Constipation
Eager2LoseLbs
Posts: 16 Member
Can constipation slow down my progress?
0
Replies
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It won't stop you from losing weight, but it will make any progress less obvious since waste in your system will show up on the scale. If the constipation makes you feel bloated, it could actually help a bit because bloating can reduce your appetite.
Drink more water, exercise, eat lots of vegetables and if it lasts for more than a couple of days, look into fiber supplements. When I was doing low carb, I had problems because of the lack of fiber in my diet. I took fiber pills and got my system started again.2 -
I don't disagree with the post above, but there can be more to it than fiber pills.
The PP mentioned water and exercise. Another thing that can contribute to constipation is inadequate fat intake. (Some people cut fats too far when trying to lose weight.)
Some people also find probiotics helpful for constipation. Personally, I'd start by regularly eating probiotic foods like live culture yogurt and kefir, raw sauerkraut/kim chi, kombucha, live-culture miso, raw vinegar, etc. Supplements are an option, but food IMO is better.
In some cases, there could also be something like magnesium deficiency or hypothyroidism, for example.
I was diagnosed with IBS/C, and told to take a fiber supplement. That made things worse, because what I really needed was more water. (I was already getting enough fiber, it was just stuck in the pipes!) Now, at lower calories, I have to pay attention to getting enough fats, or things can slow up again. In practice, fiber is the most common problem, but it can be multiple factors.4 -
I had to get laxatives. I was in desperate need of it. Almost a week without pooping.0
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I had to get laxatives. I was in desperate need of it. Almost a week without pooping.
That's a very reasonable choice in that context.
You probably already know this, but if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term.2 -
Yes, if this is a common thing see a doctor. Also, as I'm sure Ann wrote: Eat enough fats because they are needed for digestion and moving things along.0
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Don't forget water. Lots of water.2 -
I suffer from chronic constipation. I use magnesium powder (CalMag from Amazon). It works like a charm, and you can adjust the dosage depending on your results.1
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Veggies, fruits, whole grains can help. A diversity of fiber types is helpful, which makes many fiber supplements not that great an answer.
Many people know about soluble vs. insoluble fibers, but I think fewer know about the benefits of fermentable fibers (rather than entirely or mostly non-fermentable ones). Most soluble fibers are fermentable, but not all; most insoluble fibers are non-fermentable, but not all. There are also subtypes with somewhat different effects.
But this doesn't have to be complicated. Getting fiber intake from a variety of sources will typically get a person a reasonable mix.
No matter the source, increasing fiber gradually is generally a better idea than a big jump all at once. It can take the digestive system (including gut microbiome) some time to adjust. A big jump all at once can make constipation worse, cause the opposite (diarrhea), trigger very uncomfortable levels of lower intestinal gas, and more.
While bad things wouldn't happen for everyone, increasing gradually minimizes the chances of unpleasantness.1 -
I had to get laxatives. I was in desperate need of it. Almost a week without pooping.
That's a very reasonable choice in that context.
You probably already know this, but if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term.
That is actually untrue. Laxatives on the basis of macrogol have no long term effects at all. They act on a physical principal by adding water to your poop. They can safely be taken lifelong.0 -
I had to get laxatives. I was in desperate need of it. Almost a week without pooping.
That's a very reasonable choice in that context.
You probably already know this, but if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term.
That is actually untrue. Laxatives on the basis of macrogol have no long term effects at all. They act on a physical principal by adding water to your poop. They can safely be taken lifelong.
Of course some laxatives are riskier than others. Persistent constipation is still a medical issue.
Here's what the NHS says about Macrogol risks specifically:Ideally, you'll only take macrogol occasionally and for a few days at a time.
Using laxatives like macrogol for longer can lead to diarrhoea that lasts a long time, and can cause an electrolyte imbalance. This is where levels of substances like sodium, potassium and magnesium in your body get too high or too low.
In some people, a severe electrolyte imbalance can cause serious health problems such as:
* muscle spasms
* twitching
* a seizure or fit
However, sometimes a doctor may recommend you or your child take macrogol for a few months. This could be because you keep getting constipation or you take medicines that make you constipated. Your doctor will advise you how long you need to take macrogol for and how much to take.
