Constipation

[annegirl]

Hey guys!

I've been gluten free for 1 month and 13 days and I feel GREAT. Best thing that has ever happened to me, so no complaints there.

I eat 3-4 fruits a day, 2-3 veggies a day with some meat and potatoes thrown in the round stuff out. I have not really gotten into any of the "gluten free" food because I figure it's just safer, healthier (and cheaper!). I am also off of all milk products, soy products. I have started exercising 20-30 minutes a day and I am careful to drink enough water.

I take a multi vitamin, calcium, vit A&D, and primrose oil (all gluten, soy, dairy free).

My problem is that I still struggle with constipation. Things will go well for a few days and then I will have a problem again. I thought maybe it was a fat issue, so I tried frying some corn tortillas for tacos to see if that would help...no go so far.

I have lost about 13-14 pounds, can losing weight create this problem? Has anyone else had this issue crop up or continue after going gluten-free?

Thanks in advance!!

[Marilyn R]

So glad you are feeling better!!

I had some constipation, which was a major shock to my system after all the IBS. I figured that was normal.

I have added quite a bit of oil to my diet. I buy tuna in olive oil vs. in water. I make my own marinades & salad dressings with olive, sunflower or canola oil, some seasonings and an acid (like lime juice or vinegar.)

The best thing I've found for constipation is to heat 2-4 oz. of prune juice and drink it. If you have belly pain from constipation, then follow the warm prune juice with 1-2 T. warmed up honey. I don't know why it works, but it works.

It seems strange with your diet that you're constipated. It sounds like you're doing everything right. Are you eating some of those vegetables and fruits raw for fiber? Are you eating brown rice as well as white rice? Sweet potatoes as well as white? (If you are eating white rice consistently as your starch, it can be constipating.)

I hope you get over the next hurdle soon, sounds like you're doing great!

[Waverlywoods]

I struggled with chronic constipation from 2006-2010. It got so bad at times it would only respond to castor oil and green foods/juices. Nothing really worked, nothing at all worked I should say. Then in january I started taking large amounts of betaine HCL (stomach acid) w/pepsin and NOW plant enzymes. Problem over-have not been constipated at all in 2011! (no laxatives ect...) just a couple of days ago I was looking over a stool test from april 2010 and noticed putrefactive SCFA was in the yellow (caution). This indicates bacterial fermentation of undigested protein. Protein is digested in the stomach. If fact it's the only thing the really gets digested in the stomach and it won't happen without sufficient HCL. If you don't have a lab to look at and don't want to get one, my symptoms were really foul gas , bloating, and chronic constipation that got worse with increasing amounts of meat in the diet. At the time, going gluten free (gluten light in truth) helped my constipation but it was still a problem. Konstantine M. has a book out called Fiber Menace which is a little against the grain, I liked the book, but honestly haven't studied it because I've cured this problem, which was a monster.

[Waverlywoods]

I should have added that any kind of sleep problem would complicate this issue. Not eating anything past the evening meal and allowing full 12 hours of fasting between evening meal and bkst is also helpful. Other than that, sluggish thyroid is linked to constipation.

[annegirl]

Thanks guys!Good info.

I eat most of the fruits and veggies raw (only exceptions on fruits are homemade/canned applesauce and peaches). I do eat prunes on occasion to "get things going" and it helps (gives me really bad stomach cramps though). I also eat raw almonds....so I'm sorta at a loss as to what exactly could be causing the issue.

I eat steamed veggies (broccoli, carrots, cauliflower) for dinner, but I always have a salad too. So basically every meal and at least 2 snacks I'm having a raw fruit or veggie.

I go very light on the rice (no more than once ever couple of weeks) because I don't digest it too well.

I do eat both red, yukon gold and sweet potatoes to make things creative.

I will give the prune juice a try and look for the book at the library!

[Terri O]

I just came on to post a question and saw yours...I had to chuckle 'cause my problem is just the opposite! In fact my title was going to be "does the big D ever go away?"

Terri O

[Scarlett January]

Hi! I too have struggled with constipation, however mine started long before I went gluten-free. It seems that no matter what I eat (or don't eat for that matter) nothing changes significantly in terms of bowel movements and stool consistency. At one point I even had to have an 'emergency' colonoscopy (normally where I live you wait a couple of months to get one and they had me in the hospital to get it done in fewer than 48 hours!) because I hadn't had a bowel movement in 3 weeks! Of course the colonoscopy came back normal and I was no further ahead than before.

