If you read some of my older post you will know a little history on my daughters problems but to sum up my daughter has cronic constipation. She has a Ped. Gastro. but the only aproach she wants to use is Miralax on a regular basis meaning she could become dependent on it. On top of that she can not tolerate it and it causes her major gas pains to the point I have had to take her to the ER because she was screaming so loud. I have been taking my kids to a chiro. for quite awhile now and I have even tried MANY natural remidies such as gentle lax and now she is taking magnesium which was recomended by the nutritionist at Whole Foods. She already eats mutilgrain everything and is on a dairy free diet. SHe LOVES fruits and veggies and eats plenty. Drinking fluids is a constant problem with her so I started giving her cocnut water mixed with some juice and diluted with water (she won't drink it any other way) My next step is to try gluten free (which won't be completely but on her most eaten items) I have cut out as much processed food as I can and she will get it on a VERY limited basis. She is VERY restricted on how much sugar I give her as well. Not only is NONE of this working but I feel like I am taking her childhood away from her. That is the fun part of being a kid eating junk every now and then and not having to worry about it. I have no idea what to do next. I can't keep taking this poor girls to the ER for a enema. Usually after the fourth day of not going I try a liquid sapository which she hates and screams through. Is there a great gastro. or someother specialist I can contact to help us out? My husband keeps telling me to get her tested...for what I have no idea. He just tells me to fix it like I can snap my fingers and make her better. I just want this nightmare to end for my daughter. She is not eating well and is under weight for her age. She is constantly tired. She can't even walk through grocery shopping without being tired. What do I do?
Thank you for all the great advise. One of you hit the nail on the head about what I meant to say about Miralax. Not that it in itself is adictive but I don't want her body to become dependent on it. I want to train her body and mind how to do it naturally. I just switched my kids to a new Ped. that was recomended by my Chiro. and after only seeing her once I am in love. I called her this morning to discuss my concerns and not only did she LISTEN to them she gave me some GREAT medical advice. She gave me two options. She said that some children truely can not tolerate Miralax which is what she feels is happening to my daughter. So she suggested either I lower the dose and only give it to her every other day or she suggested giving her 2tsp of Karo syrup mixed with a little water everyday. It is a non-digestible sugar that is a natural laxative. Which makes complete sense because my younger daughter was prescribed something similar by her gastro. when she was an infant due to the high amounts of rice cereal she had to have to control her severe acid reflux. I 100% agree with ALL of you who told me to stick with one thing and do it all the way. I get SO much advise from so many people who I know are trying to be helpful but my head starts to spin and I never know who to believe or what to do. Since my mother is metally ill I really don't have that person that I can trust to ask for advise on things like this. I am so glad I found a Ped. that listens and understands AND takes the time to explain things to me. This is a HUGE thing I was lacking in my parenting. Thank you all for the great advise!
I have IBS with chronic constipation. I can go a whole week without a bowel movement. My gastro had me taking Miralax twice a day. I’m now pregnant so I stopped taking it. It is not addictive.
I know what she is going through. The pain gets so bad that you are brought to tears until you have a bowel movement. I’m been suffering for years and the miralax has helped.
I would try her on the miralax. She will thank you for it.
I would, find ANOTHER Specialist, and get a 2nd or 3rd opinion. Medically. Or go to a Children's Hospital and see an Internist etc.
Just get a better Specialist.
Maybe you are seeing the wrong type of Doctor.
Did the Pediatrician refer you, or did you just do it on your own?
My daughter, when she was a Toddler, had to see a Pediatric Gastroenterologist, due to constipation. The Pediatrician, referred us.
HE.... told us, NOT to use Miralax or any type of laxatives or suppositories/enemas, etc. The body gets too dependent on it and it is not, appropriate for children.
And know which foods are more "binding" or not.
It took my daughter, about THREE months, for her body to normalize. Under his, advisement.
I would also see, a Professional Pediatric Nutritionist or Dietician.
The thing is: Her current Doctor, is NOT helping, her condition has NOT improved, THUS... seek other medical assessments for your daughter.
And probably, maybe... her constipation is just a symptom of another issue. Maybe since she has a problem drinking fluids, she is also always dehydrated. Maybe she has other medical problems.
She needs, an OVERALL medical exam, to see what is really going on.
