Yikes! Constipation

I am wondering if anyone has a remedy, cure, trick, habit, (or whatever you want to call it) to stay regular? I NEVER had problems with constipation before surgery. In fact, I was often just the opposite with IBS. But now it is an everyday issue that I am having to deal with. It will be about 2-3 days before I am so uncomfortable from not having a BM, that I will force down about 4 oz. of Milk of Magnesia (ick!). Usually within the hour it kicks in. I get relief, but I am also in miserable shape most of the day with diahrrea & cramping. AND THEN, as SOON as I eat something again it starts all over and it's plugged-up-city once again! (Heh, sorry about the graphicness). It seems that I can no longer have a normal BM. The M.O.M is the only thing that cleans me out but it is such a horrible experience that I am having to repeat over & over every 3 days. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to make this not happen over & over? I realize it must be happening because of all the protein I consume. I can't really eat "fiber" per se because most fiber is in the form of carbs and I am sticking to an extremely low-carb diet (it's the only thing that makes the weight come off for me). I am so sick of feeling sick though! The constipation actually makes me nauseated all day long as well. Angela 229/189/140

Angela, I'm right there with you. I do EXACTLY the same thing, only I go 4 or 5 days and then take the MOM and then I'm tied to the bathroom for two days!! I think there is some talk on the main board about flaxseed, but I never paid much attention. Maybe we should ask over there..... Hugs, Nancy -58

Angela, I don't have this particular issue at the moment, but I've heard great things about Benefiber powder. It's supposed to be sugar free, gritless, and tasteless, so if you add it to something like yogurt, you should be in good shape. Not sure about the carbs, but I'm guessing they would be low. Good luck... I don't envy you on this one! Hugz, Gina F.

Hi Angela, Water, Water, Water, increase your water intake and you should see some relief also if you can, eat more veggies, you can do the beggies that have little or no carbs like lettuce and celery. I found this low carb drink by snapple called Snapple-a-day one 11oz serving of the Berry Bannana has 6 grams of fiber (24% of the daily allowance) 7 g of protein and 14 carbs. Also there is a stool softner that the doctor provided after surgery, maybe that's an option, mine was called docolace. That should help as well. and with the MOM 4oz sounds like a lot, maybe that is what is causing the diarrhea and discomfort through the rest of the day...I thought the dosage was only 1 ounce. Good Luck Teah 297/230/?

Hi Angela, I was in the same boat as you are until I discovered a tea called "Smooth Move." Silly name, I know, but it works! You can get it at the grocery store. When I am plugged up, I increase my water intake as much as I can and if that doesn't help, I drink a cup of the tea at night before I go to bed and in the morning I usually go. It's been a life saver for me and it actually tastes pretty good if you put some Splenda in it. The best part is no diarrhea. Shannon

Original poster here: Thanks Shannon, I will look for that tea when I do my next weekly shopping. I also did a search for flaxseed in the library of this site and I think I might try to find some of it ground at a health food store. Oh, and Teah, you are right! 4oz. was wrong. I take a 1/4 cup which is 2 oz. Angela

Hi Angela, I too never had this problem before. A few weeks out, I was so bound up that I bled when I went, and I NEVER bled from that door before. I tried a lot of things but now, I take 2 WALMART stool softners - one in the AM and PM. They are the same compound as Colace... but they are called "Equate stool softner" It is doucusate sodium 100 mg. They are so much cheaper than the brand Colace. Now that I am regular, I am taking 2 one day, and 1 the next day. In a few weeks, I will only take one a day. It is real important that we go. A blockage is serious stuff. I know that it is said that drinking your water helps a lot, and I'm sure it does for most people... but not this girl. I was still blocked. I hope you give it a try. Spyder 357/296 -61

The trick I use is Sugar Free candy's Like Hershey Resse Buttercup. All you need to do is like two and wait. If you read the back it say something about a laxitve effect. But I tried it and it works............

dear angela, i have constipation once in a while and i found that old standby prune juice works for me, i take about 4-6 ounces mixed with water as i hate the taste but it does the trick for me lilykate

I had perfect healthy BMs till I started taking that damn iron... so I do not know what is worse, the constipation, to the lack ot iron...!!??? Flavia