Constipation is a problem for my 81-year-old husband with dementia and severely impaired mobility — we had to go to the ER a few months ago for de-impaction, and although I swore “never again,” I let the daily dose of Miralax slide last week when he was afflicted with chronic hiccups (that happens every year or so) and we were dealing with that. Now, he’s really stopped up and I fear impacted again, but he is resisting another trip to the ER (COVID running rampant in TX). Yesterday: 1 dose of Miralax, 3 tabs of Dulcolax stool softener, 3 tabs of Colace stimulant laxative, and today: 2 more doses of MIralax and a bottle of Magnesium Citrate. No satisfactory result yet, but he wants to get out of bed every 10 minutes only to produce a tiny amount. Tried to give him an enema and that did not go well. This will be the second night of his constantly saying he must go to the toilet immediately for no result. He has no pain, nausea or bleeding, but seriously backed up. I want to give him 3 laxative tablets, as if one were preparing for a colonoscopy, but if he is really impacted I don’t know if that is advisable.
Thank you for letting me vent - this is a wonderful group and you just can’t share this with the ladies who lunch. Any suggestions welcome.
I buy the Amazing Prunes, they come in a little bucket, she eats a couple every day.
If a bottle of magnesium citrate didn’t work- it might be serious enough to take him in to the ER.
check his diet, sometimes too much fiber is not good for elderly since they don’t walk around much.
How much does he eat? Sometimes they eat like birds and absorb a lot of it and don’t have that much waste. A bottle of water in the morning really helps get the intestines alive and give them the urge to go.
I’d throw a stool softener into his daily meds regimen.
Good luck, it’s scary. 💕🙏
Palliative care team advised giving my dad a tablespoon of olive oil each day because he was on restricted liquids.
He also drank warm prune juice when things slowed down.
You can put on a glove and generously apply vaseline inside the rectum for moisture.
Unless you know what you are doing do not go digging the impaction out. You could create a tear easily.
A gentle belly massage and a heating pad may help move things along.
Good luck and if no results soon he has to go to the ER.
Laxatives only dehydrate more. It turns into a viscous cycle...
I just noticed that someone recommended walking...yes, physical movement could help move things around too.
Contact his doctor and see if he can arrange for a visiting nurse, home health care, or something similar.
Next time he thinks he has to go to the bathroom, let him sit on the toilet fir at least 10 minutes and run water in the sink where he can hear it and also wet a hand towel with warm water and apply to his lower stomach.
Also, while he is sitting on the toilet, have his feet flat but raised up on a little step stool, that also seems to help.
And buy a container of fiber that can be mixed in his drinks and or food every day so he won't be constipated.
Prayers
Good luck
Walking and exercising can help.
This is not a criticism, but I kind of gasped when I read all the meds he's been given. Food is just so much more safer, and it tastes good as well!
Hospice told me not to worry but to keep working for relief. Then I added miralax (nothing), then senna-s (nothing), then senokot (nothing) over a few days. Finally, I purchase that old Phillips Milk of Magnesium and 15mg over a course of two days and bingo without an explosion. After that, the following day he was back to normal.
I would start with treatment around 5 because I didn't want a situation during the middle of the night.
Warm prune juice with 1 capful of Miralax always worked for me. And staying very hydrated. Good Luck--and get out the CHUX.
And YES to the Squatty Potty.
It works. Besides, the fruits are very good for you. Hoping this helps.