Using Miralax everyday for the rest of her life is not the solution. Can't believe the Ped. Gastroenterologist you see, has only this solution for her.
And, tell your Husband that this is HIS daughter too... and that means... HE CAN RESEARCH THIS TOO AND ALSO TAKE HIS DAUGHTER TO A SPECIALIST.
You are not Nurse Nightingale.
HI M.,
I ‘m sorry I’m not responding to your exact question, but something that has helped a dear friend of mine with chronic constipation was the Nutribullet; she swears by it and the one ingredient she can’t live without in her smoothie is CHIA SEED, she says that that ingredient in particular has helped her tremendously with her constipation. Plus, in those smoothies you can pretty much do any veggies and fruits that will help her get the nutrition she needs in a way that her body can process it better (liquid).
An example smoothie for constipation would be:
Spinach
½ cup of shredded cabbage
1 carrot
1 banana
¼ cup of blueberries
2 tbs of flax or chia seeds
Water
The other think that may be happening is that somehow, she’s not absorbing the nutrients on food, for that you may need a gastroenterologist to check him.
Good luck to you!
Please don't just try a gluten free diet because your child is constipated. My child has Celiac disease, and the diet, in general, is a source of HER constipation, which is also chronic. Taking whole grains from your daughter's diet and replacing them with grains made from corn and rice is certainly not going to help! You can certainly have her tested for Celiac disease, but if you intend to do that, you need to leave her on a gluten heavy diet.
However, you express that drinking fluids is a constant problem with her. That, possibly coupled with too MUCH fiber in her diet (which needs LOTS of water to be processed properly) could be the source of her trouble. Real water...go ahead and flavor it if you have to, with one of the hundreds of water flavorings on the market. My daughter drinks a ton of water, and it truly does help.
Also, don't be afraid of Miralax. There is no evidence that people become dependent on it...it's not a laxative. If I can get my daughter to actually drink 6-8 cups of water a day I don't need it, but that's a stretch, and I am not afraid to use it.
Don't give her any more suppositories. Go to WalMart and buy a bottle of magnesium sulfate. You don't say how old your daughter is, so just follow the directions on the bottle. Warning: the stuff tastes like sweettarts on crack and is really, really hard to mask. I mix about an ounce in a full glass of water with a lot of MiO and just encourage her to drink it. It produces a very large bowel movement within an hour or two, generally, and that's after 4-5 days with no movement and where I am sure it's so hard she almost can't go, and she's in severe pain. So far, I haven't noticed any bad side effects from this, and I've only used it 3 times...but better, IMO, than a suppository.
Again, I want to go back to your gluten free idea. It won't make a bit of difference to go "partially" gluten free...if she has a sensitivity or CD, it has to be COMPLETELY gluten free for her to improve. However, I'll say again...before changing her diet in ANY way, have her tested. They need to be eating gluten for the test. I would actually strongly recommend the test, based on some of the things you describe.
Has the GI doctor tested your daughter for celiac disease. My son has celiac and prior to diagnosis and gluten free diet he was always constipated and fatigued.
If you are not happy with the doctor you are going to, change doctors.
Probably not a good idea to take recommendations from a clerk at Wholefoods they do not have the qualifications to treat your daughter. excess magnesium can be dangerous - be careful with who you take recommendations from.
I know you had a rough childhood. You have a rough marriage. Did you ever get counseling? For you? I think it would help you make clearer decisions for your daughter. You need to stop taking things in your own hands. Find a doctor and do what he says. Take her to another GI doc but then keep him so he can get a realistic picture. You are frightening me. The lengths you are going to are not normal. Step back. Let professionals handle this. Talk to someone. Get help.
I"ve only read the first two sentences. One does NOT become dependent on Miralax. It is a natural substance and is definitely not addictive. If you're not going to do what the high priced specialist tell you to do, why are you consulting with her? When you have concerns ask the doctor about them so that they can help you understand better what they are recommending.
My grandson had constipation issues and we were able to manage them with diet and Miralax. When he had regular soft bowel movements he stopped taking the Miralax.
Have you talked about possible causes for the gas with the gastroenterologist. My adult daughter has difficulty with gas and testing showed that she's sensitive to gluten.
