Bathroom..

So I haven't had a 'movement' per say in about 3 days and I have been taking in tons of carbs and fruits as well as a substantial amount of proteins. I believe that I have a very healthy and balanced meal plan daily. My question is, I am changing nothing but each day my weight has been going up.  I normally don't weigh myself but I am going to the docs soon so I want to be prepared.

Do you think that not going to the bathroom in a few days could add that extra weight? My stomach is actually a little bloaty and hard at the moment.

Just a little confused.

definately. i went through a bad patch where my bowel movements became so lazy. got a nice surprise one night, when i got a movement i went down 4lbs on the scale. honestly, you'd be surpised just how much it can weigh!

That asian guy who wins all the hot-dog eating contests... I forget his name... anyways, I saw him eat 26 lbs of food in one sitting on TV one time.  Imagine how much weight he lost when he got his bowel movements lol.

Try not to weigh yourself daily because all you see are things like this.  If you're eating food and it's not passing through your digestion efficiently (or at all)  then it's going to make you gain temporarily.   Have you tried fasting and just drinking warm liquids for a while?  Resting the gut is often the only thing you can do in these circumstances.  In addition, take a mild over-the-counter laxative last thing at night.  Best of luck

yeah i freaked out over this too. I've not been going well either, and my scale has gone up about 5. EEK! lol. but I'm eating fine, so it HAS to just be the weight of the bowels. I don't know what else it could possibly be, since i'm eating right

It can definately add weight. Every once in a while, maybe due to my menstrual cycle (still no period because of exercise, but I have the symptoms) I will be bloated and stopped up for a few days. Every time this happens, I think, "Great, so I really let myself go and now I have this gut and flab.." But then a few days later, I will seriously "go" to the bathroom like 3 or 4 times within 1-2 days and have a flat tummy again, and my body sheds the water weight and I look toned again. I hate estrogen sometimes. :P

I would suggest just waiting it out. Drink lots of water, even if you are not thirsty (when you are thirsty, that means that your body is already dehydrated), eat plenty of potassium-rich foods (bananas, potatoes, spinach), and eat plenty of fresh fruits and veggies. Also...

"If your nutrient intake is out of balance, such as a low protein, you may have additional fluid moving into your tissues. Protein effects the pressure in your blood vessels and may cause a leaking of fluid from the blood into the surrounding tissue."

muttlover, thanks for the details, I have never heard of the protein thing before. It really does make since though. I have been adding more protein, but not too sure if that is what has caused this.

mariposasola1, it is great to hear that I am not alone with this one. I was so shocked when I went up today. Gosh, I know it was because I had the munchies last night on bread right before bed, but I love my toast, too bad my stomach doesn't want to let go of it at the moment. But yea def since I am eating right and working out more I know it has to be bowels!

gi-jane, thanks for your insight about drinking liquids and resting the gut, gosh that sounds so pleasant at the moment. Maybe I will truely take the day off from carbs or sodium rich foods and just focus on proteins and veggies and drinking plenty of water.

dcyounts, thanks for making me laugh, although this really does suck and isn't funny at the moment haa...

kayaa, hopefully I will soon have a surprise like you....4 pounds down for you? Yea, we sound about the same right now.

Keep posting this is such a great thread thanks to all!

a stool softener may help your situation. it is not as strong as a laxative, it just helps your stool to absorb water. the end result should be a smooth evacuation (without cramps or diarhea).

Original Post by positivelinny:

dcyounts, thanks for making me laugh, although this really does suck and isn't funny at the moment haa...

 Just doing my part to help :)

I went 8 days without a movement once when I was hiking through the southern Rockies.  I've never taken a laxitive though... every time I think of them I picture Harry clogging up the toilet in Dumb & Dumber. 

Desperate times call for desperate measures...

hmmm...yes, I think it can add weight & certainly make a person more bloated than usual.  I suggested drinking plenty of water, eating an apple per day for the fiber content & doing some light exercise to help get things moving.  For some reason crunches always helps me.  By the way, it's nice to know that we can talk about anything on this forum--tummy troubles, time-of-the-month problems, weight issues, & everything else inbetween!  hehehe

Yes, apples are great for the fiber, but beware that raw apples will make you more constipated, whereas cooked ones will do the opposite! Whenever my husband has "problems" like yours, I cook some apples with a little bit of orange juice (or lemon peel), and a cinnamon stick till they are completely mushy (if you use the MW you do not even need butter). It works wonders. Bananas are also tricky: unripe ones will close you up, while well ripened ones will help you "go".

Cabbage, lettuce, green beans, cauliflower, broccoli and oatmeal will help. Carrots and blueberries will make you worse. Not all veggies and fruit are equal when it comes to BM!!!

Hope this helps.

i don't know that raw apples make you more constipated.

try a bowl of fiber one cereal. that stuff is a miracle. and pound your water down.

well last night i drank tons of water....had a light dinner and a yogurt for a snack, got up this morning and noticed my weight was back to normal. I still haven't gone yet, but I am drinking coffee and just had bran cereal, I am also planning on going to the gym to do those crunches......so we shall see!!!

I never thought I'd ever ask someone to keep us posted on their bowel movements before.

Linny - ever since my IBS symptoms started two or three weeks ago, I have been up ten pounds of bloatedness etc (sorry if TMI) and have had trouble going to the bathroom, I take fiber supplements now (not scary at all) and have been going in the mornings like I used to however its not the same...ugh i hate this.

have you tried prunes with coffee? how about 2 tbsp or so of ground flaxseed mixed in your yoghurt or such and that with coffee...usually works instantly

My doctor recommended metamucil every day for me.  I didn't want to take it because 25 is way too young to have to take metamucil!  But it does help.  Tastes like crap though.  blehck...

My doctor also recommended exercise to get things moving around (tends to just make me gassy) and Milk of Magnesia to get things started.  It's much more gentle than the pink pill.  Cherry doesn't taste that bad, either.

Original Post by positivelinny:

well last night i drank tons of water....had a light dinner and a yogurt for a snack, got up this morning and noticed my weight was back to normal. I still haven't gone yet, but I am drinking coffee and just had bran cereal, I am also planning on going to the gym to do those crunches......so we shall see!!!

 yayyyy! that's good to hear :)....I'm soo hungry rite now. I think I need to munch on something. lol. my cousin just went out to grab some food. :D

Just the thread I was looking for! I am in the same exact situation, normally I weight between 120-122 and I just weighed myself because I was feeling so bloated and heavy (no BM since Monday) and the scale read 127 which had me a bit freaked out since I know I didnt consume the 21,000 calories it would take to gain that much weight.

Have you gone yet Positivelinny?  Let me know if the extra fluid and crunches help, I need to do something and am scared to take a lax.

Do you guys think it might be that I just started a new job and am getting up 2 hours earlier and have a more sedentary job?

Also does your stomach puff out a lot? mine does almost where I look semi pregs so gross

stardust i look VERY semi preg. I take these chocolate/caramel citrcucel chews...i take like 8-10 and they are kind of delicious...u are supposed to take 6-12 a day...it has worked so far for the BMs in the morning. citrucel does NOT cause excess gas either which is good

Original Post by oink420:

stardust i look VERY semi preg. I take these chocolate/caramel citrcucel chews...i take like 8-10 and they are kind of delicious...u are supposed to take 6-12 a day...it has worked so far for the BMs in the morning. citrucel does NOT cause excess gas either which is good

I thought having gas was always in excess, lol.