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Stress and Constipation
Hello,
I have been under a lot of added stress lately and I am finding that I can only have a bowel movement by using a suppository. I do use Miralax which usually works fine (I take it every 7 days or so). Any suggestions because it's making me a bit scared. Thanks in advance.
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Hi @nscappa, I've also had a struggle with constipation but I'm really not sure if mine has any stress involved. I have been using Miralax daily 1 capful and sometimes twice a day and it has helped quite a bit for me. I have an upcoming inguinal hernia surgery and need to get the constipation under control before the surgery so that I don't undo the surgery by straining with constipation after the surgery. The doctor gave me an RX for Lactulose 30 ml twice a day and I took that for about a month and it helps also.
At this point, it really sounds like you need to talk with your doctor so that you don't get compacted any worse. Diet, hydration and exercise play a big part of constipation and I know that I was not drinking enough water and getting enough exercise so I've been working on that also. You might find the following information on the topic helpful:
-- How is stress linked with constipation?:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326970
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4 ReactionsHi,
Thank you so much for the info. Not to be gross but last week I had to help my movement out a bit (if you know what I mean) and that has only happened one other time about a year ago. One day I was okay and the next I was straining. It felt like gave birth the wrong way. : ) I do take Miralax but I know I'm not drinking enough water, and I love water, go figure. I am trying to increase my water intake (I started today to really up my intake). As far as exercise goes I am guilty of not doing enough. I will start to walk more with the cooler weather coming. I like walking in the cold weather versus humidity (that kills me). As far as the Miralax goes did your doctor recommend the amount you are taking and how long have you been taking a capful once a day? I sometimes wait too long and then it takes about 2 - 3 days to get me going. My bad. This straining is getting old pretty quickly. I also take stool softeners. Re your hernia, is it like a Hiatel (spelling>)hernia? I have one of those. Thank you again so much for your replay, I really appreciate it.
Nancy : )
I've been taking Miralax daily for about 2 months. I did ask my doctor and they said it was OK. I've stopped it a few times for a day or so if get diarrhea but that doesn't happen very often. Most of the time I have a lot of gas and it comes out in smaller pieces along with the gas. I've had this issue since January when I had the worst colonoscopy in my life. I've had 5 or 6 over the years and none hurt. This last one was a corker and I swore I'll never have another one. It may have all been caused by the inguinal hernia but I really don't know.
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1 ReactionWow, I am having the same symptoms lately. Miralax usually works well for me but sometimes I get happy that I have gone for about 7 days without it but then I realize that I should not have waited so long because it takes 2 to 3 days for it to work (taking one capful for three days). Now, I too have been under a lot of extra stress and I am eating veggies (CKD3), trying to up my intake of water, etc. I am sick of straining and one day (I won't go into details) I thought I gave birth from the wrong end (horrible). I went to my gastro doctor last week and I told his nurse all about what I am going through. My last phone call to his office (maybe 5 months ago) speaking with I think his nurse, she told me not to rely on Miralax and try Metamucil or Citrucel (they did nothing) so for all those months I didn't know I could take the Miralax more often without worrying about it. Now I am taking it every day until I get on track (I too am using suppositories and sometimes they work. I used one yesterday without too much success. I know straining is not good but what else can you do. I also take Colace. I have a colonoscopy scheduled in February but if this keeps up I need one much earlier. I am scared because this has never been so difficult before. I also have a case of anemia (not too bad) but I am supposed to take supplements and you probably know that they can be binding. Really??? Please get back to me on this so we can discuss it together for a bit. Thanks so much. Nancy S.
