Constipation as a symptom of MS??
 

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 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. :rolleyes: 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. :o

I have routines in place that keep things regular. One little misstep and I'm in trouble again. The over the counter stuff leaves me with the opposite problems, so I try to monitor diet and liquid intake to keep a good balance. I have added coconut oil to my diet and it seems to help when the going gets really rough. :p:rolleyes:;):o:)

I'm real good - Fiber One, apricots (Like better than prunes), diet and water then I get cocky and it's over and I get mad at myself for slipping up in a very important area.
I hate that MS is my body betraying me in so many ways. Some of this can have great impact on your plans,

I take generic metamucil at night in a large glass of water, and eat tons of fiber in the form of whole grains, fresh veggies and fruit, otherwise it would be a problem for me all the time. If I have a flare up, it can happen anyway, regardless of my diet.

lol, I just saw that. :D