After trying many more diet changes, laxatives, supplements etc. it was recommended to me by a gastroenterologist to try MILK OF MAGNESIUM. It is normally used as an antacid but when taken in larger quantities it acts as a laxative. She told me it is safe to use regularly and to just start with a low dose (1Tbs or less) once a day and increase slowly until I start having regular bowel movements. There is no pain or cramping. It is very gentle. In fact, the only effect it seems to have is--miracle of all miracles--I am actually having a daily movement (and have been now for about a year) for the first time in years!!! For me, personally, 2 and a half Tbs is the magic number, except when I have eaten something containing gluten and then I usually need about 3 or 3 and half for a couple of days to a week.

I feel really weird posting all of this information about, of all things, bowel movements haha, but I am super passionate about it because milk of magnesium has given me so much relief...more than these words can convey! I hope this helps. Also, if anyone has heard any negatives of using milk of mag long-term I welcome your input. Up until this point I haven't seen anything negative about it.

One last note: the doctor said magnesium citrate pills will not do the trick and in my experience she is right (I had already tried them with no effect) and also just make sure there are no extra additives in your milk of mag because they can be irritants for people like us with sensitive digestive tracts. Personally I use Phillips brand.

Good luck. I hope you find a solution that works for you :-)

[annegirl]

  On 3/14/2011 at 2:51 AM, Terri O said:

I just came on to post a question and saw yours...I had to chuckle 'cause my problem is just the opposite! In fact my title was going to be "does the big D ever go away?"

Terri O

Oh sad. Hey! Combined we could almost be normal!

[captaincrab55]

annegirl , Were you checked for H Pylori??? A small percentage of people with H Pylori suffer with constipation...

[Terri O]

  On 3/14/2011 at 3:19 AM, annegirl said:

Oh sad. Hey! Combined we could almost be normal!

Yes--that is sad! But I guess kinda funny too...T

[annegirl]

  On 3/14/2011 at 3:24 AM, captaincrab55 said:

annegirl , Were you checked for H Pylori??? A small percentage of people with H Pylori suffer with constipation...

I'm not sure actually....I know I had a bunch of tests done (including thyroid) before my dr asked me to try gluten free before getting diagnosed with celiac.

I'll look into it!

[cap6]

I noticed that you wrote Milk of Magnesium in caps. Is that different from Milk of Magnesia? Sorry for the dumb question.

  On 3/14/2011 at 3:12 AM, Scarlett January said:

Hi! I too have struggled with constipation, however mine started long before I went gluten-free. It seems that no matter what I eat (or don't eat for that matter) nothing changes significantly in terms of bowel movements and stool consistency. At one point I even had to have an 'emergency' colonoscopy (normally where I live you wait a couple of months to get one and they had me in the hospital to get it done in fewer than 48 hours!) because I hadn't had a bowel movement in 3 weeks! Of course the colonoscopy came back normal and I was no further ahead than before.

After trying many more diet changes, laxatives, supplements etc. it was recommended to me by a gastroenterologist to try MILK OF MAGNESIUM. It is normally used as an antacid but when taken in larger quantities it acts as a laxative. She told me it is safe to use regularly and to just start with a low dose (1Tbs or less) once a day and increase slowly until I start having regular bowel movements. There is no pain or cramping. It is very gentle. In fact, the only effect it seems to have is--miracle of all miracles--I am actually having a daily movement (and have been now for about a year) for the first time in years!!! For me, personally, 2 and a half Tbs is the magic number, except when I have eaten something containing gluten and then I usually need about 3 or 3 and half for a couple of days to a week.

I feel really weird posting all of this information about, of all things, bowel movements haha, but I am super passionate about it because milk of magnesium has given me so much relief...more than these words can convey! I hope this helps. Also, if anyone has heard any negatives of using milk of mag long-term I welcome your input. Up until this point I haven't seen anything negative about it.

One last note: the doctor said magnesium citrate pills will not do the trick and in my experience she is right (I had already tried them with no effect) and also just make sure there are no extra additives in your milk of mag because they can be irritants for people like us with sensitive digestive tracts. Personally I use Phillips brand.

Good luck. I hope you find a solution that works for you :-)

[Naezer]

I too have had problems with occasional constipation but I know I dont eat enough fruit and veggies. I can pretty much fix it with diet changes. My son(non celiac) on the other hand has battled with constipaiton since potty training and his doc suggested Miralax. It is very gentle and does not cause pains/cramping. You may want to try that to give you some relief. It dissolves completely and not gritty taste. You will have to check if it is gluten free though. Good luck