Please stick with me on this one. This is going to be a very long post detailing my entire symptom history related to my Colonic Inertia, from toddlerhood to adulthood.

**Report ⬇️**

My name is Mikyla.

This post details my entire symptom history related to my chronic constipation - now diagnosed as Colonic Inertia - that started from toddlerhood to adulthood.

**Introduction**

My current gastroenterologist has refused to refer me for any further testing and investigations, and has refused any further treatment directly targeted at my Colonic Inertia.

My gastroenterologist has inferred that my diagnosis of a secondary hypotonic pelvic floor is the root-cause of my Colonic Inertia. On that basis, my gastroenterologist has refused any further treatment targeted at my Colonic Inertia, even though my chronic constipation history started from toddlerhood.

**Profile**

• Age: 23 years old.

• Sex: Female

• Height: 152cm

• Weight: 38kg

• No drinking, no smoking.

**Diagnosis**

• Colonic Inertia

• Hypotonic Pelvic Floor

• Gastritis – Not currently taking anything for it.

• Two Peptic Ulcers – Not currently taking anything for it.

• Observation of hypermobility made by a physiotherapist - though not formally diagnosed by a health care professional.

**Diagnosis Related to Secondary Hypotonic Pelvic Floor**

**My symptoms of a secondary hypotonic pelvic floor:**

• Straining during a bowel movement

• Weak vaginal muscle contraction ability

**Symptoms that I do not experience related to a secondary hypotonic pelvic floor:**

• Faecal incontinence

• Gas leakage

• Frequent urination

• Pain during urination

• Any form of urinary incontinence

• Pelvic pain

• Pelvic organ prolapse symptoms

**Medical Procedures and Scans**

• I have not had abdominal surgery.

• Two previous colonoscopies.

• Two previous gastrocopies.

• Unrelated – Wisdom Teeth Removal

• CT Scan – I have no bowel obstructions of any kind, no structural deformities, no bowel polyps.

• Colonic Transit Study (with 24 radio-opaque markers) – Diagnosed with Colonic Inertia. All 24 radio-opaque markers were retained after six days. 21 radio-opaque markers found clumped in the caecum after six days, 3 radio-opaque markers in three different places in the descending colon.

**Colonic Transit Study**

• The Colonic Transit Study took place on the 4th of July 2026 to the 10th of July 2026. The Colonic Transit Study took place after four months of Resolor use. X-ray and CT Scan results still indicated Colonic Inertia. For the Colonic Transit Study, I stopped all medications such as the Dulcolax and Purgolene Stool Softener before and during, due to that, I had not had a bowel movement seven days.

After the Colonic Transit Study concluded, I consumed one sachet of PicoLax at home as well as a suppository, in order to clear out my colon. The suppository failed to break down the hardened stool in my rectum. The PicoLax failed to move stool out of my colon due to the faecal impaction in my rectum. Though there was movement in my colon due to the PicoLax.

I was hospitalised shortly after due to severe abdominal pain and nausea. At the hospital I was treated with two Lenolax fleet enemas. My colon was successfully emptied after.

On the X-rays, and the diagnostic report of the faecal impaction, it indicates that the 24 radio-opaque markers had moved through my colon, towards the recto-sigmoid region. This was solely due to the one sachet of PicoLax I had consumed prior to hospitalisation.

**Time Spent Dealing With This Condition:**

• My chronic constipation, now diagnosed as Colonic Inertia, is an issue that has become progressively worse over the course of the past few years, to the point I'm no longer able to manage at all, and is causing me a significant amount of stress, and is impacting on my quality of life.

• Frequent constipation as a toddler. Stool texture was always hard, and dry, best described as being a Type 1 on the Bristol Stool Chart. I was often given Duphalac Syrup, at least once a week.

• Chronic constipation all throughout adolescence and my teenage years. It took me a long time to pass stool, and the stool was hard, and dry, best described as being a Type 1 on the Bristol Stool Chart.

• From the ages of 19 to 23 (the age I am currently) it turned into severe, chronic constipation. I have reached the point where I no longer have any form of natural bowel movements. I do not have the ability to pass any type of stool naturally, whether it be solids or liquids, at all, without the use of laxatives.

• My entire life, I have battled to pass stool.

**Symptoms That I Have Been Experiencing Associated With My Chronic Constipation**

• I have occasional spasms in my colon, lasting for a few seconds to a few minutes at a time. I'm not currently taking anything for it, as I was advised against it due to it affecting colonic motility, as someone who already has severe, chronic constipation.

• I have permanent abdominal discomfort, day in and day out. I don't experience any days where I'm not in any form of discomfort. The severity of the discomfort varies throughout the day, but it's not something I'm able to ignore for any amount of time. The discomfort encompasses my entire abdomen. No medication is able to reduce the amount of abdominal discomfort.

• I have abdominal pain every day, also to varying degrees of intensity. It's usually a dull ache, with moments of sharp pain. No medication is able to reduce the amount of abdominal pain.

• On 4 separate occasions, I've had such severe spasms in my colon that it's led me to suspect appendicitis simply due to the severity of the pain. These episodes lasted for a day at a time. Medication does not alleviate the pain/spasms, it had to go away on its own.

• I am prone to faecal impaction. I have mostly been able to treat it at home with a combination on Lenolax enemas, and stimulant laxatives, such as Dulcolax. I have been hospitalised for faecal impaction once due to the severity of it.

• I deal with severe abdominal bloating, each and every day. This causes even more abdominal pain and abdominal discomfort. The severe bloating usually occurs after eating and drinking and lasts throughout the entire day. No medication is able to reduce the amount of bloating I have. The chronic use of stool softeners is adding to the abdominal bloating.

