Pseudotumor Cerebri Support Group
Pseudotumor cerebri (PTC) is a neurological disorder that is characterized by increased intracranial pressure, in the absence of a tumor or other diseases affecting the brain or its lining. Diagnosis requires brain scans and lumbar puncture. Characteristic symptoms are headache, transient visual obscurations or transient visual loss in one or both eyes usually lasting...
CONSTIPATION... Yeah...I said it. That ominous "C" word that nobody talks about. When we were babies, our parents talked about us having it. As parents ourselves, we speak of our children having it. But, as adults, out of embarrassment, nobody speaks of this common and sometimes serious issue. Constipation can be brought on by PTC pressures and changes in our vascular system during periods of inflammation and often times we get constipation with many of the medications we take to treat PTC.
As many of you know, I use Dilaudid to help treat my pain. Dilaudid is a wonderful drug to use for this purpose. However, the nasty side effect is...you guessed it...the "c" word. As I was in the ER last week with high pressure and many LP attempts with a final LP removing too much fluid and low pressure pain all week; I was on Dilaudid most of the week. As such I haven't had a bowel movement in over a week. I've tried laxatives and stool softeners, but I haven't had a large amount of success. My concern came this evening. Friday, I had that blood patch done. I was told not to strain my back or lift anything heavy for several days so as to not pop out that blood patch. Earlier this afternoon, while lying in bed, my pressures just went sky high. (Can't tell you why.) My back and jaw started hurting terribly and my ear started whooshing. Several hours later I had some abdominal cramping and tried to use the restroom. I felt a lot of pressure, but was terribly constipated. I was straining, and the pain in my head and back was unbearable. I'm pretty sure whatever efforts were made to patch up my spinal cord went out the window...and yet, I still haven't made any significant strides in the constipation department.
So, there we are...I am officially out of the closet. And now that I am, is anyone else willing to come out of the closet and discuss what they have found helps in these situations. I am literally stuck here. (Pun intended.)
MM3
As many of you know, I use Dilaudid to help treat my pain. Dilaudid is a wonderful drug to use for this purpose. However, the nasty side effect is...you guessed it...the "c" word. As I was in the ER last week with high pressure and many LP attempts with a final LP removing too much fluid and low pressure pain all week; I was on Dilaudid most of the week. As such I haven't had a bowel movement in over a week. I've tried laxatives and stool softeners, but I haven't had a large amount of success. My concern came this evening. Friday, I had that blood patch done. I was told not to strain my back or lift anything heavy for several days so as to not pop out that blood patch. Earlier this afternoon, while lying in bed, my pressures just went sky high. (Can't tell you why.) My back and jaw started hurting terribly and my ear started whooshing. Several hours later I had some abdominal cramping and tried to use the restroom. I felt a lot of pressure, but was terribly constipated. I was straining, and the pain in my head and back was unbearable. I'm pretty sure whatever efforts were made to patch up my spinal cord went out the window...and yet, I still haven't made any significant strides in the constipation department.
So, there we are...I am officially out of the closet. And now that I am, is anyone else willing to come out of the closet and discuss what they have found helps in these situations. I am literally stuck here. (Pun intended.)
MM3
Also as you may know a rise in intra abdonimal pressure causes a rise in intracranial pressure so being constipated could be causing your intracranial pressure to rise.
Hi Baxter!
I love the sense of humor MM3, although the situation does makes you miserable! Zonegran makes one constipated as well. I had never had this problem before, my whole life i've been on the other end of the spectrum. I will go about 4 days, and I do notice my pressure is up when my stomach is crampy. And I don't do any "bearing down" if I can help it cause I get dizzy. (And when I was in High School, my best friend's grandmother pushed out her colon... traumatic)
Lots of fiber, some walking is all I've tried so far. I'm about ready to try a stool softner, but with my previous (and sometimes current) issues with diarrhea, I'm reluctant to intervene.
Take it easy!
Bax
Oops, almost forgot - the tea is sold in large grocery stores here (in the tea section), but health food stores also carry it.
After my kidney transplant I have had a problem in that area secondary to the meds, I take a stool softener daily, it is colace (I get via prescription since it is cheaper). And of course pain meds make it so much worse, when I was in the hospital for over a week they had to give me some liquid stuff, sorry I can't remember the name, that was a presciption type of med. Popcorn or those new 90 calorie crackers from special K, that are whole wheat have helped me, but since its been a week for you, you might need a suppository or an enema, you need to get those toxins out of your body.
I can't remember if you have insurance and could see your PCP to get a stonger med to help you, instead of something OTC.
Of course, straining is not good for you, I think it is the vagus nerve it affects, and I know it increases the pressure in our brains. Metamucil also helped me right after my transplant.
At the hospitals where I worked I was called the "BM Queen" because anyone I worked with, no matter how constipated they were would go as soon as I walked into the room, lol. I will send you my vibes to get things moving.
mluv, Jazzy
ps. I was a massage therapist and if you rub your abdomen in a clockwise circle, not counter clock wise or it can block you up (i hope I got that right), I was able to help people "go", you have to press down deeply.
I Dito everyone and as someone who just spent a month in the hospital that started witha a blocked bowel believe me when I say you do not want to end up in the hospital with a bowel problem. Get help now! and get your system cleared out what ever it takes. This is nothing to take lightly.
TJ
Bowel Ambassador
It is fun to joke, but, as TJ has pointed out this can be no laughing matter; and believe me...the other evening, I thought for sure I was about to herniate something. I am now going on 7 days so tomorrow I'll contact my doctors office because my pressures continue to run high. I have taken six colace daily for the past 3 days and several doses of some prescription liquid stuff - sugary sweet that is supposed to move the bowels but it hasn't worked. I will definitely try some of the suggestions you all have given however like the "smooth move" tea (thanks KS), and the clockwise massage (thanks Jazzy), and possibly the suppositories (thanks Bat). Either way something has to happen here and once this resolves it is clear that I'll have to get on a routine with a high fiber diet and daily laxitives. Have I mentioned yet that PTC sucks? Thank you all again for sharing a laugh and your continual support.
MM3
I can tell you what is some of the most commonly ordered things for constipation in the hospital...alot of the same stuff already listed, some things are different. but here is the most common orders that always worked before you had to go for the big guns, ENEMAS....Or the GLOVES. They would order. Mag citrate 1/2 bottle every 2-4hrs until clear. They other orders could be 2 TBSP mineral oil mixed with same amount of Phillips MO every 2 hrs until good results. Then Miralax will work after already going. You could take dulcolax tabs every 2-4hrs until results. If no results after all of this, then you have to do the fleets enema fast, and may have to do two.
I know this is a bad situation, I have had them and treated thousands of them, but one thing to learn for all of us is to take something like stool softener and increase our fiber intake while we are on the heavy pain meds. I am so sorry you are so miserable. I wish I could help, and I would if I was closer, in a heart beat. Take care and blessings, Karen
After 10 days...the wait is over. I was very sick. The end.
MM3
Have a great C-word, D-word and HA-word free day.
TJ
H-word A-word
C-word = see MM3
F-work = Freakin
D-word = diarrhea
S-word = shit
M-word = miserable
H-word = humor
P-word = pun
R-word = rusty
HA-word = Headache
A-word = ambassador
I am LMAO (laughing my ass off ---- for those of who who didn't know that abreviation) right now! That was great! Thanks for the laugh! Glad to have the old TJ back!
MM3
I appreciate the cheat sheet at the end, TJ! I'm on my phone reading, paused for the longest time... H= hemmorhoid? No, that doesn't fit? Too funny! Glad to have you back!