How Long Does Constipation Persist.

[Mballerina]

Hey,

I have had fewer bowel movements than most in my life. In the last year of these reactions it has gotten absolutely ridiculous. I have been gluten-free for two months and i have grown and my period returned for a few days. But the constipation persists and I was wondering if anyone can tell me how long this will persist because i can't go on being impacted for 5 or 6 days out of 7.

Thanx.

[taneil]

Have you been tested for Hypothyroidism? That can be the reason that you are constipated. I have hypothyroidism and gluten intolerance. The hypothyroid would cause major constipation like you are talking about and it can go hand in hand with Gluten Intolerance. If you haven't been tested for it you might get tested for it.

[lilliexx]

hi..

i had the very same problem, and this is how i got back to normal. I stopped eating all processed foods, corn, dairy soy, & fruit. my constipation went away immedietly. I discovered it was the milk that was causing the problem, not gluten. i also took citrucel every moring and added flax seed to my food. you can grind it up in a coffe grinder and sprinkle it in juice too.

i hope some of this info helps you, becuz i know how terrible having this problem is....i dealt w/ it for years, and it isnt healthy at all to be that backed up.

best of luck to you.

lillie

ps. another thing you can do when it gets unbearable is a fleet enima. it isnt good to do them often but from time to time its ok. I have used them in emergency situations ( where i hadnt gone in a few days)

[judy05]

Hi,

I also suffered from this all my life and have bad hemmorrhoids

to prove it. My GI doc recommended Citracel tabs 2 everyday,

they are gluten-free, not sure that the powder is. I no longer suffer and

go like "clockwork" every morning. You must drink a glass of liquid

following ingestion.

[darlindeb25]

only in these forums would i say this--anyways--before gluten-free i never had a problem with constipation--always diarrhea and the only time i might have went the opposite way was if i took imodium or xanax---now, after gluten-free, i do have to be careful because i do tend to get constipated--my sister keeps telling me i need more fiber in my diet, but i cant get it right--i cant handle much fiber cause then i am going all the time and that interferes with work--i just havent found that happy medium yet--many nights i go to bed with stomach hurting some---but, still i am so much better now then i was before gluten-free deb

[tarnalberry]

Assuming that you're doing all the rest of the "right stuff" (like getting 35g of fiber a day or so, drinking plenty of water, getting plenty of exercise (helps the bowels move), and all that), then perhaps there is something else that is bothering your system? Perhaps it's time to ask the doc? Just a thought.

Oh yeah, you're not taking a lot of calcium on it's own are you? That'll cause constipation! And you're getting enough magnesium and other nutrients?

[strack2004]

Constipation has been the bane of my life from early childhood. I continue to have problems since going gluten-free, only worse. Have tried Citrucel, metamucil, Unifiber with no effect. Have used Zelnorm. I take 1/2of a I think it is 350 tab of calcium with each meal and 500 0f magnesium in the morning. I just don't let myself go more than three days without a stool and can seldom put up with it more than two. Lately I have again tried stool softener tabs. They work, but bother my upper ab. Ditto for Milk of Magnesia. At least I think they do. Sometimes I think that what I eat isn't the problem with this burning under my right center rib cage. I just had an ultrasound of upper ab that was normal except for a small cyst on one kidney. Dr. didn't attach much importance to that. Have to get baack to him and see what is next on the docket for diagnosis. I wonder, too, about that hypothyroidism. Have been tested for that in the past, but not recently. Will run that past him. Thanks for listening. Ruth S. P.S. This may be adhesions. It seems like gas piles up in my right side while my left side remains comfortable. R.S.

[darlindeb25]

my sis told me i was crazy when i stopped taking extra calcium cause i know it was causing probs with my tummy---hehe, so, i was right--i knew i was---now tell me about magnesium---i thought it would cause probs too--explain what you know to me about it---thanks, deb

[tarnalberry]

I don't know too much about magnesium, but having too much of it, in proportion to other minerals, can cause diahrreah.

[burdee]

Since too much magnesium can cause diarrhea, that's precisely why it's used in 'Milk of Magnesia'. However that same magnesium is available with a good magnesium supplement. I read several years ago in 'natural cures' book that magesium and vitamin C are often prescribed in European countries for constipation. I've been using those 2 supplements for regularity (and other health benefits) ever since. Recently I read in "Dangerous Grains" how many celiacs are low in magnesium which is more important than calcium for bone health. I noticed taking calcium caused more constipation. Is it any wonder they put calcium in 'Ester C' to prevent diarrhea from too much vitamin C? Oh, while I'm on the 'laxative' subject, have you read the ingredients in most laxatives? Many use SORBITOL which is known to cause 'IBS' pains, gas and DIARRHEA. Because sorbitol causes me intense pain, I can't take most laxatives, so I eat lotsa fruits, vegies, higher fiber gluten-free grains and use extra magnesium when I occasionally don't get enough fiber. However, abstaining from dairy after learning I had dairy intolerance resolved almost all of my chronic constipation. I think we all have to figure out what works best for ourselves, but I prefer real foods and vitamin/mineral supplements over drugs or fiber pills (like Fibercon) anyday.

