JJ, I have not experienced exactly what you've posted, but of course, most of us have had severe bouts of constipation.

The best relief I've found is Peri-Colace. It's very gentle and a stool softener and laxative mix. It's pretty expensive, but it's the most gentle "motivator" I've ever used.

Sorry I can't help you with the nerve reaction issues, though.

Cath

This is a subject that should get a little more comment. Yes-it can be unpleasant, but this is our life!

I was one who had daily, multiple diarhea episodes each day. It was the way that my body was screaming for attention and trying to tell me to go get checked.

The meds - have not given me constipation, but actually have turned things to a regular pattern. I know that I am like, everyone, we have times that we do have - stops in that regular trip, to the washroom, but I have only had one ocasion of being "bound up". Bad eating and being on the road for a week.

The pharmacist - suggested Senna - it worked well, and I have not used it since.

Cheers - C45

I have tried senna and colace. I am very sensitive to sodium so I can not take either. The Miralax works gently and effectively but I must remember to use it at least 2-3 times a week. The constipation caused by opiates is a little different than the regular run of the mill. Bulking up with fiber can actually make things worse. Thanks for your comments on such an unpleasant subject.

You are quite right. No one understands what it is like, unlesss you live thru it.

I also use dulcolax, on a rare ocassion as well. It seems to be gentle to my system. More so than the Senna.

The only time that I have severe issues, is after an acute episode with my spine. I find that my back reeks havoc on my system and it takes weeks for it to settle down again.

C45

That is exactly how I am. The more pain and especially the episodes of spasms that I have, the worse my digestive system acts up. If I weren't so paranoid about staying out of docs offices (swine flu) I would go see my GP but I think that I will just keep up with my Miralax for awhile.

Narcotics... the inspiration behind the extra padded toilet seat.

I had the exact same problem you described after my surgery last year. I also had to assist and break up some of the stool. Not something I want to repeat.
From what I found on the internet is that we are impacted and need to go to hospital.
I don't know why we got numb except that maybe the pressure of pushing is also pushing on a nerve. I feel pain just from the pressure of gas lately. Everything is extremely sensitive around my incision site.
I've started to use flax the last four days and it has really helped. I've heard that our body can become addicted to meds that regulate our bowel movements, which is why I tried the flax seed.
Hope this doesn't happen to you again.

I also suffer from constipation. I had problems before the chronic backpain and before I got on more potent pain meds so it is worse now. I take 3-4 stool softeners a day and 1-2 times a week I have to take the generic women's laxative. I do have times when my legs go numb but I think that my legs are going to sleep from sitting on the toilet for so long. I also have a hard time pushing cuz it hurts my back. I'm so afraid of doing something harmful to my body by straining too hard. This week has been rough for me. I'm also dealing with increased pain as well as constipation. I was so bound up that I was even sick to my stomach. I also think I have some kind of cold or bug too which isn't helping. I started on the alli diet and that helped keep me regular for a couple of months cuz it makes you go more frequently to get the fat out of your body before becoming absorbed. I think my system got used to it though cuz that doesn't happen anymore so I stopped taking it.

Good luck and if becomes bothersome you should get it checked out as there could be something pushing on the nerves while having a bowel movement.

I am having the same problem with Opiates, constipation. I go days without having a bowel movemnt. Then finally I have a difficult hard one. I've made it easier by using Colace.

I did finally buy some Ex-Lax and tried that last night. I'll see how that works. Its not unusual for me to go a week without having a bowel movement.

My daughter has MS and takes Opiates. She says she has nerve damage in the nerves that control that part of her body. She says she will go nearly two weeks without going.

It sure isn't fun. However, I do take my morphine and oxycodone strictly in the doses my doctor prescribes, no more, no less. The constipation side effect is no fun at all. But, I can live with it.

Things. I eat Activia 1 a day, drink way more water than I want to, and besides a lot of fresh vegies I have 3 servings of fruit a day. I find I have to mix up the kinds of fruit or my system gets to used to them and they loose their effectivness. I am taking so many different drugs that I just don't want to add more. If all of that fails even for a day, I use Docusate right away!
Good luck, Jim

I have found that a compination of prescription strength Miralax and grapes. I take miralax for 3 days and 2 days without and I eat alot of grapes. About 6 cups a day. They are a great snack also.

