GBS and Bowel movements…sorry so gross

    • August 2, 2006 at 12:19 pm

      I know this is a gross topic, but I was curious about changes in this with GBS.

      Sorry for asking a strange question but I cant find any relevant info.

    • Anonymous
      August 2, 2006 at 2:30 pm

      Well that depends on what the change is. When I started becoming weaker, I was obviously unable to pass urine or have any type of bowl movement because of the muscles being paralysed. Took a couple of weeks for them to realize that something had to be done about the bowl problem, couldnt speak but was in AWFUL pain because of it. I’m not sure if you are speaking about constipation or the opposite? 😮

    • August 2, 2006 at 3:18 pm

      thanks alison

      the opposite:o I havent really eaten too much in the past couple of weeks, buit had an appetite the past couple of days and tried eating (was wierd eating solids after so long with just liquids such as juice and nutritional shakes). First night I had intestinal cramps, last night none but then experienced the “opposite” and it concerned me.

    • Anonymous
      August 2, 2006 at 4:02 pm

      When I was in the hospital last month / diagnosed with GBS, one of my pain killers, a small patch that was put just below my neck, made me very constipated. I basically spent nearly two weeks without a bowel movement, try as I might, despite laxatives. I was positive it was the patch but needed it for the pain. The very night after I removed the patch, I went back to normal.

      I also found, because of the back pain I was experiencing, that it wasnt something I could try to ‘force’ which was probably part of it too.

      Anyhow, been home two weeks now from the hospital with zero trouble in this area and I’m already, I would say, 80 – 85% back to my pre-GBS self that I was in July.

    • August 2, 2006 at 4:07 pm

      having had experience in that particular area in the past…I am sorry you had to go thru that on top of everything else. BUT am also glad you are better now.

      May I ask, what treatment you had for GBS and what you experienced? I have read about scary things happening with PP and IVIG and am not exactly looking forward to any of it if that is what I have to have done.

      thanks
      Lori

    • Anonymous
      August 2, 2006 at 4:45 pm

      Hi, it’s me again. You asked about treatment for GBS. I was diagnosed really fast and had a spinal tap the 3rd day after the onset of my symptoms. Other people say their spinal tap was horrendous but mine wasn’t bad at all. I think I got someone who really knew what he was doing (the head of the neurology dept. at the hospital). They had me sit on the side of the bed and they put a pillow on my over-the-bed tray and i laid my head and arms on the pillow and he did the tap and it wasn’t painful and i didn’t have to lie on my back motionless for 24 hours or any of that. I had no aftereffects, either. anyway, they started me on IVIG that night and i had a bag of it for 5 nights in a row. That was my treatment. I had some pain meds and that caused constipation, but when i got off those, the bowels got back to normal. I had OT and PT twice a day for 45 min each for 2 weeks, then went home. I wish the best for you, it sounds like you’re dealing with this better, now. God bless you.

    • Anonymous
      August 2, 2006 at 8:29 pm

      I have had trouble with the same disguisting thing, bowel movements. That’s a nice way to say it. It seems kinda funny that this whole GBS experinece started out with a bad case of the runs and ends up that I can’t have a bowel movement but for every 5-7 days at a time. It really hurts. One thing to help is to eat spicy food. I use tabasco on almost everything but cereal. Another is to talk to your doctor about getting on Zelnorm or Docusate. Both will help some. Take care.

      Steven

    • Anonymous
      August 2, 2006 at 9:25 pm

      both gbs & opiates can cause bowel problems. ivig & pp are not all that dangerous in the big picture. take care. be well.

      gene gbs 8-99
      in numbers there is strength

    • Anonymous
      August 3, 2006 at 9:42 am

      I should be a paid endorser… I swear by [B]Metamucil [/B]for keeping me regular. I do so understand what you all are describing – really.

    • Anonymous
      August 3, 2006 at 5:05 pm

      Thanks for bringing up this disgusting topic. I had huge problems while in the hospital and rehab. I had a catheter for 2 months and a “diaper” because I could not feel the urge to have a BM. After getting home, I wore pull-ups because I still didn’t have control. Now, after 10 months, I wear normal underwear, but with pads. Urination is controlled but difficult. I still do not feel the urge for a bm, but at least it happens when I’m on the toilet. However, often there is impaction and I have to resort to digital removal. Yuck! 😮 I take Benefiber and a stool softner.

      I know your problem was different, Fairly Odd, but just in case more problems pop up for you, I thought I’d share this. Good Luck! 😀

    • August 3, 2006 at 5:19 pm

      Thank you Barb. All of this info really helps!! I have a billion and one questions..posted in my other threads.

      Not sure if anyone saw my original thread that I added to, but I plan on writing something regarding RL cases and problems…as well as triumphs…of GBS. I have come to beleive that the medical community is clueless about this. Did you know a medical university did a study on patients with GBS (mild cases) and 7 out of 10 of the patients were negative with a spinal tap?? 7 out of 10! I was very surprised.

      All information about this is important, very important. Others need to know, doctors need to know.

    • Anonymous
      August 3, 2006 at 6:37 pm

      26 years after GBS, I still am feast or famine in that dept. I took Metamucil for 5 years after recovery. Didn’t go at all during onset and 6 weeks after admittance to hospital, someone slapped their head and got the idea that maybe something should be done about that. Wish they had forgotten…. Lots of suppositories, citrate of magnesium, enemas and nothing moved. You guessed it, sent in the nurse with the rubber gloves, did that for 2 months and then miracle of miracles, I WENT ON MY OWN. I remember my father running up and down the hall at the hospital yelling, “She Pooped, She Pooped”. Rather embarrassing, but we celebrate our victories, no matter how small.. I still get the urge to yell, ‘I Pooped, I Pooped” once in a while. Not sure how my kids would react…..Nowadays, I eat lots of fiber, salads and fruit and pray. Sometimes it goes my way. N

    • Anonymous
      August 4, 2006 at 12:15 am

      Hi,

      Yes there is constipation because of the GBS,antidepressants, and the pain medication.

      The nurses would slip a suppository in while I was sleeping to start “things” moving and what fun we would have. No pan for me…My mind wouldn’t work on a pan or anything else. If you know what I mean. That was one of the biggest problems to work out each day or three.I was cathitered (sp) for urine and 3 nurses for the other.

      I don’t remember much of the spinal tap except constant pain before, during, and after. Terrible pain always.

      Now I still have problems with constipation. I had a test to check my stomach, pictures of the inside of my stomach, ultra sound, ct scan, and a couple other tests to try to figure out my problem. The pain was hitting my back and I was fainting and getting sick. My doctor said it was from my GBS and gave me medication for emptying my stomach sooner, heavy duty laxative that you mix with water, had to use Citrucel (like Metamucil), and a laxative suppository to move things along. Finally got movement normal but still after 6 years have problems because of the medications but not quite as bad.