Constipation

If you're not suffering from it, count your blessings! This is prob TMI for people who don't have this issue.

Please, for any of you who have issues with it, please post your solutions. Right now, I have to use an enema to go #2 and I do it on a regular basis. I can't handle the pressure on my back, hence, it's become routine. I'm starting with miralax, because I think the stuff just isn't moving along.

I have a spinal stenosis, aside from my disc issues. The doc thinks it's the reason my toes and the undersides of my feet are numb. I think before the surgery, I ate enough, that stuff got pushed through, but now I don't eat enough for everything to keep moving along.

All discussion welcomed.

Replies

DJRonnieLINY

Water, water, water - and some coffee.
-

homerismyhero

Beans, lentils, and spinach are a big part of my diet and it helps.

claresta23

I too am struggling with constipation! Doctor told me fiber, water, water, walk and walk.

Mangopickle

Vitafusion fiber gummies2 a day, wendys chili, kale, edamame, kabocha squash, lentils, greek yogurt and lots of coffee are part of my regar diet

Mangopickle

Also protein bars with fiber

Thaeda

my Miralax!

wilrhy

Same problem for me--no matter what I eat----I am going to buy benefiber to add to my food! Beans do not help and fruit smoothies do but they are high in calories. I do not drink coffee---I hate the taste,,,wish I did--LOL

renovagirl

Ducolax once a week. It's the only thing that helps me.

JreedyJanelle

I drink smooth move tea (senna tea) and it seems to help, bad days I use milk of magnesia, stool softeners work but the tea works as well!

suzannemichelle614

Same problem here. I take something (coffee, lemon water, MOM, colace, miralax...etc) - it works so after a few days of being regular I stop taking it in the hopes that my body has figured regularity out - but NO! I worry about dependency on needing something for regularity. Havent lost any weight in 5 days....that's also the last time i had a bm.

Mangopickle

celery is wonderful. hardly any calories and loaded with water

inspireuplift2014

Water , gum fiber , quest protein bars , Juice Plus & cod liver oil.

dearestbree86

i drink HOT green tea in the morning. i make sure to get it all down while it is still hot/warm. the heat/caffeine seems to work. it is also less caffeine then coffee

katematt313

Coffee in the a.m. is a huge help. You need fiber, which you won't get much of post-op unless you supplement with metamucil or similar product. Exercise your body. Drink lots of water - more than you think! Most authorities say 64 oz minimum. My MD told me to take my body weight, halve it, and then that number in ounces is my minimum intake. So, if you weigh 200 lbs, your minimum fluid intake is 100 oz. Caffeinated beverages and alcohol count against your fluid intake, so if you drink 8 oz of coffee in the a.m., you are creating an 8 oz fluid deficit, and you need to drink an extra 8 oz to compensate.

joyhibbz

I use Peg3350 pretty much the same as miralax or restoralax but my dr will write me a prescription and then my insurance covers it. My dr said that peg and miralax is all safe to use on a regular basis and I only have to drink the peg in some water a couple times a week now to keep myself regular.

authorwriter

I've started with Miralax. I've gained 9 pounds in a few days. That doesn't even seem possible. Not with as little as I eat, so I'll presume i'm hanging onto water. My feet are looking kind of swollen. It's all in my belly. But my husband assures me I can't be holding 9 pounds of poop.

Oh my, the discussions we'e been having lately. LOL.

I decided starting tomorrow I am going to get salad and spinach into my diet. I barely eat anything other than the yogurt and protein shakes, so a more normal diet would probably help.

I've picked up the caffeine habit again, but it doesn't seem to help. I don't want to get addicted again, so I'm trying not to do it everyday. Weird how fast you can fall back into it.

katematt313

I have a hard time getting much salad into my pouch these days. If you can't get spinach and salad down because of volume issues, green smoothies are good. You can take a half bag of baby spinach, blend it with some water, splenda and fruit (pineapple, banana and green grapes are good), and it has a ton of fiber. Go light on the fruit (no more than half a cup total), and it is pretty low carb, too.

authorwriter

I used to drink green smoothies pre-vsg. I tried adding spinach to a protein shake the other day and was really unhappy with the result. I choked it down but decided I wasn't doing that again. I had a salad a couple of days ago. With cheese. It was good.

