Hi Phil and everyone,
I use Miralax, here in the USA, twice a day as I have to keep my stools loose all times. I had suffered fro OIC (Opiate-Induced Constipation) for many years if it were not so gross I could tell you some terrible stories of what I used to have to do on occasions to get some of the bricks, lol, out. I was known as the toilet destroyer as I would block even the most powerful flushing toilet. For all the jokes and toilet humor that I used to deflect from the embarrassment that came along with this affliction, there is a horrific side to the dangers of constant constipation.
As a result, of OIC I came as close to dying as I want to go to, I had a massive bleed out which resulted in me becoming unconscious. I was transported to the hospital with no detectable Blood Pressure and unconscious barely hanging on to life, so my wife informed me later the regular trip to the hospital of 15 mins was made in half that with lights and sirens and going through all red lights. Immediately on arriving at the Hospital a code crimson was called once the ER doctors had me stabilized I was whisked off to surgery where I was fortuitous as they found the cause of the bleed out. Due to the constant rubbing from constipation, my bowl/rectum was worn thin and eventually it resulted in the main artery being worn thin which then burst that resulted in me losing virtually all my blood. Since then it has been and will continue to be on Miralax ensuring that my stool is always loose and I MUST NOT PUSH WHEN ON THE TOILET for fear of bursting another artery the fear of which is with me until the day I meet my maker, my younger brother, my father and my mother.
The moral of my story is to PLEASE, PLEASE take constipation however caused seriously.
