Anyone else have a Redundant / Tortuous Colon?

Posted by onaquest @onaquest, Nov 7, 2018

Hello. Anyone else out there that has a redundant/ tortured colon? I was diagnosed with this a few years ago. I’m usually ok, but if I get constipated, I get sick for a week or two. Last year my gastroenterologist referred me to a surgeon for urgent surgery to remove some of my colon. The surgeon I ended up seeing (not on the recommended list by my gastro doc due to others not available for a long time) said he believed I could live with the redundant colon if I followed a low FODMAP diet. I tried the diet religiously, scientifically (I’m a scientist), and I found it’s not the food I eat that causes these bouts of constipation. The only item I’ve found that might cause the bouts is coffee every day. An occasional coffee seems fine. What has helped me stay regular in a big way is Benefiber (or any pure wheat dextrose generic) three times per day. Lots of fluid.

My gastro doc was upset with the surgeon and said I’d regret not having the surgery. He fears I will end up in an emergency situation. I have searched the Mayo site and don’t find anything about redundant/ tortured colon. Are any Mayo docs doing research or treat this condition? Anyone else suffer from this too?
Thank you! -Jayne

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@sickofbeinsick1

I’m in Houston…all I can say is good luck. I’ve been dealing with GI’s for Well over 10 yrs. The pain is unbearable. I can’t travel, wear anything around my waist…I do have a vibrating heating pad, it’s soothing while using, but that’s about it. I take Lactulose “daily”, but I don’t like taking anything that much, so I live (if you can call it that) on liquids mostly. I have given up.
Goood luck!

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The only way to stop bowel muscles from atrophying and stop working is to exercise them with fiber. A high percentage of soluable fiber foods (not insoluable ) at every single meal I found is key, and those that contain cooled resistant starch (not digested by small intestine and makes it to the colon) best. Examples of high soluable fiber foods are oatmeal, hard crunchy fresh apple flesh, root vegetables etc. Overcooking will destroy the fiber. Insoluable is husks, skins, roughage which can irritate an already irritated colon. Both types are needed in the diet but meals that have high percentage of soluable fiber I have found as a key. Chew food to soft pulp with no hard dry pieces. Some oil/fat at each meal also keeps things moving. I wrote more extensively on `Tortuous colon diagnosis and diarrhea`. Mayo posts. Same problem whether diarrhea or constipation it seems. Drinking and moving all day. Sitting a lot seems to stop things from working.

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@lapxp

I have considered the Vibrant pill, but given the tortuosity issue, I'm scared that it will get stuck in a bend/loop. Is this an unfounded concern in your experience or your GI's expertise? Thank you!

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I had the same concerns about capsules getting stuck. It has happened a few times which I found out by an X-ray before having an mri for unrelated issues. Once, my dr had me take a bowel prep which resolved the problem but no one wants to go through that f it isn’t absolutely necessary. Most recently I took Phillip’s milk of magnesia when a X-ray showed 4 trapped capsules. Two or 3 nights on that resolved my problem. I have been on vibrant ever since it was approved by the FDA. With a few glitches, it has worked very well. I never thought I would have thought I would have normal bowel movements.
Adrienne

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@adrienne625

I have chronic idiopathic constipation and a redundant colon. Two years ago, my gastroenterologist recommended a new capsule called Vibrant. When a capsule is electronically charged and swallowed in creates parastatals in the colon, thereby pushing the stool along the colon. Most of the time it works very well for me and prevents constipation. Is anyone else using this? There are drawbacks which I won’t go into in my initial post.
Adrienne

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I have considered the Vibrant pill, but given the tortuosity issue, I'm scared that it will get stuck in a bend/loop. Is this an unfounded concern in your experience or your GI's expertise? Thank you!

