1 week post treatment. Constipation for 11 days.On 2 tablets of 20mg morphine per day.

Hi HappilyHealed

Well done on getting through treatment. Personally I didn't have constipation as such, but I've read on here people who did specially when taking morphine, a lot used laxido, ive also read people doing the fodmap diet which seems to help. Sending hugs. Xx

Hi there... I'm only at the beginning of this journey and awaiting treatment, but am taking slow release morphine (Zomorph) plus oramorph and take laxido every day to prevent constipation. I've found just over half a sachet seems enough - i actually use a 15ml tablespoon measure. I understand your paranoia with diarrhea as had a couple unexpected bouts and have been kinda scared to leave the house since. Fngers crossed I think I've found the right amount of Laxido for me now, although I've no idea how things might change during treatment. Maybe you could try this? 11 days seems a long time not to be able to go. Have you spoken to your doctor about it? I hope it resolves soon and doesn't cause you any further issues xx

Thank you JenW,

I hoping laxido will do the trick. I've spoken to a medical nurse and said as there's no cramps or sickness to keep trying laxatives. 

Here's to a day that flows

XX 

Hi HappilyHealed ,

I suffered constipation during & after treatment although in hindsight I do wonder if at least an element of this was inflammation related rather than true constipation. I couldn’t tolerate any opiate based meds because they made the issue a hundred times worse, this ruled out morphine & any codeine based drugs so I basically relied on alternating paracetamol & ibuprofen 2 hourly. I took either Movicol or Laxido daily throughout treatment & for approximately 3 years post treatment due to stenosis. I don’t take anything now & my bowel habits are back to normal. I was told only to take stool softeners opposed to laxatives at they work differently & it was important especially post treatment that the stools were easy to pass & that’s why stool softeners were prescribed rather than laxatives. Was the nurse you spoke with from your treating team? If not I would go cautiously with the laxatives as most people that have been through this treatment do get prescribed stool softeners instead of laxatives. 

I hope you get some relief soon. 

Nicola 

Thank you Nikki 65

The nurse was not on my team. My oncology department said to call the cancer hotline and that was the advice from them.

I'm hoping the laxido will work today.

I've only had experience with diarrhoea through the whole process, so I'm assuming it's definitely the morphine. Now my skin is starting to heal. I'm going to ease myself off the morphine.

What a journey this is for everyone. 

Take good care XX

Ah ok. Yes the Laxido is a stool softener , that’s what I was taking post treatment. It can be a bit of a juggling act as to what time is best to take them, they don’t work immediately as you probably already know, I found taking one in the morning suited me best, if I struggled for a couple of days I’d take 2 on the morning & that usually did the trick. 

I really pleased to hear your healing is going well, it’s amazing how quickly your skin heals once it starts isn’t it? My side effects peaked around day 11 post treatment but then I turned a corner & apart from the fatigue the physical healing happened pretty quickly. 

Sending lots of healing thoughts your way. 

Nicola 

Hello HappilyHealed

Oh yes - awful constipation when taking opioid drugs at the end of treatment.  Like you during treatment I suffered diarrhoea but then I became really constipated.  My daughter had to give me an enema on the bathroom floor - the solution in the syringe was agony as my back passage as I hadn't healed yet and my husband heard me roar from the other end of the house!  And I totally stopped morphine that day, even when I was still having pain passing stools nothing was as bad as the constipation.  So you have my sympathy, it is really miserable.

But that said, you don't have to stop the morphine if you aren't ready, but you need to make sure that you keep your stools very soft all the time.

And well done in getting through it all!

Irene xx