Anyone else have a Redundant/Tortuous Colon?

JN: I am a 72y/o woman with severe constipation & a redundant colon. 7 years ago I had 14" of colon removed and 3 additional surgeries for a rectocele, entrocele and another bowel prolapse. I have been severely constipated before and after surgeries. I have tried evert kind of otc med, laxatives, fibers and many prescribed meds, drink 1/2 gallon of water, swim 4-5 times weekly, do zumba nothing works. I have thrown up after 6 days of not going. I have pains in right upper and left lower abdominal areas. I am enema dependent to empty my bowels, it is a painful process and can last for 3 hours every time I do it. 2 surgeons recommended colectomy, 1 did not. 1 GI recommended surgery, 2 did not. I am a young 72 and want to continue living actively with less difficulty. Anyone have surgery that worked, and what kind to eliminate this problem? I have been told that colectomy can also produce bloating, gas, things I am already dealing with. Thank you for your help
JN

JN: I am a 72y/o woman with severe constipation & a redundant colon. 7 years ago I had 14" of colon removed and 3 additional surgeries for a rectocele, entrocele and another bowel prolapse. I have been severely constipated before and after surgeries. I have tried evert kind of otc med, laxatives, fibers and many prescribed meds, drink 1/2 gallon of water, swim 4-5 times weekly, do zumba nothing works. I have thrown up after 6 days of not going. I have pains in right upper and left lower abdominal areas. I am enema dependent to empty my bowels, it is a painful process and can last for 3 hours every time I do it. 2 surgeons recommended colectomy, 1 did not. 1 GI recommended surgery, 2 did not. I am a young 72 and want to continue living actively with less difficulty. Anyone have surgery that worked, and what kind to eliminate this problem? I have been told that colectomy can also produce bloating, gas, things I am already dealing with. Thank you for your help
JN

JN: I am a 72y/o woman with severe constipation & a redundant colon. 7 years ago I had 14" of colon removed and 3 additional surgeries for a rectocele, entrocele and another bowel prolapse. I have been severely constipated before and after surgeries. I have tried evert kind of otc med, laxatives, fibers and many prescribed meds, drink 1/2 gallon of water, swim 4-5 times weekly, do zumba nothing works. I have thrown up after 6 days of not going. I have pains in right upper and left lower abdominal areas. I am enema dependent to empty my bowels, it is a painful process and can last for 3 hours every time I do it. 2 surgeons recommended colectomy, 1 did not. 1 GI recommended surgery, 2 did not. I am a young 72 and want to continue living actively with less difficulty. Anyone have surgery that worked, and what kind to eliminate this problem? I have been told that colectomy can also produce bloating, gas, things I am already dealing with. Thank you for your help
JN

JN: I am a 72y/o woman with severe constipation & a redundant colon. 7 years ago I had 14" of colon removed and 3 additional surgeries for a rectocele, entrocele and another bowel prolapse. I have been severely constipated before and after surgeries. I have tried evert kind of otc med, laxatives, fibers and many prescribed meds, drink 1/2 gallon of water, swim 4-5 times weekly, do zumba nothing works. I have thrown up after 6 days of not going. I have pains in right upper and left lower abdominal areas. I am enema dependent to empty my bowels, it is a painful process and can last for 3 hours every time I do it. 2 surgeons recommended colectomy, 1 did not. 1 GI recommended surgery, 2 did not. I am a young 72 and want to continue living actively with less difficulty. Anyone have surgery that worked, and what kind to eliminate this problem? I have been told that colectomy can also produce bloating, gas, things I am already dealing with. Thank you for your help
JN

@sallyw133 I so understand. My husband and I are separated, he got crazy and I had to leave my beloved Florida to move back to hills. So upsetting. Which makes health issues worse.
Anyway, I wish you the best. I am suffering so this morning where I had the endometrial biopsies. It may be November before they get me in to check for cancer! My GP told me to be patient yesterday as I couldn't get in any sooner elsewhere. I am so tired of it all. Feel like my tortuous colon is hurting in response to where they did biopsies???
Very sensitive to procedure due to small fiber neuropathy which affects organs too.
We got to hang on my friend, our health care system is a mess. I am disabled RN and sad at lack of care and nurses leaving.
Hugs... ❤️

Yes, I have it. Years ago surgery at 28 for exploratory lap. Had history exposure to chemicals in research lab. Saw this diagnosis on my CT colonography scan in 2017 after my new GI doc couldn’t get a regular or pediatric scope in. I’m in my 70s. I’m careful about food choices as I also have diverticuli. A damaged ileocecal valve from previous colonoscopy also makes things challenging. I would recommend the Monash university app as it is best I’ve found so far. It is often the quantity of certain things eaten. A strict fodmap diet can cause nutrition problems over a long haul. It is not free app, about $8. I’m retired NP and diabetes educator. I’ve seen the wide swings in dietary advice. It can be confusing. Different health care providers don’t always have good background in nutrition. Moderation in all things. Good luck.

I have that, too. I believe it’s called visceral hypersensitivity. I believe all of my issues started with my migraines. Either the pain itself or the numerous medications over the past 30 years. Now it seems like every week it’s another thing I have wrong with me. My poor husband it about ready to lose his mind. Had hopes of doing all this traveling once he retired. We do travel. But to doctors apts! Not quite the same.

@sallyw133 so sorry you're in pain too. Gentle hugs. Hope we sleep tonight 😴
I feel my inside, so strange!

That is very interesting because I DO have both diverticuli and redundant tortuous colon. Always had severe constipation and gas as a young child; then dx with ‘spastic colon’ in early 20’s w right sided pain. Since my early 60s I’ve had alternating diarrhea and constipation (and gas) but age 66 added horrible cramping episodes and nausea. May of 2022 at Age 67 hospitalized then dx w tortuous and redundant colon, diverticuli present but real problem was dx as bacterial colitis. IV and po antibiotics supposedly cleared it however this past week I’ve had a terrible flare. Constipated x 2 days, took Colace for 3 days then finally had a BM. However I apparently had not fully emptied, as yesterday I had 6 or 7 small, loosely formed bm’s and nausea so immediately went to the BRAT diet Today I feel terrible and feel like something is vibrating or gurgling in there. Had one small bm this am. Should I have a SIBO test since I did have the reported bacterial colitis?? Should I take probiotics?? Should I take something for motility issues?? I couldn’t believe the amount of stool that has come out the past couple of days, especially yesterday. I’ve read and studied the low FODMAP diet plan but am not sure it’s right for me. Another issue that’s related is I sweat excessively and can easily become dehydrated if I’m not careful. So that sure doesn’t help the old colon. Anybody have suggestions as to what I should do, other than contact my doctor? I have an appt the end of October and doubt I could be seen any earlier. Thought about going to the ER but not sure I need to go to that extreme.