Constipated on pureed food??

[catbells]

Has anyone come across this before? I visit Mum daily. Mum unable to speak, her communication when in pain is she doubles up,she has been double incontinent for 3 years. Monday her skin was hot and red (not blotchy/blistered/nor rash - just pink/red) The way she was wriggling about I felt she had tummy ache. Carers said she had not had a bowel movement that morning as is usual (she is prescribed laxative each morning to keep stools soft). Temperature was normal at 37. Doctor called. She visited after much persuasion she taking it for grated it was a UTI, but she visited at their insistance. Prescribed something else to move her bowels and antibiotic for UIT. (Impossible to get a sample for urine for them to test - not been possible for a year or two!) and anticbiotic. Tuesday she was a little better, not so red nor warm, but still doubled up but had had a bowl movement which was solid. I asked them to put her to bed as she may be more comfortable non-weight bearing that sitting doubled in the lounge. She appeared to brighten up after a rest, was fed her tea. Today much the same, she is cooler and skin paler, (this redness affect all her body arms and hands and face)another bed-rest this afternoon and up for tea much perkier! For the last 3 months she has had to be fed. So the decline has been ticking down.

What I don`t understand is why the constipation when having pureed food and thicken drinks. She has been on this diet for 12 months now. However, about this time of the year oct/Nov she seems to dip.

Would welcome any ideas? GPs too ready to put problems down to UTI for dementia patients - how do we know there isn`t something else going on?

Bye for now
Heather x

 

[marionq]

Bowels generally perform better with a high fibre diet and roughage. Can't see her getting much of that on purée.

 

[nitram]

Try >>>FYBOGEL<<< in a jelly.

Taken as a drink it has to be swallowed in one go otherwise it get a bit too gooey to easily swallow.

Various flavours available over the counter or on prescription.

 

[DazeInOurLives]

Has anyone come across this before? I visit Mum daily. Mum unable to speak, her communication when in pain is she doubles up,she has been double incontinent for 3 years. Monday her skin was hot and red (not blotchy/blistered/nor rash - just pink/red) The way she was wriggling about I felt she had tummy ache. Carers said she had not had a bowel movement that morning as is usual (she is prescribed laxative each morning to keep stools soft). Temperature was normal at 37. Doctor called. She visited after much persuasion she taking it for grated it was a UTI, but she visited at their insistance. Prescribed something else to move her bowels and antibiotic for UIT. (Impossible to get a sample for urine for them to test - not been possible for a year or two!) and anticbiotic. Tuesday she was a little better, not so red nor warm, but still doubled up but had had a bowl movement which was solid. I asked them to put her to bed as she may be more comfortable non-weight bearing that sitting doubled in the lounge. She appeared to brighten up after a rest, was fed her tea. Today much the same, she is cooler and skin paler, (this redness affect all her body arms and hands and face)another bed-rest this afternoon and up for tea much perkier! For the last 3 months she has had to be fed. So the decline has been ticking down.

What I don`t understand is why the constipation when having pureed food and thicken drinks. She has been on this diet for 12 months now. However, about this time of the year oct/Nov she seems to dip.

Would welcome any ideas? GPs too ready to put problems down to UTI for dementia patients - how do we know there isn`t something else going on?

Bye for now
Heather x

Hi,

Glad she seems to be feeling a little better.

Constipation is just the stool being passed through the system at a rate that is slower than is normal for a person and particularly that it is difficult or painful for them to pass. Even when a person doesn't eat a thing, the body still makes waste and they can be troubled with constipation.

Your Mum's bowel will absorb all the fluid from the digested pureed food and if she doesn't receive enough fluid and fibre, then what's in her system won't remain soft because her body will absorb every drop of fluid from it, particularly if it is passing through her system slowly. Depending on what food is being pureed and how much fluid your Mum gets, she may well still need laxatives to soften the stool and encourage her bowel to move it along.

Elderly people often do not have all the commonly expected symptoms when they have an infection - quite often not even a temperature. But they can be out of sorts and are often more confused or irritable than usual. However, it does sound as though your Mum had a tummy ache that could easily be wind/constipation pain...impossible to know for sure without examining her though. Good that you persisted and didn't let the GP assume it was just a UTI.

Hope she keeps improving.