CONSTIPATION--problem with so many of our drugs
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Actually, it's not TMI. Pencil thin stools lend toward diverticulosis, the blood streaking is also characteristic because hard stool is trying pass through a space that has narrowed over time trying to deal with the consistent hard stool and pouches that have a change in the mucosal lining b/c of the pouch formation. LIke a weaking in the old tube tires. Pretty sure I described that in page one. I found a WebMD article and slide show that I'll put at the bottom.
Lay off the chia seeds for now. There is no accepted evidence that seeds and nuts are a problem, but you are in a more acute situation.
Kj sweetie, I am going to be dead honest with you and your not going to like it. Also, others my read this and say/think it out of bounds. I thought you wrote to me with the original problem awhile ago, but paged back two pages and don't see a post????? Found it , remembered it was on the Rectal Issues thread. I'm going to copy and paste that post after this b/c it will show a better hx of present problem Which ultimately will help someone else.
Having to revise response b/c I thought i read you were having a CT this week , then missed it on a second read. TOTALLY changes the response so, bear with me if you are already reading.--Because you are having the CT Friday, I took out all the dramatic worst case scenario info. Please, consider though you are a high risk patient---see plan below.
If a CT is ordered for Friday, PCP or MO had to order it. The order should be " CT of the abd and pelvis with and without contrast". Depending on the CT report, it will indicate how fast you get a GI appointment.
At this time a colonoscopy would not be done for the following reason. History of pain & blood in stools &pencil thin stools. Definitive imaging of the abd/pelvis is indicated before a scope is introduced.
My Recommended Plan
1. If you develop fever, even without abdominal pain ----go directly to the emergency department. You are a high risk patient for abdominal diverticular rupture or leak until proven otherwise: Fever could be in response to early peritonitis. Peritonitis is associated with pain, but may not present with pain in the early phase of a leak versus a rupture. Ruptures definitely get your attention and are associated with intense pain at time of rupture
2. Follow up asap with whomever made the CT appointment. There is a list of questions on the pervious page that I wrote for Minus TWO. The questions apply to you too. Try and copy the questions and write the answers prior to doc visit. It will help you cover all bases and focus
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Kj post from Rectal Issues thread. Placed here to give a complete picture of abdominal problem
Feb 12, 2014 11:36pm Kjones13 wrote:
I appreciate this topic. Thanks for bumping it. I have had two rounds of cdiff so I am freaked out of a reoccurrence always. I think I was more sick with cdiff then with 18 weeks of taxol. Anywho, ever since I got my bc diagnosis my colon has not been the same. With all the different meds it's like a circus with my bowels. Most recently I have had rectal bleeding for 3 months but then I just decided to take colace everyday and now there is no blood...I just really don't want to add another specialist into the mix. With the taxol and perjeta causing the big d, I was taking lomotil like crazy. Then taxol stopped. Got a little better but then started taking oxy for back pain. Then got cdiff 2x's. haven't taken lomotil in 7 months. Not going to let anything get backed up and have a chane to breed bad bacteria! Besides the bleeding I had, I also have pain in my butt...it hurts to sit down and kind of feels numb deep down in my saddle area...? Maybe differed pain from L5 met?
Web MD teaching article http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/divertic...
webMD slide show http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/ss/slide...
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Kj---------HUGS------sassy
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thank you sassy. The ct my regularly scheduled 3 month check up. I have liver mets. But they do a chest, abdomen, and pelvis ct. The ct is Friday morning and then I have appt with mo at 12. So I will ask him to get me in with th gi doc ASAP. I will get all my info together so I can present it to the doc.
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Hi all. Sas asked me to post this, so here I am. On Spoiled Maltese, we talk frequently about the dogs having trouble with their bowels. They recommend a teaspoon of plain canned pumpkin. Not the pie mix stuff. This was backed up by Bluebird. Works for humans too!
So go make a pumpkin pie and enjoy, and see what happens. Tastes better anyway, right?
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I am so looking forward to my gi appt Thursday! Kind of. Now my symptoms have changed. Maybe my bowels readjusting after a virus I got that lasted 48 hours of diarrhea and nausea and burping? I thought it may be cdiff so a dr prescribed me vanco without doing a stool test...which sent me on my next wave of diarrhea and landed me in the hospital losing 9 pounds of fluid!! Amazing what 3 bags of fluids can do for you! But now I have a fullness/ tightness in my upper abdomen, nausea, a distended belly, and back to the blood in the stools which are now blackish/green and hard as a rock! Augh!!!!! I really hope they can figure something out.
