Lactulose removes ammonia & is prescribed usually for people with severe liver disease. It is effective given as cwillie stated but not an every day choice. I feel for you while you work to establish a routine that works as it is messy. The poster above mentioned the bowel program. This usually works pretty well. What does her PCP recommend? Does she have a GI doctor. There are plenty of options but you’ll have to try several. Fleets enema works well for some as well. Good luck!
There is no real need for a daily bowel movement. 'Normal' varies a lot, from several times a day (me) to once every few days (DH). I agree with cwillie - it doesn't matter so long as things are not impacted (which is usually because of opiods or other meds).
I don't think we need to worry so much about creating bowel dysfunction when someone is approaching their final years. My mother's slow transit constipation was a continual source of anxiety and grief for me, I was constantly adjusting her laxative regimen and obsessing when she hadn't gone in 5, 6, 7 days. Then I had to place her in a nursing home and they didn't obsess, they just ordered lactulose when the charts showed she needed it and did nothing else in between. In the end it really didn't seem to matter in the least.
But isn't the person frustrated and annoyed and all around anxious and bloated beyond 3 days of stool accummulating in their abdomen? I am also distracted by this dilemma. Especially the information or the conflict with data saying that too much fiber in the meal is the cause of large stool which ends up drying up, vs the need to add more fiber. WOW there is such a varying standard of care out there and nothing definate. Even the doc said to test it out. Did you have geriatricians involved as i am thinking there may be some progress made in this area by now such as in the term "mircobiota" of the gut being an inportant factor. I am only still invested in this because i feel my mom still has some good years ahead of her.
As you mention natural protocols, are you trying to avoid whatever medication and procedures have been recommended to you by your loved one's doctor? Or perhaps you haven't really gotten any advice as to how to help your paralyzed loved one move his or her bowels?
My father is quadriplegic and we use the "bowel training program" that we were taught in spinal cord injury rehab. RN's and then CNA's trained my sister and I on how to administer a mini enema, etc. It's not brain surgery but it is a kind of involved process and we definitely needed the compassionate and good humored help we received learning this part of my dad's care. I am unaware of any natural products that could take the place of the mini enema (although we also give my dad a small dose of senna, as per the doctor who oversees his spinal cord injury care).
I hope this is helpful, but please provide more info if you need more specific information from us.
My mom has symptoms that are like parkinsons. She could not sit through the PET scan any longer at 40 min into it to see the progression. The dr told me the miralax will also require troubleshooting just like the Mag Citrate or anything else. Because we still are somewhat active, as she enjoys music and opera, i am not wanting to point her into the direction of decline so we walk and move about. Problem is i am conservative. If i give an effective dose, the experience is rather messy all day long. THe doctors are quite busy to tell you the truth. I am goint to return to a integrative Dr who is a bit far as we had an ultrasound done and never followed up. Not sure what that was for but that is the next step. It was getting a bit tiring with interviewing helpers and doing background checks. Will post a question about that as well soon. By the way, i came across an amazing resource on bowel management by a foundation i think in the name of Christopher Reeves. Have you used that ? I would love to try the lactulose as i read it makes amonia go away. That might be a good thing.
I feel for you while you work to establish a routine that works as it is messy. The poster above mentioned the bowel program. This usually works pretty well.
What does her PCP recommend? Does she have a GI doctor.
There are plenty of options but you’ll have to try several. Fleets enema works well for some as well.
Good luck!
As you mention natural protocols, are you trying to avoid whatever medication and procedures have been recommended to you by your loved one's doctor? Or perhaps you haven't really gotten any advice as to how to help your paralyzed loved one move his or her bowels?
My father is quadriplegic and we use the "bowel training program" that we were taught in spinal cord injury rehab. RN's and then CNA's trained my sister and I on how to administer a mini enema, etc. It's not brain surgery but it is a kind of involved process and we definitely needed the compassionate and good humored help we received learning this part of my dad's care. I am unaware of any natural products that could take the place of the mini enema (although we also give my dad a small dose of senna, as per the doctor who oversees his spinal cord injury care).
I hope this is helpful, but please provide more info if you need more specific information from us.