TMI----Constipation issues! I need help!

jlturner386
jlturner386 Posts: 65 Member
edited November 25 in Health and Weight Loss
Alright MFP friends, last night I got desperate and took 2 Dulcolax.....it barely did anything :( I haven't been regular in over 2 weeks. All a dr will do is prescribe me another laxative....so I need some creativity.....Yesterday I had 25g of fiber....and i couldnt even stomach having dinner....it did nothing as far as relief. I have eaten bananas, raspberries, quest protein bars, etc....any other ideas? I have been drinking lots of water usually 8 glasses or more. I don't drink alcohol or caffeine.....Over the last 2 weeks I have gained 4 lbs, bc of this. I have worked out 3 days a week doing cardio, and 3 days of heavy strength training. I have gone maybe 3 times in 2 weeks.....and when i did it was barely anything. I consume between 12-1300 calories a day.

Any ideas? I really don't want to take more laxatives. I have never had a constipation problem before, and I fear getting side effects of it. The weight gain is not really an issue for me, as I know I am doing the right things. But I am in a lot of discomfort. I haven't even eaten today, because just drinking water makes me nauseous....but I'm still doing it!
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Replies

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    This is getting to the dangerous stage. I don't want you to rupture anything. I think a doctor has to take you seriously.
  • AdmireDeVoll
    AdmireDeVoll Posts: 46 Member
    Magnesium, and prune juice. I have IBS and am constantly dealing with digestive issues. Also a very strong probiotic.
  • soapsandropes
    soapsandropes Posts: 269 Member
    Go see a doctor, give them the whole scenario including that you already tried a laxative. There are other things that they might suggest.
  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »
    This is getting to the dangerous stage. I don't want you to rupture anything. I think a doctor has to take you seriously.

    Yes, go back to your doctor and stress that your condition is becoming chronic.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    It seems like you are doing all the right things - water, fiber, exercise - so share jgnatca's concern that this may be a medical issue.

    That said, I take powdered vitamin C to bowel tolerance and it works every time.

    Many people drink hot tea or coffee in the AM cuz it gets things going, so as long as you don't have a medical reason to avoid caffeine, maybe try that.
  • jlturner386
    jlturner386 Posts: 65 Member
    AdmireDeVoll wrote: »
    Magnesium, and prune juice. I have IBS and am constantly dealing with digestive issues. Also a very strong probiotic.

    I have been taking a probiotic daily since saturday.....what kind would you suggest?
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    edited October 2015
    Go see a doctor before you have to visit the ER for an impacted colon. I had to do that as a kid. I GUARANTEE you that it's no fun!!
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I saw Quest bars in your diary. It's not uncommon for whey protein to cause constipation. If it were me, I'd stop consuming all protein supplements containing whey, take Miralax and plenty of water. Also, make sure you are getting enough fat.

    If that doesn't work go to the doctor. If you are not passing gas, go to the ER.
  • hcrabb78
    hcrabb78 Posts: 3 Member
    Have you tried a colon cleanse? I would recommend doing a search for it, but I tried it and it definitely cleaned the system out. Literally water and natural sea salt. Nothing to eat in the am. Only drink this (look online for measurements) and within 30-45 mins you will have to go. Once the "cleanse" is complete you can eat
  • MelaRayne
    MelaRayne Posts: 14 Member
    I'm so glad I'm of the only one! I've struggled with constipation for awhile. But...I found that working out and eating an apple a day with some other fiber filled foods (even benefiber) gets me regular. If all else fails go to the doctor but try everything else first.

    I do not recommend a laxative though, it depletes your body of the good stuff!
  • Pawsforme
    Pawsforme Posts: 645 Member
    Miralax daily for awhile. It's a stool softener, not a laxative. It's fine to take it long term.

    I would also add in a magnesium supplement in the evening. There's no magic as far as what kind you take -- lots of people will recommend magesium citrate, but for encouraging elimination magnesium oxide works very well (and is less expensive). I know quite a few people who swear by Natural Calm, which is a flavored powder that contains magnesium. You mix it with water and drink it. You have to figure out the dosage you need, as too much can cause diarrhea. One naturopath I heard speak recommended taking magnesium oxide and building on the dose until you reached the point of almost diarrhea and then backing down slightly.

    And yes, coffee in the morning can help get things going. It's a combination of the caffeine and warmth.
  • Badunkadunk_Buster
    Badunkadunk_Buster Posts: 184 Member
    Too much protein and vitamin c does it to me too. I had to lower my protein, cut out the vitamin and up my fiber. I try and reach 28g a day. I also will have prunes late morning if my coffee didn't get things moving in the morning. If these natural things don't help, speak to you dr. Good luck, I know how uncomfortable it is.
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    hcrabb78 wrote: »
    Have you tried a colon cleanse? I would recommend doing a search for it, but I tried it and it definitely cleaned the system out. Literally water and natural sea salt. Nothing to eat in the am. Only drink this (look online for measurements) and within 30-45 mins you will have to go. Once the "cleanse" is complete you can eat

    No. Just.....no. If you're doing something like this, PLEASE run it by your doctor first! (fyi, i had to do something like this when i was a kid after the ER visit, it didn't work)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited October 2015
    Need2Exerc1se wrote: »
    I saw Quest bars in your diary. It's not uncommon for whey protein to cause constipation. If it were me, I'd stop consuming all protein supplements containing whey, take Miralax and plenty of water. Also, make sure you are getting enough fat.

    If that doesn't work go to the doctor. If you are not passing gas, go to the ER.

