Husband's Question

[BamBam]

My wife, BamBam, was sick for many years with diarrhea, constipation and everything in between. Now we are just trying to get "regular." Does anyone have any advice on trying to get a body regular? In the past it was any time day or night, real urgency most of the time. Now we have the system quieted down, thanks to being gluten free, just would like to get regular. Any advice? Fiber supplements are hard on her system, when it hits, she's got like 30 seconds to get to the bathroom or else. She worries about this a lot. VWM.

[Guest nini]

I have the best luck with just eating foods that are not only naturally gluten free, but also naturally high in fiber or "roughage"... I eat a lot of salads, broccoli, brown rice, etc... fiber supplements can be very rough on a damaged system... do this the natural way with food. It is possible.

[jerseyangel]

I also eat naturally gluten-free foods that are rich in fiber. I have found that, for myself, cutting way down on the gluten-free breads and other baked goods and increasing the amount of fruits and veggies has improved my regualrity as well as my skin. At breakfast today I had a bowl of banana, cranberries, orange, and walnuts. Lunch is always a large salad and I just had an apple. Dinner will be whatever I make for the family. My advice to your wife would be to increase the fresh produce--in addition to the fiber, she'll be getting tons of vitamins and minerals--easier on the system than the suppliments.

[BamBam]

And I suppose we should start this slowly, adding the fiber? Thank you for the responses already, I was reading another area and realized I already had responses.

[Guest nini]

as far as starting slowly... I don't know... do what feels right. When the intestines are still healing, you do want to go easy on them, but you also want to help the healing process, and part of that healing process involves getting regular and eating healthy foods rich in natural fiber.

I agree with cutting back on the processed gluten free breads and such. Start with meals that are more simple. Simple steamed veggies, simple salads with a protein, simple meats (best options baked chicken and fish),

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

One thing to remember,

Her body will have a harder time digesting processed and canned foods.

She needs fresh produce, brown rice, fruits, unsalted nuts, and water.

Sometimes it takes people 3-6 months before the "D" goes away -- her body needs time to heal!!!

Hope this helps,

[frenchiemama]

I don't know if this is weird or not, but I've always found raw carrots to be very helpful in that department.

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

Carolyn,

I agree -- and Carrot Juice works as well!!

If you can "juice" your own, mix in granny smith apples and some grated ginger (not much)

Bronco

[brian72]

so far pineapples work for me

[Guest nini]

oh yeah... pineapples were a big part of the healing process for me... I LIVED on pineapples and bananas and plain yogurt for a while.

[BamBam]

Right now her major problem is constipation. She told me today she has only pooped a few times this

month and her insides are hurting, so we need to get things moving again without causing the diarrhea that she gets from laxatives.

[jerseyangel]

Hi Mr. BamBam Jenvan has a lot of good info. on the subject in the thread titled "Zelnorm" on todays new topics list. She is post #3, I believe. Hope she finds relief soon.

[tarnalberry]

Right now her major problem is constipation. She told me today she has only pooped a few times this

month and her insides are hurting, so we need to get things moving again without causing the diarrhea that she gets from laxatives.

Magnesium can help this problem - particularly if she takes calcium supplements. She should start with a small amount of magnesium (though recommendations are for 2:1 calcium:magnesium), and work up until she sees an effect.

[BamBam]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. She had a bm today, finally, and she is drinking more liquid and eating more veggies, she loves carrots, so that is one thing she is eating every day, I should say adding to her regular meals. I read JenVan's articles on constipation. I don't know if she is constipated or just irregular. She has no sensations at all for days - no bloating or full feeling and then finally it is time to go, the stools are not hard at all, they are soft and easy to pass she says. Is there a way to re-train a body to go in the morning?

She is gonna start using her health rider again and we've talked about walking more. I thinkI walk in one day what she walks in one month. So lots of things to work on here.

The calcium-magnesium thing is hard to do, calcium makes her extremely constipated. We have some calcium-magnesium-vitamin D pills, maybe we should try them again? She is not taking any vitamins. The Centrum vitamins tend to make her system upset, like she has to go to the bathroom all the time, so she stopped taking them awhile back.

Mr. BamBam

[jenvan]

Mr. Bam Bam Your wife and I have talked off and on trying to figure this stuff out... You can get magnesium w/o calcium, just buy itself. For me, it produced more D, but she may or may not have the same experience....if she tries it, just take a little bit. I guess the ideas I have are mostly on the zelnorm post. Besides fiber in the foods etc. I vote for the pysllium. The kind I use now is actually pretty gentle on me and gives me no D. A routine may also be useful for 'retraining' the body. Does she have a morning or evening routine? ie. eat at the same time of day etc? It may sound funny, but for myself, routine is part of staying regular...I know this to be true for several other friends too. I have a morning schedule and consistently go to the bathroom the same time every day now...when I travel or the schedule changes, even on the weekends sometimes, my system will slow down. So, that's yet another idea. Tell her hi please !

[Ursa Major]

I just want to add here, that what works for one person may not work for another. I find that bananas will make me more constipated.

When I first went off gluten my intestines were too damaged to be able to tolerate ANYTHING raw for two months. I had to cook even fruits, or I'd get an awful stomach ache. Now, after nearly three months, I am able to eat some things raw again, but carrots are still not good raw.

On the other hand, I seem to be okay with potatoes once in a while now, the same goes for some gluten-free bread maybe once a week (I couldn't tolerate any grains at all for the first while).

Also, I find prune juice (or cooked prunes) to be about the best thing for relieving constipation. It's gentle and natural. My doctor told me to take Metamucil, saying it was gentle. Too bad it has Aspartame! It only says on the container that it is sugar free, not what it is sweetened with. I had the pharmacist phone the company and ask, and it is sweetened with Aspartame. My pharmacist was even upset about that! Pure psyllium is too harsh for me, I can't handle it yet.

So, maybe your wife could drink a glass of prune juice with her breakfast, and that might help her get regular. Just a thought.

[tarnalberry]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. She had a bm today, finally, and she is drinking more liquid and eating more veggies, she loves carrots, so that is one thing she is eating every day, I should say adding to her regular meals. I read JenVan's articles on constipation. I don't know if she is constipated or just irregular. She has no sensations at all for days - no bloating or full feeling and then finally it is time to go, the stools are not hard at all, they are soft and easy to pass she says. Is there a way to re-train a body to go in the morning?

She is gonna start using her health rider again and we've talked about walking more. I thinkI walk in one day what she walks in one month. So lots of things to work on here.

The calcium-magnesium thing is hard to do, calcium makes her extremely constipated. We have some calcium-magnesium-vitamin D pills, maybe we should try them again? She is not taking any vitamins. The Centrum vitamins tend to make her system upset, like she has to go to the bathroom all the time, so she stopped taking them awhile back.

Mr. BamBam

Yep, calcium is constipating, particularly in large quantities. She may want to try magnesium on it's own, without any added calcium.

If she's not having symptoms, and not having hard stools, she may not have a problem. Much would depend on her diet - if she's eating low-residue foods (things with little fiber, lots of meat, etc.), she wouldn't produce enough waste to have a BM daily.

[Ursa Major]

if she's eating low-residue foods (things with little fiber, lots of meat, etc.), she wouldn't produce enough waste to have a BM daily.

Actually, I disagree with that. As I said, everybody is different. That statement may be true for you, but isn't true for everybody. If I don't eat ENOUGH meat, I get constipated. If I eat lots of it, I will be most regular, and go twice a day.