I suggest that if you give her double doses of Miralax for a week she will have a bowel movement and will not need an enema.
You've tried many remedies. Have you tried any one remedy for several weeks? It takes time for the body to adjust.
I also wonder if your anxiety over her condition is feeding into anxiety for her. Try to relax. Give her a balanced and healthy diet. Don't talk about food or bowel movements. Increase her dose of Miralax if what you're giving her doesn't work. And give it to her at least twice a day for a week before quiting. Act like everything is OK.
Miralax is not addictive. She will be able to quit when she no longer needs it.
Later: Miralax does not prevent your body from it's natural process. It does not affect chemicals/enzymes. It draws water into the bowel so that the bowel can push the poop out. I urge you to talk with a medical person about the way that Miralax works. Perhaps a pharmacisit would be the best person to ask.
Everything I can find about Miralax says it is not addictive.
I did find information that says it can cause gas/bloating but only for a week or two until your body gets use to it.
People who have IBS have been on it for YEARS with no problems.
So why not try what the pediatric gastroenterologist says to try?
Also, if you are worried about what can become addictive - enemas are not that good to be having all the time.
Have you tried giving her a tablespoon of olive oil every morning and a teaspoon every night?
Besides being digestible and nutritive it can help with constipation.
It stimulates bile production and can help food slide through.
Olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice is a great salad dressing too.
If she does have IBS, this might not be something that can be fixed by messing with her diet.
If she's under weight and always tired - what's wrong with her eating sugar / sugary foods?
I hope one of the fruits she eats plenty of is prunes and lot's of prune juice every day - and dates are high in fiber too.
She needs to really up her fluid intake.
Water, coconut water, prune juice - all of it's good.
So is soup broth.
I would have her tested for food sensitivities and if she has none - then quit restricting her diet.
I think that she needs to see someone else. I have one that is chronically constipated too. But not near as bad as yours.
You do know you can do the enema yourself right? There's no need to have anyone else do it. You just hold them down and poke it in, let it drain, then put them in the bathroom next to the shower. That way it's easy clean up if they accidentally get some on other parts.
She probably needs to cut down on the grains. When I eat a whole grain chip....like Sun Chips, I get constipated and it's really hard to go. I have IBS with chronic diarrhea so being constipated is totally different for me. Grains are constipating all on their own. No banana's either. Our guys in group homes that take meds that effect their bowels are not allowed to eat them at all, they clog them up every time. Banana's are super constipating.
To me I would think that this is IBS with chronic constipation. OR it could be something where she needs to have a colostomy , where she has part of her colon removed and wears a bag on her tummy to deal with feces. She would be normal except she'd have to learn to take care of the bag. My MIL could even swim with her stoma. She had a way of fixing it so she could be in water.
I don't think you mean that Miralax is addicitive, it is not. It just not allow the body to produce the chemicals/enzymes, etc to allow the body to work naturally - just like kids taking melatonin for sleeping - the body stops producing the melatonin because it's getting it....it's not addictive...
She could be eating too much fiber. I know - funny - right? well, ironic, not funny. so she needs more water in her diet to help get her digestive tract running right.
Has her pediatrician ran a blood test on her for iron, diabetes, potassium levels, etc.? Is it possible she has too much magnesium in her system? You've been given advice and such from so many sources - you need to sit down - right out all that she has been given - told to do - etc. and then make an appointment with her pediatrician and say - okay - here's where we are...
She eats x, y, z - approximately this much per day.
She drinks u, v. w - approximately this much per day.
I give her x amount of miralax per day.
For my youngest, we had to get him on a routine of bowel movements. He could hold it for days...until the point of pain...so every night after dinner - he had to sit on the toilet until he had a bowel movement. Now, every night at 730 - he needs to poop. It took us months of doing this to make it happen regularly.
Her poor body doesn't know how to operate on its own because it's been tossed and turned!! I'm sorry. I really am!! Can she eat peanut butter? When I feel constipated? Peanut Butter on pancakes, waffles or french toast with syrup? Has me having a bowel movement in a few hours...sorry if that's TMI - but it works.
good luck!
