Anyone Else Have A Problem With Constipation?

[marlene57]

I'm one of those Celiacs who's overweight and constipated. Although, when I do go, it's very loose. The Gastroenterologist says to take laxatives, but I'm very leery of anything that may harm my intestines more than they already are.

Any suggestions on what to eat, take, or do to get going again? Also, any ideas why I get like this? I feel like this happens when I try to eat cereals like rice bran, or buckwheat.

Thanks,

Marlene

[sillyyak]

Miralax is the answer. I swear by it. No cramping. I take it every 3-4 days. I take it at night and the next day I am good to go. It is great

[marlene57]

Miralax is the answer. I swear by it. No cramping. I take it every 3-4 days. I take it at night and the next day I am good to go. It is great

Thank you!

I will try it.

[tarnalberry]

magnesium will also work.

[bluejeangirl]

Have you ever calculated how much fiber your getting? I was surprised to find out I wasn't getting that much when I thought I was. Your right about eating to much grains,..they can slow down transit time. It must be frustrating to not have formed stools. I'm not sure how to improve that. Maybe in time that will improve as the mucosal lining improves.

gail

[BRUMI1968]

Do you eat dairy?

[Studyingal]

I had the same problem constipation. What I started doing is making sure my each meal consisted of 25% fiber. I also made sure that I drank at least 64oz. of water each day. Guess what happened I lost 35 pounds in 6 months , constipation stopped , plus it cleared my acne and gave me glowing skin. Now I realize why people say you are what you eat.

Thanks,

Anita

[marlene57]

I don't eat dairy because it bothers me. I haven't for many years. I try to drink a lot of water, but I will try the 64oz. per day.

Thank you all for the advise. There is so much more info here than I've been able to get from Drs.

Marlene

[BRUMI1968]

I asked about the dairy because even the tiniest amount gives me C. I'd also make sure you're getting enough oil in the diet, healthy oils like olive, avocado, nuts...(nuts drive my intestines nuts, but their oil is good). I read someplace once you need liquid, bulk, and grease: water, fiber, and oil.

Good luck.

[ariesmama]

I'm one of those Celiacs who's overweight and constipated. Although, when I do go, it's very loose. The Gastroenterologist says to take laxatives, but I'm very leery of anything that may harm my intestines more than they already are.

Any suggestions on what to eat, take, or do to get going again? Also, any ideas why I get like this? I feel like this happens when I try to eat cereals like rice bran, or buckwheat.

Thanks,

Marlene

Hi, I also have a problem with constipation CONTANTLY, and have found a few things that work well. Try milk of magnesium at bedtime(if you can stand the taste). Also cook up some dried prunes in a bit of water until they soften up - 4-6 should do(eating them dried doesn't work, you have to soften them up with a bit of cooking), or I've heard that peaches are very high in fibre(fresh or canned). My favourite, though, is a small bowl of Tostidos chips(made with cord, oil and salt), in the evening. Hope this helps...

[Betty in Texas]

I have always had this problem I just read about virgin coconut oil taking tablespoon three times a day help's with this problem and it said it was the earth's healtyies oil and it is for almost every thing have any of you tried I am goig to get some today and try it for a month and I will let you know.

[little d]

I don't eat dairy because it bothers me. I try to drink a lot of water, but I will try the 64oz. per day.

Thank you all for the advise. There is so much more info here than I've been able to get from Drs.

Marlene

I have the same problem but I alternate between D and C all the time and 64 oz of water I have a hard enough time staying out of the Bathroom for urinating too much as well, no I have not gone to the Dr for urinating too much I probley might need to, because I can drink coffee in the morning and 10-30minutes later I will go to pee and then the flood gates open for the next hour or so.

Donna

[sixtytwo]

Here you go my friend..........prunes. I take a serious amount of magnesium which is supposed to be a natural laxative (take it to help with my fibormyalgia)....doesn't help with the constipation that I know of. However, a dish of prunes every day or so, and that is what made me regular and smooth. Try it, it sure is easier than taking medicine which I hate to do as I take so many other things and I really love them as they are sweet and a good substitute for candy or whatever. Don't knock it until you have tried it. My mom mentioned it to me and I tried it and it sure did help me----and naturally. I buy two big boxes of them at a time, and cook them up in water and then just have them in the fridge to snack on.

Barbara

[KAG]

When I have eaten ANY amount of dairy or eggs, nothing seems to work. Otherwise, magnesium helps as well as just bouncing on a mini trampoline for about 10 minutes each day.

[mftnchn]

Just a note to say there is another thread here on constipation with a lot more info as well.

Prunes don't work at all for me. I can eat 20 and just get some gas is all.

Magnesium helps but in high doses. I take around 800mg a day and still don't go every day.

Vitamin C in large doses can help, if you get too much of Mg or C you'll get diarrhea.

For bulk, I use pharmaceutical grade cellulose. I don't tolerate most of the natural bulking agents.

Gluten-free Casein-free seems to have helped a lot. It is possible that there are other food allergies in the mix too, but at this point I am going to wait for a few months and see if things even out.

Hot water in the morning, several cups and not eating until later in the morning seems to help a bit.

