I talked to a general surgeon and urologist this last month and they explained that in seniors the small and large bowel tend to sag as we get older. The tissues that hold our organs in place start to lose their integrity. This is exacerbated by surgeries. In women the uterus shrinks and allows the bowels fill that space. In women who have had a hysterectomy, the rearrangement can be quite pronounced. The major place that a kink can occur is where the rectum and sigmoid join. All this things can lead to pressure on the bladder as well. The urologist said the number one cause of inability to urinate in older women is chronic constipation pushing on the urethra. In men, prostate problems and the inability to urinate can put pressure on this same area. So basically, there is a train wreck in our lower left abdomen.
What I have figured out for myself because I do not want to become dependent on laxatives or their side effects, is to give myself a 250 ml enema with warm plain water every evening before I take a shower. I found on the internet a small "bucket" enema with a very small tube for insertion into the rectum. This is far less difficult to use and to clean than the standard enema bottle and large wand. I am guessing that by clearing out and adding moisture to this area, I am relieving this "kink" area. With this method, I always have a large bowel movement every morning upon rising and sometimes a second in late afternoon. It also solves the problem of incomplete emptying. I have almost completely eliminated the agonizing left-sided pain that I have had since January of 2022. Of course, I also eat lots of vegies and fruits and whole grains etc, etc. It generally takes about 20 minutes to complete all the task including clean up. I hope that this continues to work.