Constipated and nothing is working. HELP!

So, this post might be a little tmi, but I'm started to get worried. I've been constipated for about a week now and I've tried everything. Prunes: nothing at all. Metamucil: Caused severe bloating and gas. High fiber foods (cereals, broccoli, etc..): Nothing. Dulcolax: used to work really well, but I took three last night and four tonight, nothing so far. Milk of Magnesia: Helps a little, but not enough. Phillips stool softeners: nothing.

I have been binging on bread uncontrollably for the past couple of days, which is probably a factor to the constipation. I just don't know what to do. I can't see the doctor until friday. I just feel really bloated and gross. I can feel my intestines packed with literal *kitten*. I've been drinking enough water. What should I do?
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Replies

  • Maybe too much fiber. Try probiotics, make sure to get the kind with different strains.
  • Unfortunately, I have probiotics as a part of my daily vitamin and mineral concoction. So, it's not working apparently.
  • suremeansyes
    suremeansyes Posts: 962 Member
    Coffee? A tablespoon of some kind of oil? Are you eating enough fats?
  • Coffee? A tablespoon of some kind of oil? Are you eating enough fats?

    I have a health condition, so I cannot drink caffeinated drinks. How does oil help the GI track?
  • MizMimi111
    MizMimi111 Posts: 244 Member
    Enema?
  • Enema?

    Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Tried it. Nothing but water came out.
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  • frances_bacon
    frances_bacon Posts: 35 Member
    Try apple cider vinegar (roughly one tablespoon mixed with a glass of water) two or three times a day. I have heard that helps.
  • dcnemesis
    dcnemesis Posts: 31
    A week is a long time. If you are having pains in the stomach or anything similar I would get some medical advice where they can ask you all that TMI stuff :)

    I also have this issue often. My advice would be stop taking laxatives or whatever these pills qualify as. Your body is probably very used to them by now so it is just a waste. And could lead to dependence.

    My recipe is green tea (decaffeintated for you of course) because it just helps metabolism, no laxatives or whatever, and exercise. Doesn't have to be working out, just increase walking or sit on an exercise ball instead of the couch if you watch something. It's hard to say without knowing more.
  • 2BeHappy2
    2BeHappy2 Posts: 811 Member
    MiraLax
    Grapes...raisins
    I love prunes...they come in a canister or in a bag/box where theyre individually wrapped.
    I like both but the single 1's seem to taste juicier and more fresh.
    I cant hardly drink the juice but the actual fruit is good!
    Here are some more fruit options:
    •Apricots
    •Figs
    •Papaya
    •Peaches
    •Pears
    •Pineapple
    Also, drinking water will assist you in passing your BMs
    Beans: Canella, garbanzo, kidney, navy and pinto
    Greens: Chard, kale and spinach
    Vegetables: Artichoke hearts, asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, green beans, peas and squash
    •High fiber breakfast cereals (look for at least 8 grams of fiber per serving)
    •Brown rice
    •Barley
    •Millet
    •Flaxseed
    Best prevention tip: remember this: FRUITS THAT START WITH "P" WILL MAKE YOU POOP! REGULARLY! Peaches, pineapple, pears, plums, prunes, papaya! Also: FRUITS EATEN WITH THE PEEL ON WILL MAKE YOU POOP! Peaches, pears, plums, grapes, blueberries, raisins, berries, cherries, cranberry, dates, prunes, figs, etc. Drink water instead of any other beverage most of the time.
  • I've had constipation problems by whole life. I don't hurt or anything. But my intestines are quite full, and I feel disgusting. I'm scared to eat more because it'll just add up to the whole mess.
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Drink more water. Fibre does not work on its own. Fibre and water work together. If you increase fibre without increasing water, then that can actually make it worse. Mild dehydration is the most common cause of constipation.

    Also, fat helps. Low fat diets are a bad idea anyway, but one negative consequence of too little fat is constipation.

    8 cups of water a day may be the standard recommendation but how much water you need depends on the climate and your activity levels. I'm guessing you live in the Northern hemisphere so that means it's summer right now, so you need to drink quite a bit more water than usual when it's hot. Also, when you exercise you need to drink more water. As a rule, the more you sweat the more water you need to drink.

