Hi, my 12 yo started out with having constipation (pretty severe because she was doubled over and in teers) about 4 - 5 weeks ago, we were dealing with this off and on throughout this time, but I truely think it affected her psychologically because she is spending (every 1/2 hour, literally) in the bathroom now making herself go poop. Just last week I found that her stools are more loose, mainly through change in diet, eating the right foods more, but also the last week I find that she is using finger manipulation to get the poop out, it is like she is obssesed. She is also experiencing muscle cramps because she says her belly hurts but not her stomach like she is not going to throw up or anything and it is constant. Im wondering if cramping from going to start her period soon is the reason why she is doing this. Im wondering because I remember I had severe abdominal cramps before my period and I always had very loose stools days before and after I would poop i always felt better. I asked her if she feels better and she says yes but then I swear 20 minutes to 1/2 hour goes by and she is back in there. Its been about 5 weeks since this started and Im wondering being that she is in the pre period stages is this all that could go with it. Thanks for any advise
Hi everyone, thank you for all your concerns.... The end result to this was she just started her period last night and it was like a weight has been lifted from her. Update for today is she is using the bathroom normally now and changing her pad regularly. I believe this was the result of her severe cramping from the past week. I can't remember much from my first day I started but I do know that for every. Onto thereafter until I had my baby girl I was completely bed bound for 24 hours with severe cramping and I know that when I would pass loose stools the cramping would ease up. I know the pain was unbearable for her. I'm going to watch her and I did schedule an appt with a ped gastroentologist next Thursday so if she seems to show signs that she is using the bathroom more I will not cancel the appt. thanks again for all your concerns..
I'm not a fan of running to the doctor for every question pertaining to children but . . . this is one of those times I'd be getting some professional advice. She needs the help.
She is sticking her own fingers in her rear, to make herself have a bowl movement? Am I reading that correctly? Even when she IS popping, she goes in 20 minutes later? Did you ever take the stools to the Dr?
I'm sorry mom...you have bigger problems then a period...in my opinion. She could be cramping, because of what she is doing!! She is forcing her body to do something, it is already doing on it's own. She is sticking her fingers in her rear end. She could be creating an impaction. She could have an INFECTION from doing that!! This sounds like some sort of severe anxiety, or obsession. I think you need to your Dr. about what she is going through EMOTIONALLY, in addition to physically. Something isn't right here. using her fingers and being in the bathroom every 30 minutes, is an EXTREME reaction.
I'm with the others... not normal, I don't think this has anything to do with a period about to start. Take her the the Dr.
Why don't you take her to a Pediatric Gastroenterologist.
Or have your Pediatrician refer you to one?
This is not normal.
Your daughter seems so obsessed with this.
She is having.... physical AND psychological issues, about this.
The bottom line is: It is TIME to take her to the Doctor.
This is not normal.
Uh Woa? maybe you should take her to the doctor about her using the bathroom all the time, Im not sure that has anything to do with her getting her period, my daughter got hers at 11, but everyones different. And you should probably talk to her about sticking her finger in her rear end um big no no!
Five weeks and you haven't taken her to the doctor yet?? Yikes! She needs some medical/psychological help STAT. Please get your daughter to a doctor. Nothing you are describing sounds normal. In fact it sounds quite alarming. Don't let her be in pain another day. You need to make sure there isn't a blockage or something.
I second what everyone else below has said, and urge you to take her to pediatrician ASAP!
Wow, this issue is bigger than her getting her period.
Something is wrong, you need to go to the Dr. STAT, as in NOW and find out what is causing this obsession along with what is wrong with her digestive system.
Start with your pedi and move up the ladder of specialists until you get answers.
She could be using laxatives - this is a huge alert to signs of an eating disorder.
You should probably take her in to the Dr. She could actually still be constipated and/or have a blockage.
You can still be constipated (even severely constipated) and still be moving some bowel. I would probably take her in either today or tomorrow if for no other reason than to try to give the poor girl some relief as she sounds to be horribly uncomfortable.
I would call your doctor. None of that rings true for me or my older daughter. My younger daughter hasn't started yet.