    I'd quit the quest bars too.
    And all protein supplements
    And make protein "moderate" and up the fat.

    And I'd try either a good magnesium supplement, or miralax. And in the meantime make a follow up appointment with the doc. If quitting whey and reducing protein doesn't help, and magnesium or miralax doesn't help, keep the appointment.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Here's why I'm worried. Not much is moving even with a laxative. This could mean a blockage or a twisted bowel, which can get very serious.

    It reminds me of the winter hubby had a chronic cough that would not go away. He'd been to the doctor, tried a couple prescriptions, and nothing was working. He was working his way along the shelves at the pharmacy trying anything. I had a talk with him that if the prescriptions weren't working, random off-the-shelf products wouldn't help either. It meant another trip to the doctor. Turns out he has asthma, and he is on three puffers. We stay on top of it so there are no more overnight stays at the emergency, getting his breathing under control.
  • flaminica
    flaminica Posts: 304 Member
    Are you taking any kind of codeine-based medication? Constipation is a common side effect. Yes, take a stool softener as well as a laxative -- you don't want bleeding hemorrhoids. Prunes are old-fashioned but surprisingly effective.

    Double yes -- see a doctor. If chronic or untreated, this can lead to diverticulitis. If codeine is the culprit, discuss other options or medications.
  • BethAnnieT
    BethAnnieT Posts: 263 Member
    Milk of Magnesia. I have the same problems now and then and good old fashioned MOM (in the blue bottle) works for me - no pain or cramps or anything horrible. Take a half dose now then another half dose tonight before bed, with 8 oz water each time.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    A lot of the foods you listed will contribute to constipation: bananas, quest bars.

    Also, you say the Ducalax "barely did anything," your MD will want to know the shape and color of what did come out.
  • kiela64
    kiela64 Posts: 1,447 Member
    edited October 2015
    This is very worrisome. Maybe there is an after-hours clinic that will take you seriously? I wouldn't take any more laxatives at that point. Sometimes when you have a lot of fibre it can make you stuck if you don't also drink a lot of water with it. But this seems like a much more pressing issue if the laxatives didn't do anything. I also think that it might be worth sitting in the ER for a few hours to get looked at, especially if your doctor isn't being helpful. My dad's doctor once misdiagnosed appendicitis as gas, and it was really lucky he took it seriously and waited 6h in the ER. Sometimes family doctors see too many ordinary things that they don't notice a serious one.
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbYWhdLO43Q
  • _benjammin
    _benjammin Posts: 1,224 Member
    What's your fat intake and why aren't you tracking it?
  • Melonpaul
    Melonpaul Posts: 323 Member
    Maybe try adding more vegetables into your diet, stuff like greens, carrots, corn

    If that doesn't help go back to your doctor
  • jlturner386
    jlturner386 Posts: 65 Member
    I try to eat a 40/30/30 diet carb/fat/protein. I think my fat content is actually high. I called my dr office, and left a message with the nurse. Hopefully, they will call me in or something. I'm going to eat a big salad for lunch, and keep pushing fluids. I will also go pick up some prune juice :( Yuck. I'm going to the gym tonight, focus on interval running....maybe it will get something moving. Bananas used to make me need to go...apparently they are losing their effectiveness. I don't have a medical reason to not drink caffeine, I just don't like coffee, and soda is empty calories LOL. Milk of Magnesia....I think I will try next if stuff doesn't move today.

    Also, I don't take pain meds, I am allergic to most narcotic meds. Hives, crawling skin, my jaw locked once when I took a migraine med....I'm so lucky I know....I don't like taking OTC or prescription meds at all....I do take a very light muscle relaxer at night for sciatica, and it does cause dry mouth.

    Thank you all for your responses. I'm not at E.R. level yet, but if I don't have major relief soon, I may.
  • AspenDan
    AspenDan Posts: 703 Member
    https://youtu.be/YbYWhdLO43Q

    Only half joking
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    Prune juice has worked for me before when OTC laxatives have failed.
  • _benjammin
    _benjammin Posts: 1,224 Member
    I looked deeper into your diary and did some math, seems your fat may be generally ok, appears some incomplete days though. Regardless, my wife has had the same issues for years. Generally miserable, constipated or diarrhea. Only going less than once a week.
    Call me crazy but, try drinking a regular old beer. Can't hurt right?
  • sassysisterjd
    sassysisterjd Posts: 41 Member
    That sounds totally miserable. :-( I agree with the posters saying a visit to the doc is in order. But for preventing it going forward, I've found it helpful to drink tons of water (even more so if you do a lot of exercise) and eat some foods with more insoluble fiber, like oats or maybe bran cereal. And beans are a great source too!
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
    Prune juice didn't actually help me. What helped was upping my fiber content. Of course, the method my mom took was to add fiber powder to water and make me drink a couple of glasses a day. ><

    Also, the suggestions that we're giving you only treat the symptoms. Yeah, some of these might get things moving again, but if you can't get to the reason behind it, you're just going to have to keep treating the symptoms instead of preventing it from happening.
  • Traveler120
    Traveler120 Posts: 712 Member
    Your diary over the last week shows lots of McDonalds and generally junk/fast foods. That's the root of your problem.

    Try eating real food for a change and you won't have this problem. You need to eat fruits, potatoes, rice, beans, vegetables etc. Avoid meats and cheeses for a while until you get back to normal. If I were you, for the next few days, I'd eat some fruits and vegetables only.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    Have a big bag of haribo Gummi bears. A;ways does the trick for me.
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