I rarely suffer from constipation and if I do then a couple of laxatives soon get my bowels moving. However, since New Year, my habitual evacuations have stopped completely. 3 attempts with laxatives failed to provide a permanent solution so I contacted the GP surgery for an appointment but was fobbed off with a nurse. She was rude and, IMO, ill-trained - although I had compiled a written history of my condition she refused to read it “because the writing is curly” so all she did was take a note of current symptoms and advise me to stick to a high-liquid, high fibre diet`, which I already do.
Two days later I was in such agony that I took myself to A&E - after a 5-hour wait, I saw a very professional doctor, who took all my derails, examine me, arranged for blood and urine tests, organised X-rays and even had the consultant confirm his diagnosis - profound faecal impaction in the bowels. I was immediately given morphine for the pain while a five-day medication plan was compiled - diazepam to control the contractions which were causing the pain, a stool softener drink and a purgative.
Sadly, then, no immediate relief from the bloated feeling and the pain which occurs spasmodically all down my right-hand side but, hopefully, easement in a few days time … until then …
That’s horrible
I hope you are feeling better soon .
Those nurses don’t know everything .
I broke my hand and it got infected and when the dr checked it out she took the bandage off .
Ok she said just go down to the nurse and she will put a fresh dressing on it .
So there I was dripping all over the waiting room flood and the nurse was indignant .
Do you realize I am seeing you in my tea break she declared .
( as she was at least three stone overweight I thought she would be as well to abstain from the tea and bikkies )
However it was my right hand I couldn’t do it myself so had to bite my tongue .
Oh I am sorry to hear about this Omah. How horrible it had to be. Whether constipation is from or related to other medical conditions or even meds (such as pain meds, they can really bind one up so badly) Painfully bad! I know this from my own experiences with constipation. My only severe episode was from having to use strong pain meds after a bad fall…
Fleet Enemas, and a quality stool softener was eventually helpful. Not recommending, just sharing is all…
Very glad to hear you then saw a very professional doctor, who checked things out for you very well and through, and got you the immediate relief you needed to take care of the profound fecal impaction.
Sorry about this Omah. This is a serious condition and I hope that they manage to resolve without too much distress to you. I’m guessing they gave you diazepam to relax the muscles.
Sorry to hear that you are having problems Omah. Our local doctors are absolutely rubbish too.
I get gout, the doctor knows I get gout, so when I turn up at the surgery for some medication that only he can prescribe he sends me to A&E for tests that could be done quickly in other departments. Bloods and x-rays. Mrs Fox and me wait 8 hours to see a doctor who says “Why has he sent you here?” The hospital doctor sends me home with Colchicine (the treatment for gout) three days later I’ve got covid, from the packed A&E we had to wait in for 8 hours…
You have my utmost sympathy Omah, and I hope your problem soon resolves itself…
Been there, done that, but not as bad as yours, Omah. I got bunged up by codeine painkillers following a hernia repair under local anaesthetic. This compounded the problem because I couldn’t strain without risk of undoing the repair.
After two futile days of laxatives and agony, I too went to A & E. It took ages to be seen, partly because I kept getting the urge “to go”, only to get back to the treatment room ten minutes later to find the doctor had been and gone, twice.
Eventually “I got the finger,” and then a nurse began a prep for an enema.
I had another urge, and luckily the intrusive digit must have done the trick because thankfully I was “able to go” after that.
“Phew” Mafeking had been relieved!
Anyway, I wish you luck and hope you get sorted out quickly.
Oh my goodness, what an ordeal this has turned out to be for you @Omah! We will be waiting to hear that the only “back up” you are engaged with is “back up” to your old (not old really) enjoyable self again very soon. Fingers crossed for you, my friend.
Many people think enemas are much safer than laxatives (you can get kidney failure from those!)
Constipation is sometimes an indication of having picked up a bug that has upset your microbiota, so you may want to look into fermented foods to help repopulate your gut with good bacteria/microbes. Homemade yogurt, Kefir, sauerkraut etc.
Hope you start feeling better very soon Omah.
My Uncle had the same problem last year,our A n E were wonderfull,in and out in less than an hour,and fully recovered the same day.
Take care.
@Omah I feel for you, I really do.
One of my daily heart meds tends to keep my body fluids at a slightly low level and hence the tendency of erratic constipation. A specialist prescribed a single sachet of Movicol daily before my main meal and everything soon reverted to my usually early morning visit to my bathroom. The compound works by keeping the bowel supplied with fluid and for me works very well indeed.
I cannot say if this treatment will work for you, but it is something worth bearing in mind.
