestions that have worked for me - though luckily I've just been C naturally, not from laxative abuse. Hope yo find something that helps.Linda

 

[enja]

i would try taking different fiber- neither citrucel or fibercon did much for me at all. If you take that stuff once a day you're only getting like three extra grams of fiber anyway, which isn't that much. Konsyl is pure psyllium I think, and has about six grams of fiber, and i think you can take it up to three times a day. I would experiment with different supplements- I find the kind of fiber I use makes a huge difference. (If you have a Whole Foods market near you, I use their fiber called Fiber Guard Daily, and it works great for me).

 

[lk]

P.S... Don't worry so much about 'cleaning yourself out'. I know as a C person I used to obsess over this. However now that I've found a routine that works for me I realise that when I get cleaned out too much I feel bad too. Its natural to have stuff still inside you - so long as you go a bit on your own its a start.Of course if you don't go eneough, your left feeling gassy and bloated - for me though I discovered that the main cause of this is from the fiber itself - so don't take too much.

 

[redcasey]

Percy--As long as it's only gylcerin in the suppository, you are fine. It does its action by melting(from body temp) and lubricating the area. Also it is a slight stimulus, but no more than taking a rectal temp. In fact, I have developed a rather ongoing (excuse the pun) relationship with them myself. You only need to worry about the suppositories that contain medications that cause the bowel to contract. Of course, increasing fiber and water in the diet is a must. I'm going to check out the CVS calcium,mag,zinc tabs that were mentioned in another thread. Hope this helps (my mom's euphemism for glycerin supp. was "help"!!).

 

[Guest]

Yes, the suppositories I've taken are only GLYCERIN - 85% and Sodium Hydroxide (I think) is the next ingredient.IK, I only use them when I'm so cramped I can barely move - I'm mean when my back even hurts! Not just to "clean house!"I appreciate everyone's input SO much. Maybe I'm not in too much trouble after all, then,as they are only the Glycerin kind???

 

[Guest]

So, IK, can I take Fiber (either Fiber Con or Citrucel) AND Magnesium...or just one or the other???

 

[lk]

Yes a lot of people do.The only reason I stopped taking fiber is because it gives me too much gas. The magnesium in theory should actually help the fiber to work better.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, IK!Is Magnesium like a stool softener in any way????

 

[Guest]

I do not believe that glycerine suppositories damage the bowel. I thing they work by irritating the colon and causing the the colon to start the same type of action that it should be doing on its own to produce a bowel movement. I have been using glycerine suppositories off and on for about 3 years. Sometimes, I can go weeks without using them. Other times I have used them daily or even twice a day. With me, it seems that an interruption in my routine or my level of stress greatly affect my IBS. When my IBS symptoms first started I was unable to have a bowel movement without using suppositories. I have improved since that time. I think that of all of the products currently available to C types that glycerine suppositories are definately safer that stimulant laxatives or enemas of any type. If and when Zelnorm is ever released, that should be the answer to many of our problems since it will induce motility in the colon which I believe is where many of us have our main problem.

 

[lk]

Yes magnesium is a stool softener. Basically it (like glycerine I think) draws water into the colon - therefore softens the stool. The good thing about magnesium is that your body needs it anyways (400 mg/day).

 

[Guest]

Ah Hah, IK. So Magnesium IS essentially the same thing as a stool softener?! OK.What is "Docusate Sodium?" (The ingredient in my Stool Softener)? Is it bad for you?

 

[lk]

I'm not sure what exactly docusate sodium is, other than that it is not something that your body uses or need. Some people on the board claim its ok to take it daily but I don't really know. Maybe ask your doctor.Magnesium is a better idea though because your body needs it anyways. Especially since you're fairly young (I am too, I'm 26). Both are better than the suppositories though!Have you been able to use the suppositories less with any of our suggestions? Have you had success with a stool softener? I hope you find something that works!Linda[This message has been edited by lk (edited 06-03-2001).]

 

[Joan Gregg]

My GI just told me a week ago that suppositories are safe. They do not "pull down" stool that should be left up there.Try FiberOne, Citrucel tablets (Up to 6 perdiem), raw carrots and raw spinach.Good luck,I use suppository every day.