Follow
Share
Read More
This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Find Care & Housing
I use Smooth Move, it's a tea you can find at most any grocery store. Just follow the directions and I guarantee he'll have a Smooth Move next morning!
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

The lack of exercise is usually a big part of why they can’t go. My mom is 80 and she had a bowel movement as big as my forearm a couple of weeks ago. I was pretty shocked when she told me she was afraid to flush it. I gave her a stick to break it up since I was gagging.
I buy the Amazing Prunes, they come in a little bucket, she eats a couple every day.
If a bottle of magnesium citrate didn’t work- it might be serious enough to take him in to the ER.
check his diet, sometimes too much fiber is not good for elderly since they don’t walk around much.
How much does he eat? Sometimes they eat like birds and absorb a lot of it and don’t have that much waste. A bottle of water in the morning really helps get the intestines alive and give them the urge to go.
I’d throw a stool softener into his daily meds regimen.
Good luck, it’s scary. 💕🙏
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
Cover99 Sep 2021
How was the smell?
(0)
Report
Probably impacted feces is dry, no moisture and that is why he is producing pebbles.

Palliative care team advised giving my dad a tablespoon of olive oil each day because he was on restricted liquids.
He also drank warm prune juice when things slowed down.

You can put on a glove and generously apply vaseline inside the rectum for moisture.

Unless you know what you are doing do not go digging the impaction out. You could create a tear easily.

A gentle belly massage and a heating pad may help move things along.

Good luck and if no results soon he has to go to the ER.
Helpful Answer (4)
Report

Constipation is due to dehydration. He should be drinking lots of water. It takes just a few days for constipation to go way once appropriate amounts of water are introduced into our bodies.

Laxatives only dehydrate more. It turns into a viscous cycle...
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

You should get medical (your doctor or the ER) attention right away. My mother had this issue and let it go on too long and ended up in the ER. They couldn't clear the blockage, and they had to do surgery. She ended up with a colostomy bag.
Helpful Answer (3)
Report

Colace with stool softener work great for my Mother home health nurse recommended that. Also florajen the probiotic the one for digestion really works well too. I take that every other day after my body got used to it.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

Not sure of this will help but I tried this with my Mother and it worked. A prune every day in her cheerios. Raisins too. More salads and vegetables. She had a blockage awhile back and was hospitalized. I am more of a food person rather than medication. If you can get him to eat a bowl of stewed prunes that may help. Also, google natural cures for constipation in the elderly.
I just noticed that someone recommended walking...yes, physical movement could help move things around too.
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

Do you have home nursing care or is he on hospice? My mil had to have the nurse that came to our home clean out her impactions. It is not for the faint of heart.

Contact his doctor and see if he can arrange for a visiting nurse, home health care, or something similar.
Helpful Answer (5)
Report

Wow! I would be very concerned with his situation after all the medicine he has taken already. If he is impacted he could rupture his intestines and sepsis could set in. Patty Duke the actress, her cause of death was sepsis from a ruptured intestine. It is nothing to play with take him to the Hospital ER.
Helpful Answer (11)
Report

Glove up. Lubricate and dig out. Then Miralax fluids and try to control it getting so bad. You have to get the dry hard feces out first.
Helpful Answer (6)
Report
Cover99 Sep 2021
Lysol spray as well
(0)
Report
See 1 more reply
Mare sure he is drinking a lot of liquids.

Next time he thinks he has to go to the bathroom, let him sit on the toilet fir at least 10 minutes and run water in the sink where he can hear it and also wet a hand towel with warm water and apply to his lower stomach.
Also, while he is sitting on the toilet, have his feet flat but raised up on a little step stool, that also seems to help.
And buy a container of fiber that can be mixed in his drinks and or food every day so he won't be constipated.

Prayers
Helpful Answer (6)
Report

Lots of water, apple juice, prune juice, bananas, no dairy products and no fatty foods until he starts going. A diet high in fiber will help, in the long run. Juice celery, 16-32 ounces first thing in am or on empty stomach this is a natural liver detox and makes you go. Good luck to ya
Helpful Answer (5)
Report

If you've given DH all that stimulant laxative and he STILL can't produce a BM, then he needs to see the doctor right away. Fruits and veggies are all fine and well, but it's too late to think it's gonna help him now. Please seek the advice of a qualified doctor before doing anything else.

Good luck
Helpful Answer (11)
Report

Grapes are helpful.  Cantaloupe and watermelon also help, as does more water.    Raisins and nuts eaten together (1/2 to 1 c) are another good combination.   Prune juice is an old standby.

Walking and exercising can help.

This is not a criticism, but I kind of gasped when I read all the meds he's been given.  Food is just so much more safer, and it tastes good as well!
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

I have this problem and take Magnesium Glycinate. It helps move the bowels. I have to take at least 400 mg/day.
Helpful Answer (5)
Report
Isthisrealyreal Sep 2021
Yep magnesium is a wonder for many, many things and helping clear the bowels is a bonus.
(2)
Report
I use prune juice every single day but it seem that the nortriptyline and ibuprofen pm that was helping with sleep was doing what you speak of in your post and the cup of daily prune juice was no longer working.

Hospice told me not to worry but to keep working for relief. Then I added miralax (nothing), then senna-s (nothing), then senokot (nothing) over a few days. Finally, I purchase that old Phillips Milk of Magnesium and 15mg over a course of two days and bingo without an explosion. After that, the following day he was back to normal.

I would start with treatment around 5 because I didn't want a situation during the middle of the night.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report
kahill1918 Sep 2021
Better have the situation during the midddle of night at home than during the middle of the day somehwere else outside of the house.
(0)
Report
As much fluid as possible even in his solid foods: jello, grapes, cukes, watermelon, soups. Is he on pain meds? Or taking Tylenol PM? Pain meds really block you up badly.
Helpful Answer (5)
Report
Midkid58 Sep 2021
Tylenol PM has Bendryl in it, no narcotics, so it shouldn't back you up.

Warm prune juice with 1 capful of Miralax always worked for me. And staying very hydrated. Good Luck--and get out the CHUX.

And YES to the Squatty Potty.
(2)
Report
My mother was consipated and the only thing that worked for her was lactulose. I only gave it to her for a few weeks per doctor. No more constipation. She eats lots of fruit, beans and veggies.I give her a probiotic as well.
Helpful Answer (4)
Report

Get him a Squatty Potty or a small stack of books to put his feet up on when he's on the toilet. It might help things move along a bit better.
Helpful Answer (5)
Report
Cover99 Sep 2021
LOL
(0)
Report
Fleet Suppositories and lots of water. My mother goes through this several times a month and she cries for me to help her. What can I do? Nothing but the above suggestion. Sometimes (because of burnout) I have told her it's not like I can go in and get it for her. lol I know it's not funny, but what can you do?
Helpful Answer (2)
Report

Warm prune juice.
Helpful Answer (3)
Report

Grapes
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

I read in a health bulletin about eating two kiwi fruits each day for constipation.
It works. Besides, the fruits are very good for you. Hoping this helps.
Helpful Answer (1)
Report

This question has been closed for answers. Ask a New Question.
Ask a Question
Subscribe to
Our Newsletter