A WOMAN was left with a stomach “like clay” after suffering from a common condition for four months.
Medics who examined the 25-year-old after she turned up at A&E with intense pain and bloating “left indents” on her stomach while pressing on it.
5
5
The unnamed patient said she’d been struggling to poop for four whole months and had a history of constipation.
A CT scan laid bare the extent of the problem, showing her gastrointestinal tract was packed with months worth of stool.
Faecal impaction – where poo builds up in the last part of the large intestine – is a long-term complication of constipation.
Upon examination, doctors found the lower part of her stomach “felt like clay”, and found they could “leave indents” in her abdomen when pressing on it due to the huge stool blockage.
Read more on constipation
The scan also found she had a 15cm-diameter redundant sigmoid colon – an abnormally long colon that folds and twists within the abdominal cavity, and can cause constipation.
The colon was stretched out and had a large amount of stool in it.
The woman opted to have manual disimpaction – a procedure where hardened stool is manually broken up and removed under anaesthesia – which had to be repeated multiple times.
Medics who oversaw her care wrote in the journal Cureus: “At the distal sigmoid colon, the endoscopist could not advance the colonoscope because of a lack of visibility as the stool was tough, and no amount of softening with lavage could move the stool.
“Also, the practitioner could not reach that area manually, so the procedure had to be stopped.”
The doctor noted her colon was “markedly dilated” and the stool “resembled dense/moist clay”.
Following the procedure, the woman was given a pure liquid diet to help clear out her colon.
She also had to have a packet of the laxative Miralax a day, as well as as a gallon of the colon-clearing substance GoLYTELY.
Throughout her stay, she was able to poop 21 times.
By the time she was discharged, she had dropped nearly 10lbs in weight – from 128.9lbs to 119lbs.
5
5
5
The patient – who is believed to have been treated in the US – had a history of chronic constipation, going back to when she was first toilet trained as a young child.
She had previously had treatment for the condition, including weekly enemas and daily stool softeners, as well as attending hospital for manual removal under anaesthesia.
As she noticed her constipation improving, the woman had stopped taking Miralax medication recommended by doctors – which saw the condition return with a vengeance.
By the time she came to the emergency room, she had been experiencing pain for several weeks, and was not responding to over-the-counter medications, laxatives or enemas.
Symptoms of constipation and when to get help
You are likely constipated if:
- You have not had a poo at least three times during the last week or you’re pooing less often than usual
- The poo is unusually large or small and is dry, hard or lumpy
- You are straining or in pain when you have a poo
- You feel like you haven’t fully emptied your bowels
You may also have a stomach ache and feel bloated or sick.
If your constipation and bloating is really disrupting your day-to-day life, then it might be time to seek further help.
“I would advise seeking medical help if you experience severe and/or persistent symptoms that don’t improve with lifestyle changes,” nutritionist Sophie Trotman says.
This can include:
- Eating a healthy balanced diet and include fruits that contain sorbitol such as apples, apricots, grapes and raisins, raspberries and strawberries
- Drinking plenty of water and other fluids and avoid alcohol
- Gradually increasing the fibre in your diet
- Adding some wheat bran, oats or linseed to your diet
- Not delaying if you feel the need to poo and having a regular toilet routine to give yourself plenty of time to poo
- Trying a daily walk or run to help you poo more regularly
“If constipation or bloating is accompanied by severe pain, unexplained weight loss, blood in your stool, or if you’re unable to pass gas or stool at all, it’s important to consult with a doctor as soon as possible,” Sophie adds.
Plus, if you’ve had a sudden change in bowel habits, it is also important to consult with a doctor.
This can include having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you, or needing to poop more or less often than you are used to.
While she couldn’t poop, she experienced “occasional involuntary leakage of watery stool every few weeks”.
This is a common symptom of faecal impaction.
After discharge, she was scheduled to follow up with the Gastroenterology department, but failed to do so.
Constipation refers to finding it hard to poo, producing hard, lumpy stools and having to strain to do so.
It’s very common and can affect anyone at any age.
Eating too little fibre, not drinking enough water and not moving about are common culprits of constipation – as is ignoring the urge to poop.
But stress and anxiety or taking certain medicines can also have an impact on your bowels.
You should see a GP about constipation if it affects you regularly and treatment like lifestyle changes and laxatives doesn’t seem to ease it.
