Messed Up Digestion (TMI!!)

lavender101
lavender101 Posts: 27 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Okay, so I've been working to make healthier choices and workout to tone up/lose a little fat, however my digestion is HORRIBLE. As in I can go 4 days with no bowel movements. I drink plenty of water and eat my fruits and veggies, yet sometimes it's so incredibly painful. Last night I was so constipated that I looked and felt 5 months pregnant. It was to the point that I was eating prunes, taking Miralax, and finally had to use an enema. What do y'all do for regularity? it baffles me that some people are able to "go" daily. What are your secrets???

Replies

  • GymRatGirl13
    GymRatGirl13 Posts: 157 Member
    How long has this been going on, how long have you been dieting and did it start when you started losing weight? I have reason for my questions. Trust me...I've been in your shoes for over three years.
  • tinadevrieszoller
    tinadevrieszoller Posts: 2 Member
    Try one of the herbal teas - I love Yogi 'Get Regular'. It's a very nice flavor of peppermint and usually one cup before bed makes everything just fine in the morning! Do not overdo it though - I think the active ingredient is senna and too much can cause cramps.
  • lavender101
    lavender101 Posts: 27 Member
    I'm at a healthy weight (5'6 and 130) but id like to lose a little fat and get toned. This has gone on for probably about 2 years on and off (it's easier in the summer for some reason)
  • GymRatGirl13
    GymRatGirl13 Posts: 157 Member
    I can't see your diary, so I have to ask. Have you been in a deficit for a long period of time and how many calories do you burn exercising daily? Have you tried eliminating food groups that tend to bring people issues, such as dairy and gluten? ( I would never recommend eliminating them unless you have an issue with them)

    I have tried everything under the sun to get regular again after suddenly experiencing the same symptoms you are referring to three years ago. I mean everything. I finally had to get a hormone panel done (not just test my tyroid through a blood test, but a 24 hour collection of urine type test) and found out that as a result of long term calorie deficit and over exercising, I crashed out my metabolism and have thrown my hormones completely out of whack. I am infertile and have the estrogen, progestrone and testosterone levels of a post menopause woman...and I'm 30. Hormones affect your digestive system and it is common to have issues with it after low carb dieting for a long time. Women are especially sensitive to it. My digestive system has just kind of stopped. I found that I was able to go number two easiest at certain times of the month, and it was when my hormone levels were at their highest as a result of my monthly cycle. Very complicated, but it explained all the issues I was having, with digestion being the most bothersome.
  • spickard34
    spickard34 Posts: 303 Member
    I had a problem like this and I have had it forever. I take a stool softener every other night (doctor okayed it). However I have stopped because I realized my fiber intake was crazy high some days and really low other days. So now I monitor my fiber and take inulin Fiber everyday as well. They slowly returned to almost normal I have never been a everyday person and probably never will be. Now I consume 25-40 grams of fiber a day. Green Lentil also help push the number higher just make sure you soak them with a bit of baking soda and cook them with it and then rinse them really good. I also through in a bit of apple cider vinegar prevents the gassy issue =)
  • somefitsomefat
    somefitsomefat Posts: 445 Member
    Go to the doctor?
  • ChampagneHrglss
    ChampagneHrglss Posts: 42 Member
    There's a difference between what you think is a lot of water and what is adequate water, I've found. I was drinking around 2 liters a day, plus lots of herbal tea and would get the same 4-day gap between movements. Now I drink a minimum of 90 oz. a day and that helps a lot. Also, watch your fiber content - darker, leafier veggies tend to have more fiber and will help. Check your sodium, too, because too much salt can cause your cells to retain the water, which keeps it out of the colon and prevents digestion.

    Good luck!
  • Betty_Rubble
    Betty_Rubble Posts: 117 Member
    Mineral Oil!! I go about once a week also.
  • 125KC
    125KC Posts: 71 Member
    I suffer from IBS and this is an ongoing problem for me too. I fluctuate from constipated, to loose, to normal, back to constipated, for no rhyme or reason. I have been eating the same way for over a year, have plenty of fibre and at least 2L of water a day. What I do notice makes a difference is how much I have physically moved. If I have a couch potato day or two, it affects me.

    Keep moving - LOTS - it may make a difference. Know too that we are all different, and going once a day may be normal for some but not for you. Some people go every 2nd or 3rd day and that is NORMAL for them.

    I would suggest seeing your doc to rule out any physical ailments first.
  • jan5500
    jan5500 Posts: 47 Member
    Definitely drink enough water. Eight glasses is the minimum someone came up with way back when because 8x8 (8 oz 8x a day) was easy to remember. Take your current weight in pounds, divide by 2...that is the number of ounces you should be drinking per day as a rule of thumb. Get enough fiber (unlimited lettuce!!) and take daily doses of Magnesium Citrate and Cascara Sagrata. Good luck!

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