Constipation

you need magnesium citrate. It's what we give patients before they undergo bowel surgery. Works every time.

Never in my life have a ben regular - but with my Dr's help, I'm getting there.

I take Metamucil every morning, I eat prunes (usually at least 8 per day!) I eat Activia (Light - only 70 cals!) I eat Double Fiber Wheat Bread.

Basically, whatever you can do to boost your fiber in take, will help.

Also, drink a LOT of water. That helps a lot. And if you can, take Colace - Colace is safe to take every day, and won't get your bowel addicted to it (like ex-lax! If you take laxatives too often, your bowel will come to rely on them, and won't be able to function without them, making the problem worse!!)

But anyway - the colace draws the water you drink into your stool, to soften it and bulk it out, so it passes through more easily and quickly. And that's what fiber does, too. Bulks out the stool, causing your body to pass it more quickly.

Talk to your Dr, if you're really uncomfortable! They have a lot of great advice.

Never in my adult life have I been regular.

This year, I finally went to a gastro doc. Despite eating better, drinking water, exercising, I was still irregular.

We have ruled out any blockage of the colon (colonoscopy) as I was having some stomach pains that we now are thinking could be my ovaries so now seeing by gyn.

In November, I started using Miralax per the doc. I have been the most regular I have ever been. I think there have only been a few days where I haven't gone.

Long story short, definitely go to the doc. There are so many reasons why you might not be regular. For me, it is just my body's way...no medical reason why.

This was me, too.

Miralax didn't work too well for me - I would be bloated and uncomfortable one day, literally in pain the next, diarrhea the third day, to start the cycle over!

Another thing my Dr did was make sure I my iron levels were adequate, and then made me stop taking a multi vitamin that had iron in it. Iron can make things difficult, too!

Your Dr will be able to work with you to find ways to make you more comfortable!

Ughh! I thought I it was just me with this problem. I was chronic, in pain etc. Always going to the doctor with this problem. Did have colonoscopy, upper GI to make sure nothing was going on. Doctor said to increase fiber.
I started WW last year to lose and increased my diet to more fresh foods, I began avoid processed food, found I was still having problems. RN friend suggested I REALLY increase my water intake above the standard 8 glasses a day, she also suggested Benefiber daily and that seems to have made a difference with me. A teaspoon over my oatmeal, tea or whatever seems to be working for me.

This may sound funny, but I've always stayed away from green peppers. Started eating them in a stir fry with cabbage and onions and then on my subway sandwich. Voila--I'm regular.

I had to go to the laxative route too and hated that. Now it seems after two weeks, things are "moving along as they should". Good luck. If you do have to go to the doctor, make sure you bring your food diary with you so that the doctor can pinpoint the hows and whys for you.

Good luck!

Prunes people, prunes!!!

i had the same problem when i started to eat healthy. when i eat a high fibre cereal (fiber 1) in the morning, it keeps me regular

If you have increased your fibre intake, increase your water. Your body takes a while adjusting to changes, and sometimes to certain foods. Make sure you schedule time and take more time for bowel movements, because they may take longer than what you are used to and your body might not signal its readiness in quite the same way. Bring in a book so you don't get bored. Drink several cups of hot water after your morning coffee. Stay away from laxitives because they can create a dependency--lazy bowel. Metamucil is not a laxitive, but if you are now taking in more fibre due to increased vegetable intake, it might be more of the same. You might also be taking more time to digest high fibre beans and lentils, which is normal. Those things just don't zip through.

Your diet sounds like mine. When I first started here and began really tracking my veggies and fiber and increased them to above 30 it didn't seem to help me to go. It took some time. Now my veggie diet is really great and I can get typically 50 - 80 gms of fiber in by eating real food. The things that seem to put on the brakes for my guts IMMEDIATELY are eating out, vacation away from home, and eating white flour products, meat, or fried food - basically things that I don't normally eat.

I've always been a case, too. When I had my colonoscopy at age 50 she told me I tended to be constipated easily because I had a "loopy bowel". The thing was she didn't know if the loopy bowel caused the constipation or the constipation caused a loopy bowel.

I know people like to take "products" for irregularity. I am a retired medical floor hospital nurse and we gave out laxatives and stool softeners like candy. Before I got smart, I used to take 4 colace capsules 4 times a day because I would only go once every 3 or 4 days. My fiber content must have been 4 - 9 gms per day in fruit and veggies.

Now I put 4 - 6 oz of greens in my morning smoothies. Berries, bananas, and cocoa powder can hide an awful lot! If I think I need a little something extra after I eat out I'll have 2 tbsp of psyllium fiber husk (the ingredient in Metamucil without all of the sugar, artificial sweeteners, and extra chemical junk) and that will fix me up. During the holiday eating parties I finally wised up and instead of suffering for 2 days and waiting I decided that after one "bad" meal why not just dose myself with the psyllium husk fiber and get things started before they actually stop? Just add it to juice, or your oatmeal, or whatever.

You can spend the money on "products" and "medications" if you want to buy chemicals that might mess with your system or you can choose to add a natural food supplement like the psyllium husk fiber. You can find it in bins at whole foods and other places and it is pennies compared to the fancy Metamucil. If you are eating vegetarian you can really increase your fiber up to 50 or 70 without too much trouble. I am biased and cheap. I don't' want to spend the money on a remedy when I can do it with food to begin with.

I'd still like to know why eating an entire bag of prunes did nothing for me! Gas? Yes! Results? No! Enjoyed eating them, though!

I also sprouted some great northern beans by allowing them to soak in water for 8 hours. Then I ate half a cup of them and 2 cups of steamed cauliflower. Yikes! By the end of the day I was ready for a colonoscopy! What a combo that was!