I am having a problem wit...

I am having a problem with constipation since my surgery. I never had problems before and wonder why now? Am I not drinking enought liquids?

Hi there Barbara, Well constipation is my middle name. Before surgery it was a big problem and now even worse. Go to the health food store and get a tea called "SMOOTH MOVE" Try 2 bags and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Sweeten with your cholce, I used Equal and drink. I have it in the evening at least 3 times weekly. It does not give you cramps or give you the runs. Good Luck Lorraine

Barbara, I have added 2 Benefiber chewables, making sure I eat my strawberries every day and it sure helps. I also have something called Glycolax that my surgeon gave me a script for, it works awesome and does not cause cramping.....I take it in my crystal light at night and by morning I go! S mild, I would love to learn something natural that works like the strawberries but they do not seem to work all the time. I did hear about Fiber one cereal with honey clusters from someone and it seems to work so I will try that. Take care Debra P

HEY DEB!!! try that SMOOTH MOVE tea... that was recommended and used by a few at my support meeting last month for those that are experiencing that. I am very regular so far ! GOOD LUCK! lisa

Lisa, Does it have caffeine(sp?) in it? I don't really use it anymore and it would keep me from sleeping at night if I did it before bed. Can you get it at any grocery store? Thanks hun ~hugs~ Debra P

Debra , Go to the store and read the box. I only have the tea bags left. Wait...... I just read the bag. It's all there is no caffeine in this magic medicine. Good Luck to you! Let me go brew some right now. Lorraine

Debra , I buy it at the Vitamin Shoppe. The food store seemed to be a bit high. I found it cheaper there. Again Good Luck Lorraine Let me know how it all comes out.

Barbara: HI! CONSTIPATIOn is so common after WLS... Fluids may be a factor, but lack of fiber in diet (due to what we can tolerate) and smaller amounts we take in are a big factor. In addition higher protein which we recommend and higher calcium CITRATE consumption all can cause or factor in! SO many surgeons recommend a stool softner or two (colace also avail over counter!) I buy generic walmart brand docusate sodium 100mg. I take 1 tab 2x day and have since 3-4mo postop! I also take Flax seed ground 1T 3x day (2 does in shakes 1 dose on my salad at noon) work up gradually it is a nice fiber but as with any gentle and slow! I use Milk of Mag on ocassion when I need to and have used Miralax a sript from my clinical nutrition md/bariatrician doc. I drink 120 oz+ water a day so it isnt that, I exercise 60+ min a day so it isnt that...Its myhigh ca intake high protein that does it! Also I do -5 prunes a day at times..I know high in sugar but I look at it as medicine! Some people do benefiber powder w/ los water It made my concrete butt worse, my consitpation wasnt needing bulk! I needed softening and moovement! consult your surgeon for ideas ok! Take Care, Jamie Lap RNY 10/9/02 Dr. Singh 320/163 5'9'' (lost 45# before surgery) Plastics 6/9/04 & 11/11/2005 Dr. King "Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections!"

Jamie, I take 2 Benefiber chews a day but noticed since I changed to Calcuim Citrate that I have constipation a lot more often now, you really think that the Benefiber does not help with making you go???? I also added Fiber One cereal (someone recommended) at night 3 x a week but I see it has many carbs. I do have a very mild med from my surgeon (glycomlax) that I just love but I don't know if that will hurt taking it every other day. They seem to not think so but I hate taking meds and would love to find something natural. Thanks Debra P