    Try drinking plenty of water - if you're already getting 8 cups a day then you probably need quite a lot more than that. I live in Bahrain and can easily drink 2-3 litres of water in a day and still be thirsty.

    ETA: if you're sure you're drinking enough water for the climate you're in, then I agree with the advice to see a doctor
  • Eastern_Echo23
    Eastern_Echo23 Posts: 198 Member
    Make a glass of milk + ground flax seed + banana + strawberries and you'll be set ;)
  • MizMimi111
    MizMimi111 Posts: 244 Member
    Enema?

    Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Tried it. Nothing but water came out.

    Time for a doctor. Sooner rather than later.
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
    Go to the pharmacy and get an enema. If that doesn't work get to a doctor. There could be something more going on than just constipation such as a bowel obstruction.
  • .
  • HanamiDango
    HanamiDango Posts: 456 Member
    Personally, I say stop trying to go to have a bowel movement until you see the doctor. When you do not eat enough, you may just not poop. You need to fuel your body properly and be in the right mind set to be healthy. Speak to your doctor and find a program or support group in your area to help you get away from eating disorders.
  • Nicolee_2014
    Nicolee_2014 Posts: 1,572 Member
    Apart from the bread you 'binged' on, is there anything else that you have eaten?
  • Kelseyyyy22
    Kelseyyyy22 Posts: 46 Member
    Eat sugar-free So Delicious Ice Cream -- fiber which might help, plus fake sugars which are a diuretic to make you move. I I eat it, I always wake up the next morning and go.
  • MizMimi111
    MizMimi111 Posts: 244 Member
    Okay, I just looked at your profile and diary. You have an eating disorder.

    You need to seek professional help.

    Please.
  • srogers89
    srogers89 Posts: 190 Member
    Okay, I just looked at your profile and diary. You have an eating disorder.

    You need to seek professional help.

    Please.

    This!

    I read you have/had anorexia. The slowing down and destruction of your metabolism is another symptom of poor eating habits associated with anorexia.

    Please speak to your doctor and mental health professional asap.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Okay, I just looked at your profile and diary. You have an eating disorder.

    You need to seek professional help.

    Please.

    Chronic under eating and laxative use (ineffective at that). You need medical attention, not internet strangers. Go get help. You are seriously damaging you body. Be kinder to yourself. :flowerforyou:
  • MissBabyJane
    MissBabyJane Posts: 538 Member
    Okay, I just looked at your profile and diary. You have an eating disorder.

    You need to seek professional help.

    Please.

    Even if it's true, how could you tell something like that to her? I bet she is aware of her "condition" and she doesn't need some strangers on forum to tell her to seek professional help.

    On topic: Now, I also have problems with my stomach and I usually drink herbal tea from "Senna", it helps within 24 hours. You may feel some stomach pains a little, but it is a sign that it works. Here you can see more info:
    http://altmedicine.about.com/od/senna/a/Senna-Tea.htm

    Drink one tea before going to bed, in the morning you will be set!
  • slimbettie
    slimbettie Posts: 686 Member
    so sorry to hear! try Dulcolex Suppository. This being said, I just had a quick sneak at your profile page. and girl, I beg you to please seek professional help. You are so beautiful, it is a shame you don't believe it. I just cannot support your weight loss goals of going down to 90lbs. I watched this movie last night on youtube. have a look. I wish you all the love and happiness in this world.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8b_GM-cNCMM
  • Hi

    There is an Asian tea called ballerina tea it is the best and it works for that problem get the extra strength and let the tea bag sit for a while in the cup it will take a few hours but don't venture to far from the bathroom :)
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    Okay, I just looked at your profile and diary. You have an eating disorder.

    You need to seek professional help.

    Please.

    Even if it's true, how could you tell something like that to her? I bet she is aware of her "condition" and she doesn't need some strangers on forum to tell her to seek professional help.

    speaking as someone who has suffered mental health problems in the past (not eating disorders, but my response to this comment applies equally) ....actually yes it is the right thing to do to tell someone to seek professional help. Mental illness can cloud your own judgement, especially your judgement of yourself and your own behaviour. Sometimes it does take a really blunt "seek professional help" to make you go and actually do that. And even if you know you have a condition, it doesn't mean that you're seeing your own behaviour in a rational light, and that what you're doing is because of your illness and is not normal behaviour.