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Kj have hope. Let's us know what happens. HUGS L&H&P's sassy.
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Hey there! Is there room for a newbie in this crapper of a thread?
I have been so uncomfortable even talking about this to anyone but you are all too funny as well as really helpful. So I thought I could give it a shot here.
I have had what I assume are to be hemorrhoids for over a year. Sometimes they seem really painful and burning, other times, not so much. I asked my gyn about it when I saw her last Nov and she didn't seem to think it was anything. Of course, that was also during a "good" time so who knows? But when I look up symptoms and info on the topic, I don't have the main symptoms- no blood, no pain when pooping. And it feels more the skin is irritated. I had a third degree tear when my dd was born and it feels more like my scar is more where it hurts. To top it off,I am on lots of abx for my lyme, but I also take nystatin, probiotics,
and diflucan to help with that. I do get a lot of bloating which makes me have the feeling of having to poop all day long and I end up going small bits several times a day.Yay for TMI!!!!
So this is my question. I feel like I have tried everything-- Prep H suppositories (do nothing to help), FiberCon tablets, stool softener like colace, senna tea, and now I bought Miralax.
In your bathroom experiences, is there something out there that will help? I really don't want to have to see yet another doctor at this point in my life.
Thanks!
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thanks faerywings for the tmi!
I have no advice but hopefully sassy will be along shortly. I felt the same way about having another doc but I have an appt tomorrow with gi specialist. This morning I woke up with the same symptoms as two weeks ago! Augh! I could just cry! I think adding the mirilax to your routine will help.0 -
I swear by psyllium, a tablespoon mixed with juice or water. Also there is an herbal product I've used by Dr. Foster's Essentials called "vibrant colon" which has senna and other herbs, but is blended so that you don't get cramping with it, it is very gentle.
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Kj Imissed where you're doc prescribed vanco without doing a stool specimen and sensitivity. Not good chickie, not good. I'll wait till you post what happened at you visit today--thurs. Then I'll give you my full opinion L&H&P's sassy
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faerywings, you're worried about TMI, and I need more. Have you a GI doc? Last seen by them? Report was? Have you had chemo, new drugs , changes in weight since last GI visit? Scoped and when?
Recommend a GI visit. Remember we have docs now for every body part. Gyn doc may have no clue they are looking at a serious rectal anal problem. Not saying it is, just trying to make it clear, that we do have a doc for every system and body part.
Your description that the pain is in the area of the scar is a good observation. Scar tissue is nonpliable without nerve endings, but the tissue around it certainly has. When scar tissue is stretched it can tear and cause trouble.
But this is why you need a GI doc.---no more looking up symptoms ----get thee to a gastroenterologist.
Please, if I didn't cover everything write back, I'm enjoying some wine sassy
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sas--so yesterday I started again with the burping, diarrhea, and extreme nausea. I managed to make it to my appt today and I have slowly felt better throughout the day. There are about 14 dr's in this practice and I've heard great things about them all. After hearing my history and most recent symptoms AND taking until consideration my cancer and that my brother has a severe case of ulcerative colitis (he was pretty much disabled for 8 years but he now has a j pouch) the dr wants to do a colonoscopy and do a biopsy and also an upper endoscopy. But the first available appointment isn't until April 22nd! What are your thoughts? I did ask him if I could take lomotil or Imodium and he said yes.
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Oooh how nice, wine... can I have some too?
SO GI stuff. No, never been to a GI dr. I have a looooon history of constipation. I wasn't able to be in my first grade play becasue I hadn't pooped in days and I had to stay home and drink prune juice and try to poop. How sad is that? LOL So the constipation never rang any bells to me. I have a lot of nerve issues with lyme and my bartonella can mess around with blood vessels, add in yeast issues from the meds, which is why I figured this was just Lyme related.
Thx for your input. When I get through the next step of treatment (I have an RO consult today) I will have to focus on that.
