Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Bad Constipation Help

celiacsoprano

By celiacsoprano
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

celiacsoprano Newbie
celiacsoprano
Posted

Seeking some advice. Been constipated off and on for 2 months. First tried the usual, prunes, figs, gluten-free granola, prune juice, etc. Didn't help. Then I tried Citrucel... not a cure but at least I was going. Finally just wanted to be cleaned out and did an enema. But after that constipated again. I went to my doctor and he said Miralax. I swear it made it worse. Now not going at all for the past 4 days. My friend who is nurse suggested Ducolax stool softner. I took yesterday and nothing. What else should I do? I work out and eat gluten-free oatmeal everyday. I also eat fruit and salad for lunch. I don't eat a lot of cheese. This has never happened before. Any suggestions? I am contemplating another enema.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

Sorry you are having this issue as it can be very painful.

I have a few thoughts for you:

(1) have your thyroid checked. (hypothyroidism can cause the big C)

(2) take a mutli-strain probiotic.

(3) a tablespoon of ground flaxseed in 16 oz. of water 2X a day

(4) more water throughout the day

sometimes, it is lack of water, not a lack of fiber.

I am sure others will have more thoughts to offer.

Hope you get relief soon!

shadowicewolf Proficient
shadowicewolf
Posted

Exercise, oddly enough, helps a lot sometimes. Even if its just a bit more than you do normally. It helps "get things moving" if you will ;)

I would also stay away from anything that might make it worse. Do you drink milk? Eat a lot of starch? Those two can do it.

deb445 Rookie
deb445
Posted

If you're still looking for ideas to sift through, a combination of both Malva and Marshmallow root tea has been effective,

along with MSM in this house/family.

~Hope you find relief soon.

ncdave Apprentice
ncdave
Posted

I use miralax daily with good results. Now that being said miralax can be a little tricky. It does not work overnight, it takes 2-3 days for it to start working. If I miss a dose I have to suffer through the 2-3 days again ! I found it works best if taken at night right before bed time with no food afterwards. Only water an plenty of it. You all so may have to adjust the dose, instructions say fill cap to white line. That does not quiet work for me. I use a rounded off cap full, may have to vary a little from instructions.

GF Lover Rising Star
GF Lover
Posted

Okay, I must say this is a topic I feel I am an expert in. Time to break out the big guns.

First, NO dairy, not even a bite of cheese, until you are regular again.

Second, there are many teas, some were suggested, to drink regularly, when you have it under control, as well as water etc.

Third, one stool softener a day may keep you regular.

Now to activity unclog, so to speak. There are levels to this. Laxatives, different than softeners, including miralax and dulcolax, can be effective if taken, but you may need to take the high end of the dose for it to work. You will know within 24 hours or so if it is working. Your doctor may suggest a higher dose than listed, this is common. Last but not least, and I have had to do this, is the stuff they tell you to get before a colonoscopy. There's one that's in a small bottle, doesn't have to be mixed, tastes ungodly but absolutely effective. Pharmacist can help find it.

Word of caution, laxatives can cause cramping and severe blow outs and in my opinion a last resort. Also, your bowels can become laxative dependent if taken regularly. That's where the more natural approach is better. Don't stop helping things things along until you know for sure you are regular again, then taper to where you are comfortable.

Medications can also cause constipation.

Get to know your bowels and what they are telling you, sounds sick huh?

Good luck to you and always consult your doctor when you need to. Dr Oz does not count.

Colleen

Lady Eowyn Apprentice
Lady Eowyn
Posted

Hi

A couple of things that can help generally:

Blueberries - a punnet a day for 2-3 days seems to help and not a hardship - yum.

Nuts - if you can tolerate them seem to help.

As mentioned - exercise, especially in the form of long walks.

And I drink hot water - not sure if this actually helps but it feels like it does!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


shadowicewolf Proficient
shadowicewolf
Posted

Another thought. I've heard that mineral oil is a good way to go if you've got C. Not sure if its gluten free or not.

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

You could also try cutting out the oats for a while. Some of us react to oats similarly to gluten.

powerofpositivethinking Community Regular
powerofpositivethinking
Posted

I completely agree about Miralax! I took it for a week, and had a little relief, but just continued to feel more and more bloated, so I stopped. i have found the most effective combination for myself to be a highly absorbable magnesium supplement, the one i've used is called Super Magnesium and it's gluten free from GNC in addition to Citrucel caplets. I'm currently completing a sitz marker exam, so I stopped both for a few days, but I will continue with them once it's complete. It was definitely improving things, but yet another question came into my head about why I seemed to need so much magnesium when I eat a healthy diet that should be providing me with plenty of magnesium and fiber, and I drink plenty of water with very little caffeinated/sugary beverages!

the usual eat more fiber...drink more water lines just weren't cutting it and then browsing through the forums here someone suggested a magnesium supplement, so at first I started it in high doses and adjusted as necessary and added in the Citrucel since psyllium fiber constipated and bloated me. It's worth a try :)

cahill Collaborator
cahill
Posted

pumpkin seeds ( raw , unsalted pre- hulled ),, not kidding ,they are the only thing that has ever worked for me ( and I had tried most of the above mentioned remedys ) . Now I eat a small amount daily .

