TMI Question

GARider

So, let me preface this by saying if you are eating, you may want to stop reading at this point because I am going to discuss #2....

My whole life I have been lucky if I have a bowel movement every 2 to 3 days. I get it; that's what I've been dealt with and I live with it. I very rarely ever take laxatives, maybe once or twice a year if I have severe stomach cramps and I'm so bloated, I just can't get anything moving through if you know what I mean...

I have been to a Proctologist a couple of years ago just to check everything out and everything was OK and he basically said not to come back till I was 50. So, in the mean time, do any of you suffer from this type of constant constipation and what do you do to alleviate it? I drink a TON of water everyday. Probably close to 100 oz, if not more. I have completely stopped drinking coffee and soda. I've tried Metamucil powder, fiber pills, and nothing works. I'm betting I could drop 5 to 7 pounds if only I could take a good poop :blushing: every day. I am so tired of my stomach constantly looking preggers because of the bloating, but nothing I've tried works.

TanajaP

how much dairy do you consume? anytime my husband has a lot of dairy that happens to him.

another thing i'd suggest is flax seed. it's only a few dollars at walmart for a good sized box. a few tablespoons of that in your food each day should have you goin for sure! and not the hurty bloaty ahhhh something is ripping my intestines and colon apart feeling. a normal oooo i gotta poop feelin. lol

FunSize2009

Have you tried the Master Cleanse (a.k.a. lemonade) diet?

GARider

I don't consume a lot of dairy. Maybe 8oz of skim milk a day or a little cheese. I will give the flax seed a try. Where do I find that in the grocery store? Is it in the health food section or is it located near breakfast cereals? Can I put it on anything??

DanaBravo

I was in the same situation as you. I drink a LOT of water and still was constipated. My doctor suggested the fiber you add to your bottled water and take it every day. So that is the first thing I do when I get to work. Buy two bottles of water (cold) and add a fiber packet to it. I really like the flavor of CVS brand (pomegranate cranberry) the benefiber one was too stong for me, flavor wise. So after about a week of taking it I saw results. If I forget on the weekend I certainly know it (no bowel movement or hard to go). I hope this helps because I certainly know how it feels! :drinker:

marci355

Go back to your doctor. A good gastroenterolgist might be the one you want to see. This is not healthy and you need a doctors visit, hon. Get a second opinion from someone else. This is not good for your body. Hang in there....

coderchris

I would go to a gastroenterologist. I take Benefiber three times a day and it really helps. Hope you get some answers that is just plain miserable to feel like that.

PeachyKeene

Go back to your doctor. A good gastroenterolgist might be the one you want to see. This is not healthy and you need a doctors visit, hon. Get a second opinion from someone else. This is not good for your body. Hang in there....

I agree!

Abells

You may want to actually drink coffee -- it's a mild laxative...maybe it will help

Becky1971

Two things that have made a huge difference for me, even when water and fruits/vegies didn't do too much, as well as cutting caffiene and asparteme, and thats Flax oil capsules, and eating gluten free.

GARider

Have not heard of Master Cleanse??? I will be Googling shortly - thanks..

I know I should get back to the doctor about the not going #2. But the gyno and the back region are two places I really don't like doctors poking around in. I mean really? I have mentioned it before to my regular doctor and they never seem too interested so that's why I have just dealt with it.

michelle4271

I have to take stool softeners EVERYDAY (straight colace - can be taken without consequence). You can take up to 3 per day (I've gotten it down to 2), but I have to make sure that I'm eating WELL.

The better I eat, the less likely I also need a laxative. when taking fiber, you do need to increase your water to make it work, otherwise you will end up constipated.

I believe the name of the fiber to take recommended by two of my doctors (primary care and my colorectol surgeon ) is Miralax or something like that.

Hope you can get things straightened out...good luck to you

kate2004rock

I was at the GI recently for some other GI issues (yay colonoscopy on Monday at 25 years old! I am excited just to see how much weight I lose from the prep.) I was talking to him about how I may or may not go every day and often I may go a day or two without a BM. He said that this is more common than the people that can go every day, on command. So I would say don't worry if you don't poop EVERY DAY.

