Guest guest Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 Okay, let me start by saying how glad I am to have found this group. My son, TJ will be 3 in a few months. He has has going problems since birth. Well, that isn't entirely true, he seemed to go fine at the hospital, then stop going when we took him home. His regular was every 4-5 days. I repeatedly voice my concern to my pediatrician. She told me to give him a few ounces of prune juice every day until he went. It did nothing. As he got older, poop time became dreaded. He would scream and cry and carry on in pain for hours before going. He would always go when sleeping, as if that was the only way he could relax enough and pass it. The poop was always hard, and there was always a lot of it. Once he started talking, he would tell us he had to go, but still could never get it out. He would tell us it hurts and cry. He would go tiny bits at every diaper change, but never enough, just what he couldn't hold in anymore. Then his butt would get raw. Nothing is worse than having a kid crying telling you " noooo wipes, butts raw " . No kid should have to know that phrase. My repeated complaints to the pediatrician, sometimes calling her during the middle of the night so she could hear him screaming in pain, got us no where. She told me not to use any sort of suppository, even though they were the only things that would get him to go when he was younger. She never once told us to try an enema, even though I asked, because that is how she treated my nephew's constipation 15 years earlier. She always said no, don't do that, his little body will get used to it and won't be able to go with out the help. She told us to up the prune juice 4 ounces X a day. His little tummy would rumble and grumble, but still no poop. So we were told to try mineral oil. 2T a twice a day. The bottle says not to ingest. Why would I give that to my kid. I tried fletchers, but it can't be used every day. I was at a loss. No tests have ever been done, I have complained about this problem since his 2nd doctors appt. No relief. After one really bad episode, 8 days, no poop. TJ finally went and bled, lot. The poop was huge and rock hard. I was frustrated and upset that he had to go through this and livid with the pediatrician for not trying harder to help us. She is a family friend, he should be one of her top priorities. I demanded help. She said there isn't anything else I can do for you. Like she had done so much before. She said go see a peds gi doctor. YEAH great, where - oh that was the catch, there aren't any within an hour + of our house. I fired her. We started with a new ped last month. My son has pneumonia, so I didn't get to deal with the constipation issue, since he was going on antibiotics - which should help him poop. We are going next week for a wellness visit, and to discuss the constipation. I came here looking for ideas on what to ask her about. A friend of mine has been giving her 4 year old daughter Miralax for over a year, they swear its a life saver. But like a bunch of you, I am leery because it is for adults only, and doesn't seem to be as safe as they think it is. Its too new for me to be all excited about. Like most meds that come out with a bang, years later they find all these complications and side effects. I don’t' want to cause my son more harm in the future, to help him go now. Its been 5 days since his last BM. I know he has to go because he is laying on his tummy as often as possible and leaning his belly on his table and chairs. His belly is all hard and bubbled out over his pants. I am desperate to find something to help him. I am afraid that with a new doctor we will have to start all over - prune juice, mineral oil, blah blah blah. Anyway, that is why I am here. I came to read up on the not so positive side of miralax before I decide to try it with or with out our peds advice. So far, I think we'll pass and try something else. I just don't know what else to try. I started aloe juice this week, hopefully that will help. Thanks for listening. More importantly, thanks for posting. I have read more than 100 emails since I joined and I feel I have learned alot. This was exactly what I was searching for. ~catie ________________________________________________________________________________\ ____ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 First off welcome to the group. And sooo sorry that your little one is suffereing. I had the same issues with my ped. My son was like yours where he had problems from birth (well not from birth, hte hospitial said he went fine, although i didnt' change a single diaper,. he went once apon coming home, but then went 7 days with nothing. he was a BFed baby at that time. it was deteremined that I had a low milk supply and he went on formula and pooped! but he would always strain soooo hard and for hours before producing a nice soft squishy poop. I talked to my ped about it from the time he was 4 months old. at first it was up the juice/ water, give prunes (not prune juice) I was able to help him with small dietary changes till he hit 2. then when he was about 2 and a half, he hit a crisis point where he was in pain, hadn't gone in a week, wasn't eating and started to vomit. I did Miralax to clean him out and diatery modifications that he Ped wanted me to do (more juice, more water, benefiber etc) and he was fine for a few weeks, but he would always strain for hours to go to the bathroom. His poop, unlike your son's though, where always soft, just large amounts. He was diagnosed with hypotonia (low muscle tone) at 15 months of age. My ped was telling me that the hypotonia had nothing to do with the consitpation, and that it wasnt' a muscle problem, but was the way he was sitting when pooping (he'd sit flat on his bottom or lift a leg to poo) and once he laerned to squat or started to show interest in pottying it would stop. Well she was beyond wrong, it got worse, to that