Eating Habits/ Encopresis

Hi, my son will be eight years old in September. He was diagnosed in July 2007 with encopresis, and has been taking the laxative Miralax ever since. In May 2008, he started having problems with frequent urination, going every one to two minutes. He is still being seen in the GI clinic, and by a Urologist for these conditions. As far as the urination problem, no one seems to be able to figure out why he is urinating so frequently. He doesn't wet the bed at night, and never gets up in the middle of the night. It's only durning the daytime. His doctor has tested him for diabetes, and infections, and they all have come back negative.




At one time, I thought it could be anxiety, but during the day when he is relaxed (watching T.V., or playing with his cars) he is still running back and forth to the bathroom. His urologist mentioned a medication that he could take for this problem, but one of the side effects is constipation and he already has problems with constipation. My son was finally fully potty trained when he was five years old, and I feel like with all of these other conditions, that he's going backwards instead of forwards.

I've heard that some children with SPD have encopresis because of their eating habits, but I'm not understanding the frequent urination. (Also, I forget to mention that at one time the doctors thought that the constipation could be pressing on his bladder and causing him to have to urinate so often, but even at times when his x-rayed showed that he had cleaned out, he was still urinating frequently). Has anyone ever experienced a child with frequent urination and had a diagnosis as to what it was? Thank You.



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Sep 13, 2016
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Diagnosis? Update?
by: Anonymous

Any current update in your diagnosis? My little girl is having terrible issues with frequent urination after starting this medication

Jun 03, 2012
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On Miralax for 2 years = frequent urination and acid reflux
by: Anonymous

Hi there, I just stumbled upon this thread as I myself am looking for answers and felt I needed to let people know about my experiences with Miralax.

I have Chronic Pelvic Pain syndrome and took Miralax to help with BM for over 2 years. (I was taking 3 doses every day) At first it seemed like a miracle drug. I really helped me and I felt much better for a little while.

Then I started to develop, very slowly develop so it kind've crept up on me and I didn't know why, terrible acid reflux and frequent urination (incomplete voiding as well). It took me a long long time to cotton on that it was all caused by Miralax but since coming off of it my symptoms have got a lot better but the damage caused is not completely undone for me. Its been 1 year and 6 months since I stopped taking it and I am still waiting for it to wear off completely.

At its worst I was needing to pee every 2mins (I was like this for about 1.5years!) :( and my reflux was terrible :( :( I also felt like I couldn't hold my pee in and when I did go i never felt like I went properly (and sometimes still have this).

My theory is that what the drug actually does is teflon coat your insides. Miralax is effectively a plastic type substance that they say you can't absorb but my thinking is that you can because of the horrid side effects. So the teflon coating helps you go to the toilet, great, but you need to pee every 2 seconds because your bladder is teflon coated too and you have acid reflux because your oesophagus is also teflon coated. And in my experience it has nothing to do with increasing fluid in take because you can't go to the bathroom. At my worst (peeing constantly and burning throat and stomach) I wasn't drinking any fluid at all. I was just having the water that was in the soup and boiled veg I was eating. I was probably extremely dehydrated for about 6 months and was still peeing ALL THE TIME!

Please please bear in mind that this thinking is based on my belief and my theory only. From my experiences (I've been in constant pain for 9 years with various health problems) my only advice regarding this particular problem is research research research other people experiences, and think for yourself. Go with your instinct guys :)

I hope this info is of some use to you...thinking of you all.

May 07, 2012
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Miralax may be causing the urinary issues!
by: Anonymous

Ever since my daughter started on Miralax for constipation/reflux issues she has had insane potty issues. She's been potty trained since she was 2 but right around her 4th birthday, she started wetting herself every day, several times a day. Urinary urgency and frequency all day long. I've read some studies and forums where other parents attributed the issues with urination to Miralax. I am taking her off the drug immediately and pray that is the answer.

Jan 11, 2012
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Encopresis
by: Kasandra

My daughter Had this problem for quite awhile. She also had a problem with constipation as well as urinating very frequently to the point it was disruptive in school.We had testing done and everything came back normal so they suggested a bathroom schedule and after a couple of weeks and making sure the bowels were moving properly what a difference. She does quite well now and does not have this problem hope this helps.

Oct 31, 2009
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Ecopresis
by: MIke g

Our Daughter had constipation problems, We went to see Dr Sears and he informed us in the use of Flax seed oil that worked wonders. We started seeing a wholistic Dr. and told us to use cod liver oil. The fish oil is more pure and has Omega 3 in it and that keeps her regular. Hope this helps

Aug 04, 2009
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eating habits
by: Anonymous

My son has just had constipation ALOT with stomach aches from his eating habits, but has not had encopresis. He also did go through a time when he had to pee all the time. It was awhile ago so I don't really remember what the doctor did. I know she took a urine sample and ran some test but it ended up nothing was wrong.I think that she did say his was anxiety. Wish I knew more.

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