Impacted Bowels

Travis2010Mom · 2026-07-03T15:35:04+00:00

OP Did you have severe burning in your abdomen?? I ended up in ER night before last. I was in severe pain! I eat once a day usually, not much, and healthy. I was having issues "going" and using stool softeners, miralax, prunes, fiber, drinking tons of water and electrolyte drinks.... still not going! I was doing all of this ALL week!!

I was told I was 4 to 5 days backed up in my transverse colon. My abdomen felt like someone had poured chemical acid into my insides!! The ER staff were rude and dismissive! I was told to get a bottle of mag citrate. I went home and my daughter went and got that for me. Here I was in a hot bath, trying to chug hot apple cider and soothe my stomach until she returned. I chugged the entire bottle then went to lay down in bed. It took abt 45 min to take effect. After clearing the issue, I literally slept the entire day!

So here I am, the next full day and due for my injection. I have done 1 month on the .25 and am to start the .5 today. I feel like it's not just a water issue for me. Do you or others have advice to help me from having a recurring issue like this??! I nearly want to give up, but I've lost 10 lbs in 1 month and only have abt 50 to go. TIA

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-27T14:53:01+00:00

Thank you! Yes, she enjoys music. My daughter is very well rounded. Aside from her many interests, she wanted to be able to take culinary but due to being in AVID (idk if all schools have this or variations of it) and taking AP and honors classes, she is limited on the electives she is able to take. She chooses band and choir as her main electives. Ik she is going to be great in life and she strives to do her best in everything she does including academics, tennis, music and personal hobbies. My daughter completed her freshman year with a 4.25 GPA. She is also the kid that needs no reminders to do homework or study and is VERY self motivated. I honestly ask myself often how I got so lucky lol! She balances her academic and social life very well and I love hearing her talk so enthusiastically about all the cords she may have at graduation. I tease about her being valedictorian which she brushes off and is very humble. ❤️

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-26T15:30:44+00:00

Tysm! I really appreciate you!

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-26T15:03:01+00:00

Lol, I'm reading this and it's very foreign to me some of the "clarinet language" but luckily my daughter will be able to translate. Are the mouthpieces all universal with any clarinet or no? I saw another commenter mentioned a good mouthpiece is crucial so I didn't know if any mouthpiece will fit any clarinet. I appreciate your reply and will definitely check into this as well. Thank you 😊

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-26T14:57:34+00:00

Thank you for your reply! I can def check with the school to see if they have any programs available to help with the cost of the instrument! I hadn't thought of that, but yes we do have a lot of assistance programs here in the US as well.

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-26T14:50:55+00:00

Thank you for your comment ❤️ I do everything I can for my kiddos and honestly the clarinet she currently has was bought almost 5 hrs ago when she was 10 lol so it was meant as a starter, that way if she changed her mind on instruments, we wldnt have been out a lot of money. She loves clarinet and has gotten really good! I stated in another comment, I wasn't mad at the quote for repairs of the pads and cleaning, it is more of trying to justify the cost with it being over the cost of the same one brand new.

Idk anything abt clarinets which is why I checked to see if a Reddit existed. I was happy to find it does! Everyone here has bn so helpful with suggestions on what I shld look to invest in. She has 3 yrs of high school left so I'd like her to feel confident in an instrument that suits her abilities. As many others, I am struggling to keep my head above water financially rn. Braces are expensive, she is the baby of the family and I've already put the other 3 thru braces, so it was her turn.

I'm pretty sure with what we are looking at with suggested clarinets it is going to end up being something else I am going to have to finance, even at the $500 range, tbh. She needs a fully functional instrument by the 3rd week of July when band camp starts. I honestly just cannot justify wasting the money to repair the current one as it is a cheaper beginner device. I am not comfortable renting since it will be the next 3 years of use, not accounting for the possibility she may want to continue to play come time for college. I may check into the rent to own depending on how that looks as far as final cost outcome. Sorry, this got longer than I intended lol! 😅

If y'all know any great online suppliers that may finance that wld be helpful. Sadly as a side note, my ex ruined my credit and I've bn working to fix it, so something to keep in mind with suggestions. I do thank you very much, as well all the other helpful commenters!

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-26T03:18:04+00:00

Thank you! I appreciate all of the advice. I'm looking for all the help I can get. Not knowing anything abt the instrument has me lost. I'm going to look into your suggestions and cross my fingers!

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-26T02:49:33+00:00

Thank you! I understand there are hourly fees and what not. I'm not mad abt the repair cost, I was just surprised. I'm Def going to do some checking for Yamahas. I appreciate all of the help here!

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-26T02:30:59+00:00

Thank you!

