Anyone else have a Redundant / Tortuous Colon?

Hi Jayne,
Surgery to remove some of the colon to relieve discomfort from a redundant colon is not successful. Those who had surgery have endless problems. I read somewhere that surgery for a redundant colon means removing the whole colon, and you will end up with a bag! I take a herbal fiber blend daily and drink a smoothie of cucumber, lemon, ginger, and turmeric at night to help stay regular. It is a battel...
Strongs!

Have you tried warm drinks, blender soups, hot cereals (can add liquid egg white and pea protein isolate to both for a complete protein (avoiding meats and animal fats that may be hard to digest))? If it is your redundant colon, maybe liquid and soft food would make the turn(s).

I too have a redundant colon, and have managed it very well for years with a cap of Miralax every evening. The only problem is I just found out that I have stage 2 kidney disease. The Miralax bottle says don’t use it if you have kidney disease. I am so screwed!! Also, how do I know that the PEG didn’t actually CAUSE the damage to my kidneys? I haven’t stopped the Miralax yet. I need to whip up the courage to do so. It’s the only thing that ever worked!

I have a redundant Torturous: COLON. I find that I can’t let my stomach get empty. That’s when the nausea starts so I do have to graze throughout the day which is very difficult for me because I’ve never done that before. This is a tricky disorder. I can’t eat too much or I get bloated. If I don’t eat enough I get bloated if I eat the wrong thing or at the wrong time I get pain. Every morning I wake up with pain scan my body have a few Sips of coffee and usually I can have a decent BM but not always. I have found Lactulose solution which was prescribed by my G.I. has helped tremendously in emptying out however, stress and anxiety are my biggest obstacles

Some things that work for me that may work for you:

Avoid eating "heavy" foods at dinner (meat, fish, fat) and watch your intake of "dense" foods like heavy, dense bread.

Eat cooked veggies and fruit. I eat cooked parsnips and the few other things I can tolerate for their fiber content and low FODMAP status. (some say a long colon can trigger FODMAP issues). Also, ground chia seed is something to consider, as well as lactose-free milk products. I can handle raw kiwi (check out the study on how well it works for stubborn constipation) and papaya.

I have less nausea with the Intoleran brand dietary enzymes for food intolerances. A game changer.

Ten up and then ten down stomach massages expel bloat. Check the UK's National Health System (NHS) posting on constipation: https://www.torbayandsouthdevon.nhs.uk/uploads/25773.

Get your rest and sleep.

A huge problem for me was anxiety and sometimes sleep. I cope three ways now:

1) a micro-dose of melatonin (300 mcg pill cut in half) nightly. I am super sensitive to meds and supps. Others may need more, but start with less. Too much disturbs your circadian rhythm.

2) Hilma Gentle Bowel Support (2 a day) - I did not notice a stool improvement but it proved to be the missing link in ending my general 24/7 anxious state. A lot of research on magnesium and anxiety on the net.

3) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for anxiety, which is just a deep state of relaxation. I learned in a 7 week course with a therapist, but there must be some relaxation recordings to listen to. After 7 weeks of daily listening, you have retrained your brain. You only need the tapes for a refresher or because you want to listen.

And make work-life balance a priority. A rested, destressed you will be more productive too. It took me awhile to realize I just wasn't that important ---my ego kept me on the race track.

BTW, good to know about Lactulose.

And when I feel I need to explain my health situation, I do so by analogy. It is as if I had diabetes and managed it solely with food. I have to watch what I eat.

I was diagnosed a couple of years ago when having my colonoscopy. I have been following the Low Fodmap Diet and it has helped tremendously! It is the diet that people with IBS follow. Fiber does not help and can sometimes bring on my symptoms. I exercise and follow this diet and drink lots of water. My only question is what can they do the next time I need a colonoscopy?? I took a stool softener and drink a whole gallon of prep and it took hours for me to eliminate it. Luckily the surgeon could still do the procedure and that is when I found out about my redundant colon.

I am in my 40s and recently had my first colonoscopy and was surprised to learn I have a redundant colon! I used to live in NYC and walked so much, I barely noticed. But I moved to a driving city and was noticing bowel movements that were extremely large that were causing tearing and bleeding. Doctors were telling me to eat more fiber. But then after the diagnosis I was told to eat a low fiber diet, which lacked almost any nutrients.

I am still trying to get a hold of how to eat a balanced diet. I've been reading up on gut health and adding kimchi and probiotics to my diet. Trying to slow down when I eat and drink a lot of water. (I like the idea of setting a water reminder)

I've decided to eat a bit more intuitively and pay more attention to how different foods impact me. It seems it takes about 6 days for food to make it through my colon. I stay away from cruciferous veggies and peppers.

Taking miralax has been a big help. I have to experiment with how often, because too much and stool gets runny. I actually found that eating grape nuts in the AM keeps me regular.

I have also been trying belly dancing, massage, sit-ups and walking after meals. But sometimes I don't hear or anything moving around in there!

So this is definitely a new journey. But I'm taking it slow. I've been confused by advice to eat low fiber vs. high fiber. Somewhere inbetween works.

Hopefully I will be able to meet with a nutritionist who specializes in this one day. If anyone knows of anyone to follow on social media let me know.

I don’t have a redundant colon, but I do have a lazy colon. It takes forever to move things along. Long story short, I can’t eat much fiber, as it really really clogs me up. So, high protein, no refined carbs and lots of water. Oh, and exercise, I walk everyday. Good luck 🙂

I was diagnosed with a redundant colon a year ago though I've had stomach pain all my life. I see my symptoms, scans, pain, diets and attempted treatments in many stories in this group. I feel like there will be no relief, only staying in bed from about 3pm on. Something about being horizontal makes it feel more tolerable. And yes, I wear almost nothing but yoga pants and loose shirts. I had to laugh about how many people are wearing the same thing!

For now, I have a specific question. Do you all feel pain in the exact spot all the time? I do, and I wonder if this is where my colon is most kinked. I'm not sure why this matters to me, but I'm endlessly trying to find out more about this. Thanks all!

I have a “redundant colon” which was noticed in a colonoscopy 20 years ago. It has never caused me any pain or problems that I noticed, except maybe now. For several years I have had sudden and extreme need to pee at inopportune times. It happens without warning, sort of. Often I feel a slight, non alarming urge like I COULD pee like while driving or shopping. Once I was in a tour group being lead around. I started looking for a WC opportunity but didn’t see one. The urge increased in intensity. Finally I found a rest room but on arrival it was closed. The urge skyrocketed ! If I were to actually find a rest room but the stalls were all full, my urge becomes extreme and could be too much to hold it and tragedy ensues.

I wonder if my redundant colon might be pressing on my bladder at times since I think changes in my posture like standing after sitting in a car seems to start the cycle. Anxiety seems to drive up the panic. Extreme anxiety like the WC is closed !!! Drives me mad.😡

One final note is that I did have some surgery on my lower spinal disks (via my front) a couple years back so I wonder about the talk of stuff shifting or sagging I read here.

I don’t seem to have other than occasional mild constipation. I eat 5 prunes a day which can’t hurt, I guess. I also enjoy a very very large bowl of pop corn once a week which seems to flush things out after a day or so. I drink lots of water especially with the pop corn and I should mention I eat lots of salt with my food. Friends think I am crazy with the salt but my BP is perfect, cholesterol is perfect. Otherwise, I am 77 years old and work fairly hard 6-7 days a weak, etc

Lastly, I don’t particularly like long walks on the Beach, lol 😂 but I do walk our dog daily.