a little personal but...

Yurippe

what is everyone's thoughts on colonics or cleanses?

i'm feeling a little *ahem* backed up. it may be due to stress but man, i know this discomfort is part of why i feel bad about myself right now. i usually have a trip to the bathroom at least twice a day. i'm at every other day for the past two weeks. can't be good.

if i grossed you out..sorry :frown:

Ready for TMI? If not you're going to want to skip this post.

If you are in pain then waiting a few days for the fiber to clean you out might be a mistake. What happens if your colon is so impacted that it ruptures? Seeing a doctor might be a good idea if it gets really bad.

Last year on a business trip I got so "backed up" that I thought I my apendix was about to burst or that I was trying to pass a stone. I was in crippling pain for 3 days and had to take off work. I went to the doctor and the xrays they took showed that my abdomen was literally full. The persciption that took care of the issue was over the counter. 2 tablespoons of Milk of Magnesia every two hours until I saw results. It took 6 painful hours for it to finnaly work, but I've been regular (several times a day) ever since.

rcatr

Thanks for all the replies, guys!
I had a cup of coffee this morning and am still waiting for some magic. going to look into magnesium and maybe the epsom salt with water...yowza.
Really weird when your body doesn't let go. tmi. but honestly, i just feel a little toxic or maybe i'm just being a little mental.

nolachick

I'm glad someone brought this up.

I am never quite "regular" and am looking for ways to help with that.

I take fiber supps and eat plenty of fruits and veggies and lots of water but it still doent quite do the trick.

I was wondering if anyone has tried activia?

I hate yogurt and hate even more to waste the calories on something I dont like but if it will work, I would goive it a shot.

I eat Activia "FIBER - Strawberries & Cereal" and I do like it and I think it does work. I eat one everyday (Mon - Fri usually) as my midmorning snack to help me hold over until lunch and I think it does work.

I also used Cascara Sagrada tablets for some time but the bottle says it shudnt be used for more than 1 week so I stopped. Very effective tho.

Lparault

I'm glad someone brought this up.

I am never quite "regular" and am looking for ways to help with that.

I take fiber supps and eat plenty of fruits and veggies and lots of water but it still doent quite do the trick.

I was wondering if anyone has tried activia?

I hate yogurt and hate even more to waste the calories on something I dont like but if it will work, I would goive it a shot.

I eat Activia "FIBER - Strawberries & Cereal" and I do like it and I think it does work. I eat one everyday (Mon - Fri usually) as my midmorning snack to help me hold over until lunch and I think it does work.

I also used Cascara Sagrada tablets for some time but the bottle says it shudnt be used for more than 1 week so I stopped. Very effective tho.

There is an over the counter product called Align that is a probiotic capsule. Same active ingredients as yougurt, but no calories. And don't feel bad, I'm eating enough fiber to founder a horse and drinking enough water to kill a fish and the, uh, log truck still won't dump...I feel ya!:sad:

questionablemethods

It's interesting that people recommend magnesium supplements... I would never do that but we do take people off them if they are having diarrhoea because one of the side-effects is stomach upset - so not sure if this is the 'solution' you are after.

Magnesium definitely can cause diarrhea. My doctor (who is also particularly knowledgeable about nutrition and alternative medicine, which many are not) says that if someone is having trouble getting magnesium from their diet she tells them that in order to find the correct dosage with which to supplement, you should "gradually up the dose until you get diarrhea and then back down a bit". I don't know about all of the implications for supplementing with it long term and I don't do so personally, but a bit in the short term will get things "cleared out" -- that's what epsom salts does.

If you do try the epsom salts (magnesium sulfate), be warned that it WILL increase the water content of your stool. It might not make for a particularly "pleasant" experience, but constipation isn't very pleasant either. It took overnight for it to work for me, but can take a lot less time for some. Be near a bathroom.

sonjavon

I don't recommend the Senna teas for long term use... but certainly if you need a little boost to go... I wouldn't hesitate to use it. I've used the Smooth Move tea and it does work.

When my son was having problems (MAJOR PROBLEMS) the doctor put him on Miralax. You can now buy it over the counter. It's safe to take every 2-3 hours until your produce a movement. My son was on it for a little over a year and it helped him to retrain his bowels to "go".

