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Colonic Inertia

Digestive Health | Last Active: Oct 2 1:17am | Replies (23)

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I just received a tentative diagnosis of colonic inertia 3 days ago. I will be completing a 3 day transit time test to confirm it. I have lived with chronic severe constipation for my entire life, 76 yo. I have seen countless doctors who were never able to give me a diagnosis or treatment options other than more fluid, more fiber, etc. I’m a retired dietitian and think I had a pretty good handle on those. My emotions are all over the place. It’s extremely satisfying to finally have a diagnosis for a life long condition but also terrifyingly as I’ve only been presented with one option, a colectomy. I know I’m at the beginning of a long journey and appreciate the chance to learn from all of you.

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Replies to "I just received a tentative diagnosis of colonic inertia 3 days ago. I will be completing..."

Hello @gormanb and welcome to Mayo Connect. First, let me thank you for being a career dietitian. In my humble opinion, dietitians are part of the unsung heroes of the medical profession. I have had three surgeries of the upper digestive tract, and my meetings with registered hospital dietitians have been more helpful to me than any others on my medical team when it comes to eating plans after surgeries. I deal with what my GI doctor refers to as slow transit constipation, which is also very frustrating, so I understand a little about what you are experiencing.

I'm also glad that you finally have a diagnosis for a long-term problem that has eluded your medical team in the past. I understand that it is good to have a label to put on these troublesome health issues.

I found some information about this on the University of North Carolina website. Here is a link, https://www.uncrexcolorectalsurgery.com/colorectal-condition-information-raleigh/benign-colorectal-disease/colonic-inertia/

You do not mention in your post about ever having any surgery of the upper or lower digestive tract. Is my understanding correct?

We have numerous discussion groups on Connect that deal with constipation and other motility disorders. You might find them helpful. These discussions can be found by using the search bar at the top of your screen and typing in words like "constipation" or "motility disorders," and this will bring up a list of all of the posts that mention these words. You will likely find many helpful suggestions in these posts.

What other discomfort do you experience (beyond constipation) that is problematic for you?