I don't write this post in the hopes that someone will send me some magic key, some profound advice like, "Have you tried prunes?" Instead, I am sharing this for two reasons 1) I think it is important to document what a trooper The Boy is. He is absolutely amazing, brave, and strong. I am so proud of him and wish that he understood how proud I am. 2) If you know anyone whose kid starts "withholding" or is constipated, I encourage you to encourage them to see a GI... a good GI and start the kid on stool softeners or something. The worst that can happen is that the kid loads his diaper versus what happened to us.
We've been told too many times that this situation is "normal" and for that reason it went on too long and now The Boy has a condition called megacolon. There are many causes and thankfully, The Boy's is not related to any type of disease. It appears that he formed a blockage when he was a baby and for the past 2 years his intestines have been stretching as the blockage got bigger and bigger. Our doctor in CA told us that his rectum and intestines are 40% larger than normal and for that reason we use adult suppositories and laxatives. His intestines and sphincter are so stretched that they can't communicate and perform correctly which is why The Boy has such difficulty going to the bathroom. It takes him so long to go, as well, because his intestines are like a giant cavern and they just keep filling up with poop because the exit is blocked.
We recently visited UVA to meet with specialists in this area. It is a two-and-a-half hour drive but we are pleased with the aggressiveness of the doctor so the trip is worth it. The Boy is getting a daily enema for 1-2 weeks until he is completely cleaned out. He also gets three tablespoons of Miralax per day. At the end of this phase, we'll do weekly enemas or as needed.
The first few times he got the enema he screamed bloody murder and popped blood vessels in his face and neck and had bloody noses. He is doing a lot better now than with the suppositories, however, and only screams during the administration of the enema. The poor guy has such bad diaper rash (because after the enema he goes constantly for several hours) that we can't use wipes and we have to rinse him in the tub every time we change his diaper. Through it all, he is patient and chipper and the sweetest boy ever.
The Boy's chipper and sweet - even while he waits for his enema to work.