Having trouble pooping?

GiveTheGeniusACookie
GiveTheGeniusACookie Posts: 23
in Food and Nutrition
I have been having an issue where I am not pooping like I was regularly and it is very uncomfortable. This has happened 2-3 times in the past 2-3 weeks. My daily fiber intake is anywhere from 20-35 everyday. It just dawned on me that the days I did not drink a cup of coffee in the morning the next day I had issues pooping or it was very hard to do so. Since I started MFP all my hemorrhoids have gone away and I really dont want them to revisit. Coffee is your friend just thought I would share this some people may be going through the same thing and this might help them.

I was going to buy a stool softner but I opted to sit down this AM and figure out the reason behind this instead of just shoving some pills down my gullet. Also I am going to eat less fiber on the days I miss my coffee and drink way more water on the days I eat alot. This healthy stuff is hard work.....

Replies

  • LynneyMetcalf
    LynneyMetcalf Posts: 63 Member
    I have experienced the same thing this week, the more I eat healthy the less I 'go'. Its so frustrating as I have a huge bloated tum!! I ended up buying some laxatives. Not sure why this happens though, I thought the point of eating more fibre was that it encouraged movements
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    NO.
  • MsBobLoblaw
    MsBobLoblaw Posts: 171 Member
    Try drinking more water every day, not just on the days you eat a lot.
  • sharonmunday90
    sharonmunday90 Posts: 129 Member
    If i eat a substantial amount of fibe i also have to drink loads of water. I also take a magnesium supplement which amongst other things helps keep me regular x
  • KatieHall77
    KatieHall77 Posts: 129 Member
    Had that same issue when I went low carb. Maybe my body needed time to adjust to any new diet, but coffee is indeed my friend. Also hot herbal tea helps, anything with water or warm water. Broth and high water foods would help too. :drinker: all for coffee!
  • minivegrunner
    minivegrunner Posts: 45
    I have experienced the same thing this week, the more I eat healthy the less I 'go'. Its so frustrating as I have a huge bloated tum!! I ended up buying some laxatives. Not sure why this happens though, I thought the point of eating more fibre was that it encouraged movements

    I'm not sure how many other things you tried before resorting to laxatives, but there are a lot of gentler ways to relieve constipation. A cup of coffee, prunes or prune juice, saltwater. A lot of times once someone takes a laxative to help relieve constipation it can form a habit, and laxatives are VERY hard on your digestive system.

    Not judging, just suggesting.

    :)
  • bluefish49
    bluefish49 Posts: 102 Member
    Ex Lax in the PM for a BM in the AM. :laugh:
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    I find that having an apple for breakfast works wonders.
  • AmyMgetsfit
    AmyMgetsfit Posts: 636 Member
    Smooth Move tea works from what I hear. I think there is a bit of a laxative in it. You might need to stick close to home if you do drink it. I have not tried it.
  • GiveTheGeniusACookie
    GiveTheGeniusACookie Posts: 23
    Ex Lax in the PM for a BM in the AM. :laugh:

    :laugh: TY but I am opting for natural before I have to buy an OTC and take it.
  • MelStren
    MelStren Posts: 457 Member
    Yup. Magnesium, water and coffee daily!



    edited to add:
    It also helps if you "sit" down at the same time every day... get your bowels into a routine.
  • brooke_young08
    brooke_young08 Posts: 70
    I used to have digestive problems (like going only once or twice a week). Since I started drinking Shakeology every day (check out my profile for info), I have had ZERO problems with constipation!

    And like others have said, drink lots of water, moderate exercise, and keep eating healthy (non processed) foods. It will come out alright in the end :tongue:
  • algebravoodoo
    algebravoodoo Posts: 776 Member
    If i eat a substantial amount of fibe i also have to drink loads of water. I also take a magnesium supplement which amongst other things helps keep me regular x

    Mineral water with a good magnesium content can help with this as well.
  • Saucy_lil_Minx
    Saucy_lil_Minx Posts: 3,302 Member
    OMG! STOP! NO MEDICINE REQUIRED! You are supposed to be drinking half your body weight in ounces of water a day! FIBER absorbs more fluid. That's the idea, it cleans your body like a broom. Please drink more water before trying anything else. I drink about 108 to 110 oz. a day! Pills will cause other important nutrients to not be absorbed properly.
  • MsMargie1116
    MsMargie1116 Posts: 323 Member
    I'm no nutritionist, but I have battled with this problem myself, and my experience has been this:

    This can also happen if you aren't getting in enough fiber. People on low carb diets tend to have this problem; hence the reason I no longer do a low-carb diet. :wink: low carb diets tend to be low in fiber, too. Are you getting in enough fruits and veggies??? I've increased my fiber which has helped me... Oatmeal is my friend, lets just leave it at that... :wink:

    Also if you are on a low-fat diet, you may not be getting enough of the right oils in your diet; which could be a problem as well. Try getting in some EVOO or other healthy oils; that can help.

