Thursday 25 January 2018

Constipation And Solutions

I hate being constipated. It's a feeling I suspect a great many of you share with me. It is, however, a feeling which is relatively new to me. Up until last January, I had never experienced any sort of constipation, let alone a serious bout of it. That episode last January was hospital worthy, a process I don't want to repeat.

Unfortunately what has been happening is that as my core muscles have failed me, these bouts of constipation have become worse and worse, such that I am contending with this condition on a regular basis, my own regularity being replaced by this newfound irregularity. What used to be a predictable morning event has become a morning hope with no predictive capacity.

I sit. I wait. I hope. I push with whatever musculature I have left. We've taken to bypassing the commode chair and just using the sling on the second or third mornings of continuing discomfort. Even with the squishing effect of the sling, it just doesn't work some days. Like today. So I sit some more, wait some more, hope some more. Then I finally just give up, accepting that I will have to live with stomach discomfort and rectal pressure throughout my day.

The final insult is that I am sitting all day, that pressure just building with no release. I can't just get up and try again. I am no longer able to undress and re-dress myself. while I might be able to sling myself onto my commode chair, I am unable to get my pants off. So, if I want a do-over, if I want to try again in a few hours, I am out of luck. I can call for home care; they are reluctant to come out "on spec". Their response is to call them after the fact and they will come, usually an hour or two later, while I sit in my own shit.

So today my diet is mostly fruit. David is coming over for dinner so steak is a must. It's Robbie Burns Day, so ample Scotch is definitely on the menu. I feel sorry for whomever is my evening HCA tonight. One never knows the outcome if a day of fruit and an evening of Scotch. If nothing, it will be even worse for my morning HCA tomorrow, for my nightcap will be prunes and a laxative. It could be an explosive morning.

1 comment:

  1. Magnesium is helpful. Also glycerin suppositories. Children's size are more comfortable, IMHO. They get the stuff that's stuck in the rectum to come loose so more can follow. For daily maintenance, I use the magnesium at 500 mg. If pills are a problem, milk of magnesia is great too. I've just had a recent bout. I don't have strong core muscles either. Caffeine seems to stimulate, but can be dehydrating if you don't get enough water. Also, lay off the fiber. Low residue diet. Look it up. I have gastroparesis and less fiber really helps! Sorry you're dealing with this. Probably TMI. Hope you find things that work for you. Take care!☺

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