[quote] I finally had an enema at the hospital just before I left (man, the stuff you tell strangers online! .[/quote]

Hi Colette

at least you gave the rest of us a giggle . Tis true though, nothing medical is sacred on this board.

In my own past experience with severe constipation the most effective thing was the mechanical means as Charm has alluded to. The product we used was called a micro enema (brand name Microlax) and was a gel that came in a tube that you inserted about an inch (had a little nozzle thing to facilitate this) and then squeeze. We learned to do it the bathroom as the results were sometimes quite spectacular. These things are available over the counter at the pharmacy.

Also, I think lots of fluids and not waiting too long before "evacuating" might make your life easier (and less painful).

I reiterate Charm, nurses have more solutions than doctors with this stuff as they are the ones who get to do the digital evacuation when other methods fail and that is not fun for nurse OR patient. Now you know why the nurses in hospital ask about your bowels every day