[kbbccd]

I agree that Miralax is a good overnight solution.

Also, a good balanced diet with plenty of fiber helps. I find I have to exercise every day as well. These help quite a bit. Giving up gluten has helped a lot, but I have to combine this with a healthy lifestyle otherwise.

I'm one of those Celiacs who's overweight and constipated. Although, when I do go, it's very loose. The Gastroenterologist says to take laxatives, but I'm very leery of anything that may harm my intestines more than they already are.

Any suggestions on what to eat, take, or do to get going again? Also, any ideas why I get like this? I feel like this happens when I try to eat cereals like rice bran, or buckwheat.

Thanks,

Marlene

[burdee]

Constipation was also a lifelong problem for me. I was 'regular' in that I had a daily bowel movement, but always had hard stools, unless I took copious laxatives, which also gave me excruciating cramps. I learned to take magnesium and Vitamin C daily to just have 'regular' daily movements, but never soft enough to prevent hemorrhoid pain. Eliminating gluten and dairy prevented occasional episodes of impacted stools, but I still had hard stools. After treatment for Klebsiella bacteria followed by high doses of probiotics I experienced a few weeks of 'normal' soft stools. However I later returned to my 'regular' hard stools ... UNTIL I began taking digestive enzymes with Betaine Hydrochloride.

Even after I eliminated gluten and my 4 other food allergies (dairy, eggs, soy and cane sugar), I felt uncomfortably full after most meals. So I decided to try 'stronger' enzymes with HCl. Then I read a book entitled "Why Stomach Acid is Good for You" by Jonathon Wright (a local doc). He said that low stomach acid prevents absorption of magnesium (which I already take for regularity) from foods. I had been misdiagnosed with 'gastritis' years ago and given acid blockers and antiacids, which depleted my stomach acid. I now realize I never had gastritis or 'gerd', but merely had compromised digestion from yet undiagnosed celiac damage. After I took digestive enzymes with HCl for about 2 months, my stools became 'normal' (soft) EVERY DAY without fail (unless I take a medication like Tylenol PM which dries up EVERYTHING).

If you have ever taken acid blockers or antacids and now have constipation no matter what you do, consider taking digestive enzymes with HCl. You may not be absorbing enough magnesium from your food. All the fiber in the world didn't help me and even caused occasional impacted stools. Magnesium, which helps the intestines absorb water into the intestines, also controls smooth muscle movement. However HCl helps you absorb magnesium and other important nutrients from the foods you eat. I LOVE having normal and regular bowel movements every day for the first time in my life!

BURDEE

[marlene57]

Thank you Burdee,

I'm going to try the enzymes. I was taking tums every night for years, and I don't feel that I'm absorbing nutrients the way I should. Folate, Vit. D dificiencies.

Marlene

Constipation was also a lifelong problem for me. I was 'regular' in that I had a daily bowel movement, but always had hard stools, unless I took copious laxatives, which also gave me excruciating cramps. I learned to take magnesium and Vitamin C daily to just have 'regular' daily movements, but never soft enough to prevent hemorrhoid pain. Eliminating gluten and dairy prevented occasional episodes of impacted stools, but I still had hard stools. After treatment for Klebsiella bacteria followed by high doses of probiotics I experienced a few weeks of 'normal' soft stools. However I later returned to my 'regular' hard stools ... UNTIL I began taking digestive enzymes with Betaine Hydrochloride.

Even after I eliminated gluten and my 4 other food allergies (dairy, eggs, soy and cane sugar), I felt uncomfortably full after most meals. So I decided to try 'stronger' enzymes with HCl. Then I read a book entitled "Why Stomach Acid is Good for You" by Jonathon Wright (a local doc). He said that low stomach acid prevents absorption of magnesium (which I already take for regularity) from foods. I had been misdiagnosed with 'gastritis' years ago and given acid blockers and antiacids, which depleted my stomach acid. I now realize I never had gastritis or 'gerd', but merely had compromised digestion from yet undiagnosed celiac damage. After I took digestive enzymes with HCl for about 2 months, my stools became 'normal' (soft) EVERY DAY without fail (unless I take a medication like Tylenol PM which dries up EVERYTHING).

If you have ever taken acid blockers or antacids and now have constipation no matter what you do, consider taking digestive enzymes with HCl. You may not be absorbing enough magnesium from your food. All the fiber in the world didn't help me and even caused occasional impacted stools. Magnesium, which helps the intestines absorb water into the intestines, also controls smooth muscle movement. However HCl helps you absorb magnesium and other important nutrients from the foods you eat. I LOVE having normal and regular bowel movements every day for the first time in my life!

BURDEE

[debmidge]

being new to magnesium I ran across these 3 types: which is best for constipation without acting like a irritating laxative?

magnesium aspartate

chelated magnesium

magnesium glycinate

magnesium citrate

or are there more? I am learning more about this as I go along

[Babygirl6915]

I have the same problem but I alternate between D and C all the time and 64 oz of water I have a hard enough time staying out of the Bathroom for urinating too much as well, no I have not gone to the Dr for urinating too much I probley might need to, because I can drink coffee in the morning and 10-30minutes later I will go to pee and then the flood gates open for the next hour or so.