Good Luck

can the pm Dr prescibe a stool softener or laxative? I use a generic brand but it is still about $25.00 a bottle. ( I use alot). If I could get a prescription it would be free.

NA

Magnesium Citrate. You can find it for about $7/bottle of 100 tabs. Take it 1-2 times a day with meals. It works much better than Colace and Phillips. It acts as a regulator and somewhat stool softener.

If I use that daily then I am more regular. If not I end up once a week. Not a good pattern. And I take no opiates. I shudder to think what would happen if I was on opiates.

Grey Eagle, Please try and never go more than 3 days w/out a bowel movement. This is very dangerous. You can get an impaction within your intestines and it can be deadly. I have had 2 docs tell me that Miralax is gentle enough for children and is safe. I still worry about being dependent on it though. I started keeping track on a calendar when I use the miralax and I do NOT go more than 3 days without it. I don't know if most of you know this but Elvis Pressley died from constipation from opiates. It can really be a serious problem

dmoonchild, you can get a prescription stool softner and it may really be safer that way since your doc will be able to monitor your use and make sure that you use something safe. I can't use dulcolax or colace because it is high in sodium and I have a high sensitivity to sodium. Miralax is extremely expensive.

Ladybug, I wonder if Calm contains an herbal remedy? I am nervous to mix herbs with the meds that I take. I would love to find something natural that would work though.

Jim, I have tried the high fiber thing and it has not seemed to help, The Activia did and I had forgotten about it. Thanks for the reminder I will pick some up.

Glennbo, Did your doc say that 3 on and 2 off with the Miralax was safe? Mine did tell me that it is as long as I don't take it every day but I like to hear that other docs also think so.

Ming, That is what my husband said about the numbness when I told him about it. But it was different. I not only lost all feeling from my waist down but it lasted for about 30-45 minutes afterward.

Thanks again for all of the input. Like I said before this is not a pleasant subject but I was VERY scared with this last episode so it is great that we can talk about it here.

NA

Nobody mentioned it so.. Miralax has been the saving grace for many of us, but alas is not free. However, it was Rx only before, so simply have your dr rx you miralax x1 bottle as needed, substitute generic if needed. The pharmacy will give you generic PEG3350, but it's exactly the same. Typically it is a 255 gram bottle with a 17 gram measuring cup, same as miralax, big bottle.

Hope this helps someone save a couple $ like it did for me.

JWM

Miralax is what I use and I will get a script for it since my insuramce will cover some of the cost. That stuff works gently and well but is very expensive. Thanks again for the info.

I was really really constipated. Senna did not touch it!

I tried a daily mixture of lactulose (stool softener) and prune juice. That worked well. I also ate dried prunes and fruit regularly.

If things got bad, I use a Microlax enema. It is easy to put up and then you lie on your side for as long as you can (up to 20 minutes) and then go and have a bowel movement.

It is really difficult to strike the right balance but by keeping your diet good and not letting yourself go too long without a bowel movement, then I think you can keep everything going along.

I must say one definition of happiness is a good bowel movement, imho!

Yes I too have gone numb from the waist down and then had to get up with my cane and shake my legs around a little here and there to get my "land legs" back. Mine do return quickly - Thankfully.

I am not taking anything for this issue as mine comes & goes ---- sigh SO if I take some help then I regret it as then it ends up the other way around and if I don't take some help I regret it.

I only go about 2 maybe 3 times a week - I have heard uping the water intake will help with this issue. Something I have not tried but need to.

The only thing I have found that works and does not turn around on me to bite me in the other direction is coffee. If it's been too long I drink some coffee and progress is made without feeling like I need a bullet to clamp down on

Have you tried talking to your doc about this? Maybe he could suggest something mild that will keep you regular. As I said earlier I have had great results with Miralax. It is extremely gentle and I have not had it turn around on me yet.

The pain med forum thread called something like Miracle for Constipation has some good ideas on it too.

Since you are not supposed to double post on Spine Health, I won't, but I will say that I describe how senna tea enjoyed nightly works for me. Another poster wrote that magnesium works for her. Both give more details.

Too bad the opiate meds can't have a little natural laxative mixed in. But wait, then they could not make money selling us other stuff to unplug ourselves.

Seems like they get us coming or going (pun).
Dee

I really needed a good laugh. Also thanks for the tip.

Quiltinously - Love It! Thanks for the laugh !