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/macrogol/common-questions-about-macrogol/
(Bolding mine.)
I'll stick with my advice: " . . . if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term."
If using Macrogol is the doctor's recommendation, that's one thing. If a person self-medicates and ends up causing negative effects (even rare ones) or masking a more serious condition, that's another.4 -
I had to get laxatives. I was in desperate need of it. Almost a week without pooping.
That's a very reasonable choice in that context.
You probably already know this, but if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term.
That is actually untrue. Laxatives on the basis of macrogol have no long term effects at all. They act on a physical principal by adding water to your poop. They can safely be taken lifelong.
Of course some laxatives are riskier than others. Persistent constipation is still a medical issue.
Here's what the NHS says about Macrogol risks specifically:Ideally, you'll only take macrogol occasionally and for a few days at a time.
Using laxatives like macrogol for longer can lead to diarrhoea that lasts a long time, and can cause an electrolyte imbalance. This is where levels of substances like sodium, potassium and magnesium in your body get too high or too low.
In some people, a severe electrolyte imbalance can cause serious health problems such as:
* muscle spasms
* twitching
* a seizure or fit
However, sometimes a doctor may recommend you or your child take macrogol for a few months. This could be because you keep getting constipation or you take medicines that make you constipated. Your doctor will advise you how long you need to take macrogol for and how much to take.
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/macrogol/common-questions-about-macrogol/
(Bolding mine.)
I'll stick with my advice: " . . . if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term."
If using Macrogol is the doctor's recommendation, that's one thing. If a person self-medicates and ends up causing negative effects (even rare ones) or masking a more serious condition, that's another.
Obviously if a person has diarrhea they won't take more laxatives. Hence no electrolite disbalance. Common sence is a thing.0 -
I had to get laxatives. I was in desperate need of it. Almost a week without pooping.
That's a very reasonable choice in that context.
You probably already know this, but if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term.
That is actually untrue. Laxatives on the basis of macrogol have no long term effects at all. They act on a physical principal by adding water to your poop. They can safely be taken lifelong.
Of course some laxatives are riskier than others. Persistent constipation is still a medical issue.
Here's what the NHS says about Macrogol risks specifically:Ideally, you'll only take macrogol occasionally and for a few days at a time.
Using laxatives like macrogol for longer can lead to diarrhoea that lasts a long time, and can cause an electrolyte imbalance. This is where levels of substances like sodium, potassium and magnesium in your body get too high or too low.
In some people, a severe electrolyte imbalance can cause serious health problems such as:
* muscle spasms
* twitching
* a seizure or fit
However, sometimes a doctor may recommend you or your child take macrogol for a few months. This could be because you keep getting constipation or you take medicines that make you constipated. Your doctor will advise you how long you need to take macrogol for and how much to take.
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/macrogol/common-questions-about-macrogol/
(Bolding mine.)
I'll stick with my advice: " . . . if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term."
If using Macrogol is the doctor's recommendation, that's one thing. If a person self-medicates and ends up causing negative effects (even rare ones) or masking a more serious condition, that's another.
Obviously if a person has diarrhea they won't take more laxatives. Hence no electrolite disbalance. Common sence is a thing.
That's making a big assumption. It's really common in the dieting community to use laxatives to "clean yourself out" and make your weight go down. People that do this are likely to have issues. Given that the op asks about constipation slowing weight loss, they could be teetering towards doing this. But yes, your average person would hopefully know not to over-use laxatives.1 -
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Just my personal experience: prunes, they are my go-to when things aren't moving along as needed, and they're yummy too. Thanks to my grandmother for that wisdom
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I added more fiber to my diet. I am regular now.3
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I cleared up by IBS symptoms and constipation by changing to a low carb diet. Works for quite a few and the logic of adding more fiber doesn't actually make much sense when it comes to constipation, imo. Fiber seems to be the new religion though, so it's hard to be a contrarian, which I am.
https://wjgnet.com/1007-9327/full/v18/i33/4593.htm
CONCLUSION: Idiopathic constipation and its associated symptoms can be effectively reduced by stopping or even lowering the intake of dietary fiber.