she says it's a withholding issue only to do miralax every 3 rd day he doesn't go. that it is safe to use for long temr usage and i'd probably have to use it for years. I experessed concern of the drug, and she said the only othe rthing was mineral oil (YEA Like i'm giving htat) so i insisted on a GI consult. IN themean time his PT and ST are telling me to fire my current ped, she is an idiot if she thinks the hypotonia wasnt' the cause, and that it was definetly a muscle problme (which is what i thought) I get into the GI, he confirms that it is a muscle problme the hypotonia is the cause for hte constipation, along with family history (i had the excact same problem as a child) They asked me how i wanted to handle it, naturally or medically i said naturally of course. He is now on sorbitol, proboditics, flaxseed meal, flax oil and kidlax if he has problems going only. the flaxseed meal/oil proboditics he's been on for 6 months or so, and i saw some good improvement ,but he still strained alot. with the sorbitol he doesn't strain alot anymore ( he did strain a bit today, but normally i dontknow he's pooped till i smell it) He is back in diapers and pottys when he askes only per his GI instructions to not push potty learning, but follow his lead. my ped insisted that the GI would agree with her and say to do miralax, and htat it was a withholding issue and not a muscle issue. the ped was WRONG! He tole me the excact oppisite of what she said it was. I would do anything and everything else before using miralax to help the constipation. There is a reason for it. It is not a disease, but a symptom, and the underlying cuases need to be found. For my son the 2 underlying causes were hypotonia and family history. Once the cause is found then you can start treatment, but a ped that doesn't want ot explore the cause is one you need to run from Itis not an easy road once you find the cuase. it is still hard to deal with and your child will have to be on some sort of stool softener for a while. at the very least 6 months but often times at the very least through potty training. I was told that due to my sons issue he will be on it for many years to come. BUT there are many natural stool softeners that are natural and wont cause a problem or dependancy when using for long term usage. Miralax is a chemical plain and simple. ANd yea sure, it's in alot of other things we use daily. Like shampoos, conditioners, soaps, etc etc. It doesn't mean that using it for constipation is a necessarily good idea KWIM. Lets face it, tactile contact that is absorbed into the skin and introducing it in the body to be abosrbed into the blood stream are 2 very different things. KWIM I would urge you to seek a good ped GI that is opened to natural treatment andnot soo gunho about miralax. Here is a list of what my son's been on for months that seem to help him Flax seed meal (high in fiber and has flax oil in it as well) flax seed oil (unlike mineral oil which coats the intestines and can block the absorbtion of many nutrients and vitamins. flax oil is very beneficial to the body and introduces good fats to his system. It also coats and lubercates the intestines but without blocking hte absorbition for vitamins) Sorbitol (this is a fruit sugar. It is 100% natural and is available OTC YOu just have to aks the pharmasists for it, as they do keep it behind hte counter) Magensium - citrate kidlax (an all natural laxative. it has flax seeds meal, peach leaf, prunes, plums etc etc to help them go) He also gets fruit smoothies on warm days. He eats veggies. I have taken him off milk compeletly as milk can be very binding. We limit rice as that too is binding. Tummy massages to help move the poop around in the intestines and stimulate the intestines. ANd as much juice/water that he wants to help keep him hydrated. Like i said it is hard, and believe me you will have yoru good and bad times with this. the good times are great! the bad times are bad and frustrating (we just got thorugh a bad time with his pooping and i hope that he gets back on routine with his poops and we can be on the good side of this once again) YOu will have to play with his dosage so you find what works for him, and just settle in and be prepared HTH > > Okay, let me start by saying how glad I am to have > found this group. > > My son, TJ will be 3 in a few months. He has has > going problems since birth. Well, that isn't entirely > true, he seemed to go fine at the hospital, then stop > going when we took him home. His regular was every 4-5 > days. I repeatedly voice my concern to my > pediatrician. She told me to give him a few ounces of > prune juice every day until he went. It did nothing. > > As he got older, poop time became dreaded. He would > scream and cry and carry on in pain for hours before > going. He would always go when sleeping, as if that > was the only way he could relax enough and pass it. > The poop was always hard, and there was always a lot > of it. > > Once he started talking, he would tell us he had to > go, but still could never get it out. He would tell us > it hurts and cry. He would go tiny bits at every > diaper change, but never enough, just what he couldn't > hold in anymore. Then his butt would get raw. Nothing > is worse than having a kid crying telling you " noooo > wipes, butts raw " . No kid should have to know that > phrase. > > My repeated complaints to the pediatrician, sometimes > calling her during the middle of the night so she > could hear him screaming in pain, got us no where. > She told me not to use any sort of suppository, even > though they were the only things that would get him to > go when he was younger. She never once told us to try > an enema, even though I asked, because that is how she > treated my nephew's constipation 15 years earlier. > She always said no, don't do that, his little body > will get used to it and won't be able to go with out > the help. > > She told us to up