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I am going to start this combo in my 5 yr old. I am praying it will work. My question is how would you get her to take it? There is no way she will just take it from a spoon nor will she take the metimucil mixed in juice? Is there anyway to mask them both? Any advice on what to hide them in? Please help, she and I are both getting to the point of desperation and exhaustion with her constipation and withholding. I can't bear to see her fear and pain...Michelle
In Reply to: Mineral oil/metimucil combo-how would you... posted by michelle on March 21, 2003 at 18:55:38:
Hi Michelle. I feel for you - this is sooooo hard. My daughter is now 6 and suffered from ages 3 to 5 with this problem in constant cycles. Unfortunately, I did not find this website until recently so I haven't tried the mineral oil/metamucil combination. I did however find a solution in using the prescription laxative Miralax. It is tasteless and odorless and you dissolve it in juice ( or other beverage) and in a minute or two it completely "melts" so there is no grittiness or anything. This medicine helps by drawing water into the stool making it softer and long and skinny instead of hard, round and bulky. (sorry so graphic) Anyway, that's what is working for me and I am gradually reducing the dose and improving my child's diet in hopes of getting off the medicine soon. Even though I don't like my child taking a "laxative" (and mineral oil is a laxative, too) it is better than the alternative of the nightmare of withholding stools. I had also heard that until around age 6, children are receptive to fixing this problem but sometime between 6 and 8 they go into denial about the stool withholding and it becomes nearly impossible to correct and can be a lifelong battle. If you can't get your daughter to take the mineral oil/metamucil, I would encourage you to consider seeing a pediatrician and asking about Miralax. For two years, my doctors were no help in this matter until I asked about Miralax, they prescribed it, and my child's life (and mine!) have been so much better ever since. Feel free to email me if you'd like to know more. Best of luck and know that you are not at all alone in this!
In Reply to: Mineral oil/metimucil combo-how would you... posted by michelle on March 21, 2003 at 18:55:38:
This is a quote from doc stoll's article on the Metamucil/MO combination:
"MO must be given every day without fail since it works by mechanically mixing with the stool made that day. Since it is NOT a laxative, you have to wait for the "transit time" to determine what the dose you gave does. Transit time is that time it takes for something swallowed to reach (and pass) the anus. Since once things reach this stage the child is withholding, you will have to estimate that time for now."
It is not really a laxative...
Michelle, go to the constipation archives while you wait for Dr. Stoll to answer - there are discussions there about how others have done this.
The archives are linked at the top right corner of the bulletin boad and I know there's a lot of info in this category.
Good luck with it.
~~~8>
In Reply to: Re: Mineral oil/metimucil combo-how would you... posted by Linda on March 21, 2003 at 21:26:59:
Thanks, Linda.
Whatever works. I have a sense that you would not be here if what you have already been doing was working perfectly.
Miralax is a laxative so, if the problem is totally solved by this approach, all you will have to do is resolve the laxative habit.
Mineral oil is NOT a laxative so there is nothing to resolve. They put the word on the lable because of public perception, NOT because it is a laxative.
Walt
In Reply to: Mineral oil/metimucil combo-how would you... posted by michelle on March 21, 2003 at 18:55:38:
Hi, Michelle.
My guess is that your 5 year old has had at least 4 years of determining what she will eat and not you determining that. SO, it it too late for you to determine what she should take to solve this.
Try Kondremul for the MO. The metamucil cookies can be used but only if you do not let her know you want her to eat them. If you hide them in a place where you know she will find them........ Remember that one of the most common causes of death in this age group is drinking lye, kerosene, gasoline, etc.! Taste or texture has little to do with whether children will take something. It has to do with power games and it is one of the few that children can win against those big enemies (their parents). Your attitude has more to so with whether she will take something than anything it actually IS.
Good luck. You have your work cut out for you.
Let us know how she does.
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Mineral oil/metimucil combo-how would you... posted by Walt Stoll on March 22, 2003 at 08:28:46:
Thank you Dr. Stoll. I am here actually because I prefer that my children not have to take anything to help them go to the bathroom! Also, while theoretically it is great to completely change our diet, it is not that easy. Unfortunately, I was raised on poptarts and captain crunch cereal. I am working on learning how to cook with organic and whole grain foods, but it can't be done overnight (or even 4 months as I have found.) Also, my daughter is in public school where milk is the required drink along with such snacks as cheese, yogurt,cookies, and other "wonderful" things. It is a huge battle to try to instill healthy eating patterns in our children and I have my family and the schools working against me. Miralax is helping hold one battle at bay while I work on fighting the others! I simply add my two cents here because I would have appreciated it and it would have given me more information on which to base my decisions. I really think you have a great site here and I am learning a lot. Linda
In Reply to: Mineral oil/metimucil combo-how would you... posted by michelle on March 21, 2003 at 18:55:38:
Thank you for your responses. I have three daughters and all three are so different. It is my oldest that is having the difficulty. It has been only the last month or so that this has been happening. I wasn't sure if I would get a response but I have a few questions. First I have been to my doctor and his only response was give her more fruits and veggies. 2nd, I am very cautious about our food. I have taken her off dairy (not that she ever drank much anyways). She has never even once had diarreah. Her stool were always alittle on the dry side she did very well on her own to get them out.
my questions are: I think her bowels are definitely on the slow side. Her aunt has IBS but varies between constip. and D. Could she have a medical problem the doctor isn't even taking the time to check. What should I be checking for?. Once again, thank you soooo much...Michelle
In Reply to: Re: Mineral oil/metimucil combo-how would you... posted by Linda on March 22, 2003 at 09:03:47:
Thanks, Linda.
"I feel your pain."
Walt
In Reply to: Re: Mineral oil/metimucil combo-how would you... posted by michelle on March 22, 2003 at 16:29:42:
Thanks, Michelle.
Your doctor is likely not taking this seriously (and I agree with him) because this is likely not a medical problem.
Changing her diet will not resolve the problem overnight but is at least a big part of the long term solution.
For now, determining the correct dose of supplemental fiber (see the constipation protocol) is what you need to be doing.
Let us know how she does.
Walt
In Reply to: Mineral oil/metimucil combo-how would you... posted by michelle on March 21, 2003 at 18:55:38:
Mineral oil freezes well in food. It also soaks into all kinds of food. You have to experiment a bit.
As for getting Met in... with my son, I would mix up a bit (1/2 tsp. in about 4 ounces of liquid) and sit with him until he drank it all. If it became gloppy, that was because he didn't drink it fast enough and then we started again. If he gave me a horrible time, I took away his fun things. (Terrible Mommy!) It was a battle and wore me out to the bone, but it ultimately worked. Now, he drinks it right up with no problems.
If your daughter's stools are dry, she might not be getting enough water in her. Kids can drink what adults drink -- 64 ounces. Make it mostly water. It's all habit.
Keep working on improving her diet. That will help her health in many ways and for years to come.
This will be a stressful time for you, so be patient and be good to yourself, too.
Best of luck,
Martha
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