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jlstjohn avatar

Constipation and Sacral Nerve Stimulation?

Digestive Health | Last Active: Feb 18 3:19pm | Replies (23)

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Profile picture for Janell, Volunteer Mentor @jlharsh

Hi, @roseee and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! You are in a helpful place to learn from and encourage others. It sounds like you have been on a quest to improve your constipation for some time.

I am a patient at Mayo Clinic MN but I do have sacral nerve stimulator experience. I have a few thoughts after reading you want to leave no stone unturned that may help your worsening symptoms.

1. I read through this discussion and notice varying outcomes from pelvic floor therapy. @jlstjohn created this discussion exploring options after trying so much including therapy. @leerose mentioned her husband needing to go to several pelvic floor therapists before finding one that was able to specifically help him. Also, it didn’t work for @lisalucier who ended up having surgery. I was diagnosed with having coordination problems, tried therapy locally then pursued Mayo’s program. For me, it was not quick but I don’t think we were addressing problems that got there quickly, either. I am not sure there is a quick fix. It was also the foundational thing that made it possible to more successfully address other things going on in my body at the same time.

2. You may be interested in research, here a PubMed article from 2019.
- Sacral nerve stimulation for constipation: long-term outcomes https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31147802/

3. I looked up Mayo Clinic Colon and Rectal Surgery enough to see services they provide vary among Mayo locations, and that they address more than what is listed on their website. You may find out the best information by pursuing an appointment, contacting them here: http://mayocl.in/1mtmR63

This link has a listing of available doctors if you are interested to review:
- Mayo Clinic Colon and Rectal Surgery Overview: https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/colon-rectal-surgery/sections/doctors/drc-20312725

You mention getting worse so much that your symptoms dominate your life. What specific symptom(s) are the biggest problem right now? Do you have experience with pelvic floor therapy?

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Replies to "Hi, @roseee and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! You are in a helpful place to learn..."

@jlharsh Thank you for these links. My main concerns are that the amount of Miralax I am having to take is doing further damage to my system, that my bloating is so bad that I look pregnant, and that I have to eat a very limited diet with few fruits and vegetables to reduce the bloating somewhat. The 6+ caps of Miralax were what my doctor told me to do to keep my system moving while we worked on other treatments, but prescriptions actually make my condition worse and that was well over a year ago and we have found no other help for me.

I've been to 4 physical therapists and have been doing daily exercises for a year.

I've been treated for SIBO with different antibiotics 3 times and done the elemental diet several times. I've had EGDs, colonic transit studies, anorectal manometry, barium enema, and more testing. I've seen 6 GI specialists and 3 colorectal specialists.