Severe Constipation Cures

[msdaughter]

My mom has MS and has for about 25 years. She is on medication that causes constipation, in addition to MS causing it. She has been to the GI doctor several times. He just tells her that she has to try different medications until she finds something that works. But he doesn't really give her any ideas.  She takes a stool softener everyday plus a few different laxatives. It has gotten so bad that she only goes to the bathroom when she has an enema about every 5-7 days. It is so bad she tries to starve herself because she feels so miserable not being able to go. She has tried every over the counter med including magnesium citrate, miralax, etc. I plan to make the applesauce/prune juice concoction that I found on this site. Does anyone else have a magic cure? I think she has ruined her colon by having too many enemas. Any advice? Thanks so much!

[Mcnickyo]

I know u wrote this a long time ago. I am going to try the applesauce , oat bran and prune juice I think. How did it work for her? One part of the big MS picture is over time the brain nerves automatic responses in a healthy person, become slow to respond ... Not send the info over nerves with plack and weakened muscles very well. Here the colo/rectal response is losing its fine tuning. Receiving the message that we need to pee and/or have a bowel movement may be blunted/ hard to notice. My bladder has a few issues but I think the bowel problem is much bigger. I take pain meds and I know that stalls the bowels. My muscles down there have lost half the power needed to
push out a poop. Hope to hear back from you. Nicky

[Lulu54]

Welcome - I'm glad you have asked this question.  Your mom is fortunate to have you searching for answers.

One thing that jumps out at me is you say she is using several different laxatives.  If I'm remembering correctly, laxatives are one of the worst things we can do to our digestive system if we use them on a regular basis. The body becomes numb to their effectiveness and it takes more and more to work.  I'm thinking the same holds true for regular use of enemas, but someone will correct me if I am wrong.

The fiber - through the addition of fruits/vegetables and addtiives like Miralax - is an important key to getting regular and staying regular (which is a relative term for those of us with MS).  I think the recommendation is about 30grams of fiber a day, but it might take more for your mom.

Exercise and fluids are both also essential to train the bowels properly but that isn't always easy to maintain with our MS.  

Please consider talking this over again with her doctors - I hope something in here is of use.
best, Lulu

You might consider a consult with one of her doctors to develop a plan to get her off the laxatives and enemas in a gentle way.  

[sllowe]

Hi Daughter!

Thank you so much for joining us!

I'm so sorry for what your Mom is going through. I know you already know that no food will make it worse for her :(

Does she like any veggies? Or cereal? Asking because a combo of this for breakfast and lunch may help move her bowel a bit.  I agree w/Sarah too that fluids are such a must. How much does she drink?

Thanks for trusting us - hope we can help.
-Shell

[Sparkysarah]

Welcome to the forum and i am sorry to hear that your mom is having such a difficult time. It must be a great comfort to her to have such a caring, understanding daughter and distressing for you seeing her suffer and feeling helpless to make things better.

It sounds as if your mom has tried most things which normally help. I am guessing that she tries drinking plenty of fluid and eats lots of fruit, veg and fibre?  Apricots as well as prunes are very good for helping shift things. It does not sound as if the GI doctor (I am from England and am not sure what Gi stands for but am guessing that this stands for gastro intestinal) has been particularly helpful. Starving herself will only make things worse and this must be very hard for  you to see her doing this.

I am sorry I cannot suggest anything else but I am sure that other folks on the forum will have some ideas. Please feel free to come back any time and ask any questions (there are some excellent health pages on the top left hand side of this page where you can find out a lot about MS). Take care

Best wishes

Sarah