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OH Faery, there's a name for what you have------erhhh restate----there is a condition where there is poor nervous stimulation to the colon.-----forget what it is, it can lead to or be a thing called megacolon. Unusual a PCP never got you to a GI doc before. But just goes to show ya, that pooping is not given the focus it should be. Try and see a Gi doc soon. Even just making the appointment. The lead time for a first time appointment can be a couple months. Not sure how your pre-existing lyme and bor----sorry your spelling isn't correct and I forget the spelling too. Sorry, you have those bugs, they are truly awful diseases.
Kj
The doc recommending the endoscopy--(upper) and the lower colonoscopy is being thorough. Excellent approach. but try and get him to order a stool for OVA & Parasites, Giardia, C-difficile, Culture and Sensitivity, viral(that would take a long time to get results). When you ask for this ----ask " is there any other stool test that can be done that i haven't asked for."
What was the origin of the ulcerative colitis in your brother?
Using lomotil and immodium----they are appropriate in diarrhea where all bacteria and viral bugs have been ruled out. If they are present and you stop the body from trying to rid itself by the diarrhea, then it can have consequences for the rest of the body. So, call and ask the doc to order the tests. Some docs get their noses out of joint when you ask for stuff like this but it is a safer approach.
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thanks sas--I will ask about the stool tests. When I was in the hospital on march 7,8, they tested for all kinds of stuff, but I didn't really get a complete list...the nurse only mentioned cdiff, rotovirus and norovirus. As for my brother...they have no clue. Colitis runs (pun intended) in our family, but only brief bouts of it. Nothing like his. He was an extremely active, healthy 30 year old. I honestly don't know how he survived. Alone, not able to go anywhere...I probably would have put myself out of misery. Glad he didn't give up. He has a beautiful life now, which makes my heart cry with joy!
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sassy, thank you, as soona s I get through the rads issues, I will get in to see a GI.
ziggy- hahah!!
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Ziggy hahahah, I just found this one thought it belonged here too
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Just checking in. After the Big D for 9 months w/chemo - I had constipation with rads - which ended 10 days ago. Finished antibiotics yesterday so I hope that makes a difference. Just upped my colace tonight from one a day to two. Either drinking prune juice in the AM or eating 5 dried prunes, but if I forget a day w/the prunes I have hard, tight problems. Not sure if the Zinc that my PCP told me to add could be contributing. Just bought 'plum light' since I'm really tired of prunes. I know I'm not eating enough fruits or veggies, but my taste is still off. Unfortunately what tastes good is bananas & apples - yup - counterproductive. This too shall pass (pun intended).
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Bump, a common issue hope this helps
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Here's a product that might help, but use caution! LOL! And if what you need is a good laugh (and who doesn't, at times, when going through this stuff??) then just start reading the reviews for this product. I was laughing so hard tears were streaming down my face. :-)
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Jennie, oh thanks for the laugh This is the sh*tiest humor, I've seen in alongggg while. ERh it's humor folks not real.
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it wasn't funny then but it is to me now. It was more painful and longer pushing to have a BM than it was to give birth to my third child!!! I had to do my Lamaze breathing to get through the over 45 minutes but I was determined to poop 11 days after surgery. Even though I took the colase, I think the iron pills killed me with regard to being able to poop. I cut back on the iron pills and it's been a lot better!
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NoNips Hi, Iron will do that.plug you up erhhhlike iron balls. Please, never let yourself go for longer than three days. It puts too much pressure on the colon walls. Also, the stool closest to the rectum/anus gets so dry, it's like trying to get rocks out. Talk magnesium citrate with your doc i.e. to be used if you haven't had a Bm in three days. Remember though if you use it, it will clean you out. You may not have a BM for several days. Conversely, you may have the squirts for a day or so. I do. But i'd rather have the squirts , than the constipation.
Just a reminder never stick ANYTHING up the rectum if you are in a low immune state i.e fleets enema, enemas, suppositories.
Review your drugs with your pharmacist and see if they can make a suggestion about your drugs to reduce constipation.
I recently took colace during my radioactive Iodine 131 (pill). I was not impressed at all with how it worked. Now will have this bottle for years. I know it's on all recommended lists.
If you review from the beginning, you will be impressed with all the comments about stewed apricots and prunes
. MY SIL does say colace and stewed prunes finally got her going LOL.Going to PM this too you just in case you don't see this sassy
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SAS - I always do a double take when you change your avatar.
I seem to have conquered my problem with one Colace every night and a glass of prune juice every 3 days. Thanks for all your advice.
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Ladies, what about ripe papaya? it seems to help me with constipation.
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