    Also, it's unfortunate that there's a stigma with mental illness... that's why you think "seek professional help" is a terrible thing to say, rather than sincere medical advice. If someone posted on the internet "I have a severe headache, high fever, stiff neck and flu-like symptoms" and then someone posted "I think you have meningitis, call a doctor or ambulance right away!" then that would be taken as medical advice from someone who cares about the person...... well the post you replied to should be taken in the same way, and is intended in the same way. It's only because of the stigma people attach to mental illness that it's not perceived that way, which is very unfortunate because people with mental illness need help too, sometimes urgent help.
  • estaticaa
    estaticaa Posts: 67 Member
    Okay, I just looked at your profile and diary. You have an eating disorder.

    You need to seek professional help.

    Please.

    Even if it's true, how could you tell something like that to her? I bet she is aware of her "condition" and she doesn't need some strangers on forum to tell her to seek professional help.

    (...)
    Actually, the OP states it in her profile that she has an eating disorder. Also, the food she's been tracking is always around 500 calories a day, which further reinforces this idea. So instead of giving random advice that could potentially harm her, I think the best thing you can tell her is to seek professional help.

    OP, please see a doctor as soon as you can. I hope you start feeling better soon!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Okay, I just looked at your profile and diary. You have an eating disorder.

    You need to seek professional help.

    Please.

    Even if it's true, how could you tell something like that to her? I bet she is aware of her "condition" and she doesn't need some strangers on forum to tell her to seek professional help.

    On topic: Now, I also have problems with my stomach and I usually drink herbal tea from "Senna", it helps within 24 hours. You may feel some stomach pains a little, but it is a sign that it works. Here you can see more info:
    http://altmedicine.about.com/od/senna/a/Senna-Tea.htm

    Drink one tea before going to bed, in the morning you will be set!

    the OP is well aware of her 'condition' but the fact of the matter is, given the eating disorder, strangers on the internet are NOT qualified to be able to help her.

    suggesting more laxatives is more than likely going to do more harm than good...
  • 2BeHappy2
    2BeHappy2 Posts: 811 Member
    Wondering...when did you start "binging" on all that bread because I don't see it listed anywhere.
    Also...for Sat you only ate 1 time...what in the world is "quick added calories" Ive never heard of that??
    You're not really eating that much as far as "food" goes...kind of "junk" stuff.
    Cliff bars, raisin bread but nothing that looks like would be filling to you for any real length of time (maybe for the moment?).
    I don't see any water logged in although there was 1 day that you made some lemon water and another time when you had some hot cocoa.
    I don't know why your calorie count is so low.
    MFP has set me on a 1200 calorie (used to be slightly more till I lost the 13lbs) but that's because of my height (4'2), age, lifestyle etc
    This is what I ate 1 day last week:
    Calories Carbs Fat Protein Fiber Sugar
    Breakfast
    Egg - 1 Medium Hard Boiled, 2 whole 128 1 8 12 0 1
    Lunch
    Light Yogurt, Lemon, 6 oz 80 12 0 7 1 9
    Banana - (Small), 6 - 6.9 inches 90 23 0 1 3 12
    Emerald - Dry Roasted Almonds - Per Nut, 10 nut 63 3 5 2 1 0
    Dinner:
    Baked Fresh - Spaghetti Squash 1 Cup, 2 cup 62 14 1 2 3 6 I replaced pasta w/ this...no it wasn't noodles but still good
    Ragu - Meat Flavored Pasta Sauce, 1 Cup 140 20 6 4 4 12
    Parmesan Cheese* - Kraft 100%, 2 tsp (5 g) 20 0 2 2 0 0
    Green Beans - Fresh, Steamed, 0.75 cup cooked 26 6 0 2 3 2

    Totals 609 79 22 32 15 42
    Remaining 591 71 18 28 10 3

    Yes, this was a good day of having calories available for a later snack but I have also eaten enough food to feel satiated!
  • I had chronic constipation until I went dairy free. Now, I poop everyday:) good luck.
    PS I also make sure I eat at least 20 grams of fiber most days.