    That's all I can think of. But I was reading where coffee does "relax" the colon, which helps with the pooping, here's one of them: http://www.onemedical.com/blog/eat-well/why-coffee-makes-me-poop/

    Oh, and like everyone else is saying - Water, Water, Water, and more Water!!! :happy:
  • stephaniecaine82
    stephaniecaine82 Posts: 117 Member
    I also found this to be a problem in my weightloss journey. I used to be regular but not any more. I talked with the doc and she suggested I take a stool softtner every day.......so I do. Its never made it bad or to soft or anything, I think it just helps. Just an idea!

    I also drink a lot of water....100 oz or more a day.
  • mrslosser
    mrslosser Posts: 54 Member
    I have used the Smooth Move Tea before while doing a cleanse. Drink a cup before bed. It doesn't hit you hard and fast, just is gentle and non habit forming. :smile: The taste has a lot to be desired but it is a small cup and you can add some honey to it to sweeten it.
  • mattschwartz01
    mattschwartz01 Posts: 566 Member
    I know you said you didn't want to take medicine but I've found Colace to work very well because long term constipation can be dangerous. I had trouble pooping, so I used Colace for about 3 days and I normalized. Try it ... it's gentle.
  • Denjo060
    Denjo060 Posts: 1,008
    try Metamucil everyday the first few days you will be bloated but you will poop everyday sometime more than once and after your body gets used to it the bloat will go away and it will be smooth sailing everyday
  • wswilliams67
    wswilliams67 Posts: 938 Member
    A big tub of powdered fiber... take 8oz in water a couple times a day.
    Apples or natural unsweetened apple juice.
    lots of water.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    Subscribing to thread as I am dealing with this now. Unfortunately, I had to take a laxative to relieve the discomfort. I am working on isolating the culprit.
  • darylewb
    darylewb Posts: 45
    Drink plenty of water and eat lots of vegetables. You'll poop like a goose.
  • Saucy_lil_Minx
    Saucy_lil_Minx Posts: 3,302 Member
    There is no mystery here! WATER WATER AND MORE WATER! Seriously! Prune juice is good, coffee is yummy, but water is the key to keeping the body moving and unbloated! Most people think that 8, 8 oz. glasses is good, but that is only true for someone who weighs 128 lbs. NO! HALF YOUR BODY WEIGHT IN OUNCES! This is what you shoot for!
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    Can too much fiber cause problems? I drink 4L of water a day and drink 4 cups of coffee, but I don't get enough veggies. But I was taking FiberCon and I ate some flax meal the other day. And I was taking a multi-vitamin. I stopped all supplements for now to see if I can get back to normal.
  • cacleghorn
    cacleghorn Posts: 61 Member
    I have experienced the same thing this week, the more I eat healthy the less I 'go'. Its so frustrating as I have a huge bloated tum!! I ended up buying some laxatives. Not sure why this happens though, I thought the point of eating more fibre was that it encouraged movements

    I'm not sure how many other things you tried before resorting to laxatives, but there are a lot of gentler ways to relieve constipation. A cup of coffee, prunes or prune juice, saltwater. A lot of times once someone takes a laxative to help relieve constipation it can form a habit, and laxatives are VERY hard on your digestive system.

    Not judging, just suggesting.

    :)




    Or going for a run/walk!
  • Morninglory81
    Morninglory81 Posts: 1,190 Member
    Check to see if you have enough fat in your diet. Water and fiber are great but if you don't have enough fat it can get stuck. I know it may sound disgusting but sometimes if the discomfort is really bad a plastic glove and a little lube and you can manually remove the impacted poo. Good luck
  • GiveTheGeniusACookie
    GiveTheGeniusACookie Posts: 23
    Check to see if you have enough fat in your diet. Water and fiber are great but if you don't have enough fat it can get stuck. I know it may sound disgusting but sometimes if the discomfort is really bad a plastic glove and a little lube and you can manually remove the impacted poo. Good luck

    Not even going to lie...I have so done this before and I didnt like it then I dont think it has changed so I am sooooo trying to avoid it getting to that point again :laugh: While it may sound gross to many it is truth and needs to be known and talked about. That S**T hurts...literally....it hurts. :blushing:

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