Opioid Induced Constipation Sickness

[Kev-o]

If anyone has been on opioids for any longer than a week, I'm sure they know of the wicked constipation it causes. I am prescribed oxycodone for pain associated with Crohn's disease, and take 180mg's daily for the past 3.5 years or more. Obviously, the constipation is a bummer(pun intended), and sometimes I go a week without going, and it's ROCK solid.

My question is this - Does anyone know if opioid induced constipation can cause you to feel sick ALL of the time? I'm talking symptoms such as general weakness, full body malaise, extreme brain fog, headaches, occasional bad nausea, very bad breath, and I'm sure I'm missing some. The problem I'm having is trying to figure out if my symptoms, which are absolutely debilitating, are caused just by the Crohn's disease(my gastroenterologist doesn't believe so, but also can't tell me what else could be causing these sick symptoms), or if opioid induced constipation can really cause one to become sick like I described.

If anyone knows, or has experience with any type of sickness associated with opioid induced chronic constipation, please tell me about what you know. I'm pretty desperate for some answers here, as even my gastroenterologist can't give me a clear answer of the possible sickness and reprocussions of this constipation.

If this thread needs to be in a different place, please move it or guide me in the right direction.

 

[flyhighk]

Welcome to Bluelight.

Have you considered the possibility that the oxy itself is causing these symptoms ?

Healthy Living -> Other Drugs

 

[krock619]

I believe that is what he is asking? I too get general nausea and body weakness at times. More often near the end of the day after my second dose. I take norco for multiple torn discs and a reconstructed shoulder. I've been on them for years but still feel this every so often (3-4 times a week)

 

[pinpoint]

OP if it is the constipation that is causing your symptoms rather than oxycodone itself you should go to a doctor like now. If your excrement is not being evacuated properly it can literally seep back in to your body (I know, it's disgusting to think about) and cause all sorts of nastiness including but not limited to septic shock. Not to alarm you but this would be considered a medical emergency. However it's very possible that you are simply experiencing the normal side effects of long-term opioid use and/or Crohn's.

 

[Bliss26]

I have severe crohns and also on oxy.
In my case it's the disease causing the problems, not constipation. I don't really get constipated off oxy, only codeine.
If the constipation is chronic I recommend a tbsp daily of milk of magnesia. It's gentle, the cherry tastes good, and it's one of the few laxatives that work on chemical induced constipation

 

[fukme]

"and sometimes I go a week without going, and it's ROCK solid."

You've got to see a doctor immediately. A person cannot live with a bowel impaction . A person can however, with diet, fiber, and vegetable laxative successfully take opioids for pain management and still move their bowels enough to function. If you can't get to a doctor get a two fleet enemas. If you're impacted you will have to see an ER doctor.

 

[mtop2036]

Yes!
Im on meathadone and have had gastroparesis my whole life which the methadone has made much worse.

Your symptoms sound like gastroparesis to me but im no doctor. I experience all the things you listed plus more. The worst is the intense brain fog. What I have to do is not eat anything for days but I drnk 10+ bottles of water each day.

This may sound crazy to a normal person but with gastroparesis your stomach muscles don't contract as much which leaves food in your stomach for a way longer time than normal and slows down your digestion. The bad breath you listed is from food sitting in your stomach.

Drink tons of water and don't eat until atleast your brain fog goes away and most of the other symptoms. When I do this and start to better its like a high on its own.

Weither this works for you or not get to a doctor perfirbily a gi doc and bring il gastroparesis. Hope this helps

 

[Runtoparadise]

Firstly, I agree with the above poster - the opiate is likely causing the malaise, nausea etc.

I'd try enemas once or twice a week along with a stool softener daily & see if the constipation improves.

How long have you been on opioid therapy? Sorry if I missed it, but side effects such as constipation, nausea, etc will generally subside greatly once your body has adjusted to the meds.

Rtp

 

[d1ahp]

It's logical for you to experience what you're describing because of chronic constipation. Whether it's because of Chron's or constipation, we can't tell you.

