What help is available for very slow motility?

jlstjohn, so very nice to meet someone who takes as much 💩💩meds/supplements as I do. 17 yrs, you would think those people called doctors could have found something that REALLY helped. But nope. My long term GI, basically fired me as his patient; probably because 3 months after he had me have a CT, to disprove 2 X-ray results that a small bowel partial obstruction was forming.... I was in the ER , via ambulance (it takes a lot to get me to use an ambulance or ER. But there I was with a nasal gastric tube , OUCH! and a partial forming. This will never ever happen to me again. That is why I keep my poop between very loose mush to diarrhea. The soap enema???? I have never heard of it. What kind of soap? I am praying with all my might, that a big part of my motility is due to my Hyperparathyroidism and elevated calcium. Longggg story. Elevated calcium levels can wreak havoc on all smooth muscles, the exact ones needed to expel 💩💩. If I don't have to cancel a 3rd time due to other health problems, I'm gonna have the surgery next month. I can't wait. Hoping it helps several other problems too. ShelleyW

What kind of surgery are you planning to have? The soap suds enema recipe I have been using is 500 ml distilled water with 1 Tbsp liquid castile soap. However, I just read another site that suggests 1 tsp per 1000 ml, seems like a big difference! I am going to lean towards the latter recipe going forward. How many days have I wished for x-ray capabilities at home (with a personal radiologist, too) to know what is going on in there!! I am close to 4 years post cecal volvulous/emergency surgery where 5 ft of my distal ileum and part of ascending colon were removed. But I have a long-standing history of constipation since my 20s (I am 48).

Didn’t know about the connection with hyperparathyroidism, thank you for sharing. Best wishes to you, hopefully surgery will happen and be a real solution.

jlstjohn,
WOW that is a lot of intestinal removal. What caused the emergency? Blockage, tear, cancer, etc etc etc. I sure hope you feel better, but why couldn't they fix whatever is causing your lifelong 💩💩?
5 years of "trying treatments "(I hate being a Guinea pig).. I was sent to a GI, for an endoscopy, out of basically desperation. Surprise to everyone, I have Celiac disease, diagnosed at 50, of course I had been eating gluten my whole life. The damage to my small intestinal villi, is beyond repair, so I will always have malabsorption problems. In the trials leading to the celiac, I also had secondary Hyperparathyroidism, the importance of the glands is that they tightly regulate calcium levels. No one bothered to tell me that. High calcium is bad, low calcium is bad, who knew it could actually life threatening . Jump forward 20 years, accidentally my calcium levels have been trending upward for 10 years. I am giving you the short answer, now I am going to have some portions of the 4 parathyroid glands removed. It has nothing to do with thyroid. Too many years of elevated calcium, wreaks havoc on the smooth muscles in the body..guess which muscles are needed for successful 💩💩, I am praying, begging that it is successful and makes a HUGE IMPROVEMENT in so many other problems. I hope to get it done next month. I honestly don't know how I will handle it if this is not successful. I am just done fighting with my body and the doctors. 🤪🤪

Any one have experience with a neuro GI... the colorectal surgeon want me to see one before considering an operation .. what would they do?

If Magnesium Citrate helped, keep taking it. It’s known for helping. Also, if you don’t exercise, take walks daily as that also helps. How much fiber is in your diet? Fiber helps. And how much water do you drink daily? Make sure you get enough. Are you a high stress person? Try breathwork and/or meditation and use those techniques when you feel your stress level go up. Find a qualified nutritionist that can suggest good, healthy food. What we eat greatly affects our gut. And nutrition is something doctors rarely talk about!
Best to you!

I use 290 mg of Linzess and 2 mg of Motegrity (along with Colace). Motegrity is pretty expensive and works differently than the Linzess. But I have had pretty consistent success with that combination.

