Anyone else have a Redundant / Tortuous Colon?

Elizabeth, I hear you and I feel your pain. I am in the same position and was forced to have a hysterectomy. Turns out my uterus had a fibroid growing on it, but it wasn't able to be imaged bc my colon covered so much space. Fast forward a year, i have still been in the ER for abdominal pain from ovarian cysts and painful-near proliferation like symptoms. For the last 6 months no one has been able to image my right ovary with transvaginal or abdominal ultrasounds. Gyn's send you to Gastro's and vice versa. Both send you to Psych or Neuro. I am grateful for the hysterectomy though. Gave my tummy more room, but now over a year later my organs seem to shift even more. Looking into resection surgery bc I feel like I'm losing my mind

Hi, Amy – I’m not sure if you’ll get this because you wrote your message 3+ years ago. I could’ve written it myself! You and I are in the exact same boat and I have never read anybody else’s situation and had it be as similar to mine. I am also a runner, long distance, and discovered recently that the only thing that allowed me to do well after eight or 10 miles was if I restricted my diet to the MOST bland of the low FOD map and gluten-free foods hard-core for about four days prior to a race and I would do a big clean out with a prescribed laxative, the kind they use for colonoscopies, the night before or two nights before the big run. That was such a wonderful discovery because it allowed me to run long distances and not have any problems. I haven’t done it for a little while and I think it’s causing problems. I think I need to do a clean out every couple weeks just to feel good, but I’m not sure if there’s any harm in that. I am on Motegrity for my constipation which seems to be helping but I still have so much gas and discomfort! I also have SIBO and have had to do several rounds of antibiotics. I am on a low FOD map diet pretty much all the time, avoid garlic, onions, and artichokes like my life depends on it, I’ve been gluten-free for the past eight years, and am mostly dairy free but have cheddar cheese a couple times a week. I’m starting to think I might have to give that up as well. My one and only really big vice is red wine. I drink it every day, and usually two glasses or more. I’ve never read anything about that affecting my IBS but I have to think it might. I try to drink a bunch of water to compensate, especially when I’m training. I can’t even consider something like fiber pills. Metamucil made me feel like I was dying. I am trying to figure out if I could do a hysterectomy, which is warranted for other reasons, and if that would help my colon issues. I literally dream of having part of my colon removed because I’m so tired of dealing with it on a daily basis. It’s nice to know that other people are suffering the same way I am; that sounds cruel I know, but it is true that misery loves company and I hate feeling like the only food-deprived, utterly uncomfortable, bloated and gassy freak that I feel like most of the time. I hope your issues have gotten better in the past few years and would love to know any tips that you have discovered if so. Thanks!
-Elizabeth

margoriem, I am not convinced that diet and massage/body manipulation aren't the answers for my IBS-C and severely redundant colon. I hope you can figure it all out. Attached is what works for me, but I am always trying new things.

One thing is for sure, a redundant colons needs a lot of H2O. Chia seeds, soaked in boiling water and added to my hot cereal prevents constipation. I am guessing moderate fiber is what I do--and it is with real food, not processed food. Adding abdominal massage in the a.m. upon rising, going from sitting (kinks the colon which doesn't help) to standing and moving around helps too.

Yes, it is confusing to try and figure out, but I really believe I can come up with good solutions for myself.

See attached.

I was just diagnosed with a redundant or torturous colon. I also have a hiatal hernia, esophagus motility issues, and acid reflux. What I have discovered is that there is no medications, supplements, or diet that will totally correct these issues. I quit taking PPI inhibitors because of the recently released study that they can cause a 30% chance of early onset dementia and I have a family history of that. So, I have been left with trying to figure all this out on my own. My Gastroenterologist prescribed heavy doses of Miralax to clean me out and said to take 1 capful, three times a day for maintenance. Well, that was awful! I was having accidents (if you know what I mean) so I had to stop it. Then I read on this blog that someone said a supplement called Cleanse More helped them (magnesium supplement) so I asked my doctor about it and he said it was safe to take and told me to take 2 capsules every other day. That was touch and go. Two capsules seemed to be too much and one wasn't enough so right now I just started back on 1 capful of Miralax once a day and two Cleanse More capsules every other day. We'll see what happens. Regarding the high-fiber diet, I have read conflicting reports and my doctor told me that a low-fiber diet is better for this condition. High-fiber foods will cause too much bulk and will be harder to pass through. I have also seen a surgeon regarding the colon issue and he said surgery is a last resort but to come back to see him if I cannot get a handle on this. It is so confusing trying to figure all this out!

Have a stool test! I had similar symptoms for years! Turned out to be Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency ( pancreas not producing enough digestive enzymes).

I also have torturous colon. Only 2 of last 3 GI could complete colonoscopy. I keep being told it’s not possible for it to cause abdominal pain 😕

Have a stool test! I had similar symptoms for years! Turned out to be Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency ( pancreas not producing enough digestive enzymes).

I also have torturous colon. Only 2 of last 3 GI could complete colonoscopy. I keep being told it’s not possible for it to cause abdominal pain 😕