the prune juice 4 ounces X a day. > His little tummy would rumble and grumble, but still > no poop. So we were told to try mineral oil. 2T a > twice a day. The bottle says not to ingest. Why would > I give that to my kid. I tried fletchers, but it can't > be used every day. I was at a loss. No tests have ever > been done, I have complained about this problem since > his 2nd doctors appt. No relief. > > After one really bad episode, 8 days, no poop. TJ > finally went and bled, lot. The poop was huge and rock > hard. I was frustrated and upset that he had to go > through this and livid with the pediatrician for not > trying harder to help us. She is a family friend, he > should be one of her top priorities. I demanded help. > She said there isn't anything else I can do for you. > Like she had done so much before. She said go see a > peds gi doctor. YEAH great, where - oh that was the > catch, there aren't any within an hour + of our house. > I fired her. > > We started with a new ped last month. My son has > pneumonia, so I didn't get to deal with the > constipation issue, since he was going on antibiotics > - which should help him poop. We are going next week > for a wellness visit, and to discuss the constipation. > > > I came here looking for ideas on what to ask her > about. A friend of mine has been giving her 4 year > old daughter Miralax for over a year, they swear its a > life saver. But like a bunch of you, I am leery > because it is for adults only, and doesn't seem to be > as safe as they think it is. Its too new for me to be > all excited about. Like most meds that come out with > a bang, years later they find all these complications > and side effects. I don't' want to cause my son more > harm in the future, to help him go now. > > Its been 5 days since his last BM. I know he has to go > because he is laying on his tummy as often as possible > and leaning his belly on his table and chairs. His > belly is all hard and bubbled out over his pants. I am > desperate to find something to help him. I am afraid > that with a new doctor we will have to start all over > - prune juice, mineral oil, blah blah blah. > > Anyway, that is why I am here. I came to read up on > the not so positive side of miralax before I decide to > try it with or with out our peds advice. So far, I > think we'll pass and try something else. I just don't > know what else to try. I started aloe juice this > week, hopefully that will help. > > Thanks for listening. More importantly, thanks for > posting. I have read more than 100 emails since I > joined and I feel I have learned alot. This was > exactly what I was searching for. > > ~catie > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ ______________ > Be a better friend, newshound, and > know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 catie - i am so sorry you and your son have been going through this - how horrible! my daughter's constipation is bad - but she rarely goes as long as your son between poops. she is three also - so i can quickly tell you what works for us - we just started 1 tsp 2x/day of lactulose - is very similar to sorbitol, but my husband is sensitive to sorbitol (gives him an upset stomach) so we didn't want to use that - so far it has been good; before that we were on the mineral oil - i really would prefer to use that, but she started to get a leaky tushy with it, and at the same time the effectiveness waned. i know a lot of people hesitate on it, but for a long time we found it to be very good - we used about 1.5 teaspoons 2x/day; probiotics (the antibiotics mess their bellies up - dehydrate the intestines so even if there is lose stools in the short-term, the long-term effects are horrible); very very little bread, no rice, LOTS of watermelon, NO apples or applesauce or banana, fruit at every meal, tons of juice - any kind (apple juice is okay), no rice, no pasta, no cheese, trying to cut out milk - give her about 1 oz milk to 6 oz water; dried fruit bars - the natural type of fruit roll-ups; yogurt, very little meat of any kind, lots of cucumber, carrot, tomatoes, hummus, fish, potatoes are okay, eggs. i feel like that is pretty much all she eats! we do lots of warm baths with epsom salt and then tummy massage. we haven't pushed the potty training for the poop - she asks for a diaper when she wants to go. i am considering going gluten free - kristin is a wonderful source for all gluten free information - she is really a wealth of information on all of this! i will just echo, though, to steer clear of miralax. my daughter took a total of 2 tsp of it over 2 days and then was out of sorts - emotionally and behaviourally - for about 3 weeks. it was horrible. she had nightmares and was constantly tired and complaining. had no energy. she was just miserable. i felt like i had totally failed her as a mother by not doing enough research before hand and discovering how toxic it is. thankfully she seems to have finally bounced back and isn't complaining any longer - and her teachers even told me when i picked her up from school today that she has finally returned to her normal self and is active and happy - which i think also has a lot to do with getting her regular with the (very) strict diet and the lactulose. i hope that helps even a little bit. hang in there. dana Okay, let me start by saying how glad I am to havefound this group. My son, TJ will be 3 in a few months. He has hasgoing problems since birth. Well, that isn't entirelytrue, he seemed to go fine at the hospital, then stop going when we took him home. His regular was every 4-5days. I repeatedly voice my concern to mypediatrician. She told me to give him a few ounces ofprune juice every day until he went. It did nothing. As he got older, poop time became dreaded. He wouldscream and cry and carry on in pain for hours beforegoing. He would always go when sleeping, as if thatwas the only way he could relax enough and pass it. The poop was always