A WOMAN left looking “heavily pregnant” due to extreme constipation strained so hard on the loo her “insides fell out her body”.
Courtney Ingham had been experiencing extreme bloating and constipation for eight months – as she was only able to empty her bowels once every three weeks.
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The 21-year-old said she was taking laxatives daily and had tried increasing her fibre intake and drinking black coffee, but nothing worked.
Shocking images show her stomach so swollen from not being able to poo that she looks heavily pregnant.
Courtney, from Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, said she strained so hard on the loo she heard a “pop”.
She noticed she was bleeding and took a photo of the area to get an idea of what was going on.
Read more on constipation
To her horror, she realised her anus and “insides had fallen out of her body”.
This is what’s known as a rectal prolapse, which – according to the NHS – occurs when there is insufficient support of the rectum, and this results in the rectum dropping outside of the back passage.
It can happen as a result of prolonged straining due to constipation as well as after childbirth, as multiple vaginal deliveries can sometimes weaken pelvic floor muscles.
Courtney has undergone two operations to try and ease her discomfort.
As neither gave her relief, she’s now waiting for specialist treatment.
The carer bravely shared her experience to encourage anyone who might be experiencing changes in their bowel movements to go to the doctor promptly – as she believes not dealing with her constipation for so many months exacerbated it.
Courtney said: “I had really severe constipation for about eight months and I didn’t really think anything of it.
“I was just taking over the counter laxatives and pain relief.
“It’s been really difficult. Prior to the eight months I was someone who would regularly goes to the toilet, it could have been up to three times a day.”
The carer grew concerned as she started experiencing bloating and noticed her bowel habits “massively” changing.
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“I was opening my bowels every three weeks. It was really, really difficult and the stomach cramp I was getting was out of this world,” Courtney recalled.
“The pain itself was really hard to manage. I was calling into work sick all the time.
“One day it could be fine and then the next minute I would be really, really poorly with it.
“Every day I was using the regular sachets of Laxido because that’s what we give our patients and they’re meant to really help but I stopped taking them for a little while because it didn’t feel as if they were working.
When I was pushing there was immense pain and it felt like I’d put something out of place. I described it as I could imagine labour being like
Courtney Ingham
“I was doing natural remedies like drinking black coffee, lemon juice, eating certain fibres.
“I reduced my portion sizes a lot because I thought it was something to do with how much I was eating and even after small portions I was getting really severe nausea and sickness as well.
“I did try to watch YouTube videos and things like putting your legs up, elevating your legs, like rubbing your tummy.”
‘IT’S WHAT I IMAGINE LABOUR FEELS LIKE’
Courtney recalled feeling “a muscle pop” after straining on the loo on June 23.
She said: “When I was pushing there was immense pain and it felt like I’d put something out of place. I described it as I could imagine labour being like.
“I could feel something there. When I wiped and it was blood, I was really concerned because there was no faeces but it felt as if there was.
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“It was a little bit of spotting at first and then [the] tissue filled. I did know something was wrong because the blood was fresh so it was coming from some type of wound.
“I did have to use a panty liner in my knickers because of the bleeding, it was getting a little bit heavy.
“So then I had to squat and take an unattractive photo and I noticed that it was like, I described it as somebody’s organs.
“It was almost like flesh. My insides had gone out.
“It really did frighten me.
“I thought right, I need to go to A&E because this hasn’t been right for eight months now.”
‘FIGHTENING’
Courtney took herself to A&E at Darlington Memorial Hospital, where doctors tried to give her a suppository but Courtney said she was in too much pain.
The following day doctors examined her under general anaesthetic and were able to correct the prolapse and evacuate her bowels.
They realised her sphincter muscle around the opening of her anus was not retracting properly so injected Botox directly into the muscle to try to relax it.
Courtney said the treatment has not worked and she is still in a great amount of pain.
When to get help for constipation and bloating
If your constipation and bloating is reality disrupting your day-to-day life, then it might be time to seek further help.
“I would advise seeking medical help if you experience severe and/or persistent symptoms that don’t improve with lifestyle changes,” nutritionist Sophie Trotman says.