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Just my personal experience: prunes, they are my go-to when things aren't moving along as needed, and they're yummy too. Thanks to my grandmother for that wisdom
Yep, my mother taught me that too. My sister reminded me of it when I was severely constipated recently. The culprit was that I had more fat than fiber in my diet. I do not take fiber supplements. The fiber I eat is strictly from the necessary foods like vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, etc and grains and fruit). I should be adding prunes to
that soon. I don’t over do it with the fruit though because of the natural sugar in them. Anyway, thanks for sharing your thoughts on prunes. 😊1 -
I had no choice but to use a laxative because I was severely constipated. I do NOT use laxatives for weight loss. I won’t be using laxatives now that I’m regular by eating the necessary foods. People shouldn’t make assumptions just because I asked that question. I really needed to know if constipation would slow my progress before hitting a Plateau.sollyn23l2 wrote: »I had to get laxatives. I was in desperate need of it. Almost a week without pooping.
That's a very reasonable choice in that context.
You probably already know this, but if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term.
That is actually untrue. Laxatives on the basis of macrogol have no long term effects at all. They act on a physical principal by adding water to your poop. They can safely be taken lifelong.
Of course some laxatives are riskier than others. Persistent constipation is still a medical issue.
Here's what the NHS says about Macrogol risks specifically:Ideally, you'll only take macrogol occasionally and for a few days at a time.
Using laxatives like macrogol for longer can lead to diarrhoea that lasts a long time, and can cause an electrolyte imbalance. This is where levels of substances like sodium, potassium and magnesium in your body get too high or too low.
In some people, a severe electrolyte imbalance can cause serious health problems such as:
* muscle spasms
* twitching
* a seizure or fit
However, sometimes a doctor may recommend you or your child take macrogol for a few months. This could be because you keep getting constipation or you take medicines that make you constipated. Your doctor will advise you how long you need to take macrogol for and how much to take.
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/macrogol/common-questions-about-macrogol/
(Bolding mine.)
I'll stick with my advice: " . . . if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term."
If using Macrogol is the doctor's recommendation, that's one thing. If a person self-medicates and ends up causing negative effects (even rare ones) or masking a more serious condition, that's another.
Obviously if a person has diarrhea they won't take more laxatives. Hence no electrolite disbalance. Common sence is a thing.
That's making a big assumption. It's really common in the dieting community to use laxatives to "clean yourself out" and make your weight go down. People that do this are likely to have issues. Given that the op asks about constipation slowing weight loss, they could be teetering towards doing this. But yes, your average person would hopefully know not to over-use laxatives.
0 -
I had to get laxatives. I was in desperate need of it. Almost a week without pooping.
That's a very reasonable choice in that context.
You probably already know this, but if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term.
That is actually untrue. Laxatives on the basis of macrogol have no long term effects at all. They act on a physical principal by adding water to your poop. They can safely be taken lifelong.
Of course some laxatives are riskier than others. Persistent constipation is still a medical issue.
Here's what the NHS says about Macrogol risks specifically:Ideally, you'll only take macrogol occasionally and for a few days at a time.
Using laxatives like macrogol for longer can lead to diarrhoea that lasts a long time, and can cause an electrolyte imbalance. This is where levels of substances like sodium, potassium and magnesium in your body get too high or too low.
In some people, a severe electrolyte imbalance can cause serious health problems such as:
* muscle spasms
* twitching
* a seizure or fit
However, sometimes a doctor may recommend you or your child take macrogol for a few months. This could be because you keep getting constipation or you take medicines that make you constipated. Your doctor will advise you how long you need to take macrogol for and how much to take.
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/macrogol/common-questions-about-macrogol/
(Bolding mine.)
I'll stick with my advice: " . . . if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term."
If using Macrogol is the doctor's recommendation, that's one thing. If a person self-medicates and ends up causing negative effects (even rare ones) or masking a more serious condition, that's another.
I had no choice but to use a laxative because I was severely constipated. I do NOT use laxatives for weight loss. I won’t be using laxatives now that I’m regular by eating the necessary foods. People shouldn’t make assumptions just because I asked that question. I really needed to know if constipation would slow my progress before hitting a Plateau.
