Smoking, constipation and trying to lose weight..

Fozzi43
Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I gave up smoking around 4 months ago and since then, I've been REALLY constipated. I can only " go" if I take a stimulant such as Fybogel or if it's really bad, I take a proper laxative.
Now, I'm not keen on having to take these things but it's now been FIVE days since I've been and have given in and taken a laxative. I've connected the two and it's really getting to me, not being able to go to the loo. I drink LOTS of water, I eat fibre rich foods and I exercise well...doing my math I should've lost the last two remaining pounds I wanted to lose but as yet, according to today's weigh in, I've put ON 1.5 pounds.
It used to be that I'd go after my first cigarette in the morning, then again later on.
It's seriously pissing me off....

Just wanted to have a moan.......

Replies

  • maz2469
    maz2469 Posts: 67 Member
    Sorry you're suffering :( Try adding more fruit and veg to your diet. Running always seems to get things going for me too. I gave up smoking about 7 days ago but not had any problems in that department... good luck!
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
    That happened to me too! I never saw nicotine as a laxative but it kept me regular as clockwork, and then when I quit the whole thing bunged right up.

    My answer is vegetables. Not just any fibre - fibre from vege. It's somehow more effective, and it bulks it all up. So maybe 3 cups of vegetables a day. Cabbage is especially effective, so coleslaw is a favourite. :D

    It's settled down a lot now, too. :)
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    Strong black coffee usually works for me. Or a small bag of natural black licorice, if you fancy the stuff. Good for you on giving up smoking; I smoked for more than 20 years and quit 7 years ago. At first it messes with you physically and emotionally, but it was by far the best health decision I have ever made. Now when I see people smoking, it just looks really... odd... and it seems surreal that I used to spend so much money and ruining my health to do THAT.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    Thanks for the suggestions...I already eat lots of veggies, and I don't like black coffee, or any coffee, prunes or licorice :embarassed:

    I'm seriously thinking of having one in the morning again.

    I know I know !!! But I'm desperate here!
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
    Thanks for the suggestions...I already eat lots of veggies, and I don't like black coffee, or any coffee, prunes or licorice :embarassed:

    I'm seriously thinking of having one in the morning again.

    I know I know !!! But I'm desperate here!

    Don't you dare! WHACK! :D

    Get a high protein bar. One of those atkins carbohydrate free ones. They go through you like a freight train and they taste of raspberries and chocolate.
  • 122ish
    122ish Posts: 339 Member
    I have always suffered constipation and quit smoking recently, I know that my chia seeds and chlorophyll help keep me regular. I have days that I miss and will not go the following day. Those two items r super healthy for u too, originally started the chlorophyll cause I heard it had benifits for smokers. Laxatives will in long term aggravate the situation so try natural approaches. I drink tons of water and eat veggies plus I run regularly and that is not enough for me, I could not live without my supplements.


    Oh coffee is a diuretic so it pull fluids from you therefore making u more constipated.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    Thanks for the suggestions...I already eat lots of veggies, and I don't like black coffee, or any coffee, prunes or licorice :embarassed:

    I'm seriously thinking of having one in the morning again.

    I know I know !!! But I'm desperate here!
    No, don't do that. You've got that beat, you don't want to backslide. Smoking is a harsh addiction as you know, and you don't want to do that to your health again, it's never worth it. Your body will even out soon. Or you'll find something else that keeps the mail moving, so to speak.:wink:
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    [chia seeds and chlorophyll
    [/quote]



    Will I get these from a health food shop?

    Thanks
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    I definitely think you should perhaps check with a doctor.

    You would probably do well to do a course of Movicol, which is a stool softener, just in order to get it all going properly. The danger with people who suffer frequent bouts of constipation is that faecal matter remains in the bowels as laxatives get things moving, but don't move out everything (unless it comes out as a gushing waterfall).

    As a person suffering frequently from constipation despite eating twice the amount of fibre, the doctor suggested Benefiber to take daily and it does seem to work. Also remember to drink lots and lots of water. Coffee does seem to work for some people as well. Hang in there :-)
  • 122ish
    122ish Posts: 339 Member
    When I first started taking chia seeds they were tougher to get, then dr oz (famous tv dr) raved about them so now I am finding them in targets, Costco and some markets. But yeah health food stores carry them. I find chlorophyll at health food stores too. I take a lot of vitamins so I tend to order my products on line to save money. Feel free to message me any questions.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    Actually, yeah, looks like that's right about the coffee, it is more of a diuretic than a laxative. Sorry about that. But, I guess if you don't like it, it's an non-issue. Chia seeds are great though and very versatile. I use them in my smoothies sometimes or put them in breading for chicken breasts, etc.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    This has been going on for a long time now, I think I'm going to go see the doctor...I even had to go to the chemist when I was in Egypt because I didn't go for 5 days and I was eating loads.
  • anthonyrequena39
    anthonyrequena39 Posts: 2 Member
    I had a similar problem and what worked for me was kiwi fruit for breakfast
  • Dead_Darling
    Dead_Darling Posts: 478 Member
    Extra strong tea, brewed for 5 minutes and no sugar helped me.

