Help getting a long toy through the splenic flexure bend

About a month ago I started trying to go deep with a Doc Johnson 18" 1.8" wide double ender, up until then I had only taken wider 2.2" objects just into the sigmoid colon.

Within a few tries over a week or so I went from getting the rear head about an inch outside of rectum to being able to swallow the rear head in rectum with just gently pushing with fingers. As the rear head entered the rectum it feels like the front head is in the splenic flexure curve.

However in the past few weeks I have not been able to swallow the whole toy almost all the time, there is noticeably more resistance when the rear head is about 1.5inches outside of rectum. Applying the same force causes moderate discomfort.

By comparison getting into the Sigmoid when relaxed takes more pressing given the S bend.

Why is so hard now?

Can that area near the splenic flexure change into different positions for a while?

Or maybe I was more relaxed when first trying this & being extra relaxed is what is needed?

How much force do people apply when going through that tight bend into the transverse colon?

Just recently I was able to take the whole length but it was very slow going & used alot of lube & alot constant trying, it still wasn't that easy.

Please help.