That being said, it shouldn't hurt and you should NOT be constipated and/or in pain. The doctor also told me that EVERY adult with an American diet has to take increased fiber, be it metamucil, fiber cereal or whatever.

And my own observation--ever since I started really paying attention and ACTIVELY drinking 60-64 oz. of water every day---my pooping has gotten much more frequent and bigger!

kate2004rock

Sorry for the double post -- slow connection!

TanajaP

flax seed is actually in the baking section. the kind i get is in a brown box. hodgskins mill or something like that. you can put it on anything. i put in my kids food and they never know. it tastes kind of like an almond with skin.

i don't think that pooping every 2 days means that something is wrong with you so to speak. my son only poops every other day and his tummy is perfectly fine. but i'm not saying you shouldn't get it checked out if it's really concerning you.

PalmettoparkGuy

Try Activia, or other yogurts with acidophilus in it. Also check your vitamin store, there are a lot of vitamins and supplements for healthy digestion. I had the same problem. My personal solution was Fiber One cereal and a cup of Folgers instant coffee first thing in the morning. I've been regular for 3 months.

milaxx

Try this. The good thing is you will know within a week if it's working or not and within 2 weeks you should see a noticeable different. Cut out all dairy products, no milk, butter or cheese. At the same time cut out gluten or wheat products. You will have to read labels like crazy since gluten is hidden in nearly everything. Cut back or red meat, stick to lean chicken, turkey and fish. Continue to eat plenty of fruit and veg. and drink your water.

Many people have problem processing dairy and wheat products and end up with blocked or tight bowels. Once you are going normally (at least 1 time a day) you can slowly begin to add these things back. Your body will let you know how much of it you can tolerate and you can adjust your eating from there.

Milk replacements can be soy, rice or almond milk.
Pasta replacements can be brown rice or quinoa pastas
Butter replacements can be olive oil or virgin coconut oil
The only cheese replacement I have found is Daiya cheese (it's made from tapioca) or Lisanitta almond cheese.

These changes along with plenty of water should have you going like a champ. I honestly go anywhere from 2 - 4 times a day.

maddymama

Sooo.... I was just reading The Flat Belly Diet book (got it for super cheap for my Kindle).... and there is a chapter on an anti-bloat 4 day jump start to their main diet. You eat a specific diet and drink some Sassy water for 4 days, it's supposed to help with the bloat that you are feeling. You might want to give that a try. I haven't, and don't know anyone who has done it, but it sounds like it might make you feel a bit better.
Good luck!
~maddymama

GARider

I don't think I have any health issues either; but I do think I should go more frequently than I do and I can tell when I'm "backed" up so to speak. I'm going to give the flax seed a try first since I have tried the variations of the powders and pills. If that doesn't work then it may be on to the Master Cleanse.

Thanks everyone for great responses and I'm so glad everyone feels comfortable discussing their bowel movements with me.

iamMaLisa

i was in the same situation for many years, people were always asking me when my baby was due! so depressing. after years of this i was told i had IBS and if i took some probiotics it would help. but a good gastroenterologist will be your best bet. I take one daily and it has helped alot, they have one at Wal-greens just for IBS and it helped the constipation.

Heatherbelle_87

You may not have a health "issue" but you may want to try going gluten free. Most of the population has a gluten sensitivity (not as severe as celiacs) you would need to try it for 3-4 weeks. and dont go out and buy tons of gluten free pasta's ect focus on natural foods, rice, is you like crackers multi-seed are the best flavored ones Ive found, this also encourages a higher protein lower carbd iet which is helpful in weight loss

LadyKT

Apples & yogurt!!! - i notice when i have these in a day (not necessarily together) that i have to go pretty badly!

cawfeesong

My son only went once a week since he has been potty trained (He is 12 now) I mentioned it to doctors and they blew me off, but this spring I started giving him fiber pills twice daily and a fiber one granola bar daily and he goes almost every day now.

daisyelaine

One thing with the flax seed-- make sure it's GROUND flax. Flax seed that aren't will just pass through your system without any health benefits. You can buy either type ( they're usually in the bulk food spots where I shop) , and they're both quite inexpensive. You can grind them yourself with a coffee grinder, or I just throw some in my Magic Bullet. Once you have them ground, keep them refrigerated ( like you would with wheat germ, etc.). I use a ton of flax-- throw a tablespoon in a smoothie, put in yogurt with fruit, or in my oatmeal in the morning. I have a bunch of recipes if you're looking.. my fav is a Flax Sunflower Seed Bread for my breadmaker. ANNNDD, you get lots of Omegas with flax too!

