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Problem with Chronic constipation
I have a history of hypothyroidism, severe endometriosis/treatment was a hysterectomy 17 years ago.I also have a hx of IBS. My thyroid hormone levels are stable. I eat like a rabbit(I poop like one too, LOL!!!!!!). I eat a large amount of fiber and drink almost every hour(nonalcholic).ONly prescription drugs I take are armour thyroid and my estrogen/prosterone troche. I make a coconut bread and I add psyllium husks,flax seed and chia seed to it. I eat it practically every am. I also eat a spinach salad for lunch daily with nuts and yogurt and eat a lean meat and veggie and more coconut bread at night. I do one cheat meal with a cheat dessert once per week. I am relatively active for my age of 60. I've been to a gastroenterologist and we have tried Linzess which didn't help at all. I take miralax, and a Super Cleanse tab one per day which has herbs to soften the stool and to stimulate the bowel and It barely works. I am at a loss. I have not tried Montegrity yet. I don't know if it will be helpful and the side effects scare me. I had a CT of my abdomen and it was ok, no obstructions. The gastroenterologist that I go to practically accused me of abusing laxatives. I would be impacted if I didnt use the miralax and the Super Cleanse. Diet/water and activity do not help. I had diarrhea from my late teens to the age of 36 when my intestines out of the blue just shut down completely. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I was put on Synthroid but the constipation didn't go away. So if there is any gastroenterologist out there that can help me, please let me know.I feel defeated and worry about my health.
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Thanks ShelleyW. I also take 500 mg of magnesium but no carbonate ( it blocks me up - I ended up in the hospital with the tube down your nose and into the stomach ) Don’t want that again. Did your GI tell you to take that much Miralax?
I also have ended up in the ER with the rib pain. I was told the same thing. The doctors never seem very helpful in this area. They diagnose it and send you on your way telling you to eat more fiber and drink more water. Like we don’t already know that??! Could you do an enema? There are several times I’ve thought of it (and I’m sure I’ll end up doing it soon). My husband has had to do them after pain meds from surgery. I have seen him get instant relief.🤷♀️ It sounds like you need to find something soon. I sure hope you do.❤️
Shaylyn4, yes my GI said it was ok to use lots of miralax. I MUST use the large doses of miralax, whether it's good/right/wrong/terrible. A little clarification on this: I don't think it's totally good to take these doses forever. My GI quit taking my calls or emails, after I had a partial small bowel obstruction, via ambulance and ER& ICU...3 months after he disregarded 2 X-rays/radiologists recommendations that a partial obstruction was most likely forming. I don't have any other options, at this point. I must keep my poop between easy slush and diarrhea, since I have no ability to get it out normally. After I have my parathyroid, 3 1/2 of 4 glands, I'm praying SO HARD that in time my CIC will get better. HPTH and elevated calcium levels wreak havoc on the smooth muscles of the body, ie the muscles needed by the intestinal system to move the poop out.
Back to you, you wrote that 500mg of magnesium carbonate ended you in the hospital with the horrific nasal gastric tube(I have had it once too, OMG, never again can I take this ). Just so I understand the details. Cuz I take 4-6 tablets of 500mg magnesium carbonate, most days. It helps CIC and sleep, both just a bit. I guess it would be accurate to say that "this problem is the shits💩" Shelley
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1 ReactionI hope it works for you! Be careful on your first dose. I drank that whole 7 1/2 ounce canned because it just didn’t seem like that much…MISTAKE😳
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1 ReactionThat is very expensive! I buy a giant Sunsweet bottle for $5.47 at Walmart. Are you looking at organic maybe?
Carolinlv, a side note on enemas... I used them more than I would ever want to. But, my CIC, in the past 5 years have been sooooo big, bad, near the anus, that the poop blocked the holes of the enema, so I had to resort to gloved fingers to do the digital removal of enough poop to form a hole large enough to get more poop out. Shelley
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2 ReactionsOmg, that sounds terrible! I feel so bad you are going through this. I really know nothing firsthand about them (other than through my husband), which is the part that terrifies me most. Now I’m even more apprehensive! Thank you for sharing this information! I hope you are feeling better nowadays😢❤️
Shelley, I finally found your original post and realize my recent post with hopes of you "feeling better nowadays" seems unlikely. I truly hope there is a doctor somewhere that can help you. I am miserable but at no level that you must be feeling. Why is it so hard to get help for this problem? A good gastroenterologist seems impossible to find. They are readily available for endoscopies and colonoscopies but once those are done, I feel like they block my calls😭 I'm at my wits I'm just waiting for basic help. You must be ready to kill someone!😢❤️
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1 ReactionIt doesn’t say it’s organic but it does say natural and unsweetened. Thank you for the next bottle I will have my husband get it at Walmart.
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2 Reactions@carolinlv and @shelleyw I guess there is more money to be made in colonoscopies and endoscopies than in office consults. Medical care has become all about money - one may as well remove the word “care” associated with “Medical”.
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