Chronic Constipation

[BeckyW]

Can anyone recommend a natural product to take to help with chronic constipation?  I appreciate any advice or suggestions. Thank you.

[GF Lover]

Can anyone recommend a natural product to take to help with chronic constipation?  I appreciate any advice or suggestions. Thank you.

 

Eating raisins/prunes daily can help with this, it does me.  

 

Colleen

[mamaw]

This  topic  has been  addressed  so many times  here....

I for  one  have  chronic  C....  I  have  tried  everything  except  a  bomb....  I  was  in hospital  for over  a week with this issue, they  couldn't  even  find  a fix!...

Here  is  what  I do,  miralax up to three times a  day, fiber  tablets  &  mineral oil  once  every couple  of  months....of  course  fruits, prunes, figs etc.... things  that  usually  cause D  has no effect  on me....

The things  I mentioned  above  are safe  & non-habit forming...... after  you  get  on a  program  one  can  adjust  the  amount  of  miralax... I now can  do miralax  once or twice a day  then  skip  a  day or  two.....

 

Many  people  who  have  bowels movements  daily  can still be  constipated....some  don't realize  that.....

[Patti J]

Can anyone recommend a natural product to take to help with chronic constipation?  I appreciate any advice or suggestions. Thank you.

I have just learned I have celiac. I also have a pelvic floor disorder which can lead to constipation...from the bottom up rather then the top down. LOL TMI? Although Miralax is not an natural product, I have been told it is safe to use by many in Medical community and the research I have read. I have to be careful of many foods/fruits as I also have TIP...low blood platelets. I have been using this for over 2 years. I can tell you to increase your water intake..if you drink a lot of H2O..increase it. Good luck and many blessings. Pat

[cap6]

I have posted on this before as it has been the story of my life and even at 4+ years post diagnosis is still a problem if not very careful.

I have tried every suggestion given and finally came up with my own cocktail.

Water, water and more water.  Veggies at every meal.  And I mean lots of them so that your plate is 3/4 veggie and 1/4 protien, walking.

That's the natural stuff. 

I use Smooth Move herbal tea and that "breaks the dam" every time.  I started out using the tea nightly and did so for a year.  After a year I was feeling a little healthier and so then I tried every other night, and things worked!  After 4 years I now take the tea every three to four nights and can stay pretty regular that way. 

The other thing I learned is to visit ythe bathroom at the same time every day.  Retrain yourself just like we trained our babies.  Same time every day, whether you go or not give it a try. (TMI right?  lol)  We have been used to no results for so many years that our body has forgotten how to be regular.  We have to retrain.

And, as stated above, Miralax is also quite safe to use.  If I am ever so bad I try the tea and one shot of Miralax and that works. 

My doctor told me once that it was better to get things moving that to risk the results of a complete blockage.  Get things working again and then work on healthier ways to do it.

Just a thought

[BeckyW]

Thank you all for your help! I have heard the Miralax is a good product and may have to have that on hand.  

 

cap6 where do you buy the Smooth Move Tea?  Is it available at a grocery store or health food store?

 

These are all excellent ideas so thank you!  Unfortunately, we have to have this conversation!

[FruitEnthusiast]

Miralax works very well for me. I can't take more than one dose in the morning though or it makes me feel horribly sick (it wants to work faster than my motility will allow which create pressure that can't move). There is no such thing as TMI when it comes to C! Smooth Move Tea is available at health food stores. It has senna in it which is also available in tablets, but they didn't work for me.

 

Fiber is important. I have to be sure to get enough insoluble fiber (speeds things up) and not too much soluble fiber (slows things down). I seem do well with a balance of the two.

 

You can massage your colon too, that helps. The other thing that always helps me a lot when things get bad enough is enemas. Doctors will say they are not safe, but nurses know they are harmless and very effective, and not habit forming. Saline ones from the drug store, or if I need the big guns, I make my own at home with salt water in a larger amount. I've never had to resort to stimulant laxatives, those can be habit forming I've heard, so I stay away from them.

 

It's important not to let constipation get carried away or it gets worse. I've had an impaction before, not fun. There is something you can find online called a Bristol Stool Chart that shows what healthy stool should look like, and shouldn't. Many people don't realize you can be constipated and still think you're going normally. This may seem like TMI, but it's important to know the facts!

 

I think the recommended water is half you weight in ounces daily. That's what I drink.

[BeckyW]

Are the Senna pills safe to take on a daily basis?  I believe this is considered a natural product and not a laxative but maybe I am confused on this?  

[mamaw]

I  personally  would  not use  Senna  on a  daily basis....  I  would  & do  use  miralax on a  daily basis...  Bowels  can  rupture  &  just  cease  their  ability  to  push  stool  through  when  to  much  medicine  is  given...perforated  bowel......  It  doesn't  matter  if it  is  natural or  not  too much  is too much.. One  should  always  try to get  the bowel to  function  without  added  meds...  A lazy bowel  in  not  a  good  thing.....

I  wouldn't even think of  using  mineral oil (  which  is  what  they give  babies )  on a  daily basis....

