Anyone Else Have the Same Problem??

Have you tried... prunes, popcorn, coffee? How high did you bring up your fiber? I only get regular if I'm like 25-30g per day.

Check out Renew Life's Organic Cleanse. It's a good idea to do every 6 months or so. Get all the crud out. Follow the directions closely. Limit or eliminate your caffine. It was hard for me so I just stuck to coffee pot coffee. Drink LOTS of water. I had good results from it. It's a 2 weeks cleanse.

Last summer I lost 12 pounds and started experiencing the same problem. I was going almost 2 weeks before I could experience a bowel movement. My doctor told me to take a laxative for temporary relief but I had to take a double dose and wait for a few days before I felt any relief...and it wasn't very pleasant when I did get the relief. If you've experienced some recent weight loss, I would guess that you're constipation could be just from the lack of waste in your body. Your body might just need some time getting used your diet.

I had the same problem when I was pregnant with all of my children, it got soooo bad it was crazy! I tried EVERYTHING!!! I found the only thing that helped which was recommended by my OB was physillium cereal, it is nasty and I had to plug my nose while gagging it down, lol, but it did work! Also sometimes canned spinach will help me as well! My daughter is also constipated, the only thing that works for her is 100% prune juice! Also remember to stay away from things like white breads, rice and pasta as well as bananas, cheese and chocolate! I know your probably not comsuming a lot of those at this point anyways!

Lack of fat in the diet is one trigger.

Too much fiber actually does the reverse of what it's supposed to and causes further constipation.

My fiance is having the same type of stomach/intestional issues. Since he doesn't have health insurance yet, we have been doing the "try this, try that" method of healthcare. We have discovered that he is super sensitive to artificial sweeteners. He has completely cut diet sodas out of his diet and has switched to flavored waters. We were using the Walmart brand and things were fine. Then Crystal Light became cheaper and that's when the problems started. He had intense burning and pain while defecating, severe constipation, and major bloating. We switched back to the Walmart brand and the problems have ceased. Sorry if this post was a little TMI, but sometimes just saying it is the best way to describe it.

So, long story short, I'm not sure if you use a lot of artificial sweeteners, but that might be a culprit. Cleanses are okay, however, I would recommend plenty of water with a soluble fiber supplement. They are a little gentler and you will keep "the good stuff" in your intestines/colon and will reduce your chance of becoming dehydrated. And when you get too dehydrated, the viscious cycle starts again...bloating, weight gain, constipation, etc.

Stretching and twisting your body! When you stretch and twist it actually internally massages your intestines and digestive tract helping to regulate GI problems. Look up Yoga for GI problems or check out YogaRX to find some great tummy twists and inversions to help. Deep breathing, meditation and relaxation also help tremendously! You can also find great breathing and meditation exercises if you have a hard time quieting your mind.
Hope it helps!

Be sure the amount of water is enough to make up for the amount of fiber you are eating. I don't have this problem but I have a family member who does and she takes Miralax and swears that it works better than anything else. The only advice I would give you is to eat your fiber in the forms of fruits and veggies because they also contain water. I like dried apricots and the prunes in the cynlinder that are individually wrapped (they are called ones) When I was on Weight Watchers years ago I did have a problem but years later I noticed they added eating healthy oils to their plan and even though I am no longer on WW I do eat 1-2 tsp. each day of olive oil in my cooking . Another suggestion is wWhen you get the urge to go don't put it off. Eat less bananas, cheese, and peanut butter (if you eat these things) they can cause constipation. If you drink coffee you need to drink the same amount of water in addition to your regular amounts to replace the fluid it takes out as it is a diuretic. You might already be doing all of these things. No matter what I think it is a great idea to be checked out by the internist. :flowerforyou:

Organic Smooth Move Laxative tea or Pro-biotics...both can be found at Whole Foods.

Good luck, sounds super uncomfortable!

I don't know if anyone suggested this, but try flax seeds or flax seed oil.

I take a magnesium supplement before bed with 12 ounces of water.

I have this problem too sometimes, despite the fact that I exercise regularly, eat plenty of fiber, and drink 12+ cups of water per day. Honestly, some days all it takes is a brisk walk or jog for a few minutes to get things going, within 30 minutes of eating. Just to be on the safe side, I always stick close to home during the first 15-20 minutes of my walks .

I agree with this also. A lot of times when I go jogging I get the urge within the first 1.5 mile. Also, something I have found extremely helpful since going through all this is this tip: Take the time to relax on the toilet. :blushing: Lean forward while sitting there and take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. It's helped me a lot. :flowerforyou:

There are alot of really great suggestions on here. I, personally, like the internal salt water bathing, as Vallladingham recommended.

But I will say, as someone who suffers from chronic constipation and has done all of the above. From fiber to Master Cleansing! See a GI specialist asap. If you have already done some things, including laxitives, you should probably make sure you do not have some sort of blockage or something esle causing you bowels not to move. It was discovered that I had a redundant colon. As my GI put it, extra plumbing. My colon had twisted. Had I continued putting things in to get it all out, I could have caused my colon to rupture. I also have IBS, caused by my nervous system misfiring and can't process meat. I also discovered that I had multiple food allergies causing GI problems. Removing gluten/wheat and dairy has helped a ton. I can safely cleanse, and I do a few times per year. Sometimes I use a cup of senna tea. I get tons of fiber from whole foods, not supplements...ever. I do have to use a little Librax when stressed because of the nervous system situation.

If the regular things aren't working and you are having such a hard time, don't try to do anything else without the help of a GI specialist. Just make sure your clear, if you know what I mean. Then proceed to try the other stuff. Just don't keep packing in fiber or laxitives if its not coming out. It can get REAL uncomfortable, and having a blockage removed digitally, lets just say, its not a nice experience.

i found that when i first started to diet I was a bit constipated - i think its your body going into shock after starting to eat healthy - I found the Kiwi fruits really helped - just a couple on the first day and then one every day until it has eased