Hard to go to the bathroom?

cdcjensen

I'm down 120 lbs with 30 to go. This may sound nuts (hopefully not vulgar), but in the last month or so, I find that I often have a hard time going to the bathroom (either one). The urge will be there, but when I sit down, things just won't happen (not always, but at least half the time). I have no pain or discomfort, etc. I will definitely see my doctor if it doesn't "correct" soon, but I was just curious if anyone else who has lost a lot of weight experienced this. It sounds silly, but part of me wonders if things inside shift around from so much weight loss! Not looking for a diagnosis -- I will let my doctor do that. I'm truly just curious if anyone else experienced this because the massive weight loss is the only thing that has happened (I haven't been sick, pregnant, have any other symptoms or conditions, etc).

tiptoethruthetulips

I assume you are drinking plenty of fluid, getting plenty of fibre? What about fats?

Don't have anything else to offer sorry.

cdcjensen

I assume you are drinking plenty of fluid, getting plenty of fibre? What about fats?

Don't have anything else to offer sorry.

Yep. Not always, but I have definitely put a focus on that in the last few months as the final pounds become harder to lose. Of course, maybe I have unrealistic expectations of how often I should be going as a result of so much water, etc!

sadrithmora

What diet plan are you following? Did you by any chance stop eating grains?

cdcjensen

What diet plan are you following? Did you by any chance stop eating grains?

Not on a specific diet plan, but now that you say it, I don't eat a whole lot of grains -- I admit I've limited them due to some mild allergies I have with a lot of grains and with carb amounts of others. Maybe I should bump it up a little for those I know don't cause a reaction. Thanks for the feedback.

psych101

Are you feeling ok?

I haven't had any issues (other than when pregnant) with this and I've lost almost as much as you have. I do notice I have problems when I don't pay a lot of attention to my fibre intake - with paying more attention to my protein lately, my body certainly lets me know if I need to pay more attention to fibre lol

beckyjeanleemaddox

Yes, I've noticed it too. Try eating some beans, they have a lot of fiber. My daughter takes the fiber chews every day. I've cut down on bread, pasta, potatoes, corn etc. I eat mostly veggies, fruit and protein, When I eat a lot of grain I have body aches.

kbmnurse

Really? Is nothing personal?

cdcjensen

Are you feeling ok?

I haven't had any issues (other than when pregnant) with this and I've lost almost as much as you have. I do notice I have problems when I don't pay a lot of attention to my fibre intake - with paying more attention to my protein lately, my body certainly lets me know if I need to pay more attention to fibre lol

I feel great! But, I've done the same thing as you -- heavy focus on my protein now that I'm strength training. Maybe I just need to work a little harder to get everything in balance.

sadrithmora

Not eating grains is not a bad thing, In fact, that's what the paleo is actually focuses on. Grains increase inflammation levels in your intestines and decrease the amount of nutrients you get from other food (according to them). All i was getting at is when I switched to no-grain diet, I noticed that I have bowel movements a lot less. My doctor said it's perfectly normal and recommended that I eat more leafy vegetables. Now everything is back to normal. If you give it a go and it doesn't work, you really might want to consult with your doctor because it's not normal and might indicate some underlying health problem. But in general, fiber from vegetables (especially the leafy kind), helps with those kind of things a lot.

Edit: you might also want to up your carb amount if your exercises consist of cardio. Doesn't mean you should start eating grains again. Another possibility might be diary products. Quite a lot of people are lactose intolerant so might cause issues. As a side note, if you only changed your diet recently, give it a bit of time and see if your body adjusts.

tinkbaby101

If you're doing a lot of focus on protein, that can cause some... back-up so to speak. Taking a fiber supplement, or just plain eating more fiber will help. And water intake, of course. I'd be more concerned about the fact that #1 is equally difficult for you. My husband lost 150lbs, is required to be on a very protein-focused diet, and does experience lots of potty problems if he forgets his fiber supplement. Never heard of him having issues urinating, though. Hope that helps!

Jennbaker68

try using a magnesium powder, usually a couple of doses will do.

aliakynes

Don't wait to see a doc if your pee is coming out dark.

skrlec70

happens to me when I drop carbs and just stick to protein

takeadeepbreath

Constipation is easy to treat with increased fiber, fat, fluids and movement. If you're doing all of those things, ask your doctor for advice.

If you're having difficulty urinating (and I may have read your question wrong, so if you aren't, ignore this), that's a different and more important problem. You should be urinating at least every six hours, and it should not be painful or difficult. Are you a man or woman? How old are you? If you're an older man, it could be that your prostate is getting in the way a bit (this is fairly common and easy-ish to treat). If you aren't, there could be something else going on and you definitely should follow up with your doctor either way.

Edmond_Dantes

How many kids have you had? Any bulging with straining?

cdcjensen

Thanks everyone for good feedback. What I could tie to my own situation based on this thread is that my recent focus on increased protein and reduced carbs may be a contributing factor. Going to make some minor adjustments to account for that and give it a little time. Many thanks again -- couldn't be making this weight loss journey without the great support of people like you.