Anyone else have a Redundant / Tortuous Colon?

@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 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?

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.

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

@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.

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

Hi Jayne,
Best of luck. Stick with it and you can find just the right fit for you! I am so glad I didn't even consider surgery after finding out about my longer than usual colon! You can form fit the changes you need for just you. Be sure to be active too. Glad others have natural suggestions like kiwi and artichoke root and slippery elm, Maybe I will add them from time to time too.
Disclaimer: Only my experience going natural for chronic constipation and come to find out redundant colon. I have used organic, integrative, functional, holistic Naturopathic doctor's advice along with my MD’s since the early 1980's. There is science in alternatives too.
I work closely with my ND, he told me to study the Migrating Motor Complex and Osmotic Gradient and he bet that I would find something that worked for me. Goal: how to keep a longer than normal pipe consistently moist…. My ND also said because my condition was physical, attention would be needed from now on.
I tried laxatives and they are not consistent and have side effects like bloating, etc. All say for occasional use. They disrupt the system if taken continuously. Psyllium husks, MD's go to, made me worse. I liked response from a co-redundant colon person: “It’s physical” so regular constipation suggestions may not work. Don’t give up because it took me 4 months to feel I could depend on being regular. It is worth going natural.
Dec 2023 the doc had me do non sedated colonoscopy. He went through my colon as I watched on TV. I had had a baby years ago (natural and could stand pain) so figured I could stand it – it was no big deal. Most people in world don't get put out. Very interesting and it helped allow the scope to get through because I relaxed. No wonder I had been constipation on and off starting in my teens. I’m now in my early 70’s.
OptiMag and K2+ Potassium are great supps. I take them when I go to bed and once in the night. I include prunes/prune juice, winter squash, sweet potatoes, rhubarb etc in my diet. I eat cups of steamed vegetables each day. I grind 2T chia, 1 T sesame seeds and 2 T flax seeds, then soak in prune juice overnight. I add a T or two of carob now since it can help regularity. Take half in the morning and half at night or all in the morning. Throw sugar out along with processed and refined foods. Look up foods and drinks that constipate and give them up, at least as a test. Drink lot of water starting with a quart of hot water in the morning - boy scouts. I use warmed up diluted chicken broth at times too. It is soothing to my stomach. Coffee and Smooth Move are my back ups. I don't like coffee and never have drunk it much but it usually works for me in a pinch. Thankfully I only need coffee a few times a month.
Check out helpful research of biological processes that take place in our gut:
- Migrating Motor complex which is the electroactivity in the GI tract during meals and fasting
- Osmotic gradient. If too much water is pulled into the colon, diarrhea results. If not enough water is pulled into the colon constipation results. Balance of minerals is important. Magnesium, potassium and sodium brings water into the colon. I have found balancing these help prevent constipation. I have to watch my calcium supplement intake because it tends to encourage constipation. Calcium carbonate seems to be the most constipating. I depend on blood work from time to time to make sure my minerals are balanced. Oh and letting stress go is important too - I know how scary it can be. Golly it seems there is no hope for relief but it is worth looking at diet and trying lifestyle changes that can help. Good luck, @farmersmith

@researchmaven Omgosh Thank You, appreciated so much!! I'm going shopping & you've given so many great suggestions. That's my mission to finish strong. Glad we got together on here. I said to myself, self, I'll have a dose of whatever you're havin

Good luck, shawnkthryn. You've got this!

Hi had a colonoscopy it was very painful bcz i have same like you redundant tortus colon with sigmoid loops...my symptoms are very painful gas all over stomach that including stomach skin discomfort..when seating long time and too much gas...also empty stomach more worse..