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

pumpkin seeds ( raw , unsalted pre- hulled ),, not kidding ,they are the only thing that has ever worked for me ( and I had tried most of the above mentioned remedys ) . Now I eat a small amount daily .

I agree and I love those for added fiber, too. Great protein. I add those to our granola bars.

Also, to the OP--I had another thought:

I suggest being very careful of using too many OTC bowel cleanses as they can cause some problems, too and make your system reliant on them.

If you already take a calcium supplement, make sure you are taking the right ratio of magnesium. Mag will help with C as well.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,915
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    marcusdarrell1
    Newest Member
    marcusdarrell1
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      I followed the Autoimmune Protocol Diet which is really strict for a while, but later other foods can be added back into your diet.  Following the AIP diet strictly allows you digestive system to heal and the inflammation to calm down.  Sort of like feeding a sick baby easy to digest food instead of spicy pizza.   It's important to get the inflammation down because chronic inflammation leads to other health problems.  Histamine is released as part of the autoimmune response to gluten.  High histamine levels make you feel bad and can cause breathing problems (worsening asthma), cardiovascular problems (tachycardia), and other autoimmune diseases (Hashimoto's thyroiditis, diabetes) and even mental health problems. Following the low histamine version of the AIP diet allows the body to clear the histamine from our bodies.  Some foods are high in histamine.  Avoiding these makes it easier for our bodies to clear the histamine released after a gluten exposure.   Vitamin D helps regulate the immune system and calm it down.  Vitamin D is frequently low in Celiacs.  The B Complex vitamins and Vitamin C are needed to clear histamine.   Supplementing with essential vitamins and minerals boosts your intestines' ability to absorb them while healing.   Keep in mind that gluten-free facsimile foods, like gluten-free bread, are not enriched with added vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts are.   They are empty calories, no nutritional value, which use up your B vitamins in order to turn the calories into fuel for the body to function.   Talk to your doctor or nutritionist about supplementing while healing.  Take a good B Complex and extra Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine (shown to promote gut health).  Most B Complex vitamins contain thiamine mononitrate which the body cannot utilize.  Meats and liver are good sources of B vitamins.   Dr. Sarah Ballantyne wrote the book, the Paleo Approach.  She's a Celiac herself.  Her book explains a lot.   I'm so glad you're feeling better and finding your balance!
    • klmgarland
      Help I’m cross contaminating myself,

      By klmgarland · Posted

      So I should not eat my gluten free bread?  I will try the vitamins.  Thank you all so very much for your ideas and understanding.  I'm feeling better today and have gathered back my composure!
    • knitty kitty
      Taking Probiotics but Still Getting Sick After Gluten – Advice?

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Some people prefer eating gluten before bed, then sleeping through the worst symptoms at night.  You might want to try that and see if that makes any difference.   Several slices of toast for breakfast sounds okay.  Just try to work up to the Ten grams of gluten.  Cookies might only have a half of a gram of gluten.  The weight of the whole cookie is not the same as the amount of gluten in it.  So do try to eat bread things with big bubbles, like cinnamon rolls.   Yeah, I'm familiar with the "death warmed over" feeling.  I hope you get the genetic test results quickly.  I despise how we have to make ourselves sick to get a diagnosis.  Hang in there, sweetie, the tribe is supporting you.  
    • Clear2me
      Gluten free nuts

      By Clear2me · Posted

      Thank you, a little expensive but glad to have this source. 
    • Xravith
      Taking Probiotics but Still Getting Sick After Gluten – Advice?

      By Xravith · Posted

      @knitty kitty  Thank you very much for the advice. I did the exam this morning, my doctor actually suggested me to take something called "Celiac duo test" in which I first do the genetic test and if it's positive, then I'll have to do the antigen blood test. I have to attend 1 month until my results are ready, so I have some weeks to increase the amount of gluten I eat daily. It will be hard because my health is not the best right now, but I also did a blood test to cheek my nutritional deficiencies. The results will arrive on Tuesday, so I can ask my doctor what should I do to control my symptoms and blood levels during this month. For now I'm resting and paying attention to what I eat— at least I don’t look like a vampire who just woke up, like I did yesterday. I'm still scared because is the first time I've felt this sick, but this is the right moment to turn things around for the better.  I realized that if I eat gluten at lunch I cannot finish the day properly, I become severely tired and sometimes my stomach hurts a lot - let's not talk about the bloating that starts later. Do you think is it ok to eat gluten just in the morning, like some cookies and slices of bread for breakfast? 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.