hard, and there was always a lotof it. Once he started talking, he would tell us he had togo, but still could never get it out. He would tell usit hurts and cry. He would go tiny bits at every diaper change, but never enough, just what he couldn'thold in anymore. Then his butt would get raw. Nothingis worse than having a kid crying telling you " noooowipes, butts raw " . No kid should have to know that phrase. My repeated complaints to the pediatrician, sometimescalling her during the middle of the night so shecould hear him screaming in pain, got us no where. She told me not to use any sort of suppository, even though they were the only things that would get him togo when he was younger. She never once told us to tryan enema, even though I asked, because that is how shetreated my nephew's constipation 15 years earlier. She always said no, don't do that, his little bodywill get used to it and won't be able to go with outthe help. She told us to up the prune juice 4 ounces X a day.His little tummy would rumble and grumble, but still no poop. So we were told to try mineral oil. 2T atwice a day. The bottle says not to ingest. Why wouldI give that to my kid. I tried fletchers, but it can'tbe used every day. I was at a loss. No tests have ever been done, I have complained about this problem sincehis 2nd doctors appt. No relief. After one really bad episode, 8 days, no poop. TJfinally went and bled, lot. The poop was huge and rockhard. I was frustrated and upset that he had to go through this and livid with the pediatrician for nottrying harder to help us. She is a family friend, heshould be one of her top priorities. I demanded help.She said there isn't anything else I can do for you. Like she had done so much before. She said go see apeds gi doctor. YEAH great, where - oh that was thecatch, there aren't any within an hour + of our house.I fired her. We started with a new ped last month. My son has pneumonia, so I didn't get to deal with theconstipation issue, since he was going on antibiotics- which should help him poop. We are going next weekfor a wellness visit, and to discuss the constipation. I came here looking for ideas on what to ask herabout. A friend of mine has been giving her 4 yearold daughter Miralax for over a year, they swear its alife saver. But like a bunch of you, I am leery because it is for adults only, and doesn't seem to beas safe as they think it is. Its too new for me to beall excited about. Like most meds that come out witha bang, years later they find all these complications and side effects. I don't' want to cause my son moreharm in the future, to help him go now. Its been 5 days since his last BM. I know he has to gobecause he is laying on his tummy as often as possible and leaning his belly on his table and chairs. Hisbelly is all hard and bubbled out over his pants. I amdesperate to find something to help him. I am afraidthat with a new doctor we will have to start all over - prune juice, mineral oil, blah blah blah.Anyway, that is why I am here. I came to read up onthe not so positive side of miralax before I decide totry it with or with out our peds advice. So far, Ithink we'll pass and try something else. I just don't know what else to try. I started aloe juice thisweek, hopefully that will help. Thanks for listening. More importantly, thanks forposting. I have read more than 100 emails since Ijoined and I feel I have learned alot. This was exactly what I was searching for.~catie__________________________________________________________Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Thanks for the advice. I am definately glad I found this place. I was so desparately looking for something to help, and Miralax is what everyone is happy pitching as the safest fixall. I am going to ask my pharmacist to order sorbitol and i'll look into the lactulose too. I added aloe the other day, it doesn't seem to be doing much yet, but I started very slow to make sure it doesn't bother his tummy. I'll do a week at one once, then bump it up to two ounces, then bump it to twice a day. The good thing about my son is he eats EVERYTHING. He loves fruit and veggies. He eats whole grain cereal and breads. He loves raisins and dried cranberries. He gets plenty of fiber. He gets cups of 7 ounces of water with an ounce of juice in it all day. He takes water to bed (which usually means a soaked kid in the am, but hey he is hydrated!) I will try the sorbitol over the weekend and keep up the aloe to see if I can't tinker with a more natural approach to helping him go. Hopefully he only needs a little push in the right direction. Does anyone know - can he keep taking the aloe juice in definately? How about the sorbitol? Thanks, Catie --- Dana Hadl wrote: > catie - i am so sorry you and your son have been > going through this - how > horrible! my daughter's constipation is bad - but > she rarely goes as long as > your son between poops. she is three also - so i > can quickly tell you what > works for us - > we just started 1 tsp 2x/day of lactulose - is very > similar to sorbitol, but > my husband is sensitive to sorbitol (gives him an > upset stomach) so we > didn't want to use that - so far it has been good; > before that we were on the mineral oil - i really > would prefer to use that, > but she started to get a leaky tushy with it, and at > the same time the > effectiveness waned. i know a lot of people hesitate > on it, but for a long > time we found it to be very good - we used about 1.5 > teaspoons 2x/day; > probiotics (the antibiotics mess their bellies up - > dehydrate the intestines > so even if there is lose stools in the short-term, > the long-term effects are > horrible); > very very little bread, no rice, LOTS of watermelon, > NO apples or applesauce > or banana, fruit at every meal, tons of juice - any > kind (apple juice is > okay), no rice, no pasta, no cheese, trying to cut > out milk - give her about > 1 oz milk to 6 oz water; dried fruit bars - the > natural type of fruit > roll-ups; yogurt, very little meat of any kind, lots > of cucumber, carrot, > tomatoes, hummus, fish, potatoes are okay, eggs. i > feel like that is pretty > much all she eats! > we do lots of warm baths with epsom salt and then > tummy massage. > we haven't pushed the potty training for the poop - > she asks for a diaper > when she wants to go. > > i am considering going gluten free - kristin is a > wonderful source for all > gluten free information - she is really a wealth of > information on all of > this! > > i will just echo, though, to steer clear of miralax. > my daughter took a > total of 2 tsp of it over 2 days and then was out of > sorts - emotionally and > behaviourally - for about 3 weeks. it was horrible. > she had nightmares and > was constantly tired and complaining. had no energy. > she was just miserable. > i felt like i had totally failed her as a mother by > not doing enough > research before hand and discovering how toxic it > is. thankfully she seems > to have finally bounced back and isn't complaining > any longer - and her > teachers even told me when i picked her up from > school today that she has > finally returned to her normal self and is active > and happy - which i think > also has a lot to do with getting her regular with > the (very) strict diet > and the lactulose. > > i hope that helps even a little bit. hang in there. > > dana > > On Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 7:07 AM, Catie Atkins > > wrote: > > > Okay, let me start by saying how glad I am to > have > > found this group. > > > > My son, TJ will be 3 in a few months. He has has > > going problems since birth. Well, that isn't > entirely > > true, he seemed to go fine at the hospital, then > stop > > going when we took him home. His regular was every > 4-5 > > days. I repeatedly voice my concern to my > > pediatrician. She told me to give him a few ounces > of > > prune juice every day until he went. It did > nothing. > > > > As he got older, poop time became dreaded. He > would > > scream and cry and carry on in pain for hours > before > > going. He would always go when sleeping, as if > that > > was the only way he could relax enough and pass > it. > > The poop was always hard, and there was always a > lot > > of it. > > > > Once he started talking, he would tell us he had > to > > go, but still could never get it out. He would > tell us > > it hurts and cry. He would go tiny bits at every > > diaper change, but never enough, just what he > couldn't > > hold in anymore. Then his butt would get raw. > Nothing > > is worse than having a kid crying telling you > " noooo > > wipes, butts raw " . No kid should have to know that > > phrase. > > > > My repeated complaints to the pediatrician, > sometimes > > calling her during the middle of the night so she > > could hear him screaming in pain, got us no where. > > She told me not to use any sort of suppository, > even > > though they were the only things that would get > him to > > go when he was younger. She never once told us to > try > > an enema, even though I asked, because that is how > she > > treated my nephew's constipation 15 years earlier. > > She always said no, don't do that, his little body > > will get used to it and won't be able to go with > out > > the help. > > > > She told us to up the prune juice 4 ounces X a > day. > > His little tummy would rumble and grumble, but > still > > no poop. So we were told to try mineral oil. 2T a > > twice a day. The bottle says not to ingest. Why > would > > I give that to my kid. I tried fletchers, but it > can't > > be used every day. I was at a loss. No tests have > ever > > been done, I have complained about this problem > since > > his 2nd doctors appt. No relief. > > > > After one really bad episode, 8 days, no poop. TJ > > finally went and bled, lot. The poop was huge and > rock > > hard. I was frustrated and upset that he had to go > > through this and livid with the pediatrician for > not > > trying harder to help us. She is a family friend, > he > > should be one of her top priorities. I demanded > help. > > She said there isn't anything else I can do for > you. > > Like she had done so much before. She said go see > a > > peds gi doctor. YEAH great, where - oh that was > the > > catch, there aren't any within an hour + of our > house. > > I fired her. > > > > We started with a new ped last month. My son has > > pneumonia, so I didn't get to deal with the > > constipation issue, since he was going on > antibiotics > > - which should help him poop. We are going next > week > > for a wellness visit, and to discuss the > constipation. > > > > > > I came here looking for ideas on what to ask her > > about. A friend of mine has been giving her 4 year > > old daughter Miralax for over a year, they swear > its a > > life saver. But like a bunch of you, I am leery > > because it is for adults only, and doesn't seem to > be > > as safe as they think it is. Its too new for me to > be > > all excited about. Like most meds that come out > with > > a bang, years later they find all these > complications > > and side effects. I don't' want to cause my son > more > === message truncated === ________________________________________________________________________________\ ____ Never miss a thing. 