0 -
I had to get laxatives. I was in desperate need of it. Almost a week without pooping.
That's a very reasonable choice in that context.
You probably already know this, but if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term.
That is actually untrue. Laxatives on the basis of macrogol have no long term effects at all. They act on a physical principal by adding water to your poop. They can safely be taken lifelong.
Of course some laxatives are riskier than others. Persistent constipation is still a medical issue.
Here's what the NHS says about Macrogol risks specifically:Ideally, you'll only take macrogol occasionally and for a few days at a time.
Using laxatives like macrogol for longer can lead to diarrhoea that lasts a long time, and can cause an electrolyte imbalance. This is where levels of substances like sodium, potassium and magnesium in your body get too high or too low.
In some people, a severe electrolyte imbalance can cause serious health problems such as:
* muscle spasms
* twitching
* a seizure or fit
However, sometimes a doctor may recommend you or your child take macrogol for a few months. This could be because you keep getting constipation or you take medicines that make you constipated. Your doctor will advise you how long you need to take macrogol for and how much to take.
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/macrogol/common-questions-about-macrogol/
(Bolding mine.)
I'll stick with my advice: " . . . if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term."
If using Macrogol is the doctor's recommendation, that's one thing. If a person self-medicates and ends up causing negative effects (even rare ones) or masking a more serious condition, that's another.
I had no choice but to use a laxative because I was severely constipated. I do NOT use laxatives for weight loss. I won’t be using laxatives now that I’m regular by eating the necessary foods. People shouldn’t make assumptions just because I asked that question. I really needed to know if constipation would slow my progress before hitting a Plateau.
I don't think we were assuming that it was wrong for you to use laxatives for an acute and temporary problem. I for sure wasn't assuming that, and if I seemed to say otherwise I was communicating poorly. If so, I apologize.
I did respond to other people's advice that I thought was sub-ideal about long-term laxative use. I do think laxatives are OK for occasional acute problems. Your approach and attitude seems fine to me.
To explain myself: I know we're responding to you, and I tried to be sensitive about that (maybe not enough so?). But I also know that others can be reading threads, so I try to contextualize advice. The idea that someone else posted - at least as I read their post - that it's universally fine to rely on polyethelene glycol (macrogol, miralax) long term . . . I don't think that's consistent with mainstream medical advice. But I didn't think you were doing that!
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I really do appreciate any advice that you give out. Thank you for taking the time.I had to get laxatives. I was in desperate need of it. Almost a week without pooping.
That's a very reasonable choice in that context.
You probably already know this, but if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term.
That is actually untrue. Laxatives on the basis of macrogol have no long term effects at all. They act on a physical principal by adding water to your poop. They can safely be taken lifelong.
Of course some laxatives are riskier than others. Persistent constipation is still a medical issue.
Here's what the NHS says about Macrogol risks specifically:Ideally, you'll only take macrogol occasionally and for a few days at a time.
Using laxatives like macrogol for longer can lead to diarrhoea that lasts a long time, and can cause an electrolyte imbalance. This is where levels of substances like sodium, potassium and magnesium in your body get too high or too low.
In some people, a severe electrolyte imbalance can cause serious health problems such as:
* muscle spasms
* twitching
* a seizure or fit
However, sometimes a doctor may recommend you or your child take macrogol for a few months. This could be because you keep getting constipation or you take medicines that make you constipated. Your doctor will advise you how long you need to take macrogol for and how much to take.
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/macrogol/common-questions-about-macrogol/
(Bolding mine.)
I'll stick with my advice: " . . . if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term."
If using Macrogol is the doctor's recommendation, that's one thing. If a person self-medicates and ends up causing negative effects (even rare ones) or masking a more serious condition, that's another.
I had no choice but to use a laxative because I was severely constipated. I do NOT use laxatives for weight loss. I won’t be using laxatives now that I’m regular by eating the necessary foods. People shouldn’t make assumptions just because I asked that question. I really needed to know if constipation would slow my progress before hitting a Plateau.
I don't think we were assuming that it was wrong for you to use laxatives for an acute and temporary problem. I for sure wasn't assuming that, and if I seemed to say otherwise I was communicating poorly. If so, I apologize.