Hope things start moving more smoothly for you!

joeysrib

First let me say this, I am an LPN, my recommendation is go see your general practitioner, today. Second, that was the way one of my nurses aides bowel habits, she went to her Dr, and he told her to start taking miralax, every day, cleared her up in no time.

kfitz10103

I used to only have a BM about every 4-5 days, but now that I am eating lower calories its everyday. I eat a high fiber english muffin almost everyday so I think that helps. I think there is adifference between soluble and non soluble fiber that can make a difference in how easy it is to digest. Have you tried benefiber?

Boladefuego326

Hey hunnie, I actually have the same issue. I have suffered from it for years thanks to the poor bowels of my father...grrrrrrrrrrrr. Anyways, I did probably everything...from miralax...to a crap load of fiber every day...to even laxies every 3 days just to keep me regular. I walk/job alot and do yoga when I can. I drink plenty of water and found that coffee every morning or every two days helps A LOT. I haven't taking a laxi for about 2 months now. I've been going every morning ...(give or take lol)

anyways i hope this helps some

good luck!!!!

cazzincali

I have to take stool softeners EVERYDAY (straight colace - can be taken without consequence). You can take up to 3 per day (I've gotten it down to 2), but I have to make sure that I'm eating WELL.

The better I eat, the less likely I also need a laxative. when taking fiber, you do need to increase your water to make it work, otherwise you will end up constipated.

I believe the name of the fiber to take recommended by two of my doctors (primary care and my colorectol surgeon ) is Miralax or something like that.

Hope you can get things straightened out...good luck to you

Taking a stool softener everyday (Colace) DOES have consequence. If you MUST take a stool softener, try to find something natural/organic. And Miralax is a laxative.

The reason your MD probably didn't think anything of it is because it is considered "within normal limits" to have a BM once every 3 days. Everyone is different and some people go daily, others do not. You shouldn't go BEYOND 3 days, though. The thing is this: the painful bloating part isn't something you should be experiencing. I would emphasize that symptom when you get back to MD. Others on here were correct to direct you to a Gastroenterologist.

stinabear13

there could be something further up the bowels or a problem with the intestines contracting and pushing waste along. it stinks to take laxatives but dont wait until you are in bad pain for them. i hate taking meds. even for a headache., try the flax and other diet changes getting with a nutritionist and a gastro dr, like both in same room to work together helping you. if there are certain foods or things you know losen you up just take them. its partly why i wont give up my morning coffee, the sweetners in my creamer make me have to poo. but at times i dont go for days and it cramps and gets bad bloated like you. i notice since im on a 1,200 cal diet i dont have as large bm. if you hate the laxatives but love cheese cake, hehe ya could melt down some of the laxatve chews with lil watter and add them to a cheese cake, and cheat a little on a diet by eating it, and ya wont notice any taste over the yummy cheese cake, just lable it so other family knows it will make them poo too.

mommyoftwins05

Thanks so much for posting this..the last two days I've had major stomach pain.. because I was constipated.. I know I don't go #2 as much as I should.. but I never felt like that before...

where do I find the fiber for the water??

also where do I find flax seeds?

thumper44

I used to be like that.
I now take a digestive cleanse herbal pill called "Experience"
You can take it mixed in as a herbal tea, or you can take it as a capsule.

Because of this I am able to have a great feeling of emptying after a BM and going 1-3 times a day.
This herbal product has 6 herbs.

Medicinal Ingredients:
Experience contains a proprietary blend of Senna Leaves (Senna Angustifolia)
Non-Medicinal Ingredients:
Psyllium Seed Husk (Plantago ovata), Fennel Seed (Foeniculum vulgare), Corn Silk (Stigmata maydis), Solomon's seal [Rhizome] (Polygonatum multiflorum), Kelp (Fucus vesiculosus), Black Seed (Nigella sativa), Vegetable cellulose (capsule).

I've seen online that other people have had success with Psylium Seed and someone else with Senna.