F/U to my constipation post..they sent her to the ER

StarryNight39

Ugh this is by far the hardest parenting thing I have faced. She sadly does this to herself, holding in poop at all costs. She has been tested to make sure nothing is wrong (thyroid, chrons, celiac, etc - she is fine) The took an xray and saw she had a small bowel obstruction. They tried a milk of molasses enema twice which didn't do it, so they gave her a "twilight" sedation and stuck a NTtube in her nose to push the obstruction out. Once they got it low enough(?) they used another milk of molasses enema thing and yahtzee out it came. I have never ever in my life seen someone poop that much at one time. We are being observed now and hopefully will be able to go home soon. I just really hope we can get to the bottom of this now. Even after she went the first time and got a good amount out she still tried to hold it in again. (Sorry on iPad - bad formatting, typos, etc) 

 

Kapalua

I hope you can go home tonight!

do you think the experience will help or hurt the withholding issue ?

Mickschick

Morgan used to do that- better never to the point of where you are at. The Dr had her on Miralax and everything and that didn't work either. Finally a nutritionist told me about Pedialax Fiber Tummies and those did the trick. And they didn't taste nasty either. She got a gummy with every meal and that was it. It might be worth a try for you! Good luck- I hope she feels better soon!

Zenya

oh my goodness poor thing.  

is it possible she has a food intolerance that's not coming up on the tests?  I know 2 people who have had chronic constipation in their kids with 'nothing wrong' on the tests but it resolved with a dairy free diet.  I know she was milk allergic as a baby, right? 

meghans30

((Hugs)) Poor thing. 

4Speedy

Glad your DD is on the road to recovery, for this go-around, at least.  I know how awful it is, DS had horrible constipation for 18 months. Our pedi always told me I had to give DS enough Miralax so that pooping would be beyond his control.  He also said to keep it up long enough for DS to forget the last episode of withholding.

Last June, we found out DS has an under reactive central nervous system.  He doesn't register pain or many other sensations.  We started OT to retrain his brain to recognize different stimuli and I noticed a difference in his bowel movements almost immediately, although I didn't immediately connect it to the OT.  I went from giving him 4Tbsp of Miralax a day to 1/2 tblsp every 2-3 days durring the first month of OT.  I used up the botle of Miralax within 2.5 months of starting OT and I have not had to buy any more in the 5 months since running out.  In hindsight, I don't think DS was intentionally withholding, I think his brain just didn't register the sensation of having to poop.  It was just pure dumb luck for us that retraining DS's brain to recognize other sensations also helped fix the constipation issue.

surprise3rd

Zenya:

oh my goodness poor thing.  

is it possible she has a food intolerance that's not coming up on the tests?  I know 2 people who have had chronic constipation in their kids with 'nothing wrong' on the tests but it resolved with a dairy free diet.  I know she was milk allergic as a baby, right? 

This was my daughter and she was holding it back because she had been conditioned to because it hurt her so bad her whole life that she jsut stopped going.  She was tested and everything came back clear....I think I replied on one of your earlier posts that I have taken her off all dairy except yogurt.  Problem solved.  I feel so badly for you and your DS, I hope you can get it worked out.

StarryNight39

She rarely gets dairy at home (because we just don't really keep a lot in the house because of Ava's allergy) and on the few times a week (if that) she gets it there is no difference. The GI is pretty certain it's an emotional thing. 

surprise3rd

awww...she is probably holding it because it hurts so bad when she does go.  These little one's are smart.  If it hurts don't do it.  I feel so badly for both of you.

AnnapolisLari

Is there any anti anxiety med or something that could help her get over the hump and stop holding it? Or maybe cut out the dairy completely if it used to be a problem?

Miralax helped us when DS did that, but your situation is obviously way more extreme. :-(

justEK

Dd is 5 and has been to the er twice now for the same issue. She actually held the enema in for a long time! We've resorted back to rewards for poop and I have to monitor it. I give her miralax and lots of nuts and apples to help. It sucks, but maybe you should try going back to rewards?

Jamaica_Bride

Holy ***!

 

 

 

pun totes intended!

 

I hope you guys are home soon and she develops a better relationship with her poopies!

 Hugs!

 

JOEBunny

Just wanted to say thanks for this post.  We have similar issues with DD, and I am starting to think that they are somewhat psychological because of past pain with constipation. Hope you are home tomorrow, and the New Year brings great improvement.   

joy143dh

Poor little girl. 

CTFandme

I have a fringe friend whose 5 year old would hold it too.  He held it for so long that every once in a while he'd go and it appeared he was having diarrhea, but really it was just the liquid that was able to make it around and out.  He held it for so long that he stretched his intestine (?) and lost all sensation in that area so now he has no idea when he has to go.  He's in therapy to fix his bowels and had to wear a diaper for a long time. That in itself has devastated the poor kid.   She's just a fringe friend so I don't know all the details, but if left alone for too long it can be really bad.

Hope she's feeling better soon. 

shouldbworkin

DS was a witholder too.  He had one painful poop and the rest was downhill.  he's the same way about food and his dairy intolerance.  Once bad episode and he won't try anything new.  In a good way, he is great at avoiding foods he shouldn't eat.  Once we got things moving, the trick was to keep it moving.  After a year or so of keeping things moving, he was finally ready to listen to his body and go when he needed to.  Hope things improve for you guys soon.