Anyone else have a Redundant / Tortuous Colon?

I am 69 & understand your issues. It is comforting to know there are others out there suffering with these difficulties but wouldn’t it be so wonderful if there was a solution that gastroenterologists could agree on. I found them pandemic became a good excuse to not leave the house & has just exacerbated my tendency to avoid outings.

I too have a redundant and torturous colon. And I also use abdominal message to help with motility. I seem to go from constipation and not diarrhea but softer stools. I had used Miralax and Citracel for years but had incontinance issues with the Miralax. I am currently taking Slow Mag twice a day. I seem to have trouble with certain foods as I have IBS as well. I am doing Pelvic Floor PT and they have been a big help. Having a colonoscopy is a nightmare and I think at this point I am done with that. One big issue with me is gas and controlling it. I often have no idea it is there and suddenly I pass it. Very embarrassing but impossible to control. I think because of all the twists and turns. I am afraid I am developing a small amount of anal prolapse. Seeing a new Gastro next month. Found my old one to be too busy doing procedures to help me solve my issues. Thank goodness I found a wonderful Primary Care Dr. That is helping me. Mentally this is such a difficult journey! I had an Aunt that never left her house the last 10 to 15 years of her life and a mother that pushes through, but has terrible incontinence! I am 69 years old and very active. My PT person is so against surgery, but sometimes I think it might be good!

Thank you!

I’m so sorry ur going thru this! I don’t have any medical answers for u but I want you to know that God does care for you! Just tell Him everything!
I was diagnosed with Gastro paresis about 10 years ago and either esophageal spasms (or Achalasia) more recently.
Something I just started trying was massaging my stomach following the digestive track. I rub up on my right side of my stomach, across the top, and down on the left side. I also massage my abdomen as a whole. I do this for about 15 minutes a day, sometimes longer and more than once a day. I’ve seen incredible results in having actual bowel movements vs diarrhea or constipation!
I’m having another endoscopy & minomitre(?) in a couple weeks followed with another colonoscopy to get to the “bottom” (Lol) of my issues.
I pray u get relief as well as good advice from the great people here😎

I’m so sorry- I understand! I have lived with this all my life and never been diagnosed until now (age 70)! But you find a way. I had rectal surgery at age 36 (fissures, fistulas, hemorrhoids, etc). Still no one mentioned this. I have always managed on my own, and this is a delicate balance. Not too much fiber, but definitely need some, be careful what you eat or you will suffer for days, etc. Even got a rectocele after not having a bm for 12 days after spinal fusion. I have avoided laxatives because they can keep over-working for days since digestion is so slow. Always wondered why I spent the whole (and I mean ALL) night crying and bleeding on the toilet before a colonoscopy, and then wasn’t even cleaned out all the way. Now I know it was because it takes me 2 days to digest what others do in a few hours.
And it does affect your schedule. At this point I don’t schedule anything before noon because I don’t leave the house before that. If it takes me until noon to go I will wait, because skipping a day now only causes pain & bleeding from internal hemorrhoids. Laxatives only end up causing days of diarrheal and leaking, so no. But glycerin suppositories occasionally help.
Not to mention it’s not a topic you can talk to others about comfortably- no one really wants to hear it. I don’t blame them! So you can’t really explain to clients or friends that you can’t plan on an early appt.
But hey, it could be a lot worse! I haven’t had to have surgery down there since that first one. It’s not cancer. And, thankfully, so far no diverticulitis or volvulous. And God sees me through- He knows the gory details and loves me anyway! Hang in there- find out what works for you to keep things moving and rely on yourself when you can. You’ll find a routine that works, and you’ll manage. There are people like me out here who understand and care❤️

Does tortuous colon symptoms get better? I been suffering from constipation, reflux and nauseated. I had a colonoscopy and I was diagnosed with tortuous colon. I am on meds for constipation that helps a little, but I’m miserable and I can’t be social and this is getting to me.

I have stopped taking the ML and the heartburn went away. Thx!

Maybe the heartburn is not related to the Miralax and just a coincidence. Maybe you should see an endocrinologist to make sure. It may be GERD and is treatable.

I am 71 years old. I was told my colon was "redundant" on my last colonoscopy report 5/21. In October of 22 I started experiencing severe diarrhea once a week, finally went to my PCP and all bloodwork and stool samples came back fine, but I had a "moderate bowel burden". So I was to start MiraLAX and see a gastroenterologist, but not till 1/9/23. She had me add fiber and scheduled a colonoscopy, which ended up not being until 3/30/23 along with an upper GI endoscopy. I experienced a lot of diarrhea and pain in the middle of my belly right under my sternum. If I felt like I was stopping up I used Smooth Move tea. It was almost to the point where the Smooth Move Tea and MiraLAX did not seem to be helping much. I now have dx of a "severely tortuous and redundant colon", Dr's words, not mine. And some other things also, but seem to me to be minor in comparison. I see the gastroenterologist on 4/12. She has me on MiraLAX once a day now. Increase my fiber, drink more, exercise and I am also trying to increase my Omega 3 and 6. I can barely eat much for the evening meal, because I almost immediately have a lot of discomfort and pressure right under my ribcage, in the center. I choose to take the MiraLAX before bed because I work evenings, not mornings. I have tried heat to my abdomen, some yoga stretches, massage, with very little relief. I have noticed that the increase in water and natural food fiber has seemed to help. I just don't know what else to do except wait for my appointment and hope she has some suggestions, prefer natural things, not prescriptions. I did have chronic constipation as a child, and can only a couple experiences as an adult where I felt like I could not have a bm. It has turned my life upside down, so just trying to upright myself again so I can successfully live with this.

Yes, not a long shot at al! Great suggestion. I am a runner and run 20ish miles a week plus 3-4 spin classes, yoga.