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Guest guest Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 catie - i know that there are a lot of opinions on this issue on this board - but for what it's worth (and take this with a grain of salt), the pediatric gi told us to keep a low fiber diet for our daughter. even if they are getting super hydrated, the bulkiness of the fiber has trouble passing through and then they get further stopped up. it is counter-intuitive, but i think it has helped us - no more beans (unless purreed), no more fiber-y breads or cereals, no brown rice (well, no rice at all). also we have limited the broccolli and other high fiber veggies - so she gets them, but just not every day. maybe every 3rd day. the veggies and fruit we stick with are the ones that are high in water. don't know if that helps at all. take care! dana Thanks for the advice. I am definately glad I foundthis place. I was so desparately looking forsomething to help, and Miralax is what everyone ishappy pitching as the safest fixall. I am going to ask my pharmacist to order sorbitol and i'll look into the lactulose too. I added aloe the other day, it doesn't seem to bedoing much yet, but I started very slow to make sureit doesn't bother his tummy. I'll do a week at one once, then bump it up to two ounces, then bump it totwice a day. The good thing about my son is he eats EVERYTHING. Heloves fruit and veggies. He eats whole grain cerealand breads. He loves raisins and dried cranberries. He gets plenty of fiber. He gets cups of 7 ounces ofwater with an ounce of juice in it all day. He takeswater to bed (which usually means a soaked kid in theam, but hey he is hydrated!)I will try the sorbitol over the weekend and keep up the aloe to see if I can't tinker with a more naturalapproach to helping him go. Hopefully he only needs alittle push in the right direction.Does anyone know - can he keep taking the aloe juicein definately? How about the sorbitol? Thanks, Catie--- Dana Hadl wrote:> catie - i am so sorry you and your son have been> going through this - how > horrible! my daughter's constipation is bad - but> she rarely goes as long as> your son between poops. she is three also - so i> can quickly tell you what> works for us -> we just started 1 tsp 2x/day of lactulose - is very > similar to sorbitol, but> my husband is sensitive to sorbitol (gives him an> upset stomach) so we> didn't want to use that - so far it has been good;> before that we were on the mineral oil - i really > would prefer to use that,> but she started to get a leaky tushy with it, and at> the same time the> effectiveness waned. i know a lot of people hesitate> on it, but for a long> time we found it to be very good - we used about 1.5 > teaspoons 2x/day;> probiotics (the antibiotics mess their bellies up -> dehydrate the intestines> so even if there is lose stools in the short-term,> the long-term effects are> horrible); > very very little bread, no rice, LOTS of watermelon,> NO apples or applesauce> or banana, fruit at every meal, tons of juice - any> kind (apple juice is> okay), no rice, no pasta, no cheese, trying to cut > out milk - give her about> 1 oz milk to 6 oz water; dried fruit bars - the> natural type of fruit> roll-ups; yogurt, very little meat of any kind, lots> of cucumber, carrot,> tomatoes, hummus, fish, potatoes are okay, eggs. i > feel like that is pretty> much all she eats!> we do lots of warm baths with epsom salt and then> tummy massage.> we haven't pushed the potty training for the poop -> she asks for a diaper > when she wants to go.> > i am considering going gluten free - kristin is a> wonderful source for all> gluten free information - she is really a wealth of> information on all of> this! > > i will just echo, though, to steer clear of miralax.> my daughter took a> total of 2 tsp of it over 2 days and then was out of> sorts - emotionally and> behaviourally - for about 3 weeks. it was horrible. > she had nightmares and> was constantly tired and complaining. had no energy.> she was just miserable.> i felt like i had totally failed her as a mother by> not doing enough> research before hand and discovering how toxic it > is. thankfully she seems> to have finally bounced back and isn't complaining> any longer - and her> teachers even told me when i picked her up from> school today that she has> finally returned to her normal self and is active > and happy - which i think> also has a lot to do with getting her regular with> the (very) strict diet> and the lactulose.> > i hope that helps even a little bit. hang in there.> > dana> > On Mon, Feb 25, 2008 at 7:07 AM, Catie Atkins> > wrote:> > > Okay, let me start by saying how glad I am to > have> > found this group.> >> > My son, TJ will be 3 in a few months. He has has> > going problems since birth. Well, that isn't> entirely> > true, he seemed to go fine at the hospital, then > stop> > going when we took him home. His regular was every> 4-5> > days. I repeatedly voice my concern to my> > pediatrician. She told me to give him a few ounces> of> > prune juice every day until he went. It did > nothing.> >> > As he got older, poop time became dreaded. He> would> > scream and cry and carry on in pain for hours> before> > going. He would always go when sleeping, as if > that> > was the only way he could relax enough and pass> it.> > The poop was always hard, and there was always a> lot> > of it.> >> > Once he started talking, he would tell us he had > to> > go, but still could never get it out. He would> tell us> > it hurts and cry. He would go tiny bits at every> > diaper change, but never enough, just what he> couldn't > > hold in anymore. Then his butt would get raw.> Nothing> > is worse than having a kid crying telling you> " noooo> > wipes, butts raw " . No kid should have to know that > > phrase.> >> > My repeated complaints to the pediatrician,> sometimes> > calling her during the middle of the night so she> > could hear him screaming in pain, got us no where. > > She told me not to use any sort of suppository,> even> > though they were the only things that would get> him to> > go when he was younger. She never once told us to> try > > an enema, even though I asked, because that is how> she> > treated my nephew's constipation 15 years earlier.> > She always said no, don't do that, his little body> > will get used to it and won't be able to go with > out> > the help.> >> > She told us to up the prune juice 4 ounces X a> day.