Deb: Glycolax is miralax, they say can be used daily ifneededlongterm (MY doc toldme this)...i opt to use the colace 2 a day and flax seed ground really it is a lifesaver! I use MOm 2x week maybe if that..FOR ME benefiber just bulked up what I had making my concrete butt painful large ya know TMI but worsened my issue... Make sure whatever fiber u use u drink plenty of water w// it! Benefits of flax are much greater than the fiber! http://www.flaxcouncil.ca/flaxnut10.htm Flax - A Healthy Food ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Flax comes from the blue-flowered plant crop grown mainly in the cool, northern climate of the western Canadian prairies. Canadian brown flax seed is the favourite choice of consumers. The omega-3 fatty acid and fibre in flax are nutrients that help keep us healthy and well. A better diet with flax Canadian flax is a high quality food. Flax contains the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA); fibre; and lignans (see table, below). Health experts prescribe these nutrients and other compounds for better health. Omega-3 fatty acid. About 42% of flax seed is oil, and more than 70% of that oil is polyunsaturated fat, a healthy fat. Flax also contains 57% of the important omega-3 fatty acid, ALA. Extra fibre. Flax seed contains soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre can lower blood cholesterol levels, while insoluble fibre moves the stool through the colon more quickly, helping bowel movements. Lignans. Flax seed is also one of the richest plant sources of lignans, providing up to 800 times more lignans than most other foods in a vegetarian diet. Lignans are phytoestrogens - compounds that have been shown in laboratory studies of animals to help protect against certain kinds of cancer, particularly cancers of the breast and colon, by blocking tumour formation. Health benefits of flax The omega-3 fatty acids have a balancing role in the diet. They correct imbalances in modern diets that lead to health problems. Nutritionists caution that the amount of omega-3 fatty acids eaten in North America no longer meets our bodies' needs. You can balance your consumption of fatty acids by adding flax to your diet. Current research shows eating flax seed provides health benefits. A lower risk for heart disease. Nutritionists advise paying attention to the kinds of fats eaten. They suggest you eat less saturated fat and trans fats, and more polyunsaturated fat - which flax provides. Studies show a diet high in ALA reduces the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol and by preventing the buildup of harmful deposits in arteries. In other studies, where scientists studied large groups of people to find disease trends, increasing the ALA content of the diet corresponded to a decrease in risk of stroke and heart disease. Prevention of some forms of cancer. The link between diet and cancer is well-known. Flax contains dietary fibre and omega-3 fat in the form of ALA, which can reduce the risk of cancer. Furthermore, studies showed the ALA in flax slowed inflammation which led to cell growth in cancer. Another study on women newly diagnosed with breast cancer showed a slowing of tumour growth with the addition of flax to their diet. Treatment of immune disorders. The lignans and ALA in flax help prevent inflammation that affects the body's immune system. Flax in the diet may be useful in the treatment of such immune disorders as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis and lupus. Diabetes. Studies show flax lowers blood glucose in healthy, young adults. The effect of flax in the diets of people with Type 2 diabetes is currently being investigated. Relief from constipation. Studies in older adults show eating flax helps increase the frequency of bowel movements. Adding flax to your diet Flax adds a pleasant, nutty taste to foods. You can buy flax by the scoop, vacuum pack, bottle or capsule, or find it in some favourite foods. Here are some ways to use flax. Scoop Whole seeds Whole flax seeds add colour and crunch to foods. You can sprinkle flax seeds on top of home baking or mix them into dough. However, to obtain benefit from flax, you should first grind flax seeds because whole seeds will pass through your system undigested. Whirr Milled flax Grinding whole seeds breaks their tough outer skin, creating a light- coloured powder. Milled flax is sold in a vacuum package, or you can prepare it yourself in a coffee grinder. You can sprinkle milled flax on cereal, or add it to doughs, batters, casseroles and other cooked foods. Pour Flax oil Flax oil is sold in bottles. The oil is extracted from whole flax seeds, using a cold-press process especially developed for plant oils. Pour flax oil on fresh salads. Flax oil provides ALA, but no fibre or lignans. Pop Gel capsule Flax oil is sealed in gel capsules and sold as a dietary supplement. You should follow manufacturers' dosages. Crack Omega-3 enriched eggs Omega-3 enriched eggs contain extra omega-3 fatty acids from flax fed to hens. You can use omega-3 eggs wherever you would use regular eggs - there's no taste difference, only nutrition enrichment. If eaten on a regular basis, omega-3-enriched eggs make a substantial contribution to your need for omega-3 fatty acids. The caloric value and protein content of omega-3 enriched eggs are similar to that of regular eggs. Try Omega-3 enriched foods Omega-3 enriched foods, such as yogourt and milk, may contain flax oil, while flax baked goods, such as breads, can include milled or whole flax. How much flax to eat Eating 5 g of flax oil or 8 g of milled flax daily provides enough ALA to meet dietary needs. Like any fibrous food, flax can upset your digestion if you add too much, too quickly. In a balanced diet, eating 5 g (1 teaspoon) of flax oil or 8 g (1 tablespoon) of milled flax daily provides enough ALA to meet dietary needs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I buy mine at: http://www23.netrition.com/now_flaxseeds_page.html I get canister by now but Walmart has it also! (not htis brand) Jamie