My sons constipation was pretty bad because of they asthma meds he was on that are drying. Miralax helps take the need moisture from your colon to help form a bowel movement. When we first started it he did have some gas pains but not after a week. I think his colon had to get used to working. We used it daily for Three years! From age 4 to age 7, then he began to be able to go on his own with no changes in diet or other meds. We had to stick with name brand, the generic did not work as well. Give it a try for at least 2-3 weeks. The gas pain may stop by then since her body will begin to work as it should. Eventually she won't need it just as my son didn't which is exactly what the MDs told me. They warned me it would be a few years.
Does she drink enough water? Have you tried a gluten-free diet? You might also consider cutting out dairy (but make sure she get enough calcium.)
I would get a different ped gastro doctor, to be honest. He isn't proactive enough, and you need a proactive doctor. I'd also consider a ped internist. You need some real answers.
Good luck,
Dawn
Too much fiber can plug them up as fast as not enough....I have a child prone to constipation.
If we get off our normal routine of healthy eating...like going on vacation or eat in restaurants a lot for various reasons. My son will become very very backed up.
My pediatrician is great she has given me a routine to totally cleans him out if he become constipated. Exactly what OTC products to use and yes, they clean out his bowel. (You can give an enema at home, just make sure you have lots of KY jelly, because the "pre-lubricated" tips are NOT lubricated enough). Then she finally recommend Miralax everyday to help him go. I started out using it everyday at full dose and slowly lowered it to the smallest amount he needed to have a good BM everyday. We used it for a good long time and then I tried lowering the dose and low and behold he is still going fine. But I wouldn't hesitate to put him back on it everyday in a moment if he needed it.
We also had to work to make him have a good time to use the restroom...he would not go at school. He and I visited with the nurse and she told him he could come use her private bathroom if he needed to have a BM. It gave him a safe place to do it at school, before that he was holding it at school. But eventually he got on routine to go everyday after school.
The only extra fiber product we use is double fiber bread. I did take him off of milk (except on his cereal in the mornings). I do watch the BRATY items so he doesn't get too much of them (Bananas, rice, apple sauce, toast and yogurt)...he does eat a whole apple off the core everyday, lots of good fiber there.
He does have junk once, and a while some sugar isn't going to back him up.
I say try the Miralax (start with small amounts until she can tolerate it) and just a normal healthy diet with a few treats now and then. Don't be scared of the Miralax...not if it is what they told you to use and it can work if you let it. She will not be on it forever just to give her some help until her body gets used to working the right way.
I've been having problems with my kiddos too, and I got them probiotics from Vitamin World, and it is making a HUGE difference. They are becoming more regular and getting rid of the ickies. My doc told me that when kids have to go and hold it, then they will get "programed" so that it hurts to go, so they won't go. He said to give my daughter miralax 2x a day, a full capful (this is for a 3 year old) everyday until she has been able to poop without pain for 2 weeks becuase it takes that long to make the changes in her body. It is an completely inert substance that is not addicting and cannot hurt her or the body. It just binds with the water that you add to it.
I had a naturopath who gave me a recipe to clean out the gallbladder, and while that isn't what you are trying to do, the side effect is that it also clears out everything else. The part that did it was drinking a gallon of Apple Cider in a day. This is hard to do, but it does clear out the insides.
I do have to agree that you should see a different doctor and get a second opinion. Also, any thing that is yellow or orange is going to be constipating is what the nurse told me: bananas, oranges, lemons, etc. Good luck!
Updated
I've been having problems with my kiddos too, and I got them probiotics from Vitamin World, and it is making a HUGE difference. They are becoming more regular and getting rid of the ickies. My doc told me that when kids have to go and hold it, then they will get "programed" so that it hurts to go, so they won't go. He said to give my daughter miralax 2x a day, a full capful (this is for a 3 year old) everyday until she has been able to poop without pain for 2 weeks becuase it takes that long to make the changes in her body. It is an completely inert substance that is not addicting and cannot hurt her or the body. It just binds with the water that you add to it.
I had a naturopath who gave me a recipe to clean out the gallbladder, and while that isn't what you are trying to do, the side effect is that it also clears out everything else. The part that did it was drinking a gallon of Apple Cider in a day. This is hard to do, but it does clear out the insides.
I do have to agree that you should see a different doctor and get a second opinion. Also, any thing that is yellow or orange is going to be constipating is what the nurse told me: bananas, oranges, lemons, etc. Good luck!
