Chronic bowel constipation

Can't say I've had or know of anyone with a similar condition.
I see you say that you've (as in your family member) tried the natural laxative type of remedies; that's great, but it looks as though you're focusing on it from the physical symptoms point of view. What about considering the mental/emotional side of what that person has gone through? Maybe looking at some therapy such as Hypnotherapy/NLP, EFT or other such 'mind' based therapies may be able to help get to some underlying issue that is causing the symptom i.e. it could be as simple as some trapped fear from undergoing the surgery.

Just a thought. 😉

All Love and Reiki Hugs

1) without more context and case history, and without a complete examination
2) assuming all else has remained unchanged, for example nutritional status, hydration, geography, activity levels

then a specific answer is difficult, but a conceptual answer is still possible:

Nerves for visceromotion are not just passive wires, but living tissue that is repsonding and adapting. So control is not just affected by damage or pressure, but reflexively as well. Mechanical disturbance to the fine levers can and does create interference to the reflex centres of the spine and corresponding centres in the cord, which influences the function of organs (alteration of axoplasmic nutrition, blood supply, etc etc)

The body does work as a unit, so change one part through surgery and the mechanics right along the spine are influenced. What we may have here is 'splanchnic lesioning'.

There are various other ways of looking at this too. If the efficiency of the arch mechanics of the spine has been lowered, greater effort is required from both tonic and phasic musculature, this tips the autonomic systems towards a more sympathetic-dominant state - more resources to musculoskeletal activity, less toward vegetative function generally.

Then there is raised tone of paraspinal muscles and deep intrinsic muscles, demanding blood, thereby giving reflex ischaemia (relative) in corresponding regions of the cord, thus also altering function.

Then, several weeks in hospital can set changes in motion that may be changeable, but might not actually be changed. For example nutrition, vitamin D status during bed rest, loss of muscle tone, change to upper-rib breathing pattern, reduction of sporting activity. I meet people who's good diet habits go way downhill after a spell on hospital food. All of this sets life onto a different path, and it can take deliberate action to steer homoeostasis back on course.

And so on.

So rather than look at what has damaged irreperably by surgery, etc etc, I would be considering the matters that are influencing the gut function that are still responding, adapting, dealing with many ongoing considerations. I would be seeking to restore homoeostasis through the areas that are left to be changed. The right osteopathic input may yet unravel some of the knock-on effects and responses that may be secondary or only distantly related to the surgery itself.

Hi Keano16

Your feeling seems spot on, the aggressive surgery has stirred a few reactions in the body - mind. They are all tappable issues
I would like to suggest find an EFT practitioner to deal with this and it should clear very quickly as the underline responses of the body and emotions clear

I would like to mention two issues. If your relative is taking Codeine for pain medication, that could result in severe constipation. Good hydration (drinking plenty of water) is important to proper bowel function.

Don't get me wrong, I am thankful on your reply and participation, but such a "simple" steps like stopping medications (all of them!) and good hydration we already tried. Thanks again.

What is EFT?

My first reactions were a) lack of magnesium, which is needed for muscle relaxation, especially in the gut. Taking extra magnesium is not recommended while on some medications without medical approval. There are other posts on magnesium here on HP - Ava knows more about it than anyone.

b) The other thing is Emotional Freedom Technique - an amazing, relatively new technique using tapping on particular meridian points while focussing on the problem. [url]See here[/url] for the main website, and there is a free basic manual to download here, and for particular help for constipation [url]see here[/url] from which you can read some reports of some resolution to this sort of problem. If you need a practitioner you may find someone here, and do realise that once you know what to do with tapping, this can be directed over the phone by a practitioner.

c) There are different things to help with softening the stool like psyllium husk and konjak fibre which must be taken with at least half a litre of water. These absorb water and hold it in the gut, keeping the contents soft and more easily passed.

Hope it gets sorted soon.

bum starters

All the above responses sound good and are well worth considering.

I would only add that surgery can muck up your intestinal flora so taking a good pro-biotic like "Inner Health Plus" will put all those good bacteria back into the bowl, an may aid in a bowl movement.

I also use a particular vitamin C brand called "Ester C" which is non-acidic, I wouldn't use any other brand, personally. Vitamin C aids in healing and a wonderful by product is that if taken in larger doses (as recommended on the bottle) can actually cause diarrhea. How wonderful is that!!!

I use both those with plenty of water, and usually, even the most stubborn blockage is released.

Add to that some emotional release techniques to deal with the trauma of surgery (all surgery is traumatic to the little child within us all) and your friend may get back to letting go more quickly.

Reminds me of a funny joke, where each organ of the body is trying to say that it is the most important organ. The bowels chime in with something like, "if I ain't workin, ain't none of you working, I control the body!!". 😮

How true is that!

Good luck to your friend, I hope they try some of the suggestions in this thread, and get back to normal soon.

Thanks on all your replies.

Constipation

I suggest going to see a colonic hydrotherapist. You can find good listings on www.colonic-association.org and look in yoiur area.
The pain medications used will slow bowel transit. This allows yeast to build up which then compress faecal matter in the bowel. This slower transit allows putrefaction to take place which produces more gas and more compression. A series of colonics will firstly clear the compactions but also retrain the bowel muscles to do what they should be doing on their own.The muscles in the bowel have poor muscle memory. The therapist will also suggest or supply and appropriate bacterial supplement to improve the transit time.

Skinbuddy is right, that once things are moving again it may well all become much easier. A spell in hospital is enough to cause things to back-up, and 'getting the drains rodded', so to speak, may be enough to restore normal function. It wil certainly bring short-term relief while considering the problem.

It doens't take long for nasty health problems to develop if we are constipated.

Colon Gym

Your bowel needs regular exercise to regain its tone and rythym.
Your bowel is made up of smooth muscle, it has not been excercised regulary recently so its out of shape
I have recently set up the concept of colon gym.
Patients will attend a course of training, where they will learn how to self administer high volume enemas. patients will also learn the basics of digestion (how, when and what to eat) etc etc.
At first you need to administer your enemas daily, until you have evacuated the back log of accumalated waste matter, so that your muscles are free once more to contract and release in a rythymical manner. Eventually you will start to open your bowels without the need of an enema.
Once trained at Colon gym you will have a lifelong friend to keep your bowels clean and ready for action.

I would really recommend green tea such as Cho Yung Tea for digestive issues. It s wonderful for keeping your digestive habits regular. it is also great at speeding up your metabolism and keeping you at your optimum healthy weight.

We are on a breach of big discovery!

This constipation was caused by lack of nicotine!

Morning cigarette is producing first bowel movements after 17 montsh!