Anyone else's kid REFUSE to poop?

UMichGirl

Warning....super long post. But I'm frustrated, feel hopeless, and am hoping someone can help me.

So anyone's kid refuse to poop? I'm not talking about on the potty. I mean AT ALL. DS is no stranger to digestive issues. He had severe milk protein intolerance and refux as a baby and was seen by a pedi GI doctor for awhile. Over the last 6 months he's been having issues pooping. The first huge episode landed him in the ER back in July shortly after he turned 2. They did an X-ray to make sure there wasn't a blockage and then gave him an enema. He's had episodes since then but the worst was the day before thanksgiving. He hadn't pooped in 3 days so we gave him a liquid suppository (we are no stranger to the suppository either). After four hours of nonstop SCREAMING and writhing (and no poop) we took him to the ER again. Well since Wednesday he has only pooped once and it wasn't that big. I KNOW he has to go because every once in awhile he'll start crying again that his butt hurts. (And seriously it's been 5 days...he usually poops daily) But he WILL NOT GO. I should also mention he is on a full cap of miralax daily and has been since July (he was on it before then too but a smaller dose). The last few days we've upped it to two caps. It doesn't matter what we do--he is so damn strong willed he DOES NOT GO!!!! We talk to him about it (he can explain exactly why he needs to poop and that he will feel better...he just doesn't actually go), we bribe him (seriously what 2.5 year old wouldn't want M&Ms or cookies for pooping?! --parent of the year award, I know) and nothing works. I hate seeing him in so much pain ALL THE TIME! My entire evening tonight was spent with him crying that his butt hurt and trying to get him to poop which of course he never did. I'm at my wit's end and the GI dr can't get us in again until January.

Help! Anyone?!

christinasullie37

We are going through a similar problem but fortunately have been able to avoid the er. Dd has started holding it and it ends up in all day long crying and her telling us to change her diaper every five minutes. We are also no stranger to suppositories and enemas. We have started miralax because diet is not helping. So far so good. Have you tried that yet? I know a lot of people don't like to try it but for Dd there was no other option. Even the suppositories had stopped working because she was becoming impacted.

LSU628

I could have written this myself a few years back. Is your LO PTd or still using a diaper/pullup? 2 caps of Miralax a day is a LOT for someone your LOs age. Are you upping the fiber and water intake? It sounds awful, but the enema was traumatic enough that my LO would poop just to avoid the "penguin" the character on the pedilax box. We were actually just at the urgent care this past week and are in the process of the miralax cleanse again. I constantly have to monitor DD's poop to make sure it's the right texture, that she's going daily. If I let up on the Miralax (like I did this past time) we are right back to being impacted. So frustrating. We've also had the problem that now that we've convinced her pooping is OK, she's now trying to hold pee. Unfortunately for her, that's not as easy. :-(

emberlee3

I am so sorry.  I just had the first real episode of constipation with DS last week.  It took me a few days to realize because I was working long hours, and DH wasn't really keeping track.  It had been at least 4 days without BM before I realized. I started him on Miralax on Saturday, gave him a suppository on Sunday, and things are finally moving today.  How regularly do you followup with your pedi or GI doc about this?