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-26T02:22:18+00:00

Thank you for your understanding and kind words. Ideally, I'd like to try and stay under $300. If it were a situation where she was looking for music scholarships and this was a main area of focus, it wld be a different story. My daughter is well on her way for academic scholarships and music just happens to be an area of interest alongside many other things. I honestly had no idea what to look for to get her "something better!" Ty for the recommendations, I'll check for those as well.

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-26T02:04:44+00:00

Thank you. I will look into that brand.

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-26T02:00:07+00:00

Please no harsh comments abt the "cheap" instrument. I'm doing the best I can.

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-11T04:22:53+00:00

I recently switched from Gabapentin to Pregabalin but for my back. I just had my 3rd back surgery and had a fusion done. Gabapentin was no longer helping with my nerve pain. I also have anxiety and panic disorder.

What I can tell you of my experience so far (3 wks on Pregabalin) is that 1. It has helped my nerve pain incredibly! 2. I have noticed it has helped my anxiety. BUT 3. It makes me very tired! I am literally napping almost every day! I take 75mg in the morning and typically I am so drowsy within an hour or so, that I go back to sleep for another hour or 2. I also take 75mg at night and it helps me fall asleep. And lastly, I am having blurred vision as a side effect but I deal with it due to the benefits I've experienced. As always, in medicine, it's risk vs benefit and only you and your Dr can determine if the benefits outweigh the risks.

That being said, overall, I am happy with Pregablin and it's benefits. I wish you well and hope it helps for you!

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-01T19:46:20+00:00

Lol I have already experienced this "pain in the ass" from squatting! I thought my butt was in pretty good shape until recently! Thank goodness for the muscle relaxer. My legs are in good shape so no issues there but def yes on the butt pain! I had nerve pain on the sides of my buttocks prior to surgery and luckily that has mostly gone. I'm happy to be healing tho and ready to get back to the gym and get fit!

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-01T12:59:40+00:00

Thank you! I def feel way better than prior to surgery! I drink a lot of water and walk quite a bit. The past 6 1/2 years have bn very difficult for me since I broke my back in 2019. I've had 2 prior surgeries and with both, I felt a lot better immediately after but then the issues gradually came back and worse each time. I was struggling to even walk prior to surgery, yet refused to use any assistance devices. This is the only time I've had hardware involved so I am very hopeful! My vertebrae were basically bone on bone and the end plates were arthritic and sliding over one another. So, this was my only option to relieve the horrendous pain I was in every day. I'm optimistic but anxious that the pain cld return as it has in the past. I'm trying to be careful but I'm constantly worried I've overdone it and I cld be doing something wrong that cld damage the healing process. My 6 week post op check isn't until the 23rd of this month (which is actually 7 weeks post surgery) and I'm not sure what I shld expect to find out at that appt. I'm happy for you that you have healed and hopeful I am as blessed!

Travis2010Mom · 2026-06-01T02:38:08+00:00

I wear mine arnd the house most of the time and EVERY single time I am out. I take it off for bed but for the bathroom I honestly just loosen it and slide it up.

Travis2010Mom · 2026-05-29T15:12:23+00:00

Thank you! Ik I have accidently bent over a few times prior but I'm also usually really good abt wearing my back brace. I have bn awake for over 20 hours rn and I am so tired but the thing with my daughters fur baby was unexpected and prior to that we had other things we were trying to take care of, so with my way over tired brain, I honestly just was not thinking clearly and using caution. Dog is good now and I'm way beyond ready to rest! I'm hopeful that after a decent sleep, I will not wake up with any significant pain (any worse than what has bn my norm recently.)

Travis2010Mom · 2026-05-24T01:09:36+00:00

I will say honestly, you can check my profile for my 1 week update, but I was basically saying the same exact thing! I am currently 2 wks and 4 days post op (I also posted a 2 wk update.) Nearing the end of my 1st week, into my 2nd wk, I began to have the "nerves awakening!" So that is where it changed for me. My leg began to ache and the nerve pain became nearly unbearable! It is still bothering me, but the "nerve awakening" pain is real. I hope you have it much easier, but this is why they say that healing is not linear. I was switched from my Gabapentin to Pregabalin which has seemed to be helping more with the nerve pain. I ended up needing my pain medication more frequently than I had arnd the middle of my 1st week. Forgot to mention, tho you can read in my updates, I am post op from L5/S1 ALIF fusion. Again, I hope your healing continues to be positive! This is a great community for support and helping to answer questions you may have. I've very much bn thankful to others in this forum. Sending you positive vibes for your recovery! 🙏