Three  TBSP  of  mineral oil  for  three  days  in a row  for  C  that has lasted  a week  with no bowel  movement  plus  miralax... is  what  some  hospitals  use...

[FruitEnthusiast]

I believe Senna is natural, but I don't know much about it. My GI had me taking it daily for a while but it didn't do anything for me. I think I read that mineral oil on a regular basis can inhibit the absorption of nutrients. Olive oil on a daily basis is supposed to be good, a tablespoon twice a day can soften and lubricate. Especially a tablespoon before bed. When I've done that I mix it in some juice and use a straw.

[mamaw]

I  would  not  take  mineral oil  daily either  but  a week in the hospital  they  resorted  to  that  for  several  days    as  nothing  they  gave  me  worked   ..  That  was  there  last  thought  before  surgery  so  I was  glad  to  swallow  that  for  three  days  over  surgery......  Senna  is  natural  but  again  not  good  on a daily basis...Some  things  just  are  bad  for  us on  a  daily  basis...

 

Mineral  oil  is  given to babies  so  I  feel better  about  that  every  few  months  for a  good  clean out....pure  water,  &  fiber....

[JodyM75]

I've always leaned toward C and this thread is very helpful.  In January, I was diagnosed with gastroparesis, which is delayed stomach emptying.  I read up on the dietary changes for that and they recommended more liquid food supplements.  So, I bought a protein shake mix.  Used it for three weeks in January.  I thought it would be nice to add some protein without the digestive issues that meat actually gives me.

 

Big mistake!  I don't know what happened, but since then the C has gotten much worse and I have not reverted back to my normal C.  Ahem.  Any ideas why this may have happened? 

 

I do use Miralax with so-so results but I will look into some of the other things mentioned.  Since my celiac diagnosis, my GI says he belives my gastroparesis will clear up in 3-6 months.

[mamaw]

yes, I agree it  does  take  time  to heal  the  gut.....did  you read  all ingredients  in  the protein  shake? Some  of  them  use  dairy,  sprouted barley (  which  I  avoid  even tho  some feel  it  is  okay  because  it  is  used  before the  flower  appears  ) then  many  have  soy  which  again  can be a problem for  many....Lastly  your  gut  may not  be  able to handle  a lot  of  protein, fiber   while  it is  in a  state  of  distress...

I  think  in the  beginning  it  is  best  to  eat  very  plain , unprocessed healthy foods...boring  Yes,,, but  it  gives  the  body a  chance to overcome  the  years  of  damage ( torture)  we  subjected  it  to....

[FruitEnthusiast]

When I was looking into protein powders, it was recommended by the staff at the health food store to introduce it gradually. Too much protein added at once can cause C. Make sure to drink plenty of water along with the protein you're eating. Also with fiber, adding more with out enough water can worsen C.

 

Many people do well with a second dose of Miralax in the evening in addition to the one in the morning. You can start with a small amount, 1/4 dose in the evening to see how it goes to start. I have to be careful right now adding more Miralax because my C has been so bad that my peristalsis can't handle it right now.

 

Severe chronic C can get in the way of the colon functioning normally for a time, but I have found that to be a temporary problem that improves once the hardened stool is no longer inhibiting normal colon function. For me inflammation causes C too. I have had times when I can go normally again, but it keeps changing as I figure out which foods my body can tolerate. It takes time for any changes in my colon to happen. It's frustrating but I see improvement happen and that my colon remembers how to work! It's an exercise in patience though

[FruitEnthusiast]

....Lastly  your  gut  may not  be  able to handle  a lot  of  protein, fiber   while  it is  in a  state  of  distress...

I  think  in the  beginning  it  is  best  to  eat  very  plain , unprocessed healthy foods...boring  Yes,,, but  it  gives  the  body a  chance to overcome  the  years  of  damage ( torture)  we  subjected  it  to....

 

I have different doctors suggesting different things and I'm not sure what to make of it. My GI says plain soft, low fiber foods help a distressed gut and my ND says protein and fiber help motility to function.

 

I'd be so interested to know what others experience has been with this.

 

I was doing really well, had found the right balance of soluble and insoluble fiber, then trying the wrong food has caused inflammation and C to flare up again. I'm afraid having less fiber and protein will make my C worse. I can't say I'm really in the beginning at this point, I've been gluten and grain free for two years but adjusting my diet at all can still really throw off my digestion.

 

My current diet is limited to fruits, vegetables, almonds, and homemade slow-cooked chicken with broth, so fiber free isn't an option unless I juice everything. I was seeing good motility response before when I ate the chicken but I'm not sure if that's the case right now.

 

I've continued with my usual diet but I can't say my gut is happy at all right now or improving after a week and a half since the wrong new food threw everything off (I have developed an intolerance to fish in the last couple months, and my ND asked me to try an Omega 3 fish oil cap, assuring me it didn't have any protein in it and wouldn't cause any problem). Wrong advice!  It completely messed me up. She also insists that continuing with the protein is essential to healing, especially chicken.

 

I want to help my gut heal after this latest fiasco and I'm not sure what the right course of action is when it comes to my diet.

