Has she been using these things for a long time? Sometimes by abusing laxative, it can cause a lot of problems with normal digestion. I'd have the doctor figure it out. Convincing people to stop using them is quite difficult. It's very ingrained.
Actually, sometimes bowel blockage or bowel perforations and vomitting can be related. When the bowel shuts down due to injury it will not accept any more digested food from the stomach so up it comes. A clue to if this is what's occurring is that the vomit will look and smell different than typical vomit - it's usually greenish in color and slimy. The smell is impossible to discribe- but once you've smelled it - you'll never forget it.
I'll throw one more vote behind Miralax. Rainman has had two emergency bowel surgeries and all of his Drs have recommended Miralax as the only thing I should ever give him for constipation. Also, after I had my radical hysterectomy my surgeon recommend taking Miralax daily. It takes a few days to kick in - also my surgeon said up to two capfuls a day is safe. It's a little spendy but you can get it at a good price at Costco.
when my mother is constipated...i give her those soft prunes...buy them at trader joes! i give her 4 with breakfast, 4 at lunch and 4 more at dinner! never fails! but why is she throwing up all night? id sure have that checked out???/
Bowel obstruction and vomiting, as Pam said, is very serious. The only way to know if it is an obstruction is to get her to the ER. They will do an MRI (I think) to confirm.
My mom has a history of obstructions. The last one she spent three days in the hospital that started in the ER with the MRI and pumping her stomach to relieve the pressure on the obstruction and anenema to clean her out. If you think about it, the bowel excretes the bodily wastes, mom is not able to get rid of waste so it is building up in her body, and possibly leading to sepsis, poisoning her body.
I agree with all above. I have had bowel problems since I was teen. I am now 60, have had my gall bladder removed suffer from stomach bloating to heart burn to having excessive weight gain. I started taking probiotics as a result of all the suffering. They help alot. Especially with my bowel issues. What most people don't know or realize is that bloating, reflux, constipation that turns to diarrhea is related. When I start to feel bloated after a meal I will take a probiotic or eat a Tums to control the symptoms. Also drinking plenty of fluids not just water but tea or coffee any water based fluid throughout the day helps keep your bowels regulated. Exercising like walking everyday is also a huge help with these symptoms.
Does your Mom take pain medication? My Mom does and had a major problem with constipation and finally she had a blockage and spent two days in the hospital. The doctor told her to take Miralax and to not pay too much attention to the dosage amount on the bottle, but to take what worked to get things going. I've given her as much as two cap fulls at a time if necessary. It takes a few days to build up in the system but after that Mom takes some everyday and that's the key to take just enough to keep her system working. I put it in her coffee and adjust it daily, usually a little less than a cap does well. It's a bit gassy when you go, but it doesn't hurt or cramp. I hope this helps but it sounds very dangerous what's she's doing now. Before Miralax my Mom would use anything she could to stop the pain of constipation. One other thing she used before Miralax kicked in was medicated suppositories that seemed to work in an hour or two. Doctor said it was his experience that the prescription laxative pills hurt older people, too, so didn't recommend them. Wishing your Mom relief!
I have my Mom taking probiotics once a day for bowel and urinary tract health and she was having problems with constipation AND incontinence! Since I got her taking those, she say's she notices a big difference and does not have problems "going" anymore. It's funny because I got them for when she was having urinary infections and it seems to have helped with both! I also give her cranberry pills just for extra help.
My experience with Miralax has been amazing. It solved problems for myself and my wife bedridden for 6 years with dementia. She had a colon resection 40 years ago and her bowel performance was never the same . . . until I introduced Miralax. I've been using it for 3 years without any ill effects. It's comforting to know I have one less problem to deal with. After initial adjustments I now need one teaspoon/day. She needs one-half teaspoon/day.
My mom has a history of obstructions. The last one she spent three days in the hospital that started in the ER with the MRI and pumping her stomach to relieve the pressure on the obstruction and anenema to clean her out. If you think about it, the bowel excretes the bodily wastes, mom is not able to get rid of waste so it is building up in her body, and possibly leading to sepsis, poisoning her body.
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