Constipation

[slp]

Hello everyone x

I have a few questions about the bowels and your experience with MND . I hope you don't mind sharing your opinions and what helps you.

I suffer from constipation badly and I have always been told MND doesn't affect the bowels or bladder.

Do you think that constipation with MND is caused by a sedentary lifestyle? Being sat down all day with little or no movement.

What do you take to manage your bowels?

Two years before I was diagnosed with MND I broke two vertebrae in my back which permanently damaged nerves and since then I have been unable to push effectively when emptying my bowels. Is this a problem anyone else has?

Thanks everyone. I really need to sort this out and I hope that you can help

keep well and enjoy the sun when it returns

much love to you all

Sarah x

[Ellie]

Ahh, Constipation - one of my favourite topics

Yes as you say, decreased mobility has a negative effect on the bowels, as does our inability to push or even to sit on the loo properly due to weak core muscles. The whole gut motility(moving food through the intestines) function itself is impacted by MND and various meds we need can also slow down motility, so we're scuppered really!

I too am tormented by it so take daily laxatives to keep on top of it - it took a while to hit on the right combo of laxatives, but I'd spent too many hours huffing and puffing on the loo to let it continue. In my armoury are: senna, a stimulant; docusate sodium, a softner, Movicol (or similar) a type of softener for chronic or impacted faeces and I need them all to keep regular but I still have problems every month or so. I find putting my feet on a little step (the ones kids use), raising my knees helps and I try taking min 1800mls water per day.

Don't let it go too long without going to the loo or you might get impacted poo (oh the joys!!) which leads to the truly awful overflow diarrhoea, which is as horrible as it sounds

Best of luck mastering your bowels Sarah.

Love Ellie.

[jd58]

m taking a dose of lactulose when i get constipated soon shift it But my dietitian has said to drink two glasses of fresh orange juice daily to help naturally

[panniertank]

I have been slightly constipated recently. I have been taking a laxative called laxido. I only take one dose each day but it is helping my constipation a lot,

[Jane northwales]

Hi Sarah

My husband suffered constipation due to the pain killers he was taking, like yourself he was unable to empty his bowels due to the inability to push, I know they say that MND doesn’t affect your bowels however MND has affected all my husbands core muscles which I believe with the added problem of side effects from medication has caused the problem of constipation. The constipation caused severe anxiety and distress.
My husband was put onto a variety of anti constipation medication which was increased to twelve tablets a day which isn’t good when swallowing is an issue.
After a lot of research we found a medication called Naloxegol which has both cured the constipation issue and replaced twelve tablets with one.
It was a battle to get the PG to prescribe Naloxegol but well worth the fight.

Xxx

[AndyB]

Hi Sarah

I’ve struggled with occasional constipation all my life and MND has caused me a few problems with it. I’ve spent hours sitting on the loo with no success.
But I have for the time being found a way of controlling by bowels. I make sure I go to the loo every day. If I fail to go I take a sachet of movicol and within 2 or 3 hours I have a successful loo visit.
But it’s very rare that I need the movicol as I’ve learned to avoid the foods that cause the problem mainly white bread, white rice and normal pasta. Eating the whole grain alternatives really helps. I also drink lots of water during the day.

When I go to the loo I am unable to push, but I’ve found relaxing the muscles helps.

I hope things improve for you.

Andy