Ughh...constipation. Why??
I have been having trouble with constipation for several weeks now, and it's getting worse. I am able to go every morning but my stools are hard and lumpy and I only pass about half of what needs to come out, leaving me very uncomfortable. The discomfort worsens as the day goes on, but no matter how hard I try I am unable to pass anything until the next morning after breakfast. And the worst part is, I have no idea why this is happening to me!
I eat a lot of fiber. I have fiber one and bran muffins for breakfast, whole grain breads and pastas, bean burritos, bars with 9-12 grams of fiber for snacks, and tons of fresh fruit and veggies (apples, peaches, carrots, bluberries). Lately I have been adding metamucill twice a day (6 grams of pysillium fiber, supposed to add bulk to stools and make then easier to pass). And I've been drinking tons and tons of water. I exercise regularly, and am not taking any medications that would cause this problem. I get bloated/gassy occasionally and have some pain from the constipation, but really not other symptons that would indicate any underlying problems. So what gives!??
Like I said, ther constipations seems to be getting worse, which is ironic considering in the past couple of days I have been increasing fiber and fluids even more so than usual, but it seems to be having the opposite effect! I do get some relief from laxatives/stool softeners, but I know these can be addictive and you shouldn't take them for too long...they aren't a permanent solution. So I really don't know what to do!
wow... thats a lot of fiber. seems to me you shouldnt be having a problem at all LOL. but i know the feeling. i started taking this vitamin that i got at CVS acutally for a differnt reason, but it supports intestinal health as well. I was trying to find the actual name for you. part of it is "ACIDOPHILUS" but if you just go to the pharmacy and ask one of them for the vitamin supplement found in Lactobacillus, they can help you. (thats what i did) i take one every morning after getting ready and i eat something small with it. by the time i get to work 40 mins later i'm good to go, and comfortable. ;) i have issues with my bowel movements so this has been a big help!!
sometimes too much fiber can block you up. Have you upped your water consumption cuz I know you've said before you don't drink enough. I agree with chelswalls, find yourself a good digestive aid. and since this is been going on for quite some time you may wanna hit up a doctor, you could have a more serious issue and this is just a symptom from it.
csthomas-you may definitely be right about too much fiber plugging me up. I never really thought lack of fiber was the problem, but people always told me first off to eat more fiber, and I thought it couldn't hurt, but maybe it can. I think I'll stop with the metamucil anyway. And I think you're right about fats being important...i was eating a lot of nuts earlier in the summer and not having this problem. Thanks for reminding me about the coffee too-i'm having some right now. Sometimes it helps me go, and it never hurts :)
chelswalls- Yeah, I've been thinking of looking for a supplement/dietary aid. Actually, I was at trader joe's yesterday and I saw they have a new product called acidophilus and probiotics. I wonder if that would work?
girlfighting- yeah, your right, I've been known to forget to drink enough water before, although I've increased my intake a fair amount over the past few days. I'm going to try a few more things, but if those don't do the trick, I will definitely make that appointment with my doctor.
Thanks again guys!
I'm also going to suggest that you cut back on the 'tons of fruit'. You can have too much of a good thing and fruit in large quantities can mess around with your digestion.... either in constipation or diarrhoea. Apples contain a lot of tannin, for example, and that's the stuff that makes jam/jelly set solid!
Same with the bran muffins and other high fibre breakfasts. Too much fibre can wedge itself in your digestion. Don't add metamucil to the blockage. Try scrambled eggs for breakfast from time to time or enjoy some 'live' yoghurt as a snack instead of packing in more fibre.
And finally.... spice!!! Do you use much garlic? Onions? Chillis? Ginger, turmeric, cumin, cinnamon? Tomatoes & lettuce are natural laxatives. Herb teas such as mint can aid digestion. Herbs and spices in cooking can really give the digestion a jump-start and are much more pleasant than supplements.
WOW this is crazy. I'm dealing with the SAME exact problem.
My sis trains for figure competitions, and I know she had the problem a few months ago, so I asked her. She came by and brought me Acidophilus LAST night. Along with just an herbal laxative...although I don't remember the name of that. I took one of each last night.....and FINALLY today, just about an hour ago, things seem to be moving along pretty well. She suggested that I take the acidophilus every night, and then maybe the herbal laxative 1 more night. I guess the acidophilus helps the digestive tract.
Also, what I NORMALLY would do (before this last 2 weeks or so), is drink peppermint tea. For some reason that helps....or coffee if you are not a coffee drinker.
LOL or eat Mc'donalds. That could help 
Original Post by vicki8seekers:
LOL or eat Mc'donalds. That could help
Lol, I once ate a piece of pizza and that worked like magic.
I ditto the acidophilus/lactobacillus supplements. These are bacterial cultures found in the large intestine that help with digestion, so adding more helps a lot. :)
If this continues you need to see your doctor...I would suggest miralax for now which is what I use time to time in addition to a prescription med. I had a colonscopy in March and they may suggest that you need one...I have tons of stomach issues and constipation as well and it hurts so much...I wish I knew the source of it...I was thinking cylaic disease...but not sure really
I am not a doctor but your symptoms sound similar to a condition I had years ago. Simply put, IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME may be the condition you're suffering from. I would definitely give my doctor a shout and see what he/she says. You might also try a stool softener called Senokot-S. This product is safe and does the job. It's a vegetable laxative plus stool softener. Also, not sure if you mentioned anything about eating almonds, walnuts or cashews. Those seem to get things moving. Of course they have calories and everything in moderation. Your problem is not that rare. A vast majority of the population suffers from some type of bowel movement issue.
Good Luck and God Bless.
Things still aren't improving unfortunately. I've closely monitored my fiber intake for the past couple of days, and while it's not outrageous, it's at least 1.5 times the recommended amount, so I definitely agree that lack of fiber is not the issue. My water intake was good as well. But I did notice that my fats were on the low side, so I'm going to pick up some nuts today and eat more oliveoil and pb! I'm also going to grab some acidolphus and see if that helps.
sufferinghearts- I saw a commercial for miralax the other day for the first time, and it was intriging. It claims to regulate your digestive system and help you go without cramps and bad diarreha. So it helps with your constipation?
mrgcat- Actually I was kind of afraid maybe i did have IBS-c. I've been bloated at night lately and my stomach does hurt from time to time. Does ibs just come on suddenly, and what can i do about it?
I am totally there! I have had the same issues for as long as I have been "dieting." I honestly think the oils might help. I have been trying to eat 5-7 bite sized prunes a day to help"out" my system. I love them, but they can cause a little bit of irritation in the stomach. I also know that maple syrup on some multigrain pancakes or waffles does the trick. I will also try the daily acidophilis, one pill will be easier to take than 4-6 fiber pills a night!
hmm, just curious, are you eating enough? when i was restricting my food i guess obviously i had constipation probs, i do also have ibs-c, but now that i eat much more, i have this problem less often.
hey! yes thats exactly what it was called. i checked over the weekend for you. good luck with it! it has certainly helped me! make sure you eat with it =)
Hi There,
Hope you're feeling better with the IBS issues. I would talk to my doctor about your symptoms just to rule out any blockages, etc. Metamucil helps IBS symptoms and there's several new drugs on the market as well. My IBS ran hand and hand with fibromyalgia so I was really on my own, as to when and how it would show up. One day constipation, next day just the opposite.
Best advice is to check in with your doctor. Let me know how you're doing.
Have a nice day!
(sorry it took me so long to get back to you)