> > His little tummy would rumble and grumble, but> still> > no poop. So we were told to try mineral oil. 2T a > > twice a day. The bottle says not to ingest. Why> would> > I give that to my kid. I tried fletchers, but it> can't> > be used every day. I was at a loss. No tests have> ever > > been done, I have complained about this problem> since> > his 2nd doctors appt. No relief.> >> > After one really bad episode, 8 days, no poop. TJ> > finally went and bled, lot. The poop was huge and > rock> > hard. I was frustrated and upset that he had to go> > through this and livid with the pediatrician for> not> > trying harder to help us. She is a family friend,> he > > should be one of her top priorities. I demanded> help.> > She said there isn't anything else I can do for> you.> > Like she had done so much before. She said go see> a > > peds gi doctor. YEAH great, where - oh that was> the> > catch, there aren't any within an hour + of our> house.> > I fired her.> >> > We started with a new ped last month. My son has > > pneumonia, so I didn't get to deal with the> > constipation issue, since he was going on> antibiotics> > - which should help him poop. We are going next> week> > for a wellness visit, and to discuss the > constipation.> >> >> > I came here looking for ideas on what to ask her> > about. A friend of mine has been giving her 4 year> > old daughter Miralax for over a year, they swear > its a> > life saver. But like a bunch of you, I am leery> > because it is for adults only, and doesn't seem to> be> > as safe as they think it is. Its too new for me to> be > > all excited about. Like most meds that come out> with> > a bang, years later they find all these> complications> > and side effects. I don't' want to cause my son> more > === message truncated ===__________________________________________________________Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Sorbitol can be taken for life if necessary, but hopefully for your case (and my son) it won't be necessary to take it that long. Sorbitol is a natural fruit sugar. It is also non cavatiy forming, and non diabetic forming type of sugar. Infact sorbitol is found in many diabetic candies and cookies. SOrbitol is an undigestable sugar, and that's why it works soo well as a stool softener/laxative. It basically sits in teh intestines and absorbs water in the colon. If any leaks, or is absobed from the gut, it is a sugar, and the body knows how to break it down and get rid of it. It is non toxic to the body, and compelelty natural. Now with Aloe, from what i heard it is sort of a stimulate to the intestinal track, and probably shouldn't be used regularly for long term usage, but i could be compelelty wrong about that > > > > > Okay, let me start by saying how glad I am to > > have > > > found this group. > > > > > > My son, TJ will be 3 in a few months. He has has > > > going problems since birth. Well, that isn't > > entirely > > > true, he seemed to go fine at the hospital, then > > stop > > > going when we took him home. His regular was every > > 4-5 > > > days. I repeatedly voice my concern to my > > > pediatrician. She told me to give him a few ounces > > of > > > prune juice every day until he went. It did > > nothing. > > > > > > As he got older, poop time became dreaded. He > > would > > > scream and cry and carry on in pain for hours > > before > > > going. He would always go when sleeping, as if > > that > > > was the only way he could relax enough and pass > > it. > > > The poop was always hard, and there was always a > > lot > > > of it. > > > > > > Once he started talking, he would tell us he had > > to > > > go, but still could never get it out. He would > > tell us > > > it hurts and cry. He would go tiny bits at every > > > diaper change, but never enough, just what he > > couldn't > > > hold in anymore. Then his butt would get raw. > > Nothing > > > is worse than having a kid crying telling you > > " noooo > > > wipes, butts raw " . No kid should have to know that > > > phrase. > > > > > > My repeated complaints to the pediatrician, > > sometimes > > > calling her during the middle of the night so she > > > could hear him screaming in pain, got us no where. > > > She told me not to use any sort of suppository, > > even > > > though they were the only things that would get > > him to > > > go when he was younger. She never once told us to > > try > > > an enema, even though I asked, because that is how > > she > > > treated my nephew's constipation 15 years earlier. > > > She always said no, don't do that, his little body > > > will get used to it and won't be able to go with > > out > > > the help. > > > > > > She told us to up the prune juice 4 ounces X a > > day. > > > His little tummy would rumble and grumble, but > > still > > > no poop. So we were told to try mineral oil. 2T a > > > twice a day. The bottle says not to ingest. Why > > would > > > I give that to my kid. I tried fletchers, but it > > can't > > > be used every day. I was at a loss. No tests have > > ever > > > been done, I have complained about this problem > > since > > > his 2nd doctors appt. No relief. > > > > > > After one really bad episode, 8 days, no poop. TJ > > > finally went and bled, lot. The poop was huge and > > rock > > > hard. I was frustrated and upset that he had to go > > > through this and livid with the pediatrician for > > not > > > trying harder to help us. She is a family friend, > > he > > > should be one of her top priorities. I demanded > > help. > > > She said there isn't anything else I can do for > > you. > > > Like she had done so much before. She said go see > > a > > > peds gi doctor. YEAH great, where - oh that was > > the > > > catch, there aren't any within an hour + of our > > house. > > > I fired her. > > > > > > We started with a new ped last month. My son has > > > pneumonia, so I didn't get to deal with the > > > constipation issue, since he was going on > > antibiotics > > > - which should help him poop. We are going next > > week > > > for a wellness visit, and to discuss the > > constipation. > > > > > > > > > I