Anyone else have a Redundant / Tortuous Colon?

I just joined Mayo connect. Knowing I am not alone has helped my emotional state immensely. Thank you all for sharing those things in your life that are not pretty but are our reality.
I have a redundant colon. I never heard of “torturous” but that really describes it well. I have suffered with constipation all my life. In my late 20’s, I had emergency volvulus surgery. It was a complete strangulation of my colon. The emergency room doctor on call performed surgery and “flipped it back”. I’m not kidding, that’s what he said. No resection or repair of any kind. But that was 1980, so maybe that was the best they could do. Honestly, I was afraid to move my abdomen in fear I would “flip” it again. So, I continued my life with chronic gas and constipation.
Due to symptoms, I had my first colonoscopy at age 35 and was diagnosed with redundant colon. To complicate things, I’ve had three abdominal surgeries: volvulus, hysterectomy, and bladder lift (the bladder lift was probably due to straining bowel movements all my life) that left me with adhesions. I believe the adhesions have contributed to my present condition – very severe constipation.
I moved to Florida last year, got a new gastroenterologist (scary), and she thinks I have a partial blockage and am currently undergoing testing (CT scan, humiliating fecal testing, etc). Surgery would be a last resort for me. That would only create more adhesions and may not help my condition. I’m on Mirilax, Benefiber, Senokot, Align, and I drink Smooth Move tea.
I’m almost afraid to eat and have lost 13 pounds in the past two months. I keep taking the laxatives and hoping for the best. My life has changed so much. I’m either uncomfortable with constipation or bound to the house with laxative-induced diarrhea.
But I feel better knowing I am not alone in this.

I just joined Mayo connect. Knowing I am not alone has helped my emotional state immensely. Thank you all for sharing those things in your life that are not pretty but are our reality.
I have a redundant colon. I never heard of “torturous” but that really describes it well. I have suffered with constipation all my life. In my late 20’s, I had emergency volvulus surgery. It was a complete strangulation of my colon. The emergency room doctor on call performed surgery and “flipped it back”. I’m not kidding, that’s what he said. No resection or repair of any kind. But that was 1980, so maybe that was the best they could do. Honestly, I was afraid to move my abdomen in fear I would “flip” it again. So, I continued my life with chronic gas and constipation.
Due to symptoms, I had my first colonoscopy at age 35 and was diagnosed with redundant colon. To complicate things, I’ve had three abdominal surgeries: volvulus, hysterectomy, and bladder lift (the bladder lift was probably due to straining bowel movements all my life) that left me with adhesions. I believe the adhesions have contributed to my present condition – very severe constipation.
I moved to Florida last year, got a new gastroenterologist (scary), and she thinks I have a partial blockage and am currently undergoing testing (CT scan, humiliating fecal testing, etc). Surgery would be a last resort for me. That would only create more adhesions and may not help my condition. I’m on Mirilax, Benefiber, Senokot, Align, and I drink Smooth Move tea.
I’m almost afraid to eat and have lost 13 pounds in the past two months. I keep taking the laxatives and hoping for the best. My life has changed so much. I’m either uncomfortable with constipation or bound to the house with laxative-induced diarrhea.
But I feel better knowing I am not alone in this.

I just joined Mayo connect. Knowing I am not alone has helped my emotional state immensely. Thank you all for sharing those things in your life that are not pretty but are our reality.
I have a redundant colon. I never heard of “torturous” but that really describes it well. I have suffered with constipation all my life. In my late 20’s, I had emergency volvulus surgery. It was a complete strangulation of my colon. The emergency room doctor on call performed surgery and “flipped it back”. I’m not kidding, that’s what he said. No resection or repair of any kind. But that was 1980, so maybe that was the best they could do. Honestly, I was afraid to move my abdomen in fear I would “flip” it again. So, I continued my life with chronic gas and constipation.
Due to symptoms, I had my first colonoscopy at age 35 and was diagnosed with redundant colon. To complicate things, I’ve had three abdominal surgeries: volvulus, hysterectomy, and bladder lift (the bladder lift was probably due to straining bowel movements all my life) that left me with adhesions. I believe the adhesions have contributed to my present condition – very severe constipation.
I moved to Florida last year, got a new gastroenterologist (scary), and she thinks I have a partial blockage and am currently undergoing testing (CT scan, humiliating fecal testing, etc). Surgery would be a last resort for me. That would only create more adhesions and may not help my condition. I’m on Mirilax, Benefiber, Senokot, Align, and I drink Smooth Move tea.
I’m almost afraid to eat and have lost 13 pounds in the past two months. I keep taking the laxatives and hoping for the best. My life has changed so much. I’m either uncomfortable with constipation or bound to the house with laxative-induced diarrhea.
But I feel better knowing I am not alone in this.

Yes,.....all my life. The only thing that has successfully, and so far continuously, worked is Prunelax. And this is only within the last couple of months. I am 70. I also mix in psyllium into my oatmeal daily, 8 gm. It is awful to eat but I add diced apples, bananas, and cinnamon. But honestly, I believe it's the prunelax that is really working for me. And what I have noticed on this site is what works for one person, may not work at all for another. But we keep trying things. I wouldn't have even known about Prunlax except through this site. I am currently using 4 mini tabs daily. I understand there is a maximum strength and I am going to try that next, only because I will have to take less tablets. I hope you find something that works for you also! In all my years of dealing with this I found Miralax does not work. I drink lots of water and I use Metamucil wafers when I'm traveling. They're great! I truly understand your situation and the frustration, and even sometimes panic, that it causes. I am wishing you the best. You have to be your own advocate. Jacque

Does anyone here have experience with having surgery for this? My GI is acting as if it isn’t an option at all. Every laxative he’s given me has worked at first, but after a while it just stops. I go through phases of bad abdominal pain, to the point that it horribly hurts to stand. At this point I’m so sick of having to worry and deal with all of this, but because of my GI, I’m unsure if surgery would ever be recommended for me.

Have you tried Motegrity. I changed GI Drs and the new one gave me this drug that's only been out 3 years and has worked wonders for me. What state are you in?

I haven’t heard of that, I live in Massachusetts