I did respond to other people's advice that I thought was sub-ideal about long-term laxative use. I do think laxatives are OK for occasional acute problems. Your approach and attitude seems fine to me.
To explain myself: I know we're responding to you, and I tried to be sensitive about that (maybe not enough so?). But I also know that others can be reading threads, so I try to contextualize advice. The idea that someone else posted - at least as I read their post - that it's universally fine to rely on polyethelene glycol (macrogol, miralax) long term . . . I don't think that's consistent with mainstream medical advice. But I didn't think you were doing that!
2 -
I had no choice but to use a laxative because I was severely constipated. I do NOT use laxatives for weight loss. I won’t be using laxatives now that I’m regular by eating the necessary foods. People shouldn’t make assumptions just because I asked that question. I really needed to know if constipation would slow my progress before hitting a Plateau.sollyn23l2 wrote: »I had to get laxatives. I was in desperate need of it. Almost a week without pooping.
That's a very reasonable choice in that context.
You probably already know this, but if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term.
That is actually untrue. Laxatives on the basis of macrogol have no long term effects at all. They act on a physical principal by adding water to your poop. They can safely be taken lifelong.
Of course some laxatives are riskier than others. Persistent constipation is still a medical issue.
Here's what the NHS says about Macrogol risks specifically:Ideally, you'll only take macrogol occasionally and for a few days at a time.
Using laxatives like macrogol for longer can lead to diarrhoea that lasts a long time, and can cause an electrolyte imbalance. This is where levels of substances like sodium, potassium and magnesium in your body get too high or too low.
In some people, a severe electrolyte imbalance can cause serious health problems such as:
* muscle spasms
* twitching
* a seizure or fit
However, sometimes a doctor may recommend you or your child take macrogol for a few months. This could be because you keep getting constipation or you take medicines that make you constipated. Your doctor will advise you how long you need to take macrogol for and how much to take.
Source: https://www.nhs.uk/medicines/macrogol/common-questions-about-macrogol/
(Bolding mine.)
I'll stick with my advice: " . . . if this becomes a repeat problem, please don't keep relying on laxatives. See a doctor, or a registered dietitian. Over-use of laxatives, even mild-ish ones, can screw things up longer term."
If using Macrogol is the doctor's recommendation, that's one thing. If a person self-medicates and ends up causing negative effects (even rare ones) or masking a more serious condition, that's another.
Obviously if a person has diarrhea they won't take more laxatives. Hence no electrolite disbalance. Common sence is a thing.
That's making a big assumption. It's really common in the dieting community to use laxatives to "clean yourself out" and make your weight go down. People that do this are likely to have issues. Given that the op asks about constipation slowing weight loss, they could be teetering towards doing this. But yes, your average person would hopefully know not to over-use laxatives.
I know, I was saying that because there are people out there who might, and they may have been reading. Laxatives are fine when needed. I wasn't trying to blame or accuse you of anything, promise.2 -
I agree it is probably best to get probiotics and fibers through foods; but taking one teaspoon of Metamucil daily along with food fiber and a pill form of probiotics, cured me of chronic constipation. Of course, drink lots of water daily and exercise to get things moving through your system.1
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Thanks for all the advice. I’m regular now that I eat more fiber. I’ve been wanting to buy Metamucil but it’s so expensive. I’m on a tight budget as is.0
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Eager2LoseLbs wrote: »Thanks for all the advice. I’m regular now that I eat more fiber. I’ve been wanting to buy Metamucil but it’s so expensive. I’m on a tight budget as is.
Metamucil (basically psyllium) is a non-fermentable fiber, and mostly a soluble fiber (vs. insoluble). That has pros and cons: It can be good for constipation, but isn't prebiotic (something gut microbiome can digest). Some people have problems with fermentable fiber, on the flip side. There are other considerations.
You (OP) may already have looked into this, but some people just go for Metamucil because it's popular and widely advertised, without considering whether they'd be better off with fermentable vs. nonfermentable, soluble vs. insoluble, etc. . . . or a mix.
There exists generic psyllium commercially, and it may be cheaper than branded Metamucil. Though some people may prefer the branded version, generic is something a person could try, if on a budget.
1
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