TMI - bowel movements help

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mkwongh
mkwongh Posts: 279 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
TGIF and happy Friday MFP’ers !!

I need some advice…Since coming back from Mexico in July, I have had some serious issues going to the bathroom. The only way I can go is if I take senokot laxative. The only time I will take the laxative is after a few days of discomfort, and if no movement has been made all week. Otherwise I try to stay away from any laxative.

I have tried adding extra fiber with Metamucil, but all that did was make my stomach feel worse and bloated for days. Even though it made me feel worse, I continued for a few weeks in hopes that it would help move things. But it hasn’t.

I recently (maybe last 3 weeks’ish) started with prune juice, and prunes. I hate that it has such high sugar, but the first week I had them, it helped me go for 2 days in a row which was an amazing feeling. BUT that did not last, and after those two days of washroom visits, I am now back to square one, and all the prunes do now is make me extra bloated with extra smelly gassy’ness. (tmi – worse than protein farts)

Some history of my background
- I like to think I eat pretty good (diary is open) with lots of fruits and veggies
- I work out 5-6 days a week. Currently with Body beast lean week 8 and T25 (resting off of T25 after I injured my knee 2 weeks ago)
- I drink 12-17 cups of water every day
- I used to be very regular
- After splurging a bit on vacay, I cannot seem to lose any weight, or inches since july, and even went up in weight – about 7-10 pounds
- I eat anywhere from 1500-1950 calories a day
- I feel bloated, weighted down, and not myself every damn day with no bowel movement

Has anyone else experienced this.. still experience this.. have any tips to move past this before I make an appointment with my family doctor
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Replies

  • cherilannhall
    cherilannhall Posts: 22 Member
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    Sorry I have no helpful information for you but I couldn't read and not respond. I started my healthier living journey in Jan and while I have lost 61 lbs so far my movements are for from normal.

    I have always been regular and in the past had some issues with food going strait through me (if you know what I mean). Now nothing. My normal now seems to be a little every two weeks or so. I am currently taking stool softeners every night hoping for some relief.

    I too tried the fiber and all it did was make me bloated and gassy. I didn't want you to think you were alone in this. I will be watching this thread for advice. I have decided I am going to make an appointment with my doctor to find out is there is more I can do to help my situation because I am miserable :(

    Goof Luck!!!
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
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    Hmm you say this started after you travelled to Mexico. Digestive upsets from travel are usually short lived so it makes me wonder if you got a bad bug that won't quit or maybe even a parasite. I'd go to the doc for a stool test.
  • ekaustin7
    ekaustin7 Posts: 185 Member
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    I'm very sorry to hear you're dealing with this. It sounds frustrating. Strange that laxatives and fiber are not helping you. However, there IS such a thing as too much fiber, and if you're already eating lots of fruits and veggies, perhaps you're putting yourself over the line and stepping into "too much" territory. Fiber's purpose is to add bulk to fecal matter, so the more you add, the more bulk you get. However, with the amount of water you're drinking, I wouldn't think that you should be experiencing this, no matter how much fiber you get.

    I used to have a similar problem. I would never go more than two days without movement, but it would always hurt to go. One day, completely unrelated to this problem, I decided to start drinking protein shakes (I'm a vegetarian and don't get enough protein from my diet), and started noticing that on days that I drank them, I never had painful movements. Now that I am getting enough protein in my diet, I haven't had the problem since. Could this be a possibility for you?

    I hope you find relief soon!
  • elsyoommen
    elsyoommen Posts: 155 Member
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    you should check with your doctor, ideally a specialist if you have one.

    my gastro recommended restoralax/laxaday (not sure if this goes by a different name in the U.S., I'm in Canada) for me when I get like this. It is more gentle than the senakot varieties. (he also recommended a lower dose of it for my young daughter)

    It's possible you ate something or took some medication while you were on vacation which messed up the natural bacterias in your digestive system and you might need to get those back on track. Have you tried probiotics?

    ETA: by "took some medication" I mean took some antibiotic medications. These kill bacteria, and sometimes have the effect of killing all the bacteria that you don't want to kill.
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
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    I think it's possible that you may have "over-corrected" after your visit to Mexico. Your body may have struggled a bit from the diet down there, but instead of going back to your normal diet and letting your body regulate itself again, you attempted to make up for it, and this can make it worse. It why yo-yo dieter's metabolisms are often so wrecked - they go from way too little to way too much instead of finding middle ground. In this case, your fiber intake is yo-yo'ing.

