Does Constipation Make Anyone Really Irritable?

[Mtndog]

I have been incredibly irritable. I mean, pardon my French, psycho-hose beast from hell, irritable. I'm trying to examine a couple of potential causes and I'm wondering if this could be one of them.

I won't go into detail too m uch but today was the first time I went in quite awhile and I feel markedly less irritable.

It would really help me to know if this happens to others.

[Lisa]

Heck yes, just ask the hubby. That's when I get out the brown rice and more water. And he leaves the house. Chicken!

[blueeyedmanda]

I am so glad you posted this. I noticed this about myself a lot. I do notice I am a much more tolerable person if I am not constipated. Like you said, you went today and feel like I have less outbursts.

It is so embarressing to ask people this though. Ask my sweetie, I seem a little more at ease when I have normal movements.

[Mtndog]

Oh my God- I'm so glad you guys replied. I was about to go back and edit the post and elaborate a little.

OK- So, here's what I'm trying to figure out. I have a tendency toward clinical depression (I'm on medication) and I'm trying to figure out if my meds have pooped out (pardon the intentional pun). But it's not my normal depression symptoms (anxiety, crying, lack of appetite, sleep disruptions). It's just PURE b%$@#iness. And my poor hubby is getting the brunt of it. :( I"VE BEEN REALLY REALLY MEAN and I feel so bad.

Constipation has been a chronic problem for me my whole life. My GI prescribed Miralax back in October and I took it for awhile, but I hated the idea of having to take a med to go to the bathroom (I am definitely someone who resists medication). But lately I've been going up to 10 days without a BM so I started taking it again 3 days ago.

I'm just wondering if you get that "bound up" (my dad always uses this phrase- it cracks me up! ) are you going to get irritable, sluggish, unmotivated etc?

I'm also wondering if when you are constipated you are holding in all the toxins you need to eliminate?

[lonewolf]

My in-laws will say that someone "acts like they have a turd crossways" when someone is grouchy. So at least in their family it must be really common.

[Mtndog]

My in-laws will say that someone "acts like they have a turd crossways" when someone is grouchy. So at least in their family it must be really common.

BA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is hilarious! Uhm..Ok..maybe I'll try taking the Miralax for awhile before changing depression meds. I've definitely been acting like I have a "turd crossways"

I just read this on a website and thought I'd share for giggles: When the colon is clean, we experience feelings of well-being, good health and more energy. The colon is, in effect, the sewage system of the body and like any garbage retainer, it is susceptible to stagnation, rotting and the build up of poisonous substances. If constipation is unchecked, the decay is not limited to the intestines. The poisons that build up in the intestinal tract are reabsorbed causing fatigue, irritability, weakness, lack of ambition, bad breath, bloating, flatulence etc.

Some people with mild cases of constipation do not know any different and go around feeling tired all the time. Are you feeling tired? A clean, smooth operating, intestinal track is a necessity for good health, peak energy and a long life.

[blueeyedmanda]

I recently had a spout of a few days without a movement and man I was hell to be around. John said something that bugged me the other day and it was a yelling match within seconds, then I got frustrated and threw whatever I had in my hands at the wall. I am not a hostile person either...I never get destructive or anything so the behavior for me was very unlike myself.

I have been having some problems at work and have been looking for a new job, there is too much drama in the office and I cannot stand to be part of it anymore. I was passing off my outbursts to this but after seeing how I act when I am "Flowing normally" I think it is more along the constipation terms. I am very sluggish and tired too. Maybe all that crap is weighing me down

[Mtndog]

I recently had a spout of a few days without a movement and man I was hell to be around. John said something that bugged me the other day and it was a yelling match within seconds, then I got frustrated and threw whatever I had in my hands at the wall. I am not a hostile person either...I never get destructive or anything so the behavior for me was very unlike myself.

I have been having some problems at work and have been looking for a new job, there is too much drama in the office and I cannot stand to be part of it anymore. I was passing off my outbursts to this but after seeing how I act when I am "Flowing normally" I think it is more along the constipation terms. I am very sluggish and tired too. Maybe all that crap is weighing me down

OK- this is starting to make se sense. I am not hostile either but I've been acting that way toward hubby and just have no patience for anyone but hubby is getting the brunt of it because he's the one I see the most.

I would think my meds had pooped out, but I'm not like this EVERY day. But far too often lately.

[blueeyedmanda]

I am supposed to be planning our wedding but instead I have been dealing with this, I have become a little withdrawn and not the happy-go-lucky person I usually am. It all started about a month when I got a stomach bug....nothing was the same since. I know I have not been getting glutened....I have no other known intolerances and the only problem I really have is the constipation deal. Did you ever try one of those enemas or a laxative to help? Another subject you never feel comfortable talking to just anyone about

[tarnalberry]

yes, irritable in a very impatient way. like I'm impatient about more than just my bowel.

[mtdawber]

My in-laws will say that someone "acts like they have a turd crossways" when someone is grouchy. So at least in their family it must be really common.

That's the funniest thing I've heard.... I was laughing so hard my husband asked if I was alright over here.... rolling on the floor LMAO!!!