I’ve been constipated since fall 2020. I’m going to the bathroom and having bowel movements most days, and sometimes they’re decent sized (sometimes I think more than what’s been normal when I’m feeling alright). Last spring or summer, I started having a feeling of fullness under my chest. Either in July or October last year, I noticed like a line of blood in my stool. There was no blood on the toilet paper when I wiped. This lasted maybe a few days, went away, and then came back. The blood eventually went away, but every now and then I’ve seen blood on my stool but not the paper. Around October I started having a feeling of pain either in my chest or right below it. Sometimes the pain would radiate to my back, and it felt like the pain was in the same place on my frontside as backside. I’ve been having that pain off and on since October, and I don’t know if it’s gotten worse. I think lately it’s kind of felt like a sharp pain, but I don’t know if it’s gotten worse or if it’s in my head. I feel like a lot of the time I’m trying to convince myself I’m alright because I don’t want to think I’m not alright and feel that pain again.Around an hour ago, I started feeling a pain in the area near my sternum to below my chest. I’m not sure how much was physical and if I was stressed and that was affecting anything, but it kind of scared me to feel that way again. I’ve felt the pain off and on since then, and at times have felt it in my back too.A few days ago I was on my cycle and went to the bathroom, and it looked like there was an area on my stool where it looked like there were dots of blood. I don’t know if it was from my cycle, or if there was blood on/in my stool.Today I was having a bowel movement and felt like maybe I was using my muscles in my upper body to push more, but my body felt kind of weird after doing that and like it wasn’t used to it.Sometimes my sinuses and around my nose feel weird, and my nose often feels stuffed but it’s like I can’t blow and get relief. I don’t know if it’s from being constipated, or maybe if my breathing is somehow affecting it. Sometimes I’ve felt weird physically, almost like there’s a bump or something near my sternum. Sometimes when I’ve tried to have a bowel movement, I went and then felt I needed to go more, but like it was too hard to come out on its own. I’ve wondered if I have a blockage of some kind, or if there’s some kind of impaction. At times I’ve felt confused because I’m going to the bathroom most days, but still feel like there’s more. The area around my ribs has felt weird sometimes, and like they feel kind of sore or weak. For a while now during the night or in the morning, I’ve heard what sounds like my bowels making noises. This has been new, and seems unusual.Since June last year, I haven’t been sleeping well and have felt like my dreams are just me thinking, and like I’m not really actually sleeping. Sometimes I’ve felt scared to go into a deep sleep, partly because of things going on in my mind, but sometimes I think I’ve been worried about how I’m feeling physically. When I wake up in the mornings, sometimes I’ve felt like I’ve been awake and thinking and had my eyes closed, instead of waking up feeling like I’ve been sleeping.What could be going on? I have a doctors appointment this week, but in the past I haven’t mentioned anything going on. I’m kind of nervous to mention what’s been going on to someone because I don’t know if it’s serious, and it’s been going on for a long time and I haven’t dealt with it.
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3 ReactionsWow, you’re going through some rough stuff. I am a nurse. I understand your reluctance to complain. You need to share though. Most conditions are common but you definitely need help sorting them out. We all need that guidance and reassurance when we just can’t figure it out ourselves. I’m so sorry you feel nervous telling your provider. I find myself rehearsing in my mind the details and my timeline. Fearful that you will leave an important detail out. They have seen and heard it all! Hope you feel better soon.
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5 ReactionsHi, I do think if you’re going a good amount daily I would not say your suffering constipation. Typically constipation is having a bowel movement three or less days per week.
I think this is good. You can get a painless stool blood test. You place some stool on these cards and mail or return to the lab. Very easy or your pcp would do labs, easy, and some stool testing, also easy. They can start off slowly and go from there. You don’t need to add stress to getting scheduled for a lot of tests.
I do think it’s good you have an appointment. Best of luck.
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3 ReactionsHey Nicole,
I would recommend that you print off your post and bring it to your doctor appointment. Let your doctor read your document because most times we (meaning me) forget some of the things we need to ask about.
Your primary physician may recommend a colonoscopy?
As for feeling like you could be impacted; my mom after many years of chronic diarrhea found that she actually was impacted.
How this came to tuition is while I was visiting from out of state last year I thought she was in congestive heart failure. Her breathing was that of CHF, so I insisted we go to the ER.
Well after all the testing, the cardiologist informed us that she was in Afib. He said the reason her breathing mimicked CHF was because the gastroenterologist found an obstruction which caused fluids to gather around the heart.
So excuse the language but basically she had a poop blockage but some liquid was able to pass by the hardened poop and come out as diarrhea.
As for blood on poop; my dad, a few years ago had that same issue and actually had to go to the ER. He was found to have either diverticulitis or diverticulosis. Anyway that can be found during a colonoscopy.
I was also found to have that during my colonoscopy.
Again excuse the language: I too have had blood streaks but it was when my poop is super solid. I have a tight rectum and the larger solid poop causes some blood but most times not on the toilet paper 🧻.
Anyway, I wish you the best and please share your concerns with your doctor!
Keep us updated or pm me if you’d prefer.
MOJO
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4 ReactionsDon't ignore your symptoms. It's always better to share this with your doctor because if you do have a problem, early detection is always better for you. You can check with a proctologist if you have hemorrhoids, which could cause the blood if you're pushing when you're constipated. So, you need to address the constipation by drinking a lot, eating prunes, don't eat too much rice, and the like. Or, there are medicines to treat it. If the blood is not because of hemorrhoids or stomach irritation, then you should probably do a colonoscopy. Go to a gastroenterologist. Pushing when you're constipated could also cause acid reflux, which sometimes also causes funny feelings in the chest area. This also can be discussed with the gastroenterologist. As I said, dealing with issues earlier is always better than ignoring. Best of luck.
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4 ReactionsThank you for responding.
I’ve considered seeing about a stool test before, but I haven’t mentioned the blood to a doctor. It’s come and gone for months now, but I should have it looked at to see if somethings going on. I don’t see blood all the time and don’t know if it would show up on a stool test, but sometimes it looks like blood.
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