Kind of embarassing...

humblemonkey
humblemonkey Posts: 576 Member
edited September 24 in Health and Weight Loss
So this is embarassing and may be TMI...but since Ive started eating healthy again I have been having some...bathroom troubles. I go maybe once every 3 days if I'm lucky. I also get some stomachaches and bloating frequently... I drink anywhere from 1.5-3 liters of water a day... eat drak green veggies like brocolli, spinach , etc almost every day (at least every other).... I eat a TON of fiber... but nothing has helped. I started taking Acidophilus today...anyone have similar issues or know why this could be happening? Or have you had experience with acidophilus working? or not working? any input would be great...

Replies

  • kao708
    kao708 Posts: 813 Member
    I don't have that problem but I didn't cut out foods that are higher in fat. I know that if I completely cut out all the "bad" stuff I was eating before I will never be able to stay focused so I tend to eat some higher fat foods throughout the week which seems to keep the pipes running smooth if you know what I mean! :tongue:
  • rc630
    rc630 Posts: 310 Member
    Try metamucil. Even though you might be eating a diet that's high in fiber, having it in a short amount of time might help you.
    Tea with caffeine also helps, or there are teas that have herbs that supposedly help digestion (I haven't used the latter, but it's worth a shot)
  • lmk224
    lmk224 Posts: 41 Member
    I have the same problem, i am worrying it may just be the lack of so much food going in. I hope our tummys adjust :( other than that i take senna leaf tablets on the 3rd day of not going because it is a natural product and does the job next day.
  • i started drinking a cup of coffee in the morning and it has helped me.
  • might4
    might4 Posts: 99 Member
    How long has it been going on. My body freaked out a little for a couple of weeks and my stool was REALLY hard for a couple of weeks. Probably cause I am eating mostly good food...very little junk. It seemed to go away at about two weeks and things are back to a more normal consistency. (gross sounding...sorry)
  • RachelJE
    RachelJE Posts: 172
    Have you tried Activia? That stuff really made things flow for me!! : P
  • Same problem here. I've been at this for 6 weeks, and it really shows no sign of letting up. I've decided that my system doesn't work as well without all the grease I was eating to lubricate it. :laugh:

    Hang in there. Some days things work better than others. :flowerforyou:
  • Laceylala
    Laceylala Posts: 3,094 Member
    Your body could just be adjusting to the changes..but if you are getting bloating and gas, then I would suspect too much fiber too quickly. Sometimes it can take a while for your body to get used to more veggies and fruit.

    Acidophilus is great. I take it every day and so does mu daughter. Digestive enzymes will also help (yes acidophilus is just that). Trader Joes has a good digestive enzyme that works quite well when I get an upset stomach.
  • spackham
    spackham Posts: 252 Member
    Slippery Elm is an herb in pill form that helps.
  • I've had the same problem since I started eating healthier. Was every day, now it's every 3 days or so.
  • Maybe take it down a notch on the fiber. I know when I've had a lot of fiber I feel like you do. Women just need 28 grams a day :smile:
  • scheys76
    scheys76 Posts: 92 Member
    Something that I have used and worked pretty well was a cup of tea called Smooth Move before bed. You should be able to find it in the tea section of the grocery store. It's made by Traditional Medicinals.
  • Try a half of grapefruit a day. I eat a whole one every other day.
  • SWgal
    SWgal Posts: 62
    I was having similar issues when I first went back to eating vegetarian.

    My body has more or less adjusted, it just takes time.

    I also found if I ate less "soy" products my tummy troubles were lessened.

    Lots of walking and water, and if all else fails the Smooth Move tea...but be careful...it has a powerful effect on some and mild effect on others. Try and take it on an evening before you have no where to go.

    Good luck! :)
  • PamDW
    PamDW Posts: 246
    How long has it been going on. My body freaked out a little for a couple of weeks and my stool was REALLY hard for a couple of weeks. Probably cause I am eating mostly good food...very little junk. It seemed to go away at about two weeks and things are back to a more normal consistency. (gross sounding...sorry)

    Exactly,in most cases your body will figure it out!
  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
    Maybe take it down a notch on the fiber. I know when I've had a lot of fiber I feel like you do. Women just need 28 grams a day :smile:

    Yep. Too much fiber can cause constipation. I had to start eating prunes daily and I take mira-lax every other day just so I won't experience it again.
  • too much fiber isn't always a good thing, you need to gradually up it. Your bowel may have old feces built up inside and everything is not passing properly, I would drink more water & add Aloe Vera Juice to get everything moving. (and cut back a little on the fiber until things feel normal) if it persists, call your doctor, you could have an obstruction or other problem.

    and massaging your bowel helps too (this is one of my favorite practices, just for good health)

    http://www.bellevuemassagetherapy.com/abdominal-massage-for-constipation.html






    i average about 36g per day
  • kiannlouise
    kiannlouise Posts: 310 Member
    My doctor told me to stop eating/drinking dairy products for a week and then just eeze into them again...that seemed to work really well for me?
  • sillygoose1977
    sillygoose1977 Posts: 2,151 Member
    I used to be miserable all the time. I take acidophilus and psylium everyday and drink lots of water. I rarely have problems anymore. If it persists you should really talk to your doctor. No one should have to deal with it being that bad.
  • humblemonkey
    humblemonkey Posts: 576 Member
    Thanks guys...I always ate a lot of fiber and not TOO much greasey foods because my stomach could never handle them...but not i have completely cut out fattening foods and my body is not happy!! I ate healthy my whole life until about 2 years ago when I got engaged to my husband and moved in with him! We went out to eat a lot and ate a lot of processed, more fatty than i was used to foods. Now that I'm trying to go back to my old eating habits I am having this issue. I know I do not have an obstruction, as I am able to pass solid stool.. (sorry TMI)...but I do find that I will feel the urge to go and once I get to the bathroom (tops 5 minutes later)...nothing. I think it is also having a major effect on my weight LOSS....because I feel like I am retaining extra weight possibly. I am in nursing school and also work on the ambulance and had asked my friend whos a PA about the issue...he reccomended the acidolphilus because it is more natural...I used senna a bunch of years ago when I had an issue that lasted a couple weeks then resided itself. I just hope this goes away soon! Its very uncomfrotable to work out (especially running!) when you cant go!! lol...:blushing:
  • Try Miralax, works wonders, no bloating, cramping or other embarrassing side effects and it's not adding more fiber since you don't need it-all that would do is add more gas and pain. Also, your bowels won't become dependent on Miralax like a lot of other laxatives. (IBS sufferer for 15+ years)
  • mrb_9110
    mrb_9110 Posts: 189 Member
    My best friend was having similar problems, despite the fact that she ate tons of fiber filled foods and drank plenty of water. Turns out that she is gluten-intolerant and the fiber filled grains were her problem. A simple blood test confirmed it for her. Hope this helps :)
  • klthomas59
    klthomas59 Posts: 100 Member
    fiberone bars help me
  • amycal
    amycal Posts: 646 Member
    It will take a while. My system is pretty regular now but if I eat too much red meat I have problems! Someone here a while back said flax seeds helps them and I noticed when I started eating flax seed on my oatmeal it did help regulate me. The first few days it was almost the opposite effect! I don't eat flax every day but a few times a week and it is definitely helpful.
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