[GFinDC]

Low thyroid hormones and diabetic nerve damage can cause C also.  Just some other things to consider as it is not always diet.

[FruitEnthusiast]

I have different doctors suggesting different things and I'm not sure what to make of it. My GI says plain soft, low fiber foods help a distressed gut and my ND says protein and fiber help motility to function.

 

I was doing really well, had found the right balance of soluble and insoluble fiber, then trying the wrong food has caused inflammation and C to flare up again. I'm afraid having less fiber and protein will make my C worse.

 

I already discovered something very interesting... I omitted all high protein foods from my diet today and the gas (can I call it "G"?) has completely gone away. It had been plaguing me for the past week plus after eating the wrong food had caused my C to come back. Actually "G" is an important component with C, for me at least. I get "airlock" or that's what I call it. Trapped G will keep anything else from moving through. I feel better overall today too.

[Mari]

I have used cascara sagrata and senna. These herbs can be habit forming so it is not good to use them daily. Diet, I've found, is very important. I eat gluten-free breads, vegetables with fiber, potatoes for soluable fiber. I drink lots of carrol juice. If I eat too much fats or oils it results in 'sticky stools' which do not pass through the small or large intestine easily. Since I have adjusted my diet and included 1 or 2 Magnesium oxide (300 mg) capsules every evening I have not had to use herbal laxatives for several years.

[cap6]

Your can find the tea at Walmart in the coffee/tea grocery section.  Walgreens Drug Store has it and I have also found it in health food stores. 

[cap6]

Been reading all of the comments and this is such a perplexing topic.  What works for one person doesn't for another.  Plus, just my thought, that what may work in 6 months of healing may not work at two years of healing.   Bottom line is finding the right combo (cocktail) that work for you. 

 

I would be very careful at eating much in the way of processed gluten free foods (breads, pasta etc) as they are stuffed with so many ingredients, ingredients that can cause adverse effects .  Just because something is safe for us doesn't mean it is good for us. 

 

On my soap box here, but....  I have been on the Paleo diet for the past almost year, eating 100% grain free and mostly all organic foods.  No processed foods.  The changes in how I feel, the ability to "preform" on my own the majority of the time make it worth it.  Going from my nightly Smooth Move tea to every three or four nights   says that what I am doing if right. 

 

Just some thoughts............ 

[Evelynn]

I was struggling with C more or less all my life, but after being diagnosed with Celiac decease, it became a terrible problem. My bowels were like paralysed, nothing was helping, really nothing. I tried even acupuncture which was helping me before. I needed 2 tablets of Ducolax and 3 suppositories to go + vegies, Magnesium, water, fruits, seeds, probiotics, kefir and the result was like I am a rabbit. When you realize you eat about 2 pounds of food daily + beverages, after one week it is 12-14 pounds of stool (we have to deduct water, but anyway it is a lot of “stuff”). I got scared, where is it? In my bowels? Yes, where else?

I went through many web sites, and finally I found a recipe, which worked for me, and I want to share it with other suffering people, because as I see it is a really big problem for many of us. I highly recommend it, because it is completely “natural”.

In the evening you have to drink a smoothie (recipe from my acupuncturist): 1 avocado, half mango, 1 tbsp. of sesame or flex seeds. It is very nice. Then I drank a full big glass (300 ml) of prune juice. At night I felt that my bowels started “moving”, I was very bloated, it was almost painful, I did not sleep well because I did not know what is going to happen. Definitely the bowels started working, but it was not enough to “go”.

Next morning you have to wake up one hour earlier than is your usual time, you will need it. Drink 2 big glasses (600 ml),(actually they recommend 3 glasses, but It was too much for me) of prune juice again. Wait half an hour and drink another big glass of apple juice (or apple-pear juice).

Wait another half hour and try to go to the bathroom. (I was not successful, though bowels were very “active”)

Then I went to work, ate normally (yoghurt, fruits). Still nothing was happening, though my bowels were moving, and “something was happening inside” – before they were like dead).

After my normal lunch “it started”. I had to go to the washroom and I was very successful. Very surprising, the stool was in the beginning in form of small hard balls, but later it was almost normal. Several hours later I had to go again. And again normal. In the evening the third time, again normal. I was very surprised, and you can imagine how happy.

That evening I repeated the whole procedure (without smoothie)  – one glass of prune juice (again a lot of bloating at night, but I was so happy that my bowels are “again active” that I did not mind). In the morning only one glass of prune juice and after half hour 1 glass of apple-prune juice). And again, I was successful that day. Not immediately after this “breakfast”, but later during the day.

I think this was a breaking point, and now I can hope that I can repeat the procedure when I need. I am trying to find the right “dosage” to go without having cramps at night.

I hope this will help! Good luck! Evelynn

[Derrick]

There is a herb product called "Celiact" for Celiac diagnose disease. A lot of good reviews. A multi-vitamin.

[zero]

I started having constipation after diagnosis and going gluten free.  After 2 years I discovered that a probiotic (3 billion) with yogurt put me (thankfully) back to normal.