Eating enough fiber, drinking water- still constipated!

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  • Evamila
    Evamila Posts: 1
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    Correction: RIPE bananas help soften stool must NOT be avoided
    Avoid all rice except for brown long grain rice
    Avoid laxative will irritate causing more constipation in time...
  • secretgirl4611
    secretgirl4611 Posts: 474 Member
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    Sometimes EATING TOO MUCH FIBER for ppl like us who may get constipated regularily is a bad thing. For others with a more fast metabolism they eat fiber and it comes right out of them. I know If I go too over board on fiber it will only make it worse. I say try ACTIVIA yogurt! It really does work awesome! that and a hot cup of plain green tea with 1tbs. honey and fresh lemon squeezed into it..
    Good luck I hate constipation =s no freakin fun! A lil diet change can go a very long ways that and eggs in the morning.. haha I hate em but it works..
  • tamanella
    tamanella Posts: 500 Member
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    I'm having trouble with this also and my doctor had me start taking Flaxseed Oil Capsules, 2 at bedtime. I hope that helps!! :0)
  • Trutra
    Trutra Posts: 131 Member
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    . if it helps you thats great but there it a diet to AVOID while contipated and it is Bananas Rice Applesauce Toast.

    When I worked in a paediatric unit we used to give the above diet (the BRAT diet, lol) to kids with diarrhoea, gastro enteritis etc until their stools had firmed up and then introduce other things.
    Personally, I would avoid them. I am not saying that they would constipate you on their own under normal circumstances, but if you are already constipated they may make it worse. As for rice/bread I guess that brown is probably better.
  • Liquid741
    Liquid741 Posts: 292
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    Since my weight loss adventure and hovering around my goal I was constantly constipated after I reached the 60lbs lost mark. I work in a steel mill, so I drink about 3 to 4 gals of water daily. I started to take fiber supplements, but was still not able to take the browns to the superbowl without aingst!

    I finally just started to rotate stool softeners into my daily vit. intake, and waalllaaa! all is good!
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
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    Are you sure that you are getting enough natural fiber in your diet? I don't see that you're logging at least not on MFP? It may be as simple as that you think you are getting fiber when in reality you aren't getting as much as you assume.
  • Puppygirl29
    Puppygirl29 Posts: 14
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    What usually works is a fiber capsule containing psyllium . You can get them a a drug store or maybe the
    supermarket. Follow the directions and take with lots of water. Good Luck!
  • Poods71
    Poods71 Posts: 502 Member
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    I was having exactly the same problem as you. I worked out from my diary I was actually eating loads of fibre so I upped my water (I'm terrible for not drinking enough) and fingers crossed the last two days I have been normal again (relief :happy: ).

    The oily stools do sound quite unusual though. I have suffered from constipation most of my life and never really had that, so maybe a wee trip to the docs just to check everything is ok would be a good idea. Also, I would cut back on tea and diets sodas as they don't hydrate. I will have at the most 2 cups of tea and try and drink mostly water and it seems to do the trick. I hear coffee helps but wouldn't go mad on that either. Good luck, I know how miserable it feels :flowerforyou:
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
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    didn't read all the replies so I apologize if I'm repeating something thats already been said.

    How "clean" are you eating. As in, what are you eating? If your diet is overly healthy, then that happens to me also. My solution, get some dirty food in. Go to Taco bell and order up some greasy tacos or that cheesy burritto and see if that fix's the problem
  • barney50501Missy
    barney50501Missy Posts: 79
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    Ugh...I've had the same problem since I started 3 months ago (not the oily stools though). Have tried fiber gummies, stool softeners, Activia...nothing seems to work. I do think I don't drink enough water though. Driving me crazy because before starting this I was very regular. Have not really changed my diet, just not eating as much as I used to and exercising more. If I can "go" twice a week I'm happy at this point...but that doesn't always happen :ohwell: .
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
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    I agree with the MD appt. idea. It is better for it to be NOTHING and be checked out than to be SOMETHING and not be checked out. That being said, it is probably something in your diet but the MD should be able to guide you in that. Physical exams are great tools to overall health. You may want to take about a week full of food logs with you so he/she can evaluate what you are doing and give you a better idea of where to start.