“If constipation or bloating is accompanied by severe pain, unexplained weight loss, blood in your stool, or if you’re unable to pass gas or stool at all, it’s important to consult with a doctor as soon as possible.”
Plus, if you’ve had a sudden change in bowel habits, it is also important to consult with a doctor.
The NHS advises you see a GP if you’ve been feeling bloated for three weeks or more, or you feel bloated regularly – more than 12 times a month.
Meanwhile, changes in your bowel habits can include can having softer poo, diarrhoea or constipation that is not usual for you, or needing to poop more or less often than you’re used to.
She said: “The rectal prolapse that I experienced was the organs had actually come out of the hole itself.
“Through being in A&E and sitting down it had eventually gone back up.
“So it fixed itself to an extent but it didn’t fix itself as if to say it was back to normal.
“It created anal fissures which almost look like a big wound full of blood.
“I’ve still got them now. There’s only so many times you can try and remove anal fissures before you need severe surgeries.
“It was frightening, I’ve never had surgery before. It was more mentally affecting than anything because obviously I was told I needed to be bed bound.
“I had to rely on everyone to look after me. I couldn’t shower on my own. It was really daunting.
“I think the only positive I can take out of this is it makes me empathise a lot more with my patients because now I know what they’ve been through and how it feels.”
‘TAKING OVER MY LIFE’
Less than two weeks after the operation, on July 3, Courtney came back to the hospital after experiencing lots of pain and sickness.
Courtney said: “Obviously with me being so constipated I couldn’t push anything through my bowels so everything was just coming up. I couldn’t keep any food down.
“Peppers and spicy foods really trigger the bloating. Everyone knows if you have an Indian on a night and then you wake up, the first thing you do is go to the toilet whereas I can’t.
“It just sits there and then eventually I’ll just sick it up.
“And then the dizziness and the bleeding was the pain and the wound itself but with it being internal there was not much I could look after wound wise.”
She said at her six-week post-op appointment, her doctor told her they wanted to try the Botox surgery again.
I believe if I went within the first eight months and I spoke to a GP sooner, I could have avoided all this
Courtney underwent the surgery for the second time in August but said it has not helped and that they might need to consider a stoma bag.
Courtney said: “That really really got to me. I remember just sitting and crying because I thought I am 21 years old, what are people going to think?
“I spoke to my therapist and I said I almost feel as if I’m grieving the loss of using the toilet. That’s what it felt like.
“I’m still pooing once every three weeks. It still remains the same.
“It’s been very miserable, very depressing and it has stopped me from doing everyday things. There are certain things I can’t wear anymore because it’s too restrictive. It has affected everything.
“I know it sounds really silly because it’s just a small thing but to me it did feel like it was taking over my life. It still is until I can get some answers.
“I do look about six months pregnant. My belly bloats massively, it’s huge.
“It does knock your confidence because there’s things I could wear today that perhaps if my belly bloated tomorrow I wouldn’t be able to wear.”
Courtney said she has been tested for IBS and Crohn’s Disease but has not yet had the results back, she has since been referred to a specialist and is waiting for an appointment in December.
DON’T DELAY – SEE YOUR GP
The carer has shared her story on TikTok in the hopes of raising awareness for what has happened to her.
Courtney said: “They did say I’d left the constipation too long and it’s important that if there is a change in someone’s bowel habits to report it straight away to a health professional.
“I thought the more awareness out there the more people can stop doing what I did and just push it to one side and think it’s going to be okay because I think people need to be getting this checked, it’s so important.
“If there’s any change in anyone’s bowel habits or they feel that they can’t go to the toilet effectively anymore I think seek the advice of a GP straight away, don’t leave it so long.
“I believe if I went within the first eight months and I spoke to a GP sooner, I could have avoided all this.”
Tips to reduce bloating
IF you’re suffering with bloating, the NHS recommends you:
- Exercise regularly to improve your digestion and help prevent bloating – exercise can also help when you’re feeling bloated
- Chew with your mouth closed to avoid swallowing air
- Drink plenty of water
- Eat foods high in fibre if constipated
- Eat smaller, more frequent meals instead of large meals
- Massage your stomach from right to left to release trapped wind
