trouble down below

[moonchild]

Hi all,

I'm doing everything I can as far as the diet to help my IC including prelief and just got the cystoQ. In the last 2 weeks I have had 4 good days, 2 bad, then 2 good days, 1 bad, then 2 more good days and the last 2 days have been awful. I have never had constipation before changing my diet so now I am fighting that also. I took correctol the last two nights and was wondering if that is what has made my IC so painful. I feel so lost without fruit in my life. I did try a pear one day but that even through me over the edge, maybe it wasn't quite ripe.

I do not know what to take thats safe for this new constipation problem.

And also what is cystoQ supposed to do for you and can you take it with prelief.

Sorry about all the questions.

thank you all

should I be posting this in another area, let me know

[lisabar36]

Hi, I am sorry your having problems. Correctol is a stimulant laxative and that very well could cause your bladder to act up. It can make your bowel spasm to. I would talk to your doctor about constipation and what to use. I take ducolax stool softeners. They make several kinds but the brand is ducolax and its just a softener. I also use MOM. I do that nightly and it seems to keep me a little more regular. I do suffer with constipation. I do not use MOM every night, just maybe 3 or 4 nights a week. However I went to my GI doc and she wants me to take fiber con pills, the stool softener, and gas x to see if that works better for me. So discuss it with your doctor because I know being constipated makes my symptoms worse. I also never could have pears until recently, they always bothered me but now that I been on the Elmiron for 11 months I can have one with no problems. I hope you start to feel better. :)

[Claredale]

Ditto to the Correctol causing problems. I have had good luck with the milk of magnesia and taking a magnesium supplement everyday. Since I have cut down on my pain meds, I only use the MOM every other day now.

[shell]

I have both IC and IBS with constipation. A GI had prescribed Miralax for the constipation several years ago and that works well for me, and it's now available over the counter. I use a low dose daily for regularity, but wouldn't suggest using it past the duration listed on the label without first discussing it with a doctor - my GI recommended daily use for me based on my particular situation but that isn't appropriate for all situations.

[Lexie]

Hi Moonchild -- I was recently diagnosed and had an awful problem with constipation due to all the pain meds I was given after my cyst/hydro. I talked to my uro's Physician's Assistant about it and she said to take Miralax in the morning and then take liquid Milk of Magnesia at night. She said that they were both "safe" for the bladder.

Hope you begin to feel better :)

[ICNDonna]

I agree that you should avoid stimulant laxatives. They can cause IC to flare.

Donna

[judy45]

Before IC I suffered from constant constipation. I took 4 stool softeners, 8oz of prune juice and drank 64 oz. of water a day and I was still constipated. Obviously I had to give up the stool softeners and prune juice, but I have had amazing results with magnesium (I take it with my calcium). If you are not taking calcium, try 250-500 mg. right before you go to bed, it usually works first thing in the am. It is very well tolerated by ICers! Good luck, I know the last thing we need to worry about is adding constipation to our long list of woes!

[judy45]

I also wanted to mention that pears work great. I sometimes eat one first thing in the morning and go with in 1/2 hour.

[moonchild]

Thank all of you for your answers. I see that this must not be uncommon among ICer's.

Also in my first thread I wrote to all of you and I told you I had PTSD from my military service. My doctors are finding out that it is not uncommom for people with Ptsd to have IC and that their maybe some kind of link. There are articles all over the internet.

I have learned so much on this site and it is truly a god send. I have been on the internet learning, learning, learning.

I will admit I think I am made up with pretty tough skin and can take alot of pain, but this IC just kicks my butt all over the place. It's a pain that I just can't decribe to anyone. And I still can't figure out why I have ok days and then days from hell. Even on my ok days I hold my breath. I was totally messed up the last 2 days and today I wake up and its a ok day. I will never take correctol again.

This does change your life alot. My friends went out for mexican food last night and I had to pass. Seems that I am doing that more and more. I don't know how to really tell anyone because its even hard for me to understand.

I think I'm just really sad.

Thanks for your help and thanks for letting me vent to people that do understand.