came here looking for ideas on what to ask her > > > about. A friend of mine has been giving her 4 year > > > old daughter Miralax for over a year, they swear > > its a > > > life saver. But like a bunch of you, I am leery > > > because it is for adults only, and doesn't seem to > > be > > > as safe as they think it is. Its too new for me to > > be > > > all excited about. Like most meds that come out > > with > > > a bang, years later they find all these > > complications > > > and side effects. I don't' want to cause my son > > more > > > === message truncated === > > > > ______________________________________________________________________ ______________ > Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. > http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 Dana While it's true that too much fiber can be counter productive with constipaiton and can actually cause constipation, specially if not enough water is being consumed for the fiber to do it's job. a certain amount of fiber is needed for good intestinal health. Fiber helps to sweep the intestines and keep them healthy. But saying that, i would also say that it is easy to over do fiber as well, and too much becomes a big problem, cuase to much fiber can gum up an cause constipation to worsen, specially in kids, who sometimes donnot get all the liquid that htey should due to their busy playing/school scedules and not wanting to/or being able to stop and have readily access to the correct amount of liguid to help the fiber do it's job. > > > > > > > Okay, let me start by saying how glad I am to > > > have > > > > found this group. > > > > > > > > My son, TJ will be 3 in a few months. He has has > > > > going problems since birth. Well, that isn't > > > entirely > > > > true, he seemed to go fine at the hospital, then > > > stop > > > > going when we took him home. His regular was every > > > 4-5 > > > > days. I repeatedly voice my concern to my > > > > pediatrician. She told me to give him a few ounces > > > of > > > > prune juice every day until he went. It did > > > nothing. > > > > > > > > As he got older, poop time became dreaded. He > > > would > > > > scream and cry and carry on in pain for hours > > > before > > > > going. He would always go when sleeping, as if > > > that > > > > was the only way he could relax enough and pass > > > it. > > > > The poop was always hard, and there was always a > > > lot > > > > of it. > > > > > > > > Once he started talking, he would tell us he had > > > to > > > > go, but still could never get it out. He would > > > tell us > > > > it hurts and cry. He would go tiny bits at every > > > > diaper change, but never enough, just what he > > > couldn't > > > > hold in anymore. Then his butt would get raw. > > > Nothing > > > > is worse than having a kid crying telling you > > > " noooo > > > > wipes, butts raw " . No kid should have to know that > > > > phrase. > > > > > > > > My repeated complaints to the pediatrician, > > > sometimes > > > > calling her during the middle of the night so she > > > > could hear him screaming in pain, got us no where. > > > > She told me not to use any sort of suppository, > > > even > > > > though they were the only things that would get > > > him to > > > > go when he was younger. She never once told us to > > > try > > > > an enema, even though I asked, because that is how > > > she > > > > treated my nephew's constipation 15 years earlier. > > > > She always said no, don't do that, his little body > > > > will get used to it and won't be able to go with > > > out > > > > the help. > > > > > > > > She told us to up the prune juice 4 ounces X a > > > day. > > > > His little tummy would rumble and grumble, but > > > still > > > > no poop. So we were told to try mineral oil. 2T a > > > > twice a day. The bottle says not to ingest. Why > > > would > > > > I give that to my kid. I tried fletchers, but it > > > can't > > > > be used every day. I was at a loss. No tests have > > > ever > > > > been done, I have complained about this problem > > > since > > > > his 2nd doctors appt. No relief. > > > > > > > > After one really bad episode, 8 days, no poop. TJ > > > > finally went and bled, lot. The poop was huge and > > > rock > > > > hard. I was frustrated and upset that he had to go > > > > through this and livid with the pediatrician for > > > not > > > > trying harder to help us. She is a family friend, > > > he > > > > should be one of her top priorities. I demanded > > > help. > > > > She said there isn't anything else I can do for > > > you. > > > > Like she had done so much before. She said go see > > > a > > > > peds gi doctor. YEAH great, where - oh that was > > > the > > > > catch, there aren't any within an hour + of our > > > house. > > > > I fired her. > > > > > > > > We started with a new ped last month. My son has > > > > pneumonia, so I didn't get to deal with the > > > > constipation issue, since he was going on > > > antibiotics > > > > - which should help him poop. We are going next > > > week > > > > for a wellness visit, and to discuss the > > > constipation. > > > > > > > > > > > > I came here looking for ideas on what to ask her > > > > about. A friend of mine has been giving her 4 year > > > > old daughter Miralax for over a year, they swear > > > its a > > > > life saver. But like a bunch of you, I am leery > > > > because it is for adults only, and doesn't seem to > > > be > > > > as safe as they think it is. Its too new for me to > > > be > > > > all excited about. Like most meds that come out > > > with > > > > a bang, years later they find all these > > > complications > > > > and side effects. I don't' want to cause my son > > > more > > > > > === message truncated === > > > > __________________________________________________________ > > Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. > > http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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