constipation probs!

HI...embarrassing problem but im finding im getting a bit constipated from time to time..seems to have something to do with my hip being out.  I've tried all the usual stuff....eating more fiber, drinking lots of water, fresh fruit, prunes..yet it still occurs.  Im finding when i am constipated im having more trouble eating as much as i should. Anyone else have this problem?  Also not sure if this is the right forum for this but....what do you all do when you hit a roadblock and find your ED rearing it's ugly head and you get a bit timid again about eating the appropriate number of calories?  Im really keen to get healthy so any advice is much appreciated!  (im 93 pounds now and my goal weight is 115)

I am gaining and super constipated too :(  I can't offer any advice, but you aren't alone!!  I think it's pretty common.

There are some yoga poses that you can do that will relieve your constipation.

Scroll to the bottom of the page for the poses.

If you have suddenly upped your fibre intake your body will be adjusting. Give it a little time. If that doesn't work, then try a single course of OTC laxatives - as in, a three day course. If on the fourth day/the day after the course you have not been, still, go to the doctor or the hospital.

make sure you are getting enough water and fats.

The OTC laxatives (non-stimulant) can help.

if you are still having problems, see a doc.

Use aloa vera tablets you can get them at any healthfood place take between two to four of them before going to bed at night and trust me it works all natural too

Original Post by sweetiekey:

Use aloa vera tablets you can get them at any healthfood place take between two to four of them before going to bed at night and trust me it works all natural too

I use aloe in drink form. It taste really bad so I end up doing a shot or two of it before bed. It really works for me without making me feel uncomfortable like OTC laxatives can. 

Senna is all natural too, and it is also a stimulant laxative - as is aloe vera. Please, do not use a stimulant laxative for chronic constipation. It can make it a lot, lot worse.

In addition to more fiber, you might want to consider adding more healthy fats. Olive oil and ground nuts as a topping on on whole wheat pasta for instance.  Fiber is good, but without enough fat in your diet - your stools will still become rough and dry even if your drinking extra fluid- and so this creates constipation. You need lipids (dietary fat) in your diet.

As a note - it is quite common for anorexia sufferers to have their digestive system go a bit screwy when begining recovery. One of two things seems to happen - either your body seems to "hold it all in" because it doesn't know what to do with it, or your body flushes everything right out. I've experienced both. And while I absolutely hated being constipated - at least it will sort itself out in a few days, and you can do something to allieviate it. When your body is flushing everything you ingest out - it is annoying, painful, and disgusting. And its just as depressing. Trust me. Give your body some time and it will regulate itself.

During the worst stages of my ED, I was constipated all the time.  Probably also had something to do with the birth control pills I was taking.  Anyways, Colace never worked and Ex-Lax made me crazy.  I just had to deal with it, but honestly, now that I'm eating again, my digestive system seems to be working better.

Quick question, though.  Is constipation a result of not eating enough fats/oils to make your bowels work?  Like, can it be caused by EDs?

Like, can it be caused by EDs?

Yes, but...

Is constipation a result of not eating enough fats/oils to make your bowels work? 

Yes and no.

An eating disorder can contribute to constipation in a few ways. Not eating enough? You're actually going to generally take longer to poo. There's also the fact that most restrictive diets don't get enough fibre. And fats do play a part. It's generally the entire disordered pattern that leads to disordered bowel movements, not any one specific part of it.

Hi Everyone..thanks for the tips.  It's confusing for me though because i haven't had a full blown ED for some time now...i've eaten 1,600 to 1,700 cals per day for years now...clearly not enough for my body though coz i've lost weight and gone down to 93 (im now 94 yipee!) pounds and im 5ft.51/2 inches tall.  I do get lots of fats..avocado, olive oil, nuts etc, and drink lots of fluids and eat lots of whole grains and fruits which supply fiber.  So the constipation is a total riddle for me.  It's tough when you're doing all the things they say you should be doing but you're still constipated!  I sometimes think it has to do with female hormones.  My period hasn't come back yet and i noticed im not ovulating too.   I dont want to have to rely on laxatives...that sucks.  Perhaps it will clear up when i get to a healthier weight.  Thanks again everyone.

I'm having the same problem and it's really defeating. It makes me feel bloated and huge because there's so much food in there and then when I weight myself it freaks me out because I think WOW if I'm gaining THIS much on only X amount of calories that really sucks. But I can feel it in there, it's like I feel heavy because I haven't gone. I eat tons of fiber, and I drink a lot of liquids. I refuse to take any sort of laxatives because I want my body to "figure it out" I guess and not become dependent on any foreign substance. 

Original Post by chrissy1988:

I'm having the same problem and it's really defeating. It makes me feel bloated and huge because there's so much food in there and then when I weight myself it freaks me out because I think WOW if I'm gaining THIS much on only X amount of calories that really sucks. But I can feel it in there, it's like I feel heavy because I haven't gone. I eat tons of fiber, and I drink a lot of liquids. I refuse to take any sort of laxatives because I want my body to "figure it out" I guess and not become dependent on any foreign substance. 

best advice then:  cut down on the fiber.  sometimes its too MUCH fiber that causes the problem.  cut down on the bulky foods and load up on more calorically dense foods.

DO NOT USE SUPPOSITORIES UNLESS YOU ARE TRULY CONSTIPATED and even then ONLY as a last resort and ONLY if your doc all clears them. Using them simply because you feel "full" equates LAXATIVE ABUSE. Laxatives of ANY form can KILL YOU if misused.

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