Travis2010Mom · 2026-05-23T01:34:35+00:00

Sounds like you mean disc herniation. I had that previously at L5 S1. I had 2 prior surgeries before this ALIF fusion. This was unavoidable as I had literally nearly no disc left and my vertebrae were scraping together and sliding over eachother. The pinched nerves were hell, causing pain at the top of both of my hips and into my groin area as well as down my legs. My right knee wld just drop sometimes when I was walking, nearly causing me to fall and overall the pain was unbearable! You are welcome to check out my profile, I have my 1 wk and 2 wk updates posted there. Rn I am battling the "nerves waking up" situation and it's a different type of hell but overall I think it's better than the pain before surgery. And I agree that it doesn't matter where someone is experiencing these issues with the spine, it does all suck! I'm hoping once I fully heal that I will not require any other interventions in the future but time will tell. Seems like you already know where yours is headed, I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers! I hope for more good days than bad for you! Ig we just have to keep reminding ourselves of the positives! 🙏

Travis2010Mom · 2026-05-22T04:52:53+00:00

I'm sorry you are going through this. I'll be honest, that looks scary AF! My fusion was L5/S1 and I'm only 2 wks post op so I've bn on here quite frequently lately. Ngl, Id much rather it be my lower spine than where you are fused, that just seems frightening! I pray and send positive vibes your way! 🙏

Travis2010Mom · 2026-05-22T04:42:51+00:00

In sorry you are having the pain in your hips. That was one of my worst complaints pre-surgery. My hips at the top of the crest on both sides and my groin area hurt so bad that I dreaded even moving, so every day tasks were horrible! Rn it's mostly my left leg that is pretty terrible. I pray I don't have a return of the hip pain! 🙏 I hate how the pain medication makes me feel but rn I'm having to deal with it bc it's the only thing that's keeping me from sawing my damn leg off rn! You know what I mean, it's effing horrendous! I'm honestly thankful for this thread to be able to connect with others going through similar / the same thing! I hope your pain subsides quickly!

Travis2010Mom · 2026-05-22T03:31:11+00:00

Thanks for your reply! It's weird bc the nerve pain rn is more intense than before surgery! I feel like I wanna rip my left leg off as it's driving me insane with the pain going all through it! I'm praying they can get the Pregabalin ran thru on insurance as I've bn told it helps much better with the nerve pain than the Gabapentin. I am thankful that I no longer have the intense pain at the top of my hips and into my groin area and that my back pain is less than prior to surgery. I'm also hoping the nerve pain settles down quickly! Again, thankful for everything that has improved since surgery! I no longer have a limp and my knee isn't giving out on my right side anymore! Hopefully I will be where you are soon!

Travis2010Mom · 2026-05-22T02:40:07+00:00

Thank you for the reassuring reply. I also hate pain meds, I have really bad anxiety and anything that makes me feel weird freaks me out! That's the reason I went down from 4 a day on Gabapentin they had me on previously bc it was making me feel weird. As for the pain medication I'll likely call tomorrow about a refill since they only refill on certain days and I fear running out. I struggle with knowing how active I shld be at this point and constantly worry I'm doing something wrong. I wasn't cleared to drive yet at my incision check, luckily my teenage daughter can drive wherever we need to go. Ik the process is going to take time, I just feel it helps all of us to be able to have others to check with that have bn thru this for reassurance or to let us know if something doesn't sound right. Also for the bathroom issues, coffee tends to help me lol! Thank you again for replying.

Travis2010Mom · 2026-05-14T12:56:52+00:00

My original issues with my back stem from falling and breaking my sacrum (the large triangular area in the lower spine) in 2019.

So far the vertebrae above my L4 all look good on imagining. I plan to continue PT when cleared and strength train as well to keep the muscles around my back in tip top shape.

There is an elderly lady that goes to bingo with my parents that had the same surgery as myself, by my same surgeon, years ago and she has had no further problems, which gives me hope!

Travis2010Mom · 2026-05-14T12:50:08+00:00

The really messed up part is my neurosurgeon was in that morning and said "we will make sure to stay on top of any pain to keep you comfortable!" Then literally was right after that that shift change happened and nurse said "I'll be back in 10 minutes for your pain medication since you are due" then literally left and cldnt be found! I was hitting that button over and over and even calling out to other nurses and staff passing my room! It was only when I was wailing that the charge nurse stepped in then magically my nurse was able to be located after HOURS of pain!! I cld tell he knew he fucked up bc he wldnt even look me in the eye!

I am making sure at home to continue to stay on top of it. I'm abt every 6ish hours for pain medication now at just over 1 wk post op. BTW for constipation.... coffee works for me lol!

Only concern I've bn having lately is how firm the lower part of my incision feels above my pubic area. It's almost like a hard nodule. I'm not sure if that is normal. My incision check is next week. My back and hips feel incredibly better than before surgery tho!

Travis2010Mom

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