Constipation- Question

[jasonD2]

sorry i know this is graphic....After I went gluten-free and eliminated other foods I became regular again for a year. now for some reason im back to where I was. i thought eliminating the allergic foods would resolve everything..I was so hopeful everything was starting to get better. Am i developing new allergies? i just cant seem to have a normal BM anymore. fiber doesnt work. when i really need help I take CleanseMore by Renew life but I dont want to become dependent. is there anything i can consistently do to make sure i go every day? tried natural calm which also works but for some reason give me bad headaches and makes me very tired. i feel like if im already constipated i may as well just start eating everything thats bad for me again :-)

[Mother of Jibril]

Lots of discussion about constipation today

Have you ever had your thyroid checked? One classic sign of hypothyroidism is constipation. At a minimum, you should ask to be tested for TSH and thyroid antibodies.

Autoimmune thyroid disorders are genetically linked to some types of gluten intolerance.

Magnesium and vitamin C supplements can also get things moving again

[mftnchn]

I had gradually improved on GFSF but not entirely. I started out with huge doses of magnesium and Vitamin C every do to go. Gradually was able to cut back. Then another jump of improvement after going on the SCD last July. Then I had a frustrating return of symptoms.

I finally discovered I had been using cinnamon that was contaminated with flour and starch. I am quite sure that it was gluten. A month later I am still not back to normal but adding back in the mega doses of magnesium and Vit C have me back to normal.

I am also boiling three prunes in a bit of water in the morning and having those with breakfast. And drinking a cup of warm water first thing in the morning. These help but aren't totally the answer.

For me extra fiber just does not work other than increasing the volume. My problem seems to be intestinal motility. I have learned since starting the SCD and through reading more along that line that both diarrhea and constipation can be caused by the same problems. On SCD I have been sticking to easily digested foods which has helped as well.

[Mtndog]

I have the same problem. It's VERY frustrating and makes you feel ugh. I take probiotics and magnesium oxide and it helps somewhat. I've tried OxyPowder which is a mag oxide colon cleanser and have had mixed results- sometimes it works great and other times I skip past regularity and go right to diarrhea.

I take a thyroid med and thyroid was definitely part of my problem.

[jasonD2]

My thyroid #'s were a bit low, however, when i tried to take thyroid med (a natural form) it made my constipation even worse.

[Green Eyes]

I have had constipation problems since I stopped smoking 15 years ago (well, 15 1/2 but who's counting - me, me ,me). I want immediate results (I'm the impatient type) and fiber just does nothing for me. I now take miralax. It is over the counter now. I normally take a dose before bedtime. If I need to increase or decrease the dosage I just judge the situation each day. There are days where I will just increase to a 1/2 dose in the morning and I'm good to go. (Tee Hee - couldn't help it)

Jennifer

[cmom]

Very cute Pomeranian!!!

[Gina C.]

Unfortunately, I can completely relate to this!

Before I went gluten-free 5 months ago, I was so desperate to go more often (once went 6 days without a BM)- I read a book by Dr. Andrew Weil and he suggested a natural herb Triphala (made from 3 different fruits found in india). Well, it definitely did the trick for me.

I stopped it a couple of months ago to see where I was at and still remained regular (not sure if it is because I had been gluten-free for 3 months by then).

I have been on the SCD diet now for a couple of weeks and the constipation has come back, but no so bad. I am hoping once I continue on this diet a little longer it will become regular again.

Constipation is the worst!! I feel your pain (pun intended)

[mftnchn]

Gina, just curious, did you start with the SCD intro, or jump right in to the full diet?

[The Kids Folks]

Hi Jason-

Even with fiber you want to be careful. I read somewhere that Benefiber is actually a wheat derivative. So instead of helping it actually ends up causing more of a problem.

The Kids Folks

[Gina C.]

Gina, just curious, did you start with the SCD intro, or jump right in to the full diet?

Hey mftnchn,

I went right into the full diet, since "D" is not an issue for me I didn't have to worry about easing into the diet, I went straight into it.

It wasn't too hard to make the transition from gluten-free diet to scd diet with the exception of giving up the sweets -- having a tough time right now with sugar withdrawl.

Gina

[mftnchn]

Gina, the BTVC book and other sources on SCD usually comment on diarrhea instead of constipation, so you have to really look for the C information. What I have discovered is that both D and C are considered to be caused by the same thing, so C is a sign that we are going too fast introducing foods. I'd suggest doing intro. It is important for getting rid of bad bacteria that also cause C. Then add foods slowly noting which help and which hinder. Do the easy to digest foods first. There is also a C protocol that Elaine developed posted online.

Warning: TMI! During intro the first several days on intro I had major shifts in BM, weird stuff and then more normal. Weird stuff included a bunch of parasites (yuck and double yuck) and mucous almost like you see in a newborn. I read later this was a typical response. The intestine protects itself by forming mucous layers, and when you stop eating stuff that contributes to the damage, this starts to clear out.

Since then things have been more normal then I ever remember in my life, though I am not yet eating high fiber. I did have a relapse for several weeks but traced it to a hidden gluten source.