    Best of luck at the doctors
  • 122ish
    122ish Posts: 339 Member
    As someone who suffers as well, I find l when I travel or even just stay at someone's house I tend to not go either despite taking my supplements. I think it's called travelers constipation. I was on meds that caused constipation and my supplements helped keep me pretty regular then too. Seeing a dr sounds like a good idea but if they find nothing wrong after running tests or give u the usual u r normal bit, they will suggest laxatives or stool softeners because dr's tend to be all about meds and not vitamins.
  • babyluthi
    babyluthi Posts: 285 Member
    Yes kiwifruit. Eat the skin too. Put it in a blender if you have to. If ripe, it should be sweet, NOT bitter.
  • coppertop_4
    coppertop_4 Posts: 258 Member
    Do you exercise? Walking and or jogging is supposed to help too!
  • hannahlclrk
    hannahlclrk Posts: 66 Member
    i feel your pain. my bowels are horrendously unreliable - i can get them in to a routine, but the slightest thing changes and I dont go for a week!!

    Its an awful feeling. sorry I know this isnt helping just me passing on my anger to you LOL but at least your not alone!!

    I use a concoction of new image chinese tea from the health shop, vitamin c efferescent tab/drink thingy, coffee and kiwis to try to keep me regular!!
  • hannahlclrk
    hannahlclrk Posts: 66 Member
    I had a similar problem and what worked for me was kiwi fruit for breakfast

    Im so pleased to have seen someone else that uses KIWIS!!! everyone laughs at me when i say that!!!
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    I had a similar problem and what worked for me was kiwi fruit for breakfast

    Im so pleased to have seen someone else that uses KIWIS!!! everyone laughs at me when i say that!!!
    Thanks for the tip. I'm going to try adding more kiwis to my diet. Yummy. I didn't know you could eat the skin though, that might take some getting used to.
  • verongle
    verongle Posts: 3 Member
    A warm stomach helps - I stopped at New Year and it still isn't right! When I remember, I sit with a hot water bottle on my tummy each night. I read an Ayurveda remedy too that said to massage your lower abdomen for 2 minutes each day to build up the heat and get things moving, but I keep forgetting to do it. I also use peppermint tea too, or even just warm water. Good luck with the stopping.
  • Khamara_01
    Khamara_01 Posts: 36 Member
    WATER AND EXERCISE WORK FOR ME, I DRINK 1 LITRE IN THE MIDDAY MORNING WITHIN 30MINS AND SAME IN THE AFTERNOON, GIVE IT A GO, IT CAN'T HURT :) OR TRY EATING SOME FRUIT WHEN YOU FIRST GET UP AND WAIT 20MINS BEFORE YOU EAT YOUR BREAKFAST

    HOPE THIS HELPS X
  • kristieshannon
    kristieshannon Posts: 160 Member
    I've heard wonders about "Smooth Move" tea. Not sure if you can get it where you live, here in the States it's sold right in the grocery store.
  • bridgie101
    bridgie101 Posts: 817 Member
    I had a similar problem and what worked for me was kiwi fruit for breakfast

    Im so pleased to have seen someone else that uses KIWIS!!! everyone laughs at me when i say that!!!
    Thanks for the tip. I'm going to try adding more kiwis to my diet. Yummy. I didn't know you could eat the skin though, that might take some getting used to.

    I was prescribed 2 kiwifruit a day when I had a tear in the BAD side of my perineum after childbirth.

    Very effective. Pulping them in the juicer is fabulous especially as you have to add about the same amount of water to it to make it a drink, so there's the water to go with the fibre. It's a really nice drink.

    Note however: When people are talking about constipation are they saying their stools are nasty concrete things, or are they simply saying that they're not going very often any more?

    Because I only go once every 2 days now, whereas when i ate a ton of food I was going every day. It's not constipation, it's just a reduction in the amount of food being processed.

Categories