Questions and Advice

Hello all,

My situation may be unusual, but I’m just looking for opinions and suggestions.

Approximately 18 months ago, I noticed my blood pressure rising to very high levels despite several medications for control.
I went in to see my PCP and he decided to try some different meds to help me out. About the same time I began losing weight and becoming extremely constipated.
He suggested fiber and the standard remedies that help for some people.
He suggested I consider a colonoscopy to rule out the “bad” stuff meaning colon cancer or other cancers.
I had a colonoscopy done in 2022 by the same GI I had been seeing for regular following for the previous 10 years.
The results were normal except for diverticulosis which isn’t unusual in a 69 year old male.
His suggestion was to continue on Mirilax and continue moving forward.
I have had occasional issues over the years but only for short times.
PCP kept pushing water, fiber, diet, and all the standard things people are told to try.
My diet actually had improved greatly and is now the best it’s ever been in my entire life. My wife and I made a commitment to do the best we could
in that area.
For the next 7 months I tried everything I could to improve the situation including pelvic floor physical therapy, exercise, and many trips into the PCP for regular lab work and more ideas.
Finally I found a highly regarded colo-rectal surgeon who viewed CT scans and felt I had a “stricture”.
More bowel tests including a gastro graffin enema, simoidmoidoscopy , and finally she felt she needed to view the exterior of the bowel using laparoscopy. While most of the tests were “normal” she felt my symptoms were to major for slight abnormalities.
During the laparoscopic surgery she removed the sigmoid colon and hoped that would improve my situation.
I healed and seemed to be a bit better but now after another 9 months and a variety of laxatives, I’m no better and actually very very discouraged.
I will see her in a month, but short of colostomy or ileostomy, I’m not really sure there is more she can do.
I often need enemas to keep things moving and of course there are big problems with overuse of them as well as the osmotic laxatives like MOM and Mirilax.
Frankly, it should not be this hard to achieve regularity again.
So bring on your ideas and opinions.