Here is something I would try, like now, if I was in your shoes. Get yourself some Natural Calm powder. It's available at any vitamin shop. It has Ionic Magnesium Citrate, which is basically Magnesium Carbonate fused with Citric Acid. Four tea spoons of it will make you GO. Not too mention the mental and physical(muscle) relaxation it provides. It does the opposite of what opiates do, it pulls fluid into your intestines.

Magnesium is an awesome thing if you find the right form of it best suited for your need.

 

[cj]

I swear by Miralax.

 

[Bliss26]

I disagree with fukme. Opiate constipation cannot be controlled with traditional fiber related treatments. It just makes it 10x worse. Trust me. Once I had not gone for almost two weeks and was taking massive amounts of fiber, prunes, boxes of bran straight up etc.
You'll eventually need a hardcore laxative and when you finally go it'll be like a religious experience. And will fill the toilet to the brim with 30lbs of fiber .

 

[d1ahp]

Dey dunno bout dat magnesium tho'

 

[noone1]

I'd say it could be the opiates themselves or something unrelated but if you have bad breath (that smells like feces) you could literally be so backed up with an obstruction that you're going to start puking up shit soon. Why didn't the doctor do X-rays and scans?

Why not skip your dose twice a week and take a stool softener? All that stuff people mention like fiber, prunes, etc only works before you're constipated.

Take a stool softener and then a laxative if you have to but if you are sick I think it is too late to do anything about it. You need to see a doctor.


Some disgusting junky bm advice ahead....


Here is a "tip" for those with chronic constipation which I might add to the constipation forum later on: I don't know if it will work for everyone because of body type but if you feel a humongous turd trying to squeeze out that is too physically large push your fingers against the side cheeks of your ass towards the anus pressing through muscle; at least for me this allows me to chop it up from the inside without getting my hands dirty and I no longer get a bloody rectum from straining. Don't see any reason why it would damage anything either as long as you're careful. It's like cutting cookies from a log of cookie dough.

 

[cj]

If your really backed up an enema is just about the only option for immediate guaranteed relief. After that you need to start eating
laxatives and stool softeners. I recommend docolax and miralax.

 

[Kev-o]

Thank you everyone for your input.

I will say firstly that I do not believe it is the "oxycodone itself." I could be wrong, but how am I really supposed to know? I've lowered dosage, gone longer periods without, and didn't feel much better.
mtop2036's response is ringing an obvious bell with me. To the people saying I need to see a doctor immediately- my GI knows that I'm on oxycodone and knows the extent of constipation. The only thing that has relieved me completely so far is Miralax and a liquid diet. I had to clear everything out for a couple MRI's, it sucked, but everything cleared out rather accordingly, so I do not believe I'm obstructed. Just long long term constipation.
I'm not sure if Miralax on it's own will do the job, or, well I'm sure it would if I took enough for long enough, but with the liquid diet it still took 3 days+.
I see a new pain management doctor tomorrow, and it seems the only way I'd really know for sure if the constipation/oxycodone are the culprit of my continued sickness, is to quit; which is what I will obviously discuss with my doctor. It would just make it so much easier to quit if I knew it was making me sick beforehand.

 

[emjay]

I agree it really does sound gastroparesis and possibly related short intestine bacterial overgrowth. I've experienced this with loperamide... very unpleasant.

 

[Kev-o]

Also I believe someone asked how long I've been taking them: almost coming up on 4 years.

I've had blood tests done and everything is fine, no kind of sepsis that you speak of pinpoint, though I do understand what you're saying.

 

[OrangeFairySkruff]

I got ? chrones, IBS n irritable bladder, ex opiate/pain control issues n had clostridium difficile infection twice thru work. u taking loperimide? I take two n buscopam TDs. the buscopam smooths muscle reduces mobility n loperimide is a non blood brain passing opiate so like taking codiene... what meds u on for pain too?

swap ur oxy for 12 hour of cocodamol nnbuscopam n the WD will fire it like a cannon... I thought you went on opiods when I started below. fluids esp abroad OMG esp if ur carrying gear, swat bidets r for heheh

I find if I even have a drag on a ciggy any time of day its a run the loo.
h then loperimide post detox worked to bung me up

ERM my kids on motillum to clear her out and liquid oil stuff.

u taking any ppi's they'll neutralise stomach acid therefore digestion....

