5lb weight gain from constipation -- any fast remedies?!

coffee_fiend

I have been successfully recovering from an eating disorder where I severely restricted. Now that I'm eating a healthy amount ( and trying to put on weight! ), I'm assuming my digestive system has to get used to taking in food again -- which is the reason for my constipation.

My weight has gone up 5 lbs in 5 days, and it's a nuisance because I am trying to gain weight, and this can't be real weight gain! So it's frustrating me as to what to log, how much to be eating, etc. etc. I think I'm going to have to step away from the scale until this passes..

It's been like this for 5 days and I've been eating lots of fiber and drinking lots of water -- still nothing.
I have really bad cramps as a result, and I look pregnant!

So, I suppose I have two questions:
1) I shouldn't log this weight gain until it passes, right? I don't look like I've gained weight and yet -- 5 lbs!
2) What are some effective remedies?? Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks!

AlsDonkBoxSquat

dried fruit
coffee
or you could take a laxative and don't make any plans


Don't change your eating away from something more healthy, your body will adjust if you allow it. Don't worry about stepping on the scale until this passes. If you have disordered eating, you shouldn't really be stepping on the scale anyway.

That is a whole load of **** right there!

kowajenn

Despite eating plenty of fiber and drinking tons of water, I am always constipated. Exercise helps, but not nearly as much as Miralax does. Talk to your doc and see what he/she has to recommend for you.

ewrob

You could try eating foods that are high in fiber, like avocados or prunes.

JustAnotherGirlSuzanne

Sweet bell peppers are my secret weapon against constipation. Make yourself a "stuffed pepper" dish.

Lemmynade

Overnight Docolax. Works wonders. Expect a wake up about 6 hours in though...

judypriv

I've started juicing one meal a day and I no longer suffer with constipation which had been a burden to me since my oldest was born 7 years ago. The main reason I changed my eating habits was the fear i had from one too many constipation situations and seeing my mom have her colon resectioned this spring after a lifetime of eating poorly and diverticulosis. So have you tried juicing one meal? Oranges? Blueberries or flax seeds?

VeganLexi

Prune juice.

darkguardian419

buttsecks :happy:

pinkledoodledoo

Given your particular circumstances, I would double check with your doctor before trying any home remedies (in case your previous ED could have caused some more complicated issues) but my suggestion would be either stool softener (Dulcolax or similar) or if you're more into natural remedies then any tea with senna (many of the "slimming" teas have it or you can make your own using pretty easily with a tea ball).

Tessyloowhoo

over sweeten some herbal tea with fake sweetener... it is known to have a laxative effect

stealthq

Part of that weight gain will be from replenishing intramuscular glycogen stores. Part will be from the food you're storing.

If you're having trouble and drinking lots of water and eating lots of fiber isn't helping, time for a laxative. If the recommended dose of that doesn't work, time to visit a doc and get something stronger.

stumblinthrulife

Make like an accountant - sit down and work it out with a pencil.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

Seriously though, the best thing you can do is get medical advice.

Failing that, try a gentle laxative, like miralax. Start with a cap full dissolved in water/juice every day for a week. Then trail it off, 3/4 cap full a day for a week, 1/2 cap full a day for a week, 1/4 cap full a day a week, then stop. Drink plenty of water during the process.

Source : this was my my pediatrician's recommendation when my daughter was suffering from chronic constipation causing severe abdominal pain. The problem was solved in about a week and a half, and by tailing off the dosage we avoided 'rebound constipation'. It's about giving your body a bit of extra help to get things moving, then gradually removing the help as your body adjusts to moving stool efficiently again.

igotabulletproofheart

1. Don't log it

2. Yoga!!
Also:
- Hot water (like coffee/tea minus the coffe/tea)
- Extra fiber (my mum and I find having 3+ apples a day helps tremendously!)
- Jogging/walking fast/exercise
- Cut down the refined carbs and sugars

RobbinRL

I have been successfully recovering from an eating disorder where I severely restricted. Now that I'm eating a healthy amount ( and trying to put on weight! ), I'm assuming my digestive system has to get used to taking in food again -- which is the reason for my constipation.

My weight has gone up 5 lbs in 5 days, and it's a nuisance because I am trying to gain weight, and this can't be real weight gain! So it's frustrating me as to what to log, how much to be eating, etc. etc. I think I'm going to have to step away from the scale until this passes..

It's been like this for 5 days and I've been eating lots of fiber and drinking lots of water -- still nothing.
I have really bad cramps as a result, and I look pregnant!

So, I suppose I have two questions:
1) I shouldn't log this weight gain until it passes, right? I don't look like I've gained weight and yet -- 5 lbs!
2) What are some effective remedies?? Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks!

I had some stomach issues and Metamucil (1 tbsp 2 x per day) and a probiotic pill works for me. Makes things go much more normally. With the Metamucil if you choose to try it, begin at 1 x per day for a couple weeks then bump it up to 2 x per day. I now after taking it about 6 months only do it 1 time per day. The probiotic really settled my bloating down from constipation.

I also do power walking every day and that can assist in your body moving things around and relieving itself also.

I hope something here works for you, sounds miserable. Don't give up and stay eating healthy things will pay off for you.

Robbin

stealthq

over sweeten some herbal tea with fake sweetener... it is known to have a laxative effect

Too individual and sweetener dependent. Unless the OP already knows that a particular sweetener causes them a problem, they'd have to experiment.

thegilly6

Enema.

deksgrl

Prune Juice. Seriously, does nobody have a grandmother any more?

harleygroomer

I have added a lot of fiber to my diet BUT, Walmart has their own brand of a "vegetable laxative" that I take twice week as I don't eat a lot myself. It is non addicting and when I get icky and grumpy--I KNOW IT IS TIME. But that being said, my trainer has added a lot of fiber to my diet. My favs are the fiber one 90 cal bars I use for breakfast or a snack and they make a fiber one 80 cal chocolate cereal that I divide into the 3/4 cup baggies for a snack when I need my chocolate. Not THAT is totally worth it. But I have to check daily at the store when I get low--it has become all the rage HERE.....Keep the faith--it gets better!!

MinnieInMaine

Sweet bell peppers are my secret weapon against constipation. Make yourself a "stuffed pepper" dish.

Agreed! There are a couple recipes in my favorites group that tend to cause a little extra bathroom time the next morning and both have 3 bell peppers included. Prune juice is a pretty common natural remedy.

Also, something no one else has mentioned yet, make sure you're not cutting the dietary fat too much. A litle healthy fat is needed to keep these sorts of things in balance. There's a common mindset that fat makes us fat but that's just not true....too many calories makes us fat. So try to make sure you're including healthy oils in your recipes, eat whole eggs, nuts, seeds, or take a supplement like fish oil pills.

coffee_fiend

Whoa! So many responses! Thank you all so much!!