I get irritable when I go too much or don't go enough... why can't we poop like normal people? It stands to reason you are grumpy because you can't go.... you literally feel like crap (sorry had to...)

[Mtndog]

i love you guys! Only here can I talk about my turd sidewaysness! :P

I did find some interesting (not very scientific but food for thought) info in a google search:

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

[blueeyedmanda]

Very informative links, isn't is amazing what a little bit of crap can do. No pun intended.

[Mtndog]

:P :P

I found this abstract on PubMed:

AIM: To study the brain-gut interaction and the effect of behavioral or psychiatric conditions on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in an African population. METHODS: IBS was diagnosed using the Rome II diagnostic criteria. The entry of each patient was confirmed following detailed explanations of the questions. Four hundred and eighteen patients were studied. Subjects satisfying the Rome II criteria for IBS were physically examined and stool microscopy was done to identify the presence of "alarm factors". Depression was diagnosed using the symptom-check list adapted from the Research Diagnostic Criteria (DSM-IV) of the American Psychiatric Association. RESULTS: Seventy-five (56.8%) of the 132 IBS patients were depressed whereas only 54 (20.1%) of the 268 non-IBS patients were depressed. There was a significant relationship between IBS and depression (c2 = 54.29, Odds ratio = 5.21, 56.8 +/- 8.4 vs 20.1 +/- 5.2, P = 0.001). Even though constipation predominant IBS patients were more likely to be depressed, no significant relationship was found between the subtype of IBS and depression (c2 = 0.02, OR = 0.95, P = 0.68). CONCLUSION: IBS is significantly associated with major depression but not gender and bowel subtypes of the patients. Patients with IBS need to be evaluated for depression due to the highly significant relationship between the two conditions.

There were some other similar studies on different populations that found similar results. I know it's IBS, but I pretty much think we all have irritated bowels!!!!! We have Celiac's. :blink: So it looks like there may be something to this. I'm going to keep looking for research.

[Electra]

I don't know about constipation, but Celiac and Gluten cause me to be like that. I think it's part of the disease UNFORTUNATELY!! I haven't been constipated in years, but I feel like I am a lot UG!!

Good Luck I hope it gets better soon!!

[printmaker81]

I defintely think the big C makes me a huge grump. I was just going to add that as long as I stay off of gluten, magnesium oxide is the best cure in the world. It won't cause the misery that other 'solutions' will. I swear by it.

[Aimee D.]

Oh my goodness I'm so glad you guys are talking about this. I thought I was going crazy, if not I have certianly been acting like a crazy person. Normally I am extreamly patient and tolerant especially with the ones I love and i have just been lashing out at them lately. Just last night I YELLED at my husband to ------OFF!!! and proceeded to through a sippy cup across the house. This is so unlike me and it made me feel really bad that I had actually behaved like that in front of my children. I will be really loud and fight for the last word too- it's so immature! I have also had constipation issues all my life, but that in itself has never caused these recent behavior issues. I'm pretty sure it is the gluten intolerances presenting themselves. I've only been gluten free for about 2 1/2 months and it is still off and on, trial and error for me, but I know I have these tendencies to lash out and behave inappropiatley when I am constipated due to gluten poisoning.

[Aimee D.]

Oh my goodness I'm so glad you guys are talking about this. I thought I was going crazy, if not I have certianly been acting like a crazy person. Normally I am extreamly patient and tolerant especially with the ones I love and i have just been lashing out at them lately. Just last night I YELLED at my husband to ------OFF!!! and proceeded to throw a sippy cup across the house. This is so unlike me and it made me feel really bad that I had actually behaved like that in front of my children. I will be really loud and fight for the last word too- it's so immature! I have also had constipation issues all my life, but that in itself has never caused these recent behavior issues. I'm pretty sure it is the gluten intolerances presenting themselves. I've only been gluten free for about 2 1/2 months and it is still off and on, trial and error for me, but I know I have these tendencies to lash out and behave inappropiatley when I am constipated due to gluten poisoning.

I meant throw a sippy cup sorry ...

[darlindeb25]

Never in my life was I constipated, quite the contrary. I have been gluten-free now for over 5 yrs and it hit me this summer, now I get constipated. I know my other intolerance's cause constipation, yet I do my best to avoid those foods too.

I do not get grumpy or mean when I am constipated and that's good. I just hurt and look miserable some of the time, yet I think we do when we are not feeling good. I do understand how you all feel!

[Mtndog]

All I can say is I'm glad I'm not alone. I guess constipation loves company

[DingoGirl]

Throwing a sippy cup? that made me laugh just about as hard as the sideways turd.....

I haven't been constipated in quite a while, but on my trip to Italy, years ago, I once went NINE days without pooping. I was there more than six weeks and pooped about five times. grumpy? that's a nice word for it......

Have you tried flax seeds? oh my gosh, they REALLY clean me out - and I mean so much so that I can no longer even tolerate them, I'm finding. Threw a couple of tablespoons in my smoothie the other day and had a violent siege the next day - - - fully cleaned out. And also, the Soy Flax Seed Tortilla Chips from Trader Joe's - - this was my binge food and I am sad to say, I can no longer eat them (at least, not half a bag at a time ).....

Just a thought.