    I do recommend speaking to a doctor just in case, but you may just have to tolerate it as much as you can while getting back to your regular diet. I had a lot of trouble with constipation early on when I started eating more fruits and vegetables, and eventually my body got used to the extra fiber it was getting and I started having regular bowel movements again without the need for laxatives or even natural remedies like prune juice.
  • mkwongh
    mkwongh Posts: 279 Member
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    @cherilannhall - Thank you. I hope we can find a solution

    @servilia - I was concerned about parasite or bug - but my family kept telling me it would have pasted by now.

    @ekaustin7 – it is very frustrating. I was wonder about over fiber’ing myself… one of the reason’s I have increased my water intake as well. I also was using protein shakes before and after I got home, but stopped because it made my stomach feel worse and bloated more so. I have been trying to get more natural proteins in meats and foods to make sure I am getting enough protein.

    @elsyoommen- I am in Canada as well – I must look into restoralax/laxaday. It started while I was away on vacay (like usual) on any vacation I take I usually cannot go for a few days while my body is adjusting to the foods, drinks etc. But this time it just continued. I have not tried any probiotics as of yet. Do you have any recommendations on how to incorporate into my diet. No antibiotic or any new medications in my system while I was away or when I got home.

    @Pearsquared – thank you for your advice, I think after next week I will make an appointment with my doctor
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,209 Member
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    @servilia - I was concerned about parasite or bug - but my family kept telling me it would have pasted by now.

    Unless they are medical professionals, i don't think they would know about all parasites & germs.
  • elsyoommen
    elsyoommen Posts: 155 Member
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    probiotics are in yogurt (check that the label notes live/active bacterial cultures), we also keep the "jaimeson priobiotic 10 billion" in our cupboard. My husband and I both have stomach issues from time to time so we use this. I have heard good things about "align" and I was planning to check it out next time I'm at shoppers. this is the stuff we use now: http://jamiesonvitamins.com/5763


    but laxaday and restoralax are both great. they take a few days but never fail.
  • grentea
    grentea Posts: 96 Member
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    It could take a while for your body to readjust. Are you increasing your fluids with the increased fiber? Walking helps also. If it has been weeks, I would go to the doctor. Sanitation in other countries is not the same as the US, and you could have a parasite. Some attach to your intestines and it could take months for them to pass. Good luck!
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Fat + water + fiber 25-30 grams of fiber should suffice, if you get more you will need more fat and water.
    You may also want to take a probiotic, as when you use laxatives you remove a lot of the necessary bacteria from the digestive tract.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
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    A couple of suggestions .....at least they can't hurt

    How is your daily fat intake? When I lower my fat too much, everything pretty much comes to a halt.

    How is your water intake? Water helpful for me. It keeps things moving.

    You are active already......so no change there.

    There is soluble & insoluble fiber....make sure your diet includes both.

    Soluble fibers attract water and form a gel, which slows down digestion. Soluble fiber delays the emptying of your stomach and makes you feel full, which helps control weight. Slower stomach emptying may also affect blood sugar levels and have a beneficial effect on insulin sensitivity, which may help control diabetes. Soluble fibers can also help lower LDL (“bad”) blood cholesterol by interfering with the absorption of dietary cholesterol.
    • Sources of soluble fiber: oatmeal, oat cereal, lentils, apples, oranges, pears, oat bran, strawberries, nuts, flaxseeds, beans, dried peas, blueberries, psyllium, cucumbers, celery, and carrots.

    Insoluble fibers are considered gut-healthy fiber because they have a laxative effect and add bulk to the diet, helping prevent constipation. These fibers do not dissolve in water, so they pass through the gastrointestinal tract relatively intact, and speed up the passage of food and waste through your gut. Insoluble fibers are mainly found in whole grains and vegetables.
    • Sources of insoluble fiber: whole wheat, whole grains, wheat bran, corn bran, seeds, nuts, barley, couscous, brown rice, bulgur, zucchini, celery, broccoli, cabbage, onions, tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, raisins, grapes, fruit, and root vegetable skins.
  • MonaRaeHill
    MonaRaeHill Posts: 145 Member
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    Oxy-Powder.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
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    @servilia - I was concerned about parasite or bug - but my family kept telling me it would have pasted by now.

    Unless they are medical professionals, i don't think they would know about all parasites & germs.

    ^^^ this, because if it is a parasite, it wouldn't necessarily have been passed by now, because parasites that live in your gut don't tend to work like that. Some of them can live in there for a long time.

