Anyone else have a Redundant / Tortuous Colon?
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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YES MY WORST ENEMY ALSO UNDERSTAND
@quiteachiver75 GOOD MORNING I UNDERSTAND WHERE YOU ARE COMING FROM FIBER IS MY WORST ENERY. I DONT EVER WANT TO BE TOLD AGAIN EAT MORE FIBER. IT BLOWS ME UP AND CANT GET RID OF IT
I don’t think I have adhesions yet my dad has had many and had to have emergency surgeries because of them. I pray things get better for you. I agree avoid too much fiber.
Fiber and more fiber, decrease my stress, get my depression under control (hard to do when you have bowel and bladder inconsistence) and have a med review done - then try to have another colonoscopy (after a multiple day prep) completed. Fiber makes me feel like I’m dying and always has - as a baby my pediatrician told my mom to mix prune and orange juice to get my bowels to move because I was always constipated. If I don’t take stool softeners or use laxatives daily during a constipation flare I can go a month without a BM but I can also have flares where I have diarrhea for months. The last 16 years have a nightmare and I know that I’m a burden now because I’m not able to work some days and knowing things will only get worse from this point is crushing. I’ve had to become my own advocate because the Drs has my family convinced it was all in my head until a few weeks ago when they couldn’t complete the colonoscopy. But that doesn’t help me - they are still playing the “wait and see” and “eat more fiber” games.
I as well have a redundant colon along with adhesions due to multiple abdominal surgeries. Plus I have Pelvic Floor Dysfunction. I am on the Fodmap diet as many others on this site are, however contrary to what most doctors and dietitians say, I avoid all foods that have more than 3 grams of fiber. I used to be a vegetable fanatic. Besides loving them, every Dr said fiber, more fiber and more fiber for the constipation. Fiber, especially insoluble, can't be broken down in your digestive tract. If your colon is twisted as mine is, plus adhesions (adhesions are like glue sticking your intestines together) there is no way for the fibrous food to get through, which ultimately blocks anything else I eat from passing through, causes bloating, pain, and horrible constipation. This goes for corn, popcorn, nuts, and anything with seeds. It just takes one seed or nut to get caught in a loop that is stuck together to cause a complete flare up. I am on Trulance. Trulance is supposed to liquify your stool so it can get pass through. In addition to that I take 2 to 3 caps of Miralax a day. Even with all of these laxatives food in general doesn't get through easily or daily, but fiber is my worst enemy. My bowels are like a yo-yo.
What are your doctors telling you to do from here? You have a lot to deal with!
I’ve had horrible abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting and bleeding for years (16 years). I’ve had many colonoscopies, endoscopies, CTs, MRIs - basically you name it I’ve had it done .. 3 colonoscopies over the past 2 years multiple malignant carcinoid tumors were found and removed and I was told “don’t worry it’s a slow growing cancer”. My pain and symptoms never eased so for 16 years dr after dr told me the symptoms were because of cysts on my ovaries because of PCOS and because I was over weight. The gastrointestinal dr last year (I have since changed) neglected to tell me that my CT showed that I had football size masses on both ovaries - so I had a hysterectomy. Still my symptoms didn’t ease. I gave up and decided I just had to live with the pain and try to deal with it - I have extra clothes at work, in my car, in my purse. Fast forward to fall 2018 I begin fainting and losing weight I’ve lost 70lbs in a years. I had my 6th colonoscopy and endoscopy in 3 years last week (my blood work shows my iron, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 levels are depleted) my new gastrointestinal dr couldn’t complete my colonoscopy even though I did a 2 day prep. Endoscopy shows that my esophagus is constantly spasming and the opening to my stomach is small. Even without completing the colonoscopy it showed I have significant inflammatory bowel disease, an extremely “torturous” and spastic colon, severe IBS, and possible Crohns. I’m exhausted from the anemia along with all the colon issues and just being sick all the time. But mostly if drs would have taken the time to listen instead of just judging me as a “curvy” PCOS woman I could’ve gotten help before it got to this point. I don’t know where to turn now.
One of the things that I have started experimenting with lately are some simple yoga poses that are aimed at the digestive system.
I don't do them all, because I am not as "stretchy" as the folks who do this stuff every day. I do the ones that I can manage.
https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/yoga-for-constipation#takeaway
https://yurielkaim.com/yoga-poses-for-constipation/
I did these over and over in the middle of the night, last night, for about an hour. plus my usual bedtime combo of laxatives and supplements, which has not been working lately. I did NOT want to take another Linzess this morning, and I did not need to. I think the yoga helped just enough to get things moving by morning, and I took over from there. I cannot prove that it actually worked, but I will be doing this every day now
I am experimenting with one senokot combined with two 125mg of some magnesium taurate that I had in the cupboard and getting some positive results. Maybe the magnesium will do the trick. Early days.
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