Does This Count As Constipation?

[Princess Sparkle]

Hi!

I've been having tummy troubles for the past three weeks with what I think might be IBS (but is so far undiagnosed and no tests have been run to rule anything else out). It started with wind and constipation, but has since moved on to bouts of diarrhoea, constipation, wind and bloating.

I saw my doctor last week and she gave me a prescription for sachets of movicol, as she seemed to think my problems might have been stemming from constipation. However, I'm not so sure - I've been going to the toilet every day and on most days am having three or four bowel movements.

For the past few days, I have started to feel a bit constipated with tummy pain and a 'pressing' feeling like stools are waiting to come out, but won't come without pushing but, again, I have passed stools easily at least once each day - so that's not proper constipation, is it?

So I'm not sure what to do about the Movicol. From what I've read, it looks like a mild laxative and, having had more diarrhoea-like symptoms earlier in the week, I'm not keen on the idea of returning to that. What I really need is something to fix both the constipation and diarrhoea and get my bowels back to normal!

Has anyone had any experience with using Movicol? Would you recommend it and do you think it might help in my case or make things worse? I have another appointment to see my doctor on Monday and will discuss this, but I'm just a bit anxious about whether to try the Movicol over the weekend or not.

Or maybe there's a more natural remedy that someone could recommend? I tried Andrews salts before but I'm not sure if they helped and I've been drinking lemonade, which seems to help with breaking the wind. Any other things I could try?

When I saw my doctor last week, she seemed to think that constipation was causing my other tummy problems, but does it count as constipation when you're going to the toilet every day - often passing stools quite easily on one day and then maybe having trouble on another day? I'm a bit confused. I thought constipation was more when you couldn't pass stools for days?

Help! Any advice anyone? Thanks in advance!

[snowgoose]

hi Princess

I am so lucky I dont have ibs...so have no knowledge of that personally ...but sure someone will come along soon who can advise better .

but movicol is a very good laxative drug in my work experience .
the problem starts in that when chronically constipated ........all queezy leave now !!..........there is hard lump of faeces in bowel . then we pass what looks like diarrhoea. it is in fact liquid stools passing by the obstruction . so it seems we have no constipation . but not true of course cos the obstruction remains .
so maybe this is why your doc has prescribed movicol .
I would give it a go if your gp has recommended .
Some meds do lead to our bowels having a life of their own .
I must state of course I am not a doctor .so if worried see your gp . take care .

[Princess Sparkle]

Thanks for the reply!

I'm seeing my GP on Monday morning, so I'll bring my concerns up with her then (I have an appointment to talk about my anxiety, but as it's a double appointment, I can bring up my tummy troubles too!). I'm feeling a bit better now - I have managed to pass some trapped wind, which has helped - so I'm hoping I'll get through the weekend without needing the Movicol. I don't really want to start taking laxatives if I can help it, as I'd rather let my body sort itself out!

I've been reading about some of those yoghurts like Actimel or Yakult that are supposed to be good for tummy troubles, so I might give those a try instead. I always try to use natural treatments if possible, so I'll try to hold out on the Movicol until Monday!