After my surgery I ate a fresh mango every day for a week and didn't suffer from constipation - hooray!

Ms Humpty, you mentioned that you heard increasing your water intake can help. I've also heard the same thing. In addition to helping with the bathroom issue there are so many more benefits of drinking lots of water everyday.

I also find that red seedless grapes or a big glass of apple juice help me out sometimes. However, for the most part, I am dependent on stool softeners and laxatives.

I have heard about grapes helping and I have started eating them every day. I also looked at magnesium at the pharmacy but it warned against mixing it with other meds so I was afraid to try it.

How much oxycodone per day does it take to get this type of side effect? I've never had it but max I've been on is the 10 mg tabs 3-4 times a day, normally more like 7.5mg 1-3 times a day.

cantc - I am on ( aprox, as it depends on my day ) 20 mg total daily - once in a while 25 mg. I still pass "bricks"

The same as humpty for me.
cantac consider yourself very lucky. I actually looked at the magnesium the other day in the drug store and it had so many warnings if you take other meds that I was afraid to try it.

dmoonchild- Yes. I have had prescription stool softners and they are very inexpensive.

Sorry didn't respond back earlier on this. Magnesium Citrate in pill form. You can find it for about $7/bottle of 100 tabs. Take it 1-2 times a day with meals until you get regulated. I find it at Vitamin World but not GNC.

Now if you really plugged up and need to flush your system. Then get Magnesium Citrate liquid in the bottle at the drug store. Hang on. Drink half a bottle then 8 ounces of water. If you fine if not. 2 hours later you finish the bottle and 8 ounces of water again. The bottle costs about $1.50. It'll be the cheapest Colon Cleanse you have ever done. My surgeon told me that or enemas. So I did that. OMG !!!! Your intestines will be clean. You can go in for surgery the next day knowing nothing is coming out of you from that end.

Another good regulator that is not hard on your system is Senecot-S. I prefer Magnesium Citrate pills. They cause me less cramps. But the Senecot-S works. 2 at bedtime. No movement in the morning. Then take 3 of them. If nothing happens at the end of the day take 3 more. That day needs to bea liquid/soft diet.

If all else fails get out that bottle of Magnesium Citrate. My recommendation is that if you did not have a movement after the first half of the bottle. Be sitting on the toilet when you do the 2nd half with the water. You'll think someone stuck a pressure hose in you. It doesn't horribly but you will get some cramping.

Graham

that you use before a colonoscopy. I think that I am going to get some of that to have on hand. I have had a terrible time this week. I took Miralax on Sunday because I knew that I would have the rhizotomy on Tuesday and the extra meds from that would really give me a problem so I wanted to make sure that I was clear before Tuesday. Well it never worked by Tuesday so I was pretty miserable when I went for the rhizotomy. Took another dose on Tuesday. Ate prunes, grapes, bannanas, apple and raisin bran plus another dose of Miralax on Wednesday and still have had very little relief. I can't take the Senakot because I am super sensitive to the sodium. I really think that I am going to get one of those little green bottles of the liquid magnesium citrate to keep on hand for emergency.

i had to drink the magnesium citrate for surgery and nothing happened so i turned to my tryed and true "shake." it did the trick. psyllium is a natural laxative and causes no cramping... it worked great and i was a clean as could be for the surgery... the citrate did nothing for me.... Jenny

To counteract this effect from pain meds and to avoid painful episodes, I have found a good plan.
For breakfast I have homemade muesli, which is oat based. To this I add a heaped spoon of psyllium husks and another of unprocessed bran.
On top of this, I add a dose of herbalax, a natural laxative from the supermarket, when I've hit the pain meds a bit harder than usual.
This all has the desired effect.
Gets very painful if I underdose on the laxative though.
I also avoid processed foods in general, having only some grain bread on a regular basis.
All meals we have are fresh and home cooked.

That is so great. I really eat wayyyyy too much processed food. I do know that is a good part of my problem. I am making it my goal in life to cut the processed food out altogether as soon as I feel even a little better from the rhizotomy that I had the other day. It is so easy to get caught up in take out food especially when we are in pain. I am going to get back in the habit of cooking ahead. If I cook ahead when I am having an OK day and freeze I will not have to rely on take out.

Jenny- I have tried the Matamucil without much luck but I think I will give it another go. At least until I get back on track.