Anyone else have a Redundant / Tortuous Colon?

Hello
Just checking in after some time and wondering how you are doing now> New to Mayo support, so far so good.
Digestive issues are so fun.

E

@shawnkthryn, I eat 4-6 small meals a day. I drink a lot of warm liquids, including hot water, too. That helps with everything. Frozen mature leaf spinach and carrots are good and low, "green light" with respect to FODMAPs. Green light FODMAPs pretty much is what I focus on, food-wise.

Frontier is the brand for my slippery elm.

Yes, fully understanding how one's plumbing works is really important. Stretching and a variety of movement helps move things a long and is good for mood too. I don't eat white fish any more (see below). I have a peanut once in a while, but no peanut butter (fat is an issue), no egg yolks (see below).

Here are all my details in case you want to try any: I drink a weak def caf black tea and peppermint tea, with milk. My veggie list is longer than yours (and I don't eat too much of any one): mature spinach (not baby, due to FODMAP issues), collards (no stems), parsley, radish, kabocha squash (1/3 cup once a day, due to FODMAP issue), white potato (1/4 c once a day), a sheet of seasoned seaweed (for my soups), a half slice of firm tofu (once a day, FODMAP issue), parsnips (one medium, once a day), green onion (green part only, FODMAP issue).

I can have a couple of olives a day. I use Maille mustard (no added onion powder) and mayo (scant). Some capers. Some FODY brand catsup or other sauce, but scant. Salt and pepper, turmeric, scant paprika, oregano, cumin. Cocoa is fun/chocolate is not. Scant nuts and seeds (brazil, walnut, pumpkin).

In theory, carrots should also be in my diet but I have a phobia for a couple of wacky reasons.

I eat papaya (1/2+ cup once a day), blueberries (handfull, once a day) in a smoothie with other ingredients. That is lunch, along with a microwaved-steamed plantain or a slice of my "carrotcake-like dessert bread I make.

I drink any Lactaid milk and can have a tablespoon of Lactaid cottage cheese daily. No lactose-free sour cream or butter; the fat content is an issue. Same thing with coconut milk. I do cook with scant olive or coconut oil. I eat egg whites but the yolks bother me.

My sweetener is pure liquid stevia (or stevia leafs for my teas).

My gut doesn't seem to like dense food, whether it is meat/fish or bread (but meat is far worse). I used to be able to eat fish, but I think with the manual labor shortage/ocean warming issues, it just isn't fresh in my area anymore ; even white fish and shrimp are gross, perhaps due to histamines/bacteria, but it could be its density. I never ate a full portion.

Protein is from egg whites (quart cartons mostly, but fresh at times and powdered for my smoothies), powdered pea protein isolate, lactose-free milk. I can eat cooked calf liver (chopped liver).

Plantain flour is for baking and hot cereal (which I eat 2X a day).

Regular Girl is my brand of multi-vit. It is good for those with a consitpation issue, as it has a gentle form of iron.

Importantly, and what I didn't say earlier, once last game changer is a golden kiwi each night. It acts cas a gentle stimulant (there is a study you can google). I tried skipping it...Rhubarb may work too. Not sure.

I have a tortuous colon and have had motility problems for 24 years. for years I have been dependent on enemas to eliminate, I simply cannot eliminate without them. Here is a brief history of how I have been helped:

in 2014 a colorectal surgeon surgically inserted an interstim, which is a colon stimulator. For eight years the interstim worked. I no longer needed regular enemas every day, only on some days. I took lots of miralax every night and was able to eliminate easily using suppositories, prep h and digital stimulation; and sometimes naturally

After the interstim stopped working, I acquired another problem.
Due to spinal fractures, I've been on regular opioids. consequently I found myself suffering from opioid induced constipation. Nothing worked. Was on linzess; it worked for six months and then I built up permanent tolerance. After two years of not being able to eliminate, I googled the problem and found that there is a class of drugs called PAMORA, which are specifically for OIC. My pain dr prescribes one of the PAMORA drugs, Relistor; I take three tablets every night plus miralax and am able to eliminate via enemas, but they are quick and I get it over with in 15 minutes. I wish I didn't have to take the enemas, but at least it's quick.

In addition, i go to colonics once a month and have a two-hour session. If you are healthy enough to tolerate colonics (pl google if you're not familiar with it), it cleans you out. However insurance does not generally cover it so hopefully, if you choose this method, you can afford to pay for it. some doctors will advise against it and say it is dangerous. If you go to a reputable colonics practitioner, they will know whether or not you can tolerate it and they will not harm you. My practitioner is an RN and really knows her stuff. So pl google colonics before listening to advice and decide for yourself. It really works! If you are able to tolerate it (and due to the conditions you described, that might not be the case), and if you can afford it once a week, you will be relatively ok, or at least better. If I were wealthy enough, I would have a two-hour session once a week because I feel so great afterwards. I take a strong dose of milk of magnesia the night before and she cleans me out for two hours. I have never been harmed by it, only helped, especially when I was suffering the most and could not eliminate at all

I hope these ideas are helpful. I'm reaching out to you with prayers and love in my heart because I know what kind of suffering motility issues can cause

Yes, I can say.I have had similar thing happen with me.
Stabbing pain when turning in bed on my left side.
Seem to coincide when I began to have gastro.Issues because of my twisted colon.
Constipation.
Is always a situation that you have to deal with all the time.
Just completed a colonoscop and it was a moderately torturous colon.
I wish that there was a way we could untwist the colons!
i'm going to look into it.

@researchmaven yes, I forgot to mention I take prenatal vitamin, super B complex & vitamin D. I'm not sure re my dietary intake. Are you eating several small meals? I eat once maybe twice a day. Either pkg spinach w carrots cooked well or a couple different veg's next days meal? I used to be much more active. I feel I have to always be on the conservative side & prioritize, where I choose to spend energy. You're actually up & going the extra mile for your health. I have Slippery Elm Bark powder on my list. I have not got this yet. I thought knowing the problem is 1/2 the battle & the other 1/2is the approach. Do you eat any white fish? Peanut butter or eggs?

@shawnkthryn,

We are eating in a similar fashion. I have detailed what I eat a number of times on this platform.

Suggestions:

Slippery elm inner bark powder - I use 1/8 teaspoon with meals, 4-5 times a day. A game changer.
Magnesium at night - both good for consitpation and anxiety.
A multi-vitamin, due to a limited diet.
Digestive enzymes with every meal/snack. I use the Intoleran brand. A game changer.
Also a product to help me break down fats and proteins.

None of the above would work as well if I hadn't switched to a mostly soft-foods diet.

I also walk for 45 minutes and stretch.

This is a bare-bones outline, but you get the idea. I do all of this and my gut is pretty normal.

@researchmaven I'm eating carrots, beets spinach, sweet potatoes, squash, outshine bars. That's what I found agrees w me. Boost 30mg & gatorade zero all day. 2 wks. going a little every day. Any suggestions

Shawnkthryn -- Have you tried eating low FODMAP or a highly liquid diet? What supplements do you take? Based on my experience, finding the foods and supps that work for you could relieve a lot of symptoms.

Considering age @66yy, what i've endured w cholecystectomy, umbilical hernia repair, rectopexy-(anal prolapse), & 40 y ago hysterectomy- scar tissue growth- doc talked re removal of excess growth- Huh? PCP i have past year offered a tetanus shot, another Huh? Petty stuff when I'm in maternity clothes w distensions & a prolapse. I kid you not. So many tests & blood work & i agree 100%

affirmed Very torturous colon. But redundant colon in chart. GI ?'d
Painful stomach distensions to swollen intestine w no food I can clearly feel difference