Anyone else have a Redundant / Tortuous Colon?

I just wanted to share my experience as what may or may not be related to the MRI defography . In 2012 I had a defography using barium which showed a modest size rectocele. Two weeks later I ended up with a bowel obstruction or better known as a sigmoid voluvulus. They had to perform emergency surgery and remove 2 inches of my sigmoid colon. Please discuss your concerns with your doctor.

I did. She told me they use water-soluble barium and should not present an issue. To be safe, I’m going to do an enema after.

I so relate to this! I’m super active, 39 years old, petite (except for a balloon belly). Just had anorectal manometry done and have Sitz Marker study next week in hopes of getting a surgery scheduled. I have tried holistic, pharmaceuticals, acupuncture, suppositories, etc. Motegrity (@thellman) did work the best but only for about 2 weeks. Those were the best 2 weeks I’ve ever had, motility-wise. I don’t know that I’d ever experienced a complete, clearing BM until then. I will have semi-regular movements but they are loose and small and pass right over the blockages. My lower left side feels like it’s on fire. I want to have the surgery and not waste time fighting with this anymore. There’s pressure on my bladder so I never know when I’m going to have to use the bathroom (urgently!) and my tailbone is even angled differently sometimes. Lots of lower back pressure and difficulty engaging lower abs. My heart goes out to everyone who understands!

So sorry you’re going through this at such an early age. I’ve also struggled since my 30’s but things only got really bad 4 years ago, I’m 65. I’m doing the Sitz Marker study on the 22nd and a defography on June 2. Really looking forward to a fun 3 weeks of no meds, colonoscopy preps and a somewhat “awkward” procedure! I’m also looking at surgery. Best of luck to you!

I have diverticulosis and a redundant colon. My primary guy Dr. gave me a script for an upper GI series.
I have benign nodules on my thyroid and hate to risk what I think is pretty heavy radiation (fluroscope)
as scatter radiation could affect those nodules. I am admittedly a type A personality and when I feel
stress at all, I tend to get a nervous stomach. Should I have the GI test?

Hello. I just had my first colonoscopy and the report on it says I have a tortuous colon. For some time now I have complained to my doctor that I get full after eating very little. I had loads of test done that tested my stomach and at what speed it emptied. They said everything was fine. I still have the problem and, to be honest, it's worse since the colonoscopy. I have had no contact from the doctor since the colonoscopy about the results (tortuous colon and a tubular adenoma) which I find strange and if I don't here soon I'm going to ask my primary care doctor what to do. I'm wondering if the tortuous colon is the cause for the full feeling and how it will effect future colonoscopies because with the tubular adenoma I think I'm gonna need colonoscopy more than every 10 years. If anyone has a similar experience I'd like to hear about it.

I was just diagnosed with a tortuous colon with a redundant transverse colon. I have had issues since I was a teen with severe abdominal pain, bloating, and constipation. Early on the severe episodes were infrequent and I seldom sought medical attention. Around 20 years ago it started getting much worse and with more frequent severe episodes. These ones were so painful that they would cause me to have symptoms of shock. I would usually vomit from the pain.
Over the last 10 years I had a 5 day NPO hospital stay that ended eventually with a polypectomy to remove one that was infected. That was my first colonoscopy. In the years since I have had 2 more by a different gastroenterologist. My 4th and most recent was yet another doctor who couldn’t visualize the entire colon because she couldn’t insert an adult scope the full length. I am 51 years old and female by the way. This time she ordered a sonogram and a barium X-ray that identified the problem that has made me pretty miserable for so long. Thank goodness. What I wonder is why this took so long? Why didn’t previous colonoscopies lead to this diagnosis?

I should add I have previously been diagnosed with IBS with constipation, GERD, a diverticula, and recently bile sludge and non-alcoholic fatty liver.

Hi there,

I also have what I prefer to call a redundant colon (it is the same thing), but it was termed 'severe' by the gastro doctor who did the colonoscopy. I have never had any polyps (looking up the term tubular adenoma, that seems to be how most polyps are categorized). Congrats on having only one. Diet matters, in my view. With only one polyp, I don't know what colonoscopy schedule that puts you on. Your gastro doctor should have told you and if s/he didn't, it is likely in your charts.

Redundant colon can cause digestive issues and one of them is constipation, which I have; it definitely makes me feel 'full.'

For my redundant colon constipation, I drink more water and eat cooked rather than raw foods, and that seems to help.

What I am also just now trying out is sleeping on my left side. According to a Healthline article, sleeping on your left side, recommended for IBS, redundant colon, etc., gives the waste processing aspect of your redundant colon a gravity assist. Gravity pushes it along. Only two days in, I can vouch for it preventing constipation or incomplete evacuation. But it has only been two days.

Oh cool. I will try sleeping on my left side. I did finally hear from the doctor. And I have to have a colonoscopy every 5 years instead of every 10 years. The thing is that type of polyp that I mentioned, that's the type that has the propensity to turn into cancer. There's two types of polyps that they could find. One will always be benign and never turn into cancer and then the other one is the tubular adenoma. Tubular adenomas are exactly what they're looking for when they do colonoscopies. Those are the ones that are going to eventually become cancer and because of that I have to go every 5 years instead of 10. Also from what I've read redundant colon makes colonoscopies difficult. And actually in the report of my colonoscopy the doctor did indicate that it was difficult. So the fact that they're more difficult and that I have to have them more often is a little bit concerning