I totally have all 3 of these problems. I rarely but more often now than before gluten-free have a normal movment. I eat a ton of corn, rice, potatoes, fruit, raw veggies, etc & the occasional dairy. I am going to try doubling my magnesium supplement in the morning to see if that helps. The prune thing sounds interesting too. Anyone know if taking Magnesium periodically throughout the day would work better than all @ once in the morning?

[mftnchn]

being new to magnesium I ran across these 3 types: which is best for constipation without acting like a irritating laxative?

magnesium aspartate

chelated magnesium

magnesium glycinate

magnesium citrate

or are there more?

magnesium oxide is another one

[debmidge]

for those who use magnesium, what type mag oxide, chelated mag, mag aspartate, mag glyinate...

which formula and how many mgs?

anyone take magnesium citrate? I think this would be the most irritating to bowel, right?

[hangininthere]

Magnesium capsules, high dose, is the only thing that relieved my lifelong constipation (from 'sluggish bowels', all my life I was stopped-up).

I get the GNC (General Nutrition Center) health supplement store brand of magnesium oxide (the oxide magnesium is the least expensive and most easily found in stores), and take two 500 mg. capsules every night at bedtime.

A lower dose does nothing for me.

I discovered the magnesium works for me two years ago, what a relief.

Now I have a good bowel movement every single morning, as long as I take my magnesium faithfully every night at bedtime.

Before discovering magnesium, I would only go about once a week or even ten days, totally stopped up, it was miserable, because nothing else worked for my constipation until the magnesium.

Some medications can cause constipation. I'm not on any medications, mine is from inherent 'sluggish bowel', just won't move on its own.

When taking magnesium, take it an hour or two apart from other medications you may be on, because just like antacids, it can block your other medications from absorbing right.

P.S. I also take GNC brand Multi-Digestive Enzymes which contain Acidophilus in the formula. These are expensive, but well worth it.

Best wishes to all!

[burdee]

I take Country Life Magnesium Aspartate with Potassium. It does not give me cramps or gas like other magnesium compounds. Magnesium oxide is most readily available, but is not easily absorbed and caused lots of gas and bloating for me. Here's a link to an article, which tells the most absorbable forms of magnesium: Open Original Shared Link

I also take TwinLab Super Enzymes with HCl to replenish my stomach acid, depleted by years of acid blockers and antiacids. Without sufficient stomach acid, our bodies don't absorb magnesium from the foods we eat. Although magnesium kept me 'regular', HCl eliminated bloating and occasional hard stools.

BURDEE

[jabberwife]

Constipation was also a lifelong problem for me. I was 'regular' in that I had a daily bowel movement, but always had hard stools, unless I took copious laxatives, which also gave me excruciating cramps. I learned to take magnesium and Vitamin C daily to just have 'regular' daily movements, but never soft enough to prevent hemorrhoid pain. Eliminating gluten and dairy prevented occasional episodes of impacted stools, but I still had hard stools. After treatment for Klebsiella bacteria followed by high doses of probiotics I experienced a few weeks of 'normal' soft stools. However I later returned to my 'regular' hard stools ... UNTIL I began taking digestive enzymes with Betaine Hydrochloride.

Even after I eliminated gluten and my 4 other food allergies (dairy, eggs, soy and cane sugar), I felt uncomfortably full after most meals. So I decided to try 'stronger' enzymes with HCl. Then I read a book entitled "Why Stomach Acid is Good for You" by Jonathon Wright (a local doc). He said that low stomach acid prevents absorption of magnesium (which I already take for regularity) from foods. I had been misdiagnosed with 'gastritis' years ago and given acid blockers and antiacids, which depleted my stomach acid. I now realize I never had gastritis or 'gerd', but merely had compromised digestion from yet undiagnosed celiac damage. After I took digestive enzymes with HCl for about 2 months, my stools became 'normal' (soft) EVERY DAY without fail (unless I take a medication like Tylenol PM which dries up EVERYTHING).

If you have ever taken acid blockers or antacids and now have constipation no matter what you do, consider taking digestive enzymes with HCl. You may not be absorbing enough magnesium from your food. All the fiber in the world didn't help me and even caused occasional impacted stools. Magnesium, which helps the intestines absorb water into the intestines, also controls smooth muscle movement. However HCl helps you absorb magnesium and other important nutrients from the foods you eat. I LOVE having normal and regular bowel movements every day for the first time in my life!

BURDEE

Burdee, did you even try psyllium before this? I am considering some HCl, because I've been gluten free/dairy free (lite, I've had a little cheese once or twice) for about 60 days, and the constipation is ridiculous. I've tried magnesium and Vitamin C, I eat fiber like a crazy person, I even tried psyllium (the natural, gross, not Citrucel stuff) and it worked the first 2 times, but now it just makes me feel incredibly full and later--gassy--with no relief. I'll go, but when I do, they're little hard stools, and only a little bitty bit at a time. I don't have other symptoms of indigestion in my stomach, but would HCl be harmful in any way? I'm feeling a little desperate at this point. I also have acne troubles, I've read this can be related?