Magnesium Oxide and Colace?

Been suffering with constipation badly due to the calcium I'm taking 'cause when I stopped it then it went away and when I started back on it here comes the suffering again.  Question..I bought both Magnesium Oxide and Colace, should I be taking both of these?  I have taken the Colace for the last couple days but haven't tried the Mag yet. Don't want things to get too loosened up if ya know what I mean but wasn't sure what to take and how long will I have to be on these.  Do DS'ers have to be on Mag oxide or stool softeners their whole lives or as long as their taking vits?  Was gonna call my Dr. but wanted to get your input b4 I ask him.

I too have been suffering from constipation since upping my calcium to 5,000 mg a day.   I HATE taking that much.  I have been taking Mag Oxide with it, but I'm just not sure what the correct balance is.  I heard 1/2 as much.    I am eager to hear of others' responses.  

I'll be joining you in the Constipation Society as soon as I start taking my new Iron.

Not all DSers have to be on stool softeners or mag oxide...I'm just the opposite.  I take tender iron, poly iron, over 3k of Calcium citrate a day, as well as having just started fiber supplements, and I STILL have healthy poops through the day.  I don't think I *could*constipate myself if I tried.

have you tried upping your fats?  That helps most people.  I eat a high fat diet, and have considered scaling back to see if that slows the bathroom down for me. 

Hope you find your magical balance soon!

Lori

Boy, I think Lori hit the nail on the head.  It's all about finding your magical balance.  And be prepared for that to change from time to time. Mag oxide is a mineral, right?  And Vitalady says it never leaves the gut, so I feel okay about taking it on a daily basis.  Right now I am taking:
1 Colace
1 Fibercon
1 Mag oxide
in the afternoon and again at bedtime.

Hope you find your magical balance.   It sure does help!

I've been constipated starting about two weeks out from surgery.  So for more than 2 months now, I've been taking a nightly dose of Miralax and 2 mag oxides.   Both are safe for life.  I'm able to go every morning and am done for the day.  I eat A LOT of fat and take coremega (omega-3).  I have even tried straight Omega 3 fish oil pills... and I still need the nightly help of Miralax and mag. oxide!   I can't really complain though.  I like the predictability.

You can take both.  Mag ox isn't dangerous.  It's just magnesium...the bottles I buy usually say it's for bone health, no mention of anything gut related.  Depending on what type of calcium you are taking, you might be able to find a calcium that is similarly priced that already has the magnesium right in there so there is no extra pill to take.

mag ox is veryyy mild.  I personally have a difficult time really telling the difference, but it works great for some people.  I think lots of people start at around 800mg.  I personally take 1200-1600mg for a very modest difference.  Doesn't work the same for everyone I guess.

I wouldn't worry about getting too loosened up if you are already constipated...with mag ox being so mild.  You really gotta take a lot to get that liquidy effect. 

I have recently started to have problems but before they got any worse I started taking 1000-1200 mg of mag ox at night and 2 doses of miralax during the day (one in my coffee and the other in my protein drink) and it seems to have started working rather well in the "keeping things moving nicely" area!