Just some back history... DD#2 has been diagnosed with Encopresis. Basically it makes it very difficult for her to poo and to have control. Well we've been seeing a specialist and we have a better understanding now. Just some insight on the Doctor, not to offend anyone, but English is clearly not his first language. And like most Doctors he sees you for all of 5 minutes and makes a decision and that's it. Ugh..
Well we had another check up with him on Wednesday... and I just want to shoot him now. He told us that she was all backed up again and to give her another enima and high doses of laxative again. Not really agreeing with what he told us, I waited to see if she would poo. Well she did a little later that day and again a little on Thursday. So, thinking that maybe she was all backed up, my mother and I wrestled with my dear 4yr old daughter, whom has the strength of a full grown man, and we tried to give it to her, well needless to say nothing came out. Nothing was on the nozzle, nothing. Now I'm ticked to high heaven. The child didn't even need it. So I call hubby and tell him, I'm completely beside myself. I've traumatized my poor child for nothing. Now he's ticked as well.. So we've decided to keep going as we have been and when we see him again, make sure the man really understands what's been going on. And if he ever suggests we give her another enima, HE's doing it, right there in the hospital. No way am I ever doing that to her again.
Oh dear ....
your poor DD ..... I'm not a nurse or medical person ... and Encopresis is something I needed to look up to understand what it is ....
though I do have a long history of seeing various doctors of all sorts of specialties .... I think you need to put your foot down with this Doc and demand more than five minutes or a referral to a doc who can spare more time .... go armed with all your questions written down ... and don't go solo, take hubby with you, even if this means he has to take time off work ... your daughter needs both her parents in on this one, and Docs usually wake up when met with a united front
being prepared for your next visit, this Doc should hopefully sit up and pay attention to how much this situation is distressing you all .. .and mostly your daughter who doesn't need any more stress in this situation at all ..... and if you are dissatisfied with the visit, do seek other help, but do it quickly .... your daughter may be developing self esteem issues over this and that's something at the age of four you want to be sure are only positive things
(((hugs))) and prayers for your all
also, I wanted to note ... you said the Doc thought your daughter was backed up .... well, he did feel something in her system which was proved as she had gone later in the day ... so he wasn't wrong necessarily .... it also depends when your appointment was and when you daughter's last bm had been ..... usually a bm occurs after eating ... does the doc want you to keep a journal? ... if not, I urge you to keep one ... record when your daughter eats (what she eats and how much) .. also fluid intact (what and how much) .. and when she has her bm's and what consistency .... also record any medications incl. stool softeners and the results .... this is all very valuable information in determining any patterns
Amina, hang in there (((hugs)))
~~ KatherineT ~~ I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it!
~~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
Backed up
Well I didn't mention earlier, but the night before her appointment she had a large bm, and it was formed. Huge I tell ya. We made a big deal about it and I even took a picture and sent it to my mom and to hubby, so her being backed up didn't make sense. But like you said she hadn't gone yet that day and it was mid morning, she normally has hers in the afternoon.
Hubby has been with me for all the appointments, but he doesn't see her bms. He works second shift and doesn't always know what's happening, even though I keep him informed. I should've shown him the picture of her bm. Maybe then he would've understood. Next time I think I will. Even if it is gross. ;)
THX for the comments and suggestions, they're always appreciated.
Amina ....
I'm glad your husband goes with you to the appts ...
with a problem like this, I think it's important to document what she's eating when etc .. and to not let her know that bm are a big deal other than they're good in the potty and not elsewhere ... keeping things as natural as possible can only reinforce good feelings for her ... and nothing about a bm should be frightening ... I don't blame you for being so upset about that enema incident, she did not need that or the extra attention to her problem ...
is she allowed a stool softener of some sort? ... a couple of teaspoons of flax seed oil in maybe her juice at dinner might be a good thing ... double check with your pharmacist if she can have that at her age .... I know when I've been on narcotics for pain, the flax seed oil works wonders at helping to lube everything, so the bm are never painful .... that and making sure she drinks tons of fluids
poor darling ... I really feel for her ... and for you Mom ... (((hugs)))
~~ KatherineT ~~ I'm a Harlequin Addict, and I'm proud of it!
~~ Quiet Canadians ~ 2008 Book Challenge Blog
My son has encopresis, and
My son has encopresis, and I have to agree that seeing the GI doctors is a real pain in the tush for the parents, even more so than the kids. Our GI doc is great; she addresses just as many of her questions to James as she does to me, and she listens to what both of us are telling her. Her office staff is difficult to deal with, though, so I always dread the appointments.
I have complete sympathy for both your DD and you because the encopresis is something that is not going to go away anytime soon. My son has been on a stool softener (Miralax) since he was in kindergarten, and he is finishing up third grade. He still does get backed up occassionally, and our GI said to give him magnesium citrate when that happens. We have never had to give him an enema (PTL). I don't see that going over very well with him.
If your doctor doesn't listen to you the next time you take your DD in, I would recommend finding another doctor. We had to in the early days because the first one was not as helpful as I would have liked, and he continued to recommend the harsher laxatives for James, who was four at the time. The possibility is strong that you are going to have to go to this doctor for a long time and through multiple procedures. (We've done either four or five tests over the past year). I would imagine that you would not want to deal with this doctor for a long term....
I'm not on the e-HQN boards as much as I used to be since I teach full-time, but I'll try to remember to check in from time to time if you need to vent. Sometimes it is helpful to vent to someone who has "been there/done that."
J
Thanks J.
I knew there were others out there and it's such a relief to see those people. She's been doing better this last week. I think I've got the dosage down the helps her out. She's able to poo and keep control. She's just at that age that she doesn't want to stop playing to go, especially with the nice weather starting again.
I think I am going to find a different doctor. But it's hard, the one we're seeing now only comes close once a week. And he's the closest. There was one other that our regular doctor recommened, a NP and she's just as far away in another direction. I'm going to have to find something better, I can't take off too much more work and she's missing school for her appointments. Granted it's only Pre-K, but still.