Tackling Constipation-the Bane of the Elderly
Constipation is the bane of
the elderly. My grandfather, father, and mother struggled with constipation in
their later years.
As a last resort, they had to take medications
including laxatives.
Early onset- I struggled with it since
childhood. '
As a young woman attending college, it would spoil my
day.
Abdominal discomfort, bloating, and inability to eat
food.
Negligence worsens
things - Yet, I did
not build a morning routine until my teenage years. Even then I wouldn't bother
much if the daily dump did not take place thinking 'If not today, it will
happen tomorrow.' This went on till my adult years.
Once I started working I found stress was an extra
ingredient in enhancing constipation. I had work to do, a home to be taken care
of, aged parents, and a young son. Icing on the top was a demanding petty boss
I did try to eat fruits usually a banana and bread or
bread with honey to get things moving. But again I was negligent and didn't
bother much about the irregularity
I would have to pay for this lack of discipline. Once I
retired I settled into a relaxed life with no schedule for eating, sleeping,
and dumping. Within a year of retiring, I was having frequent stomach and lower
abdominal discomfort.
Why you should not let
it develop into a chronic condition -One
fine day when COVID was waning, I found that I was bleeding despite having
stopped menstruating many years ago. I was also having severe abdominal pain.
Scared out of my wits I rushed to the gynaecologist
fearing the worst.
A series of tests with no negative result set my mind
at rest as nothing adverse was revealed
My brother who is a Radiation Oncologist suggested I
get a PET Scan done. There was a history of cancer in the family with my dear
mother succumbing to colon cancer.
I am still not sure if it was the diagnosis or the
ensuing tests, which was worse.
I had to get a CT scan of the whole abdomen. This
involved remaining without food or drink for 12 hours.
The most difficult rule was to not have coffee or tea
with milk in the morning, which I have been having since my childhood. Dairy
products were not to be taken at least 12 hours before the scan.
The scan was scheduled at 11 am on a Saturday but was
done only at 1 pm.
The result of the scan
was that there were many small "diverticula" in the abdomen. The
diagnosis was "diverticulitis" as per scan results.
I was blank as to what these terms meant or implied
Post all tests what was the gynaecologist’s verdict?
"There is
nothing wrong from the gynaecological perspective, I advise you to consult a
gastroenterologist."
A colonoscopy was additionally
advised and confirmed the culprit. Chronic constipation and straining had
brought things to a crisis. The bursting of haemorrhoids had caused the
bleeding
From Chronic
Constipation to Diverticulitis:
Chronic constipation over the years led me to develop
diverticulitis. This was the first time in my over 60 years that I heard about
the existence of such a medical condition.
Well it's never too late to learn, isn't it?
Diverticulitis was the cause of my frequent stomach
pain and nauseous feeling.
According to the Mayo Clinic, "Diverticula are small, bulging pouches that can form in the lining of your digestive system. They are found most often in the lower part of the large intestine (colon). Diverticula are common, especially after age 40, and seldom cause problems.
The presence of diverticula is known as diverticulosis.
When one or more of the pouches become inflamed, and in some cases infected,
that condition is known as diverticulitis. Diverticulitis can cause severe
abdominal pain, fever, nausea, and a marked change in your bowel habits."
Remedies -
My doctor advised that the causes of diverticulitis
triggered by chronic constipation were:
-A Low fibre diet,
-Less exercise and
-Lack of enough fluids
in the diet.
He took my detailed medical history. He learned that I
take Ibuprofen (pain medication) more often than I ought to. He advised that
this medication could also enhance the problem. I had to reduce my intake of
Ibuprofen
The Battle
begins…Overcoming Constipation
I realized I had to change my diet and include more
fibre in it.
High Fibre Breakfast: Out went bread…which is high in
calories and carbohydrates and low in fibre. But, now we have more fibre-rich
options like Wheat Bread and multi-grain bread. In came oats a whole-grain,
high-fibre option. Just what the good doctor had ordered
More Fibre later in
the day too: Mid-morning
I would have a large bowl of vegetable salad, a mix of carrots,, cucumber,
radish, and tomatoes
Lunch would be white rice and lentils which provided
the carbs and protein. Additionally, there would be at least one cooked
vegetable, often two
Dinner became the
game-changer with lots of vegetables & fruits:
I reduced Indian bread (Roti) from my usual intake of 2
pieces to 1. I added a heap of cooked vegetables…usually high-fibre ones like
beans, ladies finger, cauliflower, ridge gourd, or a mix of them.
Post this fibre-rich dinner, my day's intake concluded
with at least 3 varieties of fruit. A Banana, an Orange along with an
Apple or kiwi.
What else did I do?
-Tried to walk at a brisk pace as many steps as I could.
Aimed to walk at least 7500 steps daily.
-Drank
a lot of water throughout the day
-Tried to go when the urge came without undue delay
Yoga Technique for
beating constipation -There
is a yogic technique of getting your bowels to move in the morning. My yoga
teacher recommends drinking 2 cups of hot water while sitting on your haunches
in the morning. Do try it. But, for seniors sitting on their haunches is no
easy task.
My gastroenterologist also prescribed a stool softener.
For, chronic constipation is to be avoided at all costs. With the
development of diverticulitis and haemorrhoids, I learned the hard way that I should not ignore constipation. Rather it
should be tackled head-on
