Rebecca’s story – Slow transit constipation

Note: At Guts UK, we want our stories to be easy to understand for everyone. If any medical terms in Rebecca’s story are unfamiliar, you can find definitions in our medical glossary below. 

Tell us a little bit about yourself

“I’m Rebecca and I’m 36. I live in Batley, West Yorkshire with my husband and four children. Family means everything to me and my biggest goal is to simply enjoy life and make happy memories with them.” 

When did your symptoms begin, and what were they?

“My symptoms started in 2020 when I was pregnant with my youngest child. Around 20 weeks into my pregnancy, I had severe constipation, stomach pain and sickness. Certain foods would trigger awful pain and vomiting, and I thought I might have a stomach bug. I had food intolerance testing done, which showed dairy and milk intolerance, so I eliminated foods containing these from my diet. It helped slightly, but deep down, I knew something still wasn’t right.” 

Note: Guts UK strongly advises against commercial food intolerance tests as there is no scientific basis or evidence that they accurately identify intolerances. If you think you may have a food intolerance and/or are worried about your digestive symptoms, we recommend consulting a doctor or dietitian to use the ‘gold standard’ method. This is a supervised elimination and reintroduction diet to safely identify symptom triggers and should not be attempted with food allergies or where an allergy is suspected.

What happened after your pregnancy?

“After my pregnancy, everything became worse. The constipation got more severe, and the pain became unbearable, worse than labour. I had chronic back pain and severe abdominal pain and was constantly in and out of hospital. For years, I was repeatedly told that nothing was wrong and that it was “just constipation”. 

They decided to remove my gallbladder, thinking that was the problem. I awoke screaming in pain and I knew at that moment that surgery hadn’t helped. I was given morphine, but the pain never truly went away. 

For another year, I was in and out of hospital again. Doctors kept telling me it was the aftereffects of gallbladder removal surgery, anxiety and that the pain was ‘all in my head’.” 

Can you tell us more about what led to your diagnosis of slow transit constipation?

“I ended up in hospital for four weeks because of faecal impaction. Testing found inflammation and ulcers in my bowel, and I was told I had Crohn’s disease. Later, all evidence and photos were lost, and I was told I didn’t have Crohn’s. They removed and treated the ulcers, but I still had no answers. 

In 2024, after more testing, I was diagnosed with slow transit constipation, which is a type of bowel dysmotility specific to the large intestine (colon).” 

What treatment have you received for slow transit constipation?

“Even taking between 16 to 21 prescribed laxatives a day, I couldn’t go to the toilet normally. I also began transanal irrigation, but that stopped working because my poo was getting stuck higher up in my bowel. 

It got to the point where I couldn’t eat. I had a sacral nerve stimulator fitted as part of a medical trial to see if it would help my bowel to function, but after two weeks, it failed. Multiple hospital admissions where I needed multiple laxative drinks to make me go to the toilet followed.” 

Note: Regular use of laxatives is generally not encouraged but occasional use is not harmful. The balance of scientific evidence suggests that laxatives prescribed by a doctor do not cause long-term damage to the bowel. 

Can you tell us about your surgery?

“My colorectal specialist told me that if I wanted my life back, I needed to have surgery to form an ileostomy.  Coming to terms with that was incredibly hard and to me, it felt like the last option. All I wanted was to be able to live a normal life with my family. After being placed on the emergency list, I had my surgery earlier this year.” 

How are you now?

“Recovery has been a rough ride, and I developed a paralytic ileus after surgery. Thankfully, I am already doing better. I am eating more and slowly getting parts of my life back.  

For so long my life was controlled by pain, hospitals and fear of food. Now, for the first time in years, I finally feel hopeful for the future. I cannot wait to make happy memories with my children and finally start living instead of just surviving.” 

What would you say to others who are worried about their digestive symptoms?

“Trust your body and keep pushing for answers. I doubted myself for years, but nobody knows your body better than you do. I also know how embarrassing it can feel talking about digestive symptoms, but there is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Digestive conditions can completely take over your life, and speaking up sooner could get you support and treatment you need earlier.” 

Why are you supporting Guts UK?

“Having a digestive condition impacts life in so many ways and the lives of those around me. I found Guts UK on social media and have found their information so useful. I also no longer feel alone. My husband has just run a marathon to raise money for Guts UK, and I’d love to do the same in the future.” 

Why are you sharing your story with Guts UK? 

“I’d like others who are going through similar to know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, even if it doesn’t seem it now. I enjoy sharing my ileostomy journey online to help others and I’ve recently started doing things I’d never feel comfortable doing. I’m also sharing my story to increase awareness of slow transit constipation amongst the medical profession. It isn’t “just constipation”. Digestive symptoms and conditions are real and they impact many.” 

Glossary of medical terms

• Bowel dysmotility: When the muscles and nerves of the digestive system don’t work together efficiently, disrupting the normal movement of waste through the body. 
• Faecal impaction: A severe, solid blockage in the last part of the large bowel (rectum), which can be caused by chronic, untreated constipation.  
• Colorectal specialist: A healthcare professional who specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions that affect the lower digestive tract, specifically the colon (large bowel), rectum and anus. 
• Ileostomy: A surgical procedure that creates an opening from the small bowel to divert the contents through the abdominal wall into a medical bag, which is adhered to the abdomen. 
• Laxative: A medication used to treat or prevent constipation by loosening poo and stimulating bowel movements. 
• Paralytic ileus: A temporary paralysis of the gut where the normal, wave-like contractions (peristalsis) stop working. This causes food, fluid and gas to back up in the intestines, and is not a physical blockage. 
• Rectum: The final, straight section of the large intestine, located just before the anus. It acts like a temporary storage chamber for poo before it is passed from the body. 
• Sacral nerve stimulator: An implanted medical device which treats chronic bowel control issues by sending mild electrical impulses to the sacral nerves, located near the tailbone. 
• Transanal irrigation: A treatment for chronic constipation, consisting of flushing water into the rectum to help emptying. 

About Guts UK

Guts UK is the national charity for the digestive system and the only UK charity funding research into the whole digestive system.

We provide information and support for people affected by digestive symptoms such as constipation, including a dedicated Helpline.