    Even if it's not a parasite, any sudden change in bowel habit that doesn't clear up on its own after a short time should be checked out by a doctor.
  • velvoid
    velvoid Posts: 14 Member
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    Hi, I'm an Emergency Nurse and can offer a few suggestions.
    If your bowel habits changed while on holidays there may be a link there but generally bowels will resort to normal regularity when you are back to your regular schedule. Unfortunately using laxatives can make the bowels dependent on them so try to use them infrequently if at all. One of the key things people neglect when upping fibre is to up their water intake. Fibre is a "bulk former" when helps to basically make all your poo join together and not be overly fluid. If fluid intake is low then it can actually make constipation worse. Your water intake is good (maybe excessive) so there doesn't seem to be a problem there.
    I think since you have covered most bases it would be wise to see your local doctor. A great product we have here in Australia is called Movicol. It clears out temperamental bowels VERY well and can be prescribed by a doctor.
    I have found with my new healthier eating program there are certain foods which will now bind me tight which never did before!

    Good luck with it
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    Magnesium citrate. It's sort of a miracle mineral for treating/preventing constipation, and you can take it daily. I had this issue for a long, long time, and I am pretty happy I finally tried magnesium. Just pick up some capsules in the vitamin aisle. Try 450 or 500mg at bedtime and see how that goes. I take it morning and night, but once a day may be enough. If you take calcium (and you should if you're taking magnesium), take it a couple of hours away from the magnesium. They work together, but they may compete for absorption if taken at the same time.

    Vitamin C in higher doses will also get things moving.
  • astartig
    astartig Posts: 549 Member
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    TGIF and happy Friday MFP’ers !!

    I need some advice…Since coming back from Mexico in July, I have had some serious issues going to the bathroom. The only way I can go is if I take senokot laxative. The only time I will take the laxative is after a few days of discomfort, and if no movement has been made all week. Otherwise I try to stay away from any laxative.

    I have tried adding extra fiber with Metamucil, but all that did was make my stomach feel worse and bloated for days. Even though it made me feel worse, I continued for a few weeks in hopes that it would help move things. But it hasn’t.

    I recently (maybe last 3 weeks’ish) started with prune juice, and prunes. I hate that it has such high sugar, but the first week I had them, it helped me go for 2 days in a row which was an amazing feeling. BUT that did not last, and after those two days of washroom visits, I am now back to square one, and all the prunes do now is make me extra bloated with extra smelly gassy’ness. (tmi – worse than protein farts)

    Some history of my background
    - I like to think I eat pretty good (diary is open) with lots of fruits and veggies
    - I work out 5-6 days a week. Currently with Body beast lean week 8 and T25 (resting off of T25 after I injured my knee 2 weeks ago)
    - I drink 12-17 cups of water every day
    - I used to be very regular
    - After splurging a bit on vacay, I cannot seem to lose any weight, or inches since july, and even went up in weight – about 7-10 pounds
    - I eat anywhere from 1500-1950 calories a day
    - I feel bloated, weighted down, and not myself every damn day with no bowel movement

    Has anyone else experienced this.. still experience this.. have any tips to move past this before I make an appointment with my family doctor

    have you tried probiotics? for me it was a breakthru.
  • allisonrinkel
    allisonrinkel Posts: 224 Member
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    .. have any tips to move past this before I make an appointment with my family doctor

    Don't wait for tips, go to the doctor asap. I hope you're ok!
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    Taco Bell.
  • conniedj
    conniedj Posts: 470 Member
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    It sounds like a parasite to me! And as gross as it sounds--it isn't that uncommon as you might think. There are parasitic cleanses you can try....many. Not a "cleanse" in the fad sense.....but rather an intestinal treatment. I have used a couple--but the one I find trustworthy is Paragone. This type of regimen takes about a month total and will pass out all types of parasites--including the one cell organism type that you *sound* like might be bothering you!

    And just to note: Most regular MD's don't check for parasites--and if they treat, it's usually with some harsh drugs with really horrid side effects. HTH!
  • faradaysdream
    faradaysdream Posts: 91 Member
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    my gastro recommended restoralax/laxaday (not sure if this goes by a different name in the U.S., I'm in Canada) for me when I get like this. It is more gentle than the senakot varieties. (he also recommended a lower dose of it for my young daughter)
    ^^^ This
    My GI specialist told me never to take any products with senna in them because they create dependency...He suggested restoralax as well...I take it a few times a week, it works great.

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