    In a related note, one day several years ago, I was in a Walmart... I felt a little funny so I took my blood pressure and it was elevated. Remembering a few months earlier I had conjunctivitis and my bp was elevated, I took note that this might be something more than just "white coat anxiety" from the Dr. visit. So I kept a log for several days and took it on my doctor visit... He was most appreciative of that and said that it helps so much when you come in with data on a cross section like that... He checks it once in the office... that is all he knows... If you come in with some data over a period of time, it give him better data to help you by.
  • Bjornulf
    Bjornulf Posts: 29
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    The most common causes for constipation are too high starch intake, not enough hydration and too low dietary fat intake. Despite the myth, fiber usually does not play into constipation. When adjusting to a "healthy" diet, many people opt for low or no fat. This can cause a whole host of problems, not just constipation.

    Being an impatient sort of person myself, I would advise a broad spectrum approach.
    1. Cut back on/drop starchy carbs. Regular, non starchy carbs are fine.
    2. Up your fat intake, while maintaining your caloric intake goals.
    3. Make sure to drink a gallon of water each day. More if you take supplements that harden stools like iron, magnesium and calcium.
    4. Make, and keep, a Dr's appointment.

    Keep i mind that these are only suggestions; I am NOT a medical professional. I do not know exactly why you have this problem, I am just hitting the main causes. Your doctor should be able to give you more information, based on actual test results and scientific type stuff like that; rather then anonymous opinions that you get here.
  • AlphamaleBAMF
    AlphamaleBAMF Posts: 373
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    I don't have any problems on my diet. I get plenty of vitamins and fibre and i drink lots of water.

    Might I suggest you try cardio exercise? I know it sounds weird but I find it usually helps things work through the system.

    I went from passing stools maybe every 2-4 days to once or twice a day now and going is much easier than it used to be.
  • hazelovesfood
    hazelovesfood Posts: 454 Member
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    It could be ibs, I have it and it flares with some of the weiredest of things. anway sometimes It does feel oily as you say, and I get backed up also. I may still go but then at some point it will be alot and strangely I feel hungry when this happens. Ive found now that i eat more protein im getting backed up more even though i have veg in some form everyday and eat wheat cereals every day too. I think in general its probably because what you are before made you go so much more than now, or thats what seems to be with me. I used to eat a lot fo chocolate and went everyday.
  • Soopermomma
    Soopermomma Posts: 11 Member
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    If you have taken any rounds of anti-biotics lately they may have killed off healthy bacterium that you need. Acidophillus may help. Definately worth talking to the doctor about.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
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    a few of you have said bananas help. if it helps you thats great but there it a diet to AVOID while contipated and it is Bananas Rice Applesauce Toast. i have had the same problem and it also started right after my positive diet change. more fluids, mostly all water, acidophilous daily, been drinking prune juice, taken a digestive cleanse, taken laxitives and nada for like 5 days! bad cramping, even vomiting. and i NEVER VOMIT! this sucks...

    I was told a few years ago that bananas, applesauce, and even apple JUICE can be binding. We got a lot more regular at my house when I stopped buying apple juice and switched to white grape and pear juice. In addition, ripe pears always seem to help my 6 year old go....
  • mycorrado
    mycorrado Posts: 1
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    Interesting question.. same here, I supplement with Fiber daily, bannana, probiotics and plenty of water and no help. wondering if it's too much fiber so I'll half my dose and see what happens. Tea only once a day at eve.
  • temilade_o
    temilade_o Posts: 3
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    I've tried everything...coffee, bananas, laxatives, name it. Nothing seems to work, it's never been this hard. I'm consciously to have a lot of fibre. It used to be easier to go before I started eating clean. Help?
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    Haven't read through the rest of the thread (which is like two years old! :tongue: ) - but for the most recent poster - how's your fat intake? Often people start "eating healthy" and try to cut all the fat from their diet. Even with plenty of fiber, they have this problem because they aren't eating enough healthy fat. Avocados, olive and coconut oils, nuts, salmon - good sources of healthy fats that might help. And there's always butter - that helps too!

    Good luck!
  • ruthejp13
    ruthejp13 Posts: 213 Member
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    Is what you "watched what I was eating" mean an increase in whole wheat and other gluten containing foods?

    My husband was having trouble and thought he might be gluten intolerant. I don't eat bread but I started reading the labels for his bread. Whole wheat isn't as soft and sticky as white bread so they add gluten (the protein in wheat). We have found that gluten as a normal part of wheat or other grains isn't a problem, the problem is gluten being added to foods.

    Back in my college days I found the same type problem with dairy. I was mildly lactose intolerant. I found that I could eat dairy as long as the ingredients didn't include added lactose. In order for the company to claim "real dairy whip cream" they add lactose to the chemically processed food.

    I haven't read all the comments but the ones I did I agree with.

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