Poop Talk

crlujan

Sorry for the topic but...
Is anyone else having problems?

Is it the Whey Protein Shakes for breakfast? The GNC Extreme Athlete Vitapak? I've been drinking more than enough water. I've had my coffee. Salads. All kinds of stuff.

Ex•Lax works overnight but you're not supposed to keep that up for more than a week.

What's the problem?

platoniclover

I'm no expert on these matters, but you might try psyllium husk tablets (I think they have about 1 gram of fiber per pill?) I think they're much healthier than laxatives since they're just natural plant fiber like you get in food, without added chemicals, without "stimulating" effects. Just be sure you drink a lot of water with them. Also I find that getting good sleep is vital for healthy bowel habits, too.

Nickstery

I have gone through this as well.. I find when i stay on top of my Fruit the poop comes easily, and then times when I don't it is no so much... I have gone almost a week without one movement..... This may be weird.. but normal for me.

Mindful_Trent

From Webmd:

What Causes Constipation?
Constipation is usually caused by a disorder of bowel function rather than a structural problem. Common causes of constipation include:

Inadequate water intake.
Inadequate fiber in the diet.
A disruption of regular diet or routine; traveling.
Inadequate activity or exercise or immobility.
Eating large amounts of dairy products.
Stress.
Resisting the urge to have a bowel movement, which is sometimes the result of pain from hemorrhoids.
Overuse of laxatives (stool softeners) which, over time, weaken the bowel muscles.
Hypothyroidism.
Neurological conditions such as Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis.
Antacid medicines containing calcium or aluminum.
Medicines (especially strong pain medicines, such as narcotics, antidepressants, or iron pills).
Depression.
Eating disorders.
Irritable bowel syndrome.
Pregnancy.
Colon cancer.


I know that personally, I can eat plenty of fiber, plenty of water and still have occasional irregularity. I find that if I take probiotics regularly, it helps significantly. I take the liquid probiotics rather than the yogurt with probiotics - I'd rather take the plain probiotics personally, and the liquid seems to work better than the capsules. Also, if I'm eating too much dairy it can impact me in this area.

I would make sure you're eating enough fiber - salads aren't usually enough - you need other sources of both insoluble and soluble fiber to be most effective. If your okay on fiber, water, exercise, etc. then try some of the less conventional solutions, like the probiotics. You could try cutting back on dairy, if you eat a lot of it. Gluten also causes problems for some people. Medications can also be a cause - look up any that you take to see if this can be a side effect.

In the end it's trial and error until you figure out what's causing your particular problem.

Centerstagekris

Yes! I take metamucil on and off and it does seem to help!

edorice

What are you drinking your protein with? Are you taking in a lot of dairy?

mirenner

prunes or peaches do wonders for me when i am... um... backed up like a post office on Christmas Eve...

Speaking of... less than 10 days left, people.

htimpaired

Lol, I do have this problem. Won't take laxatives because of the nasty effects we are all familiar with.
I was taking Fiber Choice chewables (the sugar free ones because of calorie count) but they are expensive and I'm on a budget. So I did start eating a serving of prunes daily, and I feel much...lighter. Things are moving along nicely.

MzBug

When things get a little slow in that area I have a bowl of Bran Buds for a few days. 13g of fiber in 1/3 cup of cereal. Cheaper than the fiber suppliments. I have even mixed it in yogurt and sprinkled it on salads.

hpsnickers1

I have gone through this as well.. I find when i stay on top of my Fruit the poop comes easily, and then times when I don't it is no so much... I have gone almost a week without one movement..... This may be weird.. but normal for me.

I think I have to agree with this one. I have IBS so I have suffered with 'poop problems' for a long time. I've slacked on my fruit lately and have noticed a slow down - during the week anyway because of being at work. Weekends are no problem at all. Sometimes I eat Fiber One Original which has 14g. MFP gave me 14g daily but I upped it to 25g.

I am curious on the Whey Protein though. I only started it this week. Apples worked great for me in the past.

bethvandenberg

are you getting enough fiber in your diet? Maybe try adding to your fiber intake.