My pouch is being really weird lately. And nothing tastes right to me anymore. I have some broccoli in the fridge and I'm going to make some tomorrow and eat it with poached eggs. See how that goes.

funny story: my son wants to know if Dad and Mom go out to dinner once a week now that he and his sister are off to college. and I told him 'no' because Mom just doesn't eat normal anymore and dad has successfully lost weight eating cottage cheese and salad and he shows no signs of eating regular food again.

I'll try a smoothie tomorrow also. I'll add unflavored protein powder to it. My nutritionist said never to eat anything without some protein. thanks for the suggestions.

MistyHiker

May a little TMI - Before surgery I was regular everyday. But now if I go every 3rd day I'm happy. But like everyone here says water water water, and try Miralax or others to help you out.

JEMP65

Miralax added to your protein drinks will work wonders, but check with your doctor to make sure they are okay with it.

2BeHappy2

LOL, Im with you on this 1 Misty!
I was a "regular," almost too much sometimes so Im all too happy to only be going so much.
Besides, I know its just this way right now because so little is going in at this point.
Im sure itll all be different as time progresses and Im able to eat full(er) meals.

bikrchk

It won't work overnight but the best long term solution for me was to add a multi strain prebiotic to my daily supplements.

TammyP64

bikrchk wrote: »

It won't work overnight but the best long term solution for me was to add a multi strain prebiotic to my daily supplements.

^This^ I recently added this to my daily supplements and It has made a tremendous difference

wilrhy

A woman I met at a weight mgmt. told me she takes GNC coconut oil chews and they work for her. I looked up the price--30 chews run about $1.00 each! You can get them when they have BOGO--I opted to buy capsules at Walmart--much cheaper. I will let you know if they make any difference.

wilrhy

I also do smoothies with spinach or kale and some fruit --and I have tried many other things but they are not working well to move things for me!

dcc56

Miralax, or the generic equivalent works for me. I consulted with my clinic and got an Rx for it as well, my health insurance will pay for it then. The clinic told me I could use it as needed, that I would know when I needed to use it and that I didn't need to use it every day just on an as needed basis. There is no sugar in the product and it dissolves completely in water or any other beverage. There is no taste either. I like that. For me it helps add moisture and helps things move along just like they show in the Miralax commercial (here in the USA). They also assured me that it is safe to take with my current medications and supplements but anyone else should also check with their clinic before using this product.
Since I return for follow ups regularly they told me they would be monitoring my various blood tests and would be able to keep a close watch on my numbers. My main problem was the dryness of things...having a little moisture helps. I didn't have problems "going" just had difficulty when I did go. I have also kept up drinking water every chance I get and increasing my fiber in my diet. (wheat thins fiber selects is one choice I make) Since I also joined a gym recently having more physical activity helps. All this combined is the recipe that I need to keep regular....whatever that means for my body. Again, be sure to connect with your clinic, they want to help you. Good luck!

wilrhy

I increased my activity too---and the coconut oil caps worked!

hurricanelena

I add the "clear" fiber to my shakes, at least 1 serve a day. Generally I still need MiraLax (or its equivalent) at least once a week; Smooth Move tea (with Senna) when its really bad since its a stimulant. I also generally drink at least 1 gallon of water and "Calm" (a Magnesium supplement) every day which has the added benefit of helping with muscle pain. Most days I also add Chia seeds to my shakes (good fat + fiber).

In talking with my doctor and NUT, there doesn't appear to be much else I could be doing. Because I'm further along I have no problem getting in the "recommended" 20-25grams of fiber a day, but things are still slow.

rpyle111

I made up a batch of lentils and veggies and have been trying to have some every day. It has made a huge change in my regularity (for the good!).

loriloftness

Ok, I will say up front I have no idea what a doctor would say about this, but, in a bad situation maybe you could take some magnesium citrate? It's the stuff you take before you have a colonoscopy, or in my case before my VSG. Target sells it by the bottle. You maybe wouldn't have to take as much as your would for a procedure. I don't think you would want to do this on a regular basis, but in a case where you are really backed up and in pain, maybe?