I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment*****UPDATE*****/ ****Another Update 5/01*****Another Update 6/03***

A little background...Joey (my ALMOST 3 year old) has SEVERE constipation issues.

Every day I have to give him Miralax, Mineral oil and prune juice. Otherwise, his stool gets so hard, he can't push it out.

There is such a LONG story to this, so much longer than I could ever type out, but it is so heartbreaking to watch this little guy suffer so much.

Everyone who knows us, knows we live our lives around Joey's pooping. It's so sad.

Tomorrow is his LONG AWAITED appointment with the head of Pediatric Gastrointerology at Schneider's.

I am just so nervous about the appointment. I'm hoping they don't have to do anything too invasive.

And I pray that they just recommend some exercises, change of diet, etc.

Please keep Joey in your thoughts tomorrow.

Thanks so much!

****UPDATE****

First I would just like to thank EVERYONE who sent prayers and hugs for Joey. I really had tears in my eyes for all the support and encouragement you ladies have shown. I really love you all.

We just returned from the Pediatric Gastro at Schneider's. I sooooooooooooooooo have to recommend Dr. Greifer. She is AMAZING!! Young, caring, knowledeabe doctor with so much patience. She explained EVERYTHING so well and was so sweet with Joey. I LOVED her!

AND...it turns out that I missed my calling in life. She confirmed my suspicions to a tee. In fact, she told me I should become a gastro. Um, no thanks!

Basically in a nutshell, Joey forgot how to push.

LOOONNGG story short, we went on vacation last year, Joey didn't poop for a few days due to distractions. When he finally DID go, the poop was huge and hard and it hurt. Joey associated poop with pain and started restricting.

This started last May. It was on and off. Some weeks he would go unassisted (without the need for prune juice, Miralax, suppositories, etc...). Then some weeks- forget it. He'd be a mess. And IF he went and it hurt AGAIN, the vicious cycle would start all over again.

So....here's the treatment. You ready...Ex-Lax!

The gastro said that while Miralx is awesome, it's ONLY a stool softener. So once he poops (which he DOES go after the Miralax), that's it...you have to start all over again.

With Ex-Lax, it causes mild cramps, and rectal/ colon contractions which will trigger the "pushing" reflex.

Dr. Greifer said that Joey hasn't had that sensation in forever because he has worked his muscles sooooo well, it would take a poop the size of a FOOTBALL for him to feel the urge to push!

So tomorrow we start the 3 month- 1 year regimine of 3 Ex-Lax squares a day with breakfast.

Thank you soooooooo much, everyone!!

We will keep you posted on our "poop progress"!
------------------------------------------------------
5/01 UPDATE:

I gave Joey the 3 Ex Lax squares for the first time yesterday morning at 8:00 with breakfast. He really liked them (which is a good thing since it sounds like he'll be taking them for quite some time). He kinda moaned and groaned all day with pains, but seriously, he usually does this due to the constipation.
At 6:30, I was cooking dinner. He BEGGED me to take him out of the highchair (which he NEVER does).
I put him on the floor, he grabbed the leg of the highchair...and started...

PUSHING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know it sounds ridiculous to , but Joey has not "pushed" out a poop in MONTHS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was so happy!! I cried. I told Nicholas (my 6 year old). He was cheering and clapping for Joey! Joey was like , why are you people clapping for poop?

Well...the poop was ENORMOUS!!! He must have totally cleared out his system.

So...yay!! We are hopefully on our way to a normal poop schedule!!

Thanks to ALL OF YOU for all of your prayers and well wishes. I honestly and truly appreciate it so much!
------------------------------------------------------
UPDATE 6/03:

Sorry to keep udating but I've received soooo many FM's from other mommies that are going through similar situations with their DC's, that I thought I'd update here...maybe it can help with your little ones as well.

So...today was Joey's 2nd appointment at Schneider's with Dr. Griefer. Since our last appointment on April 29th, Joey has been pooping EVERYDAY thanks to the ExLax.

HOWEVER...with it came 2 problems. One is that the doctor explained that Joey should be making 1- 2 HUGE poops daily and emptying his bowels. That is not what's happened. He's been going 4-5 times daily. We have lowered his doage to 1 1/2 ExLax squares daily.
2nd problem is just horrible. Joey's coolie looks like he was GOD FORBID burned in a fire. His coolie has open sores, blisters, dry caked areas and now the skin is falling off in sheets. Everytime you change his diaper (which I have to do MANY times a day so it can breathe), he screams bloody murder.

I am going to keep him naked for as long as I can, and I was also given a prescription for a cream. PLUS we are stopping the ExlAx for a week (just giving him Miralax), in the hopes that his coolie will clear up. Then we'll start the ExLax again next week.

So...that's the story for now. Looks like we have a long road ahead of us till Joey is able to poop daily, unassisted. But hopefully, he will outgrow this soon.

Thanks so much for all of your lovely FM's and all the hugs. You all are absolutely the BEST!

Message edited 6/3/2008 12:45:28 PM.

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

best of luck tomorrow

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

GL!

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

I will be thinking of you tomorrow

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

good luck! i will keep joey in my thoughts and prayers

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

I will have your family in out thought and prayers

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Best of Luck.

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Thinking of you Val! I hope all goes well!

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

My daughter also has severe bathroom issuses. I can totally sympathize. I have a calendar of bathroom trips and movements that I have to keep as well as the Miralax and other things

I hope that everything works out well tomorrow!!

Please keep us updated.

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Good luck!!!

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Keeping your family in my thoughts! Good luck tomorrow!!

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Its gonna be OK Val. Take deep breaths.

You know we went through this with Ryan too, he once went 7 days

We loaded him with laxatives for a while so he had no choice. For Ryan he became afraid to poop, so it was a never ending cycle. but the laxatives helped.

Let me know how it goes and if you need anything.

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

I hear ya. I hate when my girls are sick or uncomfortable.

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

GOOOD LUCK!!

Please let us know how it goes, poor Joey

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Will pray.

My friends son had the same thing and he is so fine now. He had it till about 6 yrs old. It was basically an issue that he got constipated once, he got scared, it hurt and he started to mentally be unable to go to the bathroom..can you imagine? He went to a Dr. at Schneiders as well, and long story short, they worked it out, but it took time, but physically there wa snothing wrong with him.

I hope the same for Joey!

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Good luck!

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment

Re: I'm so nervous about tomorrow's doctor appointment