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I have tortuous or redundant colon and serious diverticulosis and internal hemorrhoids for many years identified during colonoscopy. Gastro doctor uses pediatric scope after thorough prep. I have a difficult time passing waste and am constipated most of the time. I take Linzess 290 daily, eat prunes, take stool oftener and take Dulcolax and frequent enemas to be able to defecate. I am an 82 year old male, who is active and lives alone. I also have serious sleep apnea, chronic bronchitis, asthma and COPD from an on-the-job long-term chemical exposure. No history of smoking, alcohol or drug usage

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@jlynnwalls

I was told I have this also. I have severe constipation then episodes of severe cramping, diarrhea, and vomiting. It’s some of the worst pain ever. It feels like I can actually feel the feces move thru the colon until I have a bowel movement. The episodes generally last about 4 hours then I sleep the entire day. I had an “episode” on an airplane once and you talk about humiliating. The flight attendant busted the door open because he wanted me to come out of the bathroom and I kept telling him I couldn’t and he kept saying I had to and I’m sitting in the toilet with diarrhea and vomiting in the sink at the same time. The pilot then told my husband they were going to make an emergency landing and my husband refused and tried to explain my situation. So then the pilot said they would get an ambulance ready at our destination and again my husband refused and explained it’s a chronic condition and it will pass. I was embarrassed and my husband could have just died, once we landed, my husband looked out the window and there sat an ambulance. I don’t know if it was coincidence or what but thank goodness they let me off that plane. I’m terrified to fly now because of this incident.

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Do you have trouble sleeping every night? I can't hardly sleep and I don't during the day either... I am always so focused on getting miles in walking and then the misery starts all over. Unfortunately , I have dysergenic defecation on top of the redundancy and tortured colon.

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@adrienne625

I have chronic idiopathic constipation and a redundant colon. Two years ago, my gastroenterologist recommended a new capsule called Vibrant. When a capsule is electronically charged and swallowed in creates parastatals in the colon, thereby pushing the stool along the colon. Most of the time it works very well for me and prevents constipation. Is anyone else using this? There are drawbacks which I won’t go into in my initial post.
Adrienne

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Can you tell us more about this capsule?? I have never heard of this?

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@lonestarinitaly

My heating pad is my best friend these days, unfortunately. I vascillate between constipation and bas diarrhea most of the time. Last December, while in France, I had emergency surgery for a blockage caused by adhesions from past surgeries. After that, was told ai had a redundant/torturous colon. I rarely have a "normal"..as I'm always dealing with one or the other, constipation or diarrhea. Most laxatives flip me over to diarrhea, so am very perplexed as to what I need to do. The GI doctors in this town are difficult to see and get good treatment from; will travel into Houston in late February to see a new one, trying to get answers and help. I cramp constantly and spend a good deal of time on heating pad. Not quality of life, to be sure. Curious as how to go about finding a Dr. and location for Mayo Clinic, probably in Florida, as I am in Louisiana. Any and all advice are welcome.

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I’m in Houston…all I can say is good luck. I’ve been dealing with GI’s for Well over 10 yrs. The pain is unbearable. I can’t travel, wear anything around my waist…I do have a vibrating heating pad, it’s soothing while using, but that’s about it. I take Lactulose “daily”, but I don’t like taking anything that much, so I live (if you can call it that) on liquids mostly. I have given up.
Goood luck!

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@wvsue

I, too, have tortuous colon. I’ve finally found what works for me. Constipation is my enemy. What’s working for me is fiber capsules, Miralax, and stool softener, plus a daily treat of raw carrots and celery. I also manipulate my colon by massaging my belly, to help the stool to pass. I take too many meds already and don’t want to add others if I don’t have to.

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The Vibrant capsules I mentioned in an earlier post, is not a medication. The capsules vibrate in the colon, creating peristalsis.

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Pretty much all US grown rice is high in arsenic. See Consumer Reports. It had widespread usage as a pesticide years ago and since rice is grown in wet soils, it absorbs a lot of it. Rice grown in India, Pakistan etc does not have that. So if you are going GF do not consume a lot of US grown rice products ie. rice flour etc. I learned the hard way, I was continually having tiny sores on my body and liver problems until I cut it out.

