Suggest Remedies For Back Pain And Constipation Post An Injury

Posted on Wed, 22 Jun 2016

Question: my dad fell, hurt back, no bowel movements in 5 days. why

Answered by Dr. Robert Galamaga (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Considerations

Detailed Answer:
hello and thank you for sending the question.

I am sorry to hear that your dad fell and hurt his back. If he's taking any type of pain medication or narcotic for the pain then this might be the cause of the constipation. If that is the case then we generally recommend over-the-counter stool softeners such as MiraLAX or Dulcolax to help alleviate the constipation.

If he is not takingany pain medication then this issue needs to be evaluated as soon as possible at the local physicians office or emergency room. The doctors will need to make sure there was no type of damage to the nervous system which could be contributing to the lack of bowel movement over the past five days.

thank you again for sending the question.

Sincerely,

Dr. Galamaga

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T

Follow up: Dr. Robert Galamaga (2 days later)

Dad still having problems, do you recommend emergency room? Also he takes JAKAFI 15mg, what side effects can this drug cause. He takes no pain medication, his blood pressure is 127/74. Has problem with sleep. He is 92, weight is 165. No alcohol or tobacco.

Answered by Dr. Robert Galamaga (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Follow up

Detailed Answer:
Hello and thanks for the additional question.

I would recommend that you touch base with his primary care physician first to obtain some recommendations. If his doctor cannot evaluate him then I suppose emergency room is the next best option. This is especially true if you think he is experiencing progressive decline.

Jakafi can have a number of potential side effects. It can lower the blood counts including white blood cells, red blood cells or platelets. This is generally follow regularly with visits to the hematologist. There are some other side effects including constipation and diarrhea but not every patient Will experience these particular issues.

Again if you think he's experiencing progressive decline I would try to get him into see his primary doctor. If not then a local hospital visit would be appropriate.

Thanks again for sending your question.

Sincerely,

Dr. Galamaga

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Arnab Banerjee