I know many people are against cleanses but....a TMI problem

I have been having some issues for the last year. I typically go a week without going (with no pain, discomfort or "need" to go.) I went to a doctor, and was told just to increase my fiber intake.

When I feel like I should be going, I will take a high dose of vitamin C. Otherwise, if I have them in the house, 40g of Almonds per day works amazingly well. (Probably a good amount of fat, plus fiber in this amazing snack!)

I use strong coffee to help keep me more regular. It doesn't always work but does more often than not. I will sometimes put Benefiber in the coffee, too.

JoRocka wrote: »

A week? WTF are you people not eating? after 2-3 days I'm wondering what's wrong and I go get a burger from the bar down the street. Seriously- daily- its' the best.

For some people once a week is "normal" (it's really not though). It points to a problem in the bacteria in your stomach/intestines. I just read a book on this and it was quite interesting. But yeah, after ONE day of not going I get irritated.

Points to all the people who have already said to increase your fat intake.

Aside from that, have you tried Yakult? My husband has guts problems a little more frequently than is normal, and since he started drinking one every day, he's leveled out a lot better.

rosebette wrote: »

jesiann2014 wrote: »

Natural Vitality Natural Calm
Get it on Amazon or at healthfood stores. Take it every night. It's a magnesium supplement that works EVERYTIME. You may have to play around to figure out the correct dosage for you, but you will thank me.

I just checked out the product's site, and it looks like it's a magnesium supplement. I already take a magnesium supplement. Perhaps I should play with the dosage so that it's the same as this product?

I take magnesium (250 mg) every night before bed and 500 mg of Vitamin C too. Works like a charm. I've done it for about 6 months and I have no issues.

I've also tried 1 tbsp. of ground flax in warm water with 1-2 Tbsp. of olive oil. That has worked too.

Looks like fat (a lack of) in your diet would be a factor too.

rosebette wrote:

I have suffered from chronic irregularity
... I eat lots of fiber (25-30 grams a day), and even take a fiber supplement, but sometimes that even makes things worse.
... I know most people on this site don't recommend a cleanse, but I wonder if in my situation, one is in order to restore my system to normalcy.
... [pharmacist said] more and more fiber will just make things worse. She said to take Miralax, but I have heard laxatives can be habit forming.

See your doctor, since this is a chronic thing.
You don't need a "cleanse", you probably don't even need an enema of any sort.

Up the fiber (both natural & supplement). Taking a dose or 2 of metamucil every day won't hurt you.

Try the miralax for a couple weeks, but don't get too happy with the dosing or you're going to have problems once it takes effect.
I grandpa-sit a guy who occasionally decides he hasn't gone in a while, so he gets into the miralax & takes several doses a day for a couple days (there's not always someone there with him), then he has diarrhea for several days. I try to hide the miralax, but the other caregivers put it where he can reach it. He never learns, nor do they.

Drink lots of water, esp. while you're using the miralax & eating higher fiber.

Try a stool softener for a couple weeks.

Exercise (such as walking) will help.

Fiber is over rated- it's a binding agent- not a going agent
...
You realize too much fiber make the issue worse, right

Wrong.
Dietary (insoluble) fiber holds water, making the stool softer, which makes it pass along the digestive tract more easily, including the a.n.u.s. (Since the software bleeps out that word. It's a medical term, for goshsakes!)
But there has to be enough water for it to work with.

I would bet many of the people on this board at least know someone who has had their gallbladder removed in the last twenty years. And I would also bet that a majority of those followed eating a low/no fat diet at some point prior.

correlation /= causation
I'll bet that all those people who had their gallbladders removed also drank water, rode in a motor vehicle, and walked in the sun.

My spouse tells me I'm "abnormal" if I skip even one day and that normal people go after every meal

Normal depends on the person. It can be twice a day or once a week. As long as it's not causing distress/discomfort, it's OK.

I just came back from 3 days in Portland, ME, which has incredible food. I was off-plan and ended up gaining back everything I had lost in a year

In 3 days??
3500 cal / lb x [how many pounds?] = amount in excess of bodily needs you ate to gain that much

Add some tabasco or tapatio to your food. And stay away from fast food. I ate wendys one time and I didnt poop for a day or 2

first, miralax is approved by doctors (my kid's pediatrician, 2 pediatricians i'm friends with, and an er doc i'm friends with) for long term use. you don't get addicted to it, you do take it long term too keep your bowel empty while it retrains itself to be properly responsive. DEFINITELY see your doctor about it, but in the mean time,
-don't eat any more than 35g fibre/day
-drink 10-12 cups of water per day
-be active every day
-cut down on milk products (tend to be constipating unless you're lactose intolerant, in which case it gives diarrhea)
-switch from your regular D/cal/mag to magnesium citrate and plain d/cal supplement. magnesium citrate is actually what they use as a "purgative" before surgeries. in other words, you down a bottle, and thar she blows. i'm not suggesting you take the purgative, because that's between you and your doctor, but doing what you're doing with a change from mag oxide to mag citrate will help.
-a fleet enema can help if you have really dry impacted stool in your rectum.

do not:
use stimulant laxatives (senna, cascara, bisacodyl, etc) if you can help it. your body can become dependent on these.
-reduce you water or go on a low fibre diet unless your doc tells you to.

and just a suggestion, i've ever actually done it but i hear a tablespoon of coconut oil in coffee or tea really helps grease you up on the inside, plus it's not one of the "unhealthy" fats. it's not like egg yolks that you mentioned earlier. there is no cholesterol already in it, and while there is saturated fat, it tends to be processed differently in the body (according to several sources i've seen).

i've got a chronic problem too because of my medications. i can easily go a week with no news. sometimes two, in which case i'm dying of gut pain. since taking miralax i've been going once a week or better. not every day yet, but we're going in the right direction.

If your bowel movements and/or lack of them are troublesome or uncomfortable for you, and you feel the need to take that many supplements, something is wrong that chia seeds alone aren't going to fix. Fat is so important to implement into your diet and yours is way low. Eat fats like the ones others have mentioned and give it a try. Fats are so important for your body and the idea that all fats contribute to cholesterol/weight problems is bull!

JoRocka wrote: »

A week? WTF are you people not eating? after 2-3 days I'm wondering what's wrong and I go get a burger from the bar down the street. Seriously- daily- its' the best.

Well, great for you! Not everyone is as lucky as you seem to be, and despite trying everything mentioned here, plus doctors, some people just have problems in this department. Lay off.

OP: You originally asked about a cleanse. If you want my opinion on the best one (and Im in the same boat as you, friend)....feel free to PM me. No, I dont sell anything, just my experience to share with ya. Hugs.

rosebette wrote: »

I went to the doctor today, and he recommended two tablespoons of chia seeds with my breakfast. He also said that my pattern was well within the normal range, although I should get a colonoscopy this year because I'm over 50 and due for one. He said he had one patient with an overlong "redundant" colon who went only once every one to two weeks. She was on a regimen of 10 metamucil capsules a day because that was the only thing that worked for her!

1) Get a second opinion

2) Incorporate fiber into your diet. The stuff that I have been taking doesn't cause any gas or cramping what so ever

3) Start taking pre and pro biotics (seriously)