Kinda Gross, But Help? :-/

donicagalek
donicagalek Posts: 526
edited September 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I have been having serious constipation problems for over a month now. If you check out my food diary you'll think it's dehydration. It isn't - I don't log my water or coffee/tea (I drink them black). I drink plenty of fluids.

I've also been taking a stool softener and today I added more fat to my diet to ease things along (and to help an MS relapse - fat helps heal fried nerves). It's been about four days since I've had a bowel movement.

I also haven't been able to feel my stomach or bladder for a while because of the relapse (I eat too much and I'll get back pain and I don't want to get into what it means to not be able to sense a full bladder) so I'm wondering if that has anything to do with it. Ugh. Most people hate their bodies for superficial reasons and I wish I was afforded that luxury. :-)

Replies

  • purpleposies
    purpleposies Posts: 90 Member
    Random: have you been using any pain killers? Those stop me right up.
  • hedleyrocks247
    hedleyrocks247 Posts: 185 Member
    Are you getting enough fiber???
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    I would see your doctor. Since you're having the relapse, I'm wondering if there might be something going on related to that, and you don't want it to turn into a major complication.
  • Valtishia
    Valtishia Posts: 811 Member
    Normally I would suggest leaving it alone until you feel discomfort/pain, but in this case, you could be impacted and not even know it, due to the loss of sensation. It could be fine, but since your body is currently unable to tell you if something is wrong in this area, I would consult the professionals.
  • janemartin02
    janemartin02 Posts: 2,653 Member
    I would consult a dr.
  • donicagalek
    donicagalek Posts: 526
    No pain killers, and I'm not a dietitian but I eat fruit and grains (even the pizza made tonight had a bunch of organic wheat bran in the crust). I'm thinking I need to seek medical advice (how embarrassing :-/ ).
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    It's not embarrassing! Trust me, this is not the worst thing they see on a daily basis. Go to the doc, and don't stress about it. Your health is FAR more important than worrying about what somebody might think. Your doctor is not going to judge you negatively. Take care of you. :flowerforyou:
  • donicagalek
    donicagalek Posts: 526
    In case anyone is wondering how I can tell that the back up is a problem if I can't feel it...I was getting into a pair of flattering (read:skinny-for-me) jeans the other day and noticed PMS-like bloating and I'm nowhere near PMS-time. When I forced myself into the jeans anyway...well, that was when I realized that I couldn't feel that I had a full bladder.

    FML. X-D
  • tamanella
    tamanella Posts: 500 Member
    I would see your doctor. Since you're having the relapse, I'm wondering if there might be something going on related to that, and you don't want it to turn into a major complication.

    I agree! Seeing your doctor might be the best solution. Feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like :)
  • calliope_music
    calliope_music Posts: 1,242 Member
    OMG I HAD THIS PROBLEM TOO! only i didn't have a bowel movement for 2 weeks. have you started any new meds at all? the only thing that worked for me was MireLax...cleans ya right out. i'm mostly pretty regular now.
  • Tyra1976
    Tyra1976 Posts: 21
    Have you ever been diagosed with Irritable Bowel Syndrome? One form of IBS includes severe constipation. I struggle with this. No matter how much fiber and water I consume, it's still a struggle. Exercise helps, but doesn't alleviate it. See a doctor. I wish you the best.
  • PJilly
    PJilly Posts: 22,260 Member
    I've struggled with this for years, despite eating plenty of fiber and drinking lots of water. I relied on stool softeners for a long time, but I recently tried Miralax, and I've found that I need to use it only on occasion now, where I needed to use the stool softeners nearly daily to keep things moving. Another change I've made is to add probiotics to my daily supplements. I've been taking Bayer's Colon Health. So I'm not sure which of those two things has really made the difference, but I'm happy a difference has been made!
  • VickieMW
    VickieMW Posts: 285 Member
    I use Phyllium husk every morning. 1 tablespoon in 8 ounces of water. If you really haven't gone for a few days then maybe try it once in the morning and once in the evening to get things moving. Then only once a day. Buy a small bottle and try it. If you like it you can buy a larger package next time. You can find it at any store in the health food section.

    I suggest this because I know how many people out there can't go see a doctor because they don't have insurance or won't go see a Doctor because they don't love themselves enough to take care of themselves.

    The miralax works good to the Phyllium Husk is an all natural - fiber product and that's why I use it! Best of luck! =)
  • MakingAChoice
    MakingAChoice Posts: 481 Member
    No pain killers, and I'm not a dietitian but I eat fruit and grains (even the pizza made tonight had a bunch of organic wheat bran in the crust). I'm thinking I need to seek medical advice (how embarrassing :-/ ).

    You should not be embarrassed about this at all, it is actually a common problem that doctors deal with. They will probably give you a laxative or a suppository to help things along. Better safe than sorry when you can't really feel what is going on.
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