BURDEE

[strack2004]

I also prefer Magnesiumpills and vitamin C pills as supplements rather than Milk of Magnesia. There used to be such a thing as milk of mag. tablets, but I haven't seen them for years. The liquid M of M. requires shaking up and tends to stick in thick globs to the sides of the bottle as you use it. It is hard to know if you have shaken it enough. If you scrape off the globs at the sides and remix with the rest, that, too, may change the actual amount of magnesium you get in a dose. Of course, you can discard the globs, but that seems wasteful. Even scraping them into the rest day by day doesn't ensure getting the right dose. I am using a 500mg. tablet of Magnesium once a day now, but wonder if that is too much. I tend to have a number (4-7 stools) of stools a day or else none and when none, then I need to take an oil enema or mineral oil by mouth to get started again. I have taken to using a tablespoon of mineral oil every everning in along with magnesium in the morning. I am trying to get to one or two stools a day, but I realize that may not be possible. Ruth

[burdee]

Hi Ruth:

I have also experienced daily multiple stools, esp. after a gluten/dairy/soy/sorbitol contamination. I suspect my bowels are just cramping (I sure FEEL the cramps) after celiac disease reactions which creates spasmodic multiple stools rather than one smooth 1X daily movement. After I recover from my latest contamination, I eventually return to the latter and not the former. Remember when docs misdiagnosed celiac disease as 'spastic colitis' rather than their current label "IBS". I suspect the spasms result from the same phenomena which creates cramping pain.

I like taking 250mg Magnesium tablets (one with each meal) rather than the 400 or 500mg tablets which can give me a LOT of bloating, cramping and gas, if I take it all at once. However, if I do get constipated, one of those heavy duty 400mg Mg pills after dinner does the trick. I read about dangerous side effects from mineral oil use, so I like adding more fiber (from figs, dates, prunes, apples, pears, other vegies, rice bran or high fiber gluten-free breads) or the Mg/Vitamin C combination. But avoiding gluten/dairy/soy/sorbitol contamination works best to resolve my regularity problems.

BURDEE

[Guest NancyNet]

I have had a problem with constipation before and after gluten-free diet... My Gastroenterologist who diagnosed my Celiac Disease doing a biopsy, perscribed a liquid to take whenever I became constipated, and it works better than anything else I have ever used and I have used all the different Meds. mentioned in the previous messages.. The Name of the prescription is "LACTULOSE". I am sure your doctor would prescribe it for you and know about it. (You do need a prescription to get it.) It works overnight, does not cause bloating, gas or cramps. and you get right back to being Normal FAST.... Hope this helps you...Nancy

[strack2004]

Hi Burdee, I am following the SCD (selected carbohydrates diet) rather than the other diets I have directions for. This diet doesn't allow rice. Also most gluten-free breads don't work on this one. I do eat lots of vegetables, meats excluding processed ones, and a few fruits . Many fruits are too acidy for my upper digestive tract. I eat pears occasionally , prunes rarely since they cause terribly smelly gas in my system. I still tutor at school and use their restrooms. I have been trying some applesauce . Sometimes it seems to go okay, others , not. I am inclined to try the 250 magnesium with each meal. I know that my bowel has a tendency to be spastic. Had an x-ray many years ago that showed a picture like two funnels with the narrow stems together and the "bowl" parts at each end, probably filled with gas. Actually, I don't seem to get cramps with my stools. In fact there is very little urge. I could use some more impetus. I wonder if Nancy's lactulose would contain lactose. It rather sounds like it might. Thanks for your input. Cheers! Ruth

[strack2004]

Hi Burdee, I am following the SCD (selected carbohydrates diet) rather than the other diets I have directions for. This diet doesn't allow rice. Also most gluten-free breads don't work on this one. I do eat lots of vegetables, meats excluding processed ones, and a few fruits . Many fruits are too acidy for my upper digestive tract. I eat pears occasionally , prunes rarely since they cause terribly smelly gas in my system. I still tutor at school and use their restrooms. I have been trying some applesauce . Sometimes it seems to go okay, others , not. I am inclined to try the 250 magnesium with each meal. I know that my bowel has a tendency to be spastic. Had an x-ray many years ago that showed a picture like two funnels with the narrow stems together and the "bowl" parts at each end, probably filled with gas. Actually, I don't seem to get cramps with my stools. In fact there is very little urge. I could use some more impetus. I wonder if Nancy's lactulose would contain lactose. It rather sounds like it might. Thanks for your input. Cheers! Ruth