Constipation

[justej]

I have a pain pump for my complex regional pain syndrome and in it is morphine and bupivicaine.

With the morphine i either have constipation for a few days or urgency so bad i don't make it to the bathroom. I'm calling my doctor tomorrow but does anyone have any tips to manage this? I've been using diapers for a paralyzed neurogenic bladder for years but this is the pits.

Thanks

[Patrick]

I manage my gastroparesis (a combination of constipation and diarrhea) with a stool softener (ducosate sodium) and/or Metamucil or Benefiber with every solid meal. My gastroenterologist does not like ducosate sodium, and wants me to switch to the fiber supplements full time; however, learning to manage these fiber supplements has been a chore; accidents still happen. I take an internal deodorant for those times when my GI system throws a temper tantrum. Good luck, and report back when you can.

[JDinVirginia]

JustJ, I can so sympathize with your situation. Due to neurogenic bowel I normally have severe chronic constipation. I take antacids for GERD and they inhibit peristalsis. Then, my prescription opiate pain pills cause me to be really bound up.

My multiple docs have me taking one docusate sodium stool softener per meal, one cap of Miralax each day, and four Senna at dinner time. On top of that I take a high dose of Linzess specifically to counter the constipating effects of the opiates.

It works "fairly" well - most of the time. A down side of the Linzess is that it may cause some diarrhea. With the Linzess I will find stool in the rectum perhaps 40% of the time (I then do digistim to prompt defecation). I also may have loose stool/diarrhea about a third of the time, often causing an accident. However, without the Linzess I was fearful of an obstruction/impaction building up.

--John
(double incontinent)