I started birth control 4 months ago to control my acne. I'm 21 and was fed up of having to deal with the skin of a teenager. My doctor prescribed ortho-tri-cyclen or the generic, which I've been taking, Tri-Sprintec. It hasn't really helped my skin that much, but it did make my constipation worse. I had been experiencing some constipation before I went to the doctor for the birth control but was trying to control it naturally with water, exercise, and high fiber diet. She told me to try Miralax. So, the first two weeks of the birth control are always miserable for me, even when I use the Miralax. The hormone levels make me nauseous and terribly constipated. The Miralax helps with the constipation but makes the nausea worse. Around the third week of the pills, I can have semi-regular bowel movements, but I still don't feel right. Now, my stomach is tight feeling, both up high a few inches below my sternum, and down lower around my belly button. If I press firmly in either area it is quite tender. I thought perhaps it was pregnancy (unlikely since I am on the pill) and took 4 home pregnancy tests, all of which were negative. I have also had what I thought were regular periods this whole time, although I've been reading about decidual bleeding, so I don't even know.
What I'm looking for are some possible internal causes to the constipation issue that has been plaguing me for probably five months now. Sometimes when I go, the stool is wide and flat; other times it is small, hard lumps. Even more frustrating is that sometimes the bowel movements seem completely normal. I've tried Miralax, enemas, milk of magnesia, benefiber, senna tea, activia yogurt, and more recently probiotic supplements. Does anyone have any insight?