can only think of as a nurse drinking\eating load of bacteria yogurty things. if u had heavy antibiotics it can slow mobility n doball kinds. first its glycerin suppositories then motillum? the powder mix drink (add black current n leave it pretty undiluted it mings)

beer n tea r same u both need equal amount of juice\water to neutralise them. dehydration is 1 cause of stool issues. push loadsa fluids. some drinks like iron brew n cerrrrrtain diet drink n sugar free chewing gum all increase mobility.

if its painfully. buscopam works wonders for correct regulation n really push the fluids for three days watery juice 2litres plus.

if u got chrones ur gonna wanna feel avoiding the loo due to cramps pain. buscopams wicked for all that. hot bath too. not taking Mick but u absorb some fluids anally. either that get a 5-10ml kids syringe n mildly warm water n gently insert to plastic bit as if u were shooting p.u. h etc n give it a flush n then go lie face down till u FEEL the urge.

this is a forum were people have stuck everything everywhere this me being nurse...

its non diagnostic generally to xray bowels but if u don't pass feases an xray will show surgeons where blockage is.

tbh both lines of my family have abdo trouble n I got holes in mine too meH. NO LAPEROTOMY LOL. if oils, increasing fluids or the expl0sive laxative motillum don't clear u out get gp to order xray n ull wait a week.

if ur in pain go a n e say u can't poo at all, no go access (go after 5.30) n a n e will xray u or the registrar will or the surgeon will.

if they fuc u about sign ur own discharge its a price of paper n u can book straight back in no shame.

sugar free gum is terrible for being a laxative, ERM licorishe old school. kinda wanna unbung ya n make sure ur hydrated extra well n u shouldn't have too many issues. a scope down ur mouth only reaches stomach. refuse unless ur a drinker or there's a hereidtry reason. sigmoidoscopy up is OK cos u get some iv midazolam lol. ERM its also useless as it can only see to transverse colon.

hot water bottle n warm lemsipy kinda drinks after bath....

stress free lifestyle n FLUIDS.

u put em in they're partially held in tummy its gonna soften up stuff top downwards

maybe I missed point an am talking about poop cos I'm looking after my baba who's just gone but that's all I can think of. when I've been gained years back on cheap beak n bobby b I've found myself unable to go in Spain n well u gotta give it a hand.

if u follow a good diet loadsa fresh veg, fluids with no caffeine or alcohol , you should be cool. u can drink just u gotta flush fluids in daytime.

omg any things better than the other way round. when I got clost. diff. TWICE it fuuuuuuuuced me up. when I first smoke dialyactamophine UK h I was like hats this magic loverly tummy med! loperimide works better. n buscopam in all cases as it smoothed ur tummy lining and kills off crampy oh my god I gotta go feeling.

hope I didn't miss the point. in our old septic tanknudvjust throw a dead cat in there n it'd be processing / growing bacteria like mad lol.... it was on a farm I'm not some cat killer.

hope ur medical issues get sorted. gp willnrefer u to Ozzy. u may as well take two good books a downer n chilllllll Sundays 10am good time Mondays 9.30 , ud get seen then d/c by consultant...

 

[OrangeFairySkruff]

ur pain management Dr don't let him back u on amitryptaline etc semi nervecacting anti depressants. get some suppositories an picolax, that's its name... drink an extra two litres of juice thru day and previous stuff. u might be prone to dehydrating in certain bowel areas or narrower or brewing a blockage to to ulceration on cyst non cash lump. u could have adhesions.... I didntvask if u had a womb I just presumed u were maybe a bloke.... my mum gets loadsa bleeds after a Caesar to deliver her miscarriage likes....

I like a n e. if ur drs sh1t go book in n wait four hours get seen referee to a surgeon abdo xray n know for sure get sent home with stuff to unblocknu.

opiates do remove fluids from abdomen. codienes AWFULL worse than loperimide but then after four hours cods are whoosh away again

 

[OrangeFairySkruff]

lie flat take second n third fingers tap area around abdomen listen to see if its full. u kinda wanna go cos ur kidneys will back up u wanna clear out toxins... tried altering ur diet?

gastroenteritis is a catch all not sure diagnosis not without stool samples.

stress, dehydration, smoking all exacerbate chromes.

push fluids