My mom is on morphine and hasn't had a bowel movement in a week. She is in pain trying to go. The doctor prescribed Colace on Monday and she's been on it for 2 days. The nurse in the memory care gave her a suppository on Saturday and one today. After about 30 min she was ready to go but only a small amount (I know TMI). She cries out in pain when she is trying to go. Well, long story short and this is where I need your advice/experience - when I went to wipe it feels like a huge ball (like the size of a lemon) is there. How is she going to get that out?? I hate seeing her in pain. What should I do?
A friend I worked with was impacted. She was my age (40s) and ate a healthy diet and worked out every day. She showed me her belly one day after work and you could see her swollen intestines filled with it. She was in so much pain. She tried everything and finally went to an enema clinic. Yes, a clinic specifically for enemas. One visit and relief.
For myself, I suffered a bad bout of constipation from stress. It became so bad that I ended up in bed for 3 or 4 days and my sister said the hospital would be the next step. Castor oil was my savior. It took 24 hours but it worked. I was not diagnosed as impacted though. Don't know if I was or not.
I hope you find the solution for your mom soon. Seeing a loved one in pain is heartbreaking.
If no movement, then on day for another dose of Milk of Magnesia . Day 5, I set up everything, KY gel, a box of gloves, lots of chucks, to physically disempact her. Thr aide helps by holdong her and lubricating the glove. I only go in woth the glove one time and then throw it out and put on another one. I am extremely gentle with her. When Mom was hospitalised,at one time for something else, she got disempacted. The doctors tried everything but nothing worked. They were going to disempact her but I would not let them because it would've been too much for her. So they "let me do it and assisted me".
After I clean the canal somewhat , I give her an enema. Wait about 15 minutes and put her on the porto-potty. At that point every thing comes "down " with the help of gravity. It takes a tender touch and a big heart. If you cannot do it for her, seek out someone (nurse) that can.
PS: Guess I meant short story LONG..LOL
I use Traditional Medicinal "Smooth Move" tea (health food store) for my dad. Even for the challenging BMs.
All the best!!
"Bulk-formers—Bulk-forming laxatives are not digested but absorb liquid in the intestines and swell to form a soft, bulky stool. The bowel is then stimulated normally by the presence of the bulky mass. Some bulk-forming laxatives, like psyllium and polycarbophil, may be prescribed by your doctor to treat diarrhea."
I wanted to share what had worked with my mom EVERY time, as last resort.
Sauer Kraut Juice.
Yep. Warm it a little and drink. This had NEVER failed us.
1/4 Cup prune juice
1/4 Cup Milk of Magnesia
1/4 Cup Orange Juice
Heat this gently until it is about body temperature then drink.
(I tasted a bit it really does not taste as bad as it all sounds)
One of the prescriptions I did end up getting, through the VA, was Lactulose it is a more gentle product on the kidneys than something like Magnesium Citrate. Magnesium Citrate works great, works fast pretty much like the product you take to prep for a colonoscopy. You can get Magnesium Citrate at any store, I got mine at Walmart, think it was less than $1.00 a bottle and there are flavors now not just lemon.
Is she being given a stool softener daily?
One of the products I used to give my Husband was Smooth Move Tea that is Senna based so it also is gentle.
I looked up some of the "cleanses" that are sold over the counter and most contained Pineapple and Papaya so I purchased a pineapple and a papaya and pureed them and froze them in 1/2 Cup portions and I would give him one of those if I though we were going to need a little help.
Side question for you..Is your Mom on Hospice? If so there should be a nurse assigned to her and the nurse should be consulted, they can aid in a fecal impaction.
If she is not on Hospice the nurse at the facility should be doing more they can manually aid in an impaction.
The last resort would be a surgical intervention and that should be avoided at all costs as it is possible that your Mom may not survive the surgery or the recovery process.
get production. It must not be allowed to close shut again. Drinking water
seems to be an important ingredient. We were doing miralax but it caused too loose stool, so we switched to senna. Finding the right combination is the challenge. One time I gave her a foot massage and that got a production. I
applied a series of 3 impressions at each point on the ball of the foot from the
big toe to the little toe and continuing on down that side of the foot to the heel.
I do not always get results but a foot reflexologist should be able to do it. We have had to resort to an enema. This is a very serious thing. A perforated bowel is not what you want to risk. If they can get up and walk, walk as much as possible. Any kind of exercise would be good unless there is more to the story and that would compromise the situation.
Am praying you find the right answer.