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@cazza

Hi Jane,
I too have a redundant colon so I know exactly what you're going through.
I've always suffered from chronic constipation since having my gallbladder removed 13 years ago.
In the last 11 years I've been hospitalised with a compacted bowel 12 times but in the last 18 months I've been admitted to hospital 4 times, last week was the recent.
A colonoscopy 4 years ago showed I had redundant colon but my gastroligist said ...
" What came first, the chicken or the egg?"
He explained when you suffer from chronic constipation which in turn causes a compacted bowel the bowel, over time stretches and stretches until it becomes long and loopy = redundant colon.
I am 71 years of age and seeing a bowel consultant on the 27th of this month. I'm getting to a point where I'm really considering asking him if I can have a Stoma as the amount of laxatives and stool softner is way to much for my likening and my body can't take the daily pain, trapped wind, nausea, bloating and the constant panic, is my bowel going to block and kill me!
A reseaction can cause complications and usually a secondary surgery is necessary.
Regards Carol

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Hello Carol and others,
Best of luck, I have great empathy for you, the uncertainty is stressful. Good luck with your REGULARITY!!!

Disclaimer: This is only my experience going natural. I have used organic, integrative, functional, holistic Naturopathic doctor's advice along with my MD’s since the early 1980's. There is science in alternatives too.
I work closely with my ND, he said the Migrating Motor Complex and Osmotic Gradient are important. He bet I would find what worked for me. Goal: how to keep a longer than normal pipe consistently moist…. My ND also said attention would be needed from now on.

Before my ND's encouragement to find my own solution, I tried laxatives = not consistent + side effects like bloating, etc. All say for occasional use. They disrupt the system if taken continuously. I liked a co-redundant colon person said: “It’s physical” so regular constipation suggestions may not work. For me oatmeal and psyllium husks constipate so it is possible that laxatives you take may work opposite the way intended?? Don’t give up. It took me 4 months to feel I could depend on being regular. It is worth going natural. It has been over a year since then that I have been blissfully regular + have a back up of coffee and occasional Smooth Move when needed. Note: volume is twice as much each morning than before my regularity work over.

Dec 2023 doc did non sedated colonoscopy. I watched on TV. I had had a baby years ago (natural and could stand pain) so it was no big deal. Most people in world don't get put out. Very interesting and allowed scope to get through because I relaxed. He showed me the redundancy. No wonder I had been constipation on and off starting in my teens. I’m now in my early 70’s.

Start with keeping a record of your BM's. You probably have a chart of the way they look and which is best, that + our motility is slower. Because of the colon loops my husband and I thought about consistent moisture. For me I take magnesium, potassium and salt at night (I run low blood pressure so be careful if yours is high) Record, appearance, time, what foods you ate, amount, ease or not, stress state, water for the day, food, etc for a close look for your exact body. I would observe especially what I did on the great REGULARITY days and see if I could repeat it. Taking the warm water and ground seed goop in the morning and the supplements in the middle of the night was the key that brought consistency to my REGULARITY.

Throw sugar out along with processed and refined foods. Look up foods and drinks that constipate and give them up, at least as a test. OptiMag and K2+ Potassium are great supps. I take them when I go to bed and once in the night (important to keep colon moisture consistent). I include prunes/prune juice, winter squash, sweet potatoes, rhubarb etc in my diet. I eat cups of steamed vegetables each day. I grind 2T chia, 1 T sesame seeds and 2 T flax seeds, then soak in prune juice overnight. I add a T or two of carob now since it can help regularity. Take all in the morning. Drink lot of water starting with a quart of hot water in the morning - boy scouts. I drink warmed up diluted chicken broth at times too. It is soothing to my stomach. Have heard kiwi's are good but haven't tried them. Coffee and Smooth Move are my back ups. I don't like coffee and never have drunk it much but it usually works for me in a pinch. Thankfully I only need coffee a few times a month. I depend on this for daily REGULARITY first "chore" each morning. I am an early riser and when off the farm I don't want to wonder if I will have REGULARITY.

Check out helpful research of biological processes that take place in our gut:
- Migrating Motor complex which is the electroactivity in the GI tract during meals and fasting times between.
- Osmotic gradient. If too much water is pulled into the colon, diarrhea results. If not enough water is pulled into the colon constipation results. Balance of minerals is important. Magnesium, potassium and sodium brings water into the colon. I have found balancing these help prevent constipation. I have to watch my calcium supplement intake because it tends to encourage constipation. Calcium carbonate seems to be the most constipating. I depend on blood work from time to time to make sure my minerals are balanced.

Oh and letting stress go is important too - I know how scary it can be. Golly it seems there is no hope for relief but it is worth looking at diet and trying lifestyle changes that can help. Good luck, @farmersmith

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