I have posted quite a bit around here about my constipation that started in the summer of 2022. I saw multiple gastroenterologists to no avail. I had a normal colonoscopy in 2020. I tried practically everything you can imagine, diet, water, Metamucil, Miralax, prescription meds, etc. The motility just wasn’t there, unless I used Miralax or Milk of Magnesia. But for some reason my doctors frown on daily Milk of Magnesia. They prefer Miralax, so I used it daily. It was not ideal due to jello like results. I didn’t want to live that way.

Then, in April I saw a neurologist for a separate matter. I was diagnosed with Vitamin B12 deficiency. It had been treated the previous year, but not adequately. I began daily sublingual mega doses, per my doctor’s instruction. Gradually, my constipation improved. It’s been several weeks since I took anything for constipation and I no longer take Miralax. My BMs are normal, twice daily, and motility has returned. I’m not celebrating yet. I am still cautious, but elated. I have no proof there is a connection, but it seems too coincidental to not be.

I just wanted to let others know so they can be tested for B12. Please get tested before taking any, since that skews the result.

Will look into that. Much thanks

Celia16,
Would you share a bit more about your B-12. How low, for how long?
What dose are you taking?
What did the doctor tell you about B-12 and how does it affect 💩💩issues.
This may be too much to ask, everyone's idea of CIC is different, what were you dealing with back in 2022? Have you been using the mentioned products for the past few years? Daily, weekly, randomly? I sure would appreciate all the feedback you are willing to share. I am in year 17 of my 💩💩WARS!!
The little bit I know about milk of magnesia is what all forms of magnesium, and there are a lot of forms, do...they can interact/interfere with all other meds/supplements absorption.
Thanx, ShelleyW

Seventeen years! OMG, thats too long to suffer . I’ll just share what I know at this point, with the understanding that I am not certain the B12 deficiency was the culprit for my constipation. I’m working under the idea that it is, but….I’m not sure. O

I have no idea how long I was deficient, since it had never been tested to my knowledge. It could have been that way for years. My mom has deficiency too and we apparently do not process it well, so I take sublingual.

It was below 200 when it was tested and I went on injections at that time, for a short time, but didn’t realize that I needed treatment for much longer to replenish the body. My neurologist directed me to take 1000 mcg sublingual daily stating in April this year. It’s thought any excess is processed out of the body and no reason for concern, according to my doctors and all I’ve read about mega doses.

I was perfectly healthy in 2022, except for having gained some weight. My stress level was not nearly what it is now. More stress now. I developed a thrombosed hemorrhoid due to the first couple of weeks of the constipation which is the most painful thing I can recall. Sufficient motivation to get to a gastroenterologist and do anything necessary to avoid that situation again. So, urgent care, primary, gastroenterologist and endocrinologist said Metamucil and Miralax. So I took them daily for about 2 years, except for the breaks where I tried prescribed medication like Linzess and Lubiprostone. They helped only a day or two. Resumed Miralax only for months. If I missed it, I would not go..at all. Then, after the neurologist examined me, reviewed labs, emg, MRI (paresthesia in feet and stinging hands, smell/taste disorder, hair loss), diagnosed B12 deficiency. He explained the damage it can do, some people can’t walk and have permanent damage. It can cause a multitude of symptoms including neurological. He says I should stay on it for the foreseeable future. At some point, we’ll recheck. It may take a year or longer to see much change, though I have seen improvement in just a few months including with my tingling, numbness, smell/taste, etc. . I still am not certain it’s the B12. But, I started feeling motility, so I stopped the Miralax…..normal ensued, then regular. It’s a miracle for me. I have other issues that could be involved too, but I won’t go into that.

I take 300 mg of Magnesium daily with my primary’s ok and have for 2 years. It didn’t help my constipation. I didn’t realize there was any absorption issue with taking it with other meds. Thanks for the tip. I take it at same time as my Crestor! Will need to fix that.

Good luck with finding answers. I hope you find something to help! Don’t give up. I almost did.