Shelley, I’m so sorry no one told you about the redundant colon for so many years. It is quite common and there is like you mentioned a hereditary component. I have a redundant colon as well and suffer from chronic constipation. I take a mixture of Metamucil 1/4 to MiraLAX three-quarter combination. It seems to work best for me. Because the colon is extra long more water is absorbed from the stool, which is the main purpose of the large intestine. So the stool gets harder and more difficult to pass. In severe cases of redundant colon, surgery can be done to remove part of the colon especially where the loops are . You have had terrible problems with this, and I certainly understand your anger and frustration that you were not given this information earlier when you could’ve been more proactive at preventing some of the problems you’ve had. I am a strong proponent of everyone reading their own imaging reports and lab reports , because these important bits of information slip through the cracks and go unnoticed all the time, putting patients at risk. The Metamucil adds bulk to the stool which helps it move through the G.I. tract whereas the MiraLAX adds water to the stool, so it counteracts the excessive water absorption by the long colon. I hope you are able to get this resolved and prevent further obstructions. I was hospitalized once at the Mayo Clinic for an impaction that made me terribly ill, and it was resolved by doing a colonoscopy prep routine with MiraLAX. Chronic constipation predisposes to diverticulosis and diverticulitis so keeping the bowel moving is crucial for prevention of those complications.