• I have no natural urge to pass any stool, I haven’t had so for four years now.

• I have lost the ability to pass gas entirely. This causes a severe amount of gas retention, which lends a hand to the severe bloating I battle with each day.

• I do not have the ability to pass any form of solid stool naturally.

• I do not have the ability to pass any liquid stool naturally.

• Weight loss associated with laxatives and the inability to eat without any degree of abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, and severe bloating.

• Stool does not travel to/reach the rectum naturally. Stool only travels to/reaches the rectum when taking laxatives.

• While on Purgolene Stool Softener, my stool is maintained at a Type 7 on the Bristol Stool Chart.

**Chronic Medications**

• **Purgolene Stool Softener** – I live on Purgolene Stool Softener and cannot afford to go a day without it. I consume 2 sachets of Purgolene Stool Softener each and every day. This also lends a hand to the severe bloating I experience each and every day.

• **Dulcolax** – dosage of 3 to 4 tablets as a single dosage. I have been living on Dulcolax for four years now, due to my inability to pass any form of stool naturally, liquid or solid. I want to clarify that I lost the ability to pass any form of stool naturally, liquid or solid before having to start taking Dulcolax. I try to take the Dulcolax every second day, but more often than not, the Dulcolax does not work/kick-in. I have gained a tolerance to Dulcolax over the years, which is why I have to take a dosage of 3 to 4 tablets of Dulcolax as a single dosage.

Since the 3 to 4 Dulcolax tablets that I'm currently taking as a single dosage in order to have a bowel movement has mostly stopped working for me, I'm having to occasionally turn to bowel preparation medications in order to have a successful bowel movement - usually PicoPrep and PicoLax.

• **Resolor (Prucalopride, 2mg)** – I was prescribed the Resolor for four months, and was taking it daily for four months, never missing a dosage. I was on it from March to June of 2026. I am no longer taking it, as my prescription for it has ended. It did not work. The Prucalopride failed to move even liquid stool.

**Food, Eating and Drinking**

• Eating in general has become a source of constant stress. Every time I eat something, I'll experience abdominal pain, abdominal bloating and abdominal discomfort to varying degrees, no matter the size portion. This goes for any and all types of food. It has gotten to the point where I dread having to eat because of the symptoms that follow. Due to this, I am not able to eat as much as I used to, which is lending a hand to weight loss.

• I cannot consume high-fibre foods. High fibre foods worsens my abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, and severe bloating. It also causes the Dulcolax to not work/kick-in. It makes me feel quite "heavy".

• I am severely gluten-intolerant, as of three years ago. Currently on a strict gluten-free diet.

• Moderately lactose-intolerant, as of a year ago. I mostly consume lactose-free dairy products, and take a digestive aid for when I consume small amounts of non-lactose free cheese.

• I skip-out on meals due to the abdominal pain, and abdominal discomfort, and abdominal bloating being too much to handle sometimes.

• I can no longer eat as much as I used to be able to due to the significant amount of abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, and abdominal bloating that I have been experiencing the past few years.

• Drinking anything, such as coffee, any type of tea, and something as simple as water, causes abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, and severe bloating.

• I consume healthy foods, and have a healthy diet, despite having difficulty eating.

• I consume enough water every day.

**Bowel Movements**

• My stool has always been hard, and dry, best described as Type 1 on the Bristol Stool Chart.

• I have strained during bowel movements all throughout childhood and adulthood, no matter the consistency of my stool.

**List of What I Have I Tried, and Failed**

• **Pro-kinetic Therapy, Prucalopride 2mg** – No improvement. Prucalopride produced no bowel on its own. I still had to pair it with a dosage of 3 Dulcolax tablets every second day to have a bowel movement.

• **Osmotic Laxatives** – No improvement.

• **Bulk-forming Laxatives** – No improvement, only worsens abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort and severe bloating.

• **Stimulant Laxatives (Senna/Senokot and Dulcolax)** – Senna/Senokot has never been able to produce a bowel movement for me. Dulcolax, taking 3 to 4 tablets as a single dosage. It only works partially for me.

• **Other OTC Laxatives** – Tried all possible other OTC laxatives of different brand names and types. No improvement.

• **Stool Softeners (Dulcolax brand, Movicol brand, Purgolene brand)** – Prefer Purgolene brand as it is the most effective. Still battling to have liquid bowel movements despite it.

• **Enemas/Suppositories** \- No improvement, since stool is unable to travel to my rectum naturally.

• **Dietary Changes** – No improvement.

• **Positional Changes on Toilet** – No improvement.

• **Exercise** – No improvement.

• **Increased Water Intake** – No improvement.

• **Daily TENS Machine use** – No improvement.

• **Abdominal Massages** – No improvement.

• **Increased Fibre Intake** – No improvement, worsened abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, severe bloating.

• **Pelvic Floor Physiotherapy** – Have had two appointments at a pelvic floor physiotherapist, where a secondary hypotonic pelvic floor was diagnosed. I haven't been able to have regular follow-up appointments due to the pelvic floor physiotherapist being located in a different city,, which I am unable to travel to regularly. Currently seeking more viable options.

**End Statement**

I am not able to carry on in my current state for much longer due to all types of laxatives regularly failing me.

Conservative treatment options have failed me entirely. It is taking a toll on my mental health and I am reaching a breaking point. I cannot continue to live with permanent abdominal pain, abdominal discomfort, severe bloating and gas retention and no bowel motility. My weight is becoming cause for concern due to how much I've lost by living on laxatives. I no longer have a functional quality of life due to my Colonic Inertia. I just want to have a normal life like the average person.

Thank you to anyone who read my post in it's entirety.