Sorry for the poopie thread, but I have questions.


I guess I have heard this as I have made my way through the treatment world, and the path of MS, but somehow it never sunk in. As I was being examined at my MS clinic check up, they asked if I was constipated. I said, well...its a normal state of being for me, so I assumed it was a normal thing in my world. The MD went on about how in MS patients the bowel wall can trigger just like the muscle for the leg, or the arm, or any other part of the body, and that greater than 50% of MS patients have constipation as a sx for them, either IN flare, or post flare.

It has been my normal to go from constipated to super constipated. It is like I simply cannot feel the urge to push the material out. I can tell that I need to go, and it seems like my intestines push things at a snails pace, so I make sure to be very well hydrated. The issue for me is that I simply am not able at times to push correctly. Like asking your leg to raise, and it wont, or asking your feet to stop tingling. I am stunned that I never actually tied this in as a true symptom of MS.

How many of you have constipation as one of your symptoms? is it a normal daily thing for you, or do you just have flares with it?

Thank you for tolerating yet another brown thread.

I can think of only once, since MS hit, 7 years ago.

MUCH more likely to experience the opposite of constipation -- diarrhea. Sometimes, has been a big problem. I always keep Imodium Ad on hand. Lol! But, not that much problem with diarrhea, lately, either.

~ Faith

I go from constipated to super constipated, Once a week was hoped for, with Fiber One Cereal, Benefiber, Apricots, lots of water, now I go 2x a week being very diet aware. Once I was fast and regular, every day, same time. Now, sometimes takes awhile and if I get lazy about my diet, impacted and/or huge. I take Phillips Stool softeners a couple nights before I expect it to happen. DH knows when I start singing Johnny Cash "I feel that train a'coming" to get out of my way. Usually don't need to rush so, but I do. Miralax is gentle but taking it or anything makes the opposite happen all night long. Ick.

Agreed! when I take "interventions" I am hoping to come back to center, and its such a fine balance that can tip me in the other direction, and then I am running for the whole day. I just want to be able to go potty like the rest of the world.

I have tried miralax, and phillips, and well, about 3 dozen other things, and I find that its very difficult to just keep the peace.

Why cant this disease be about an itchy finger? or a finger nail problem? Does it have to be about such personal agendas?

I had an exacerbation 3 years ago that affected both my bladder and bowel. I had to start self catheterisation, and I was going over 2 weeks at a time between BMs.

Since then things have been "normal". For my bladder that means I only have to catheterise occassionally, but have gone from unable to go, to being incontinent at times.

During that exacerbation I had my first episode of fecal incontinence as well. I didn't even know it had happened until I felt wet, as I had no sensation at all.

I go between the two extremes. At first thought it was due to my gall bladder surgery over ten years ago since some of the issues started then, until things came to a head last year. I was in major pain.

Had a CT scan, went to a gastro, had a couple of other tests - in the end all the could say was "hmmm." Put me on a couple of anti spasmatics for the digestive system, and some food suggestions. Helps with the pain, but not so much with the other stuff.

Could bowel incontinence be a beginning symptom of MS?

lol, I just saw that.

My bowels just don't want to behave- it's like the whole process is totally uncoordinated now.

When things started to slow down, I started taking 200mg colace every morning... when that wasn't cutting it, I took miralax... then dulcolax... and an enema... and still ended up in the ER after 8 days with no action. They prescribed magnesium citrate, eventually resulting in 2 days of liquid diarrhea.

I started taking benefiber on the recommendation of my MS specialist and LE44, but I still can't move my bowels (4 days now) and now I've got abdominal pain.

I saw my PCP this afternoon, resulting in this combo of meds:
benefiber, 200mg colace, and a tbsp of lactulose up to 3 times a day

I just feel SO sexy.

-Kay

As part of a routine, every morning when DH gives me coffee, he has stirred 1 tsp. Benefiber in, Everyday. Tasteless? I can taste it, but coffee so strong flavored I don't notice it. After nap I take my Amantadine with Pomagranite,Cranberry juice, cold from frig, stir another tsp Benefiber in. Every three days at least eat Fiber One (Which DH calls Fire One!). When I get lazy and have a hard time scare (like other day) I eat Apricots constantly through day. Hope to be on track next time. 2x a week is my goal (sure beats 1x a week), am lucky, abdominal never bad, like getting a period or easier. Sometimes it'd hard and huge, sometimes softer and almost normal. Never know what will happen.
Redid our bathroom, bought nice attractive toilet but it was way to big for me, only my toes could touch floor. I'm really short, DH built me little stool to elevate legs, you can even buy, plastic and much lighter!. Mine was beautiful but way too heavy for me as I have lost mobility and strength. Despite cost of having already bought this toilet, bought one I researched (I now know more about short people and toilets than I care to discuss) got a new one 2 1/2 inches lower and paid again but it's worth it!!. It's the one they put in grade schools!!! I am short. Last time DD and I shared shoes she was in 2nd grade, I'm small, she's big. We bought this house from a coupld with a Tall husband. Bathrooms were tailored to his height, all Toilets over our 9 years here have been replaced now.