Drink a lot of water. If you can't do water... find some liquid that you can get enough of... I keep herbal teas and crystal light on hand for times when I need to drink a large amount.

Avoid fiber from "products" and stick to fiber that comes from veggies and fruits... it's my experience that my body handles it much better.

Fat... add a little extra "good fat" to your diet... nuts, avacadoes, olive oil... it helps!

As for colonics/cleanses? It's not my preference and I'd only do it if my doctor recommended it as a necessary treatment.

Hope you feel better soon!!!

KarenECunningham

This problem can occur when you are losing weight. I would drink extra water and increase my fruits and vegetables. There are foods that can compound the problem so go easy on the cheese, bananas and peanut butter. Be sure you are getting enough healthy oils in your diet as well. We need the right kind of oils to help our body function.

lucky1ns

"There is an over the counter product called Align that is a probiotic capsule. Same active ingredients as yougurt, but no calories. And don't feel bad, I'm eating enough fiber to founder a horse and drinking enough water to kill a fish and the, uh, log truck still won't dump...I feel ya! "

Thanks for that!!

wantstobefit

Not personal at all... I've found the old addage 'Input, Output' to be true... if you are eating LESS, you will go LESS. If you are eating healthy foods, your body will use more of it too!!!

wantstobefit

Not personal at all... I've found the old addage 'Input, Output' to be true... if you are eating LESS, you will go LESS. If you are eating healthy foods, your body will use more of it too!!!

mlv333

I usually read everything to make sure this hasn't been said before, but there are a lot of responces. the "cleanses" that I have seen are just stool softners Colase and Senna. They take the water from your interstitial fluid and put it in your colon. In my opinion, save your money and side effects, eat enough fiber and drink enough water. Unless you have bowel problems, you really don't need the OTC drugs.

LessOfJess10

Hi, I actually did a total body cleanse.. What a waste of money.. I am not regular at all so I thought, hey, what a way to jump start... Boy was I wrong.. It did not help.. So I decided to circular file that system and started to substitute my regular whole grain breads and cereals for Fiber one 100% whole wheat breads, fiber one cereals... I have been getting more than 100% of my required fiber intake and I feel great! Save the money on the cleansers and try these.. They are awesome! my opinion only of course.. Lots of water too...Good luck..

July24Lioness

The biggest thing is when you are already constipated adding fiber is going to add to the problem as it is dry and constipation is caused from the lack of water.............

See how the issue can get ummm, more compacted?

The best thing to get things moving is all natural...........Warm fluids and magnesium. Once things get moving, then add in more fiber to keep it moving................

July24Lioness

A moderate amount of fiber = good

A LOT of fiber (i.e. Metamucil pigout) = bad

The converse of what we think, too much fiber can cause constipation, gas, and digestive strife. Dietary fats, moderate fiber (I recommend flax), and plenty of liquid (water, or warm herbal tea - NOT laxative tea) will usually perform miracles. If something a little heavier is needed, try 1 tsp of epsom salt added to a glass of 8-10 oz lukewarm water. Drink...and be near a bathroom.

Edit: oh yes, and also a magnesium tablet will help.

Wow, we must totally think so much alike!!! We both said pretty much the same thing.............

I see that people are pushing too much fiber and I fear that it will worsen the issue the original poster is already having. When your constipated already, adding more fiber is just going to make matters worse...........

I would rather rely on water, fats and whatever fiber I get from the veggies I eat and I am very regular. No issues at all.

HealthyChanges2010

I'm not a big fan of cleanses. I think if you drink lots of water and eat some fiber you'll be fine.

:drinker: :flowerforyou:

jmdolan

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I see that people are pushing too much fiber and I fear that it will worsen the issue the original poster is already having. When your constipated already, adding more fiber is just going to make matters worse...........


[/quote]

Im glad people are recognizing this. I have alot of digestive health issues. And too much fiber WILL make it worse unless supplemented with TONS of water (im talking like a gallon)... When i went to my dr. he said not to over do it with the fiber and when it gets really bad to put miralax in my water before bed for a few nights and see if it helps. However, I would try the natural stuff (ie: magnesium) & water before trying anything else

wantstobefit

My Dr says they are a waste of money... you can go on a good fast and do the same thing.

rcatr

as an update...i'm a bit more "normal" now...:blushing:

YAY... :laugh:

ok..no more talking about it lest i scare it away