BM problems... Need advice.

They're hard.

They could be used as anti-tank rounds.

Quick bit of relevent information:  I am 4 months out and my BM's have been hard since my surgery.  I generally eat eggs, bacon, cheese, and milk (for protein + some carbs).  I eat the lowest fat, highest protein possible.  I also suppliment iron which I'm told can cause hardness. I do try to add fruit to my diet if I have room for it.

Each day I take 6 fiber capsules (psyllium husk fiber), 300mg of Docusate Sodium (stool softener), and 1-2 doses of benefiber.

What can I do?  I literally do not 'go' unless I take 50mg of Sennosides (stimulant laxative), even then I only go about once a week.

Thanks,
Justin

You don't need to be eating low fat.  Not at all.

I'm a little confused though because you say you're eating low fat, but then none of the foods you listed are low fat...lol.  In the case that you are eating low fat, try adding more added fats (oils, butter, cream). 

DO NOT TAKE STIMULANT LAXATIVES.  This is not the last time you will hear me say this.  Don't do it.  They weaken the muscles of your colon and this is how they cause dependence.  

Any chance you are dehydrated?  Have you tried milk of magnesia (the liquid, not the pills)?  How much calcium do you take?

What would happen if you stopped taking the fibers?  Fibers are hugely constipating if you do not include copious amounts of water with them.  I'm not too concerned about the benefiber, since that is already added to liquid, but I have concerns about the psyllium capsules.

What type of iron are you taking?
Why are you taking so much fiber?
Why do you think you should be eating low fat (even though the foods you listed are not low fat)?
How much water are you drinking?

Seeking Healthy - I will look into the Magnesium Oxide, thank you.

Kayla - Regarding your confusion, it was probably just my wording.. I mean if I had a choice between skim milk and whole milk I'd choose skim.  I know I malabsorb fat to a great extent but eating less of it means I'd lose a little faster I guess.

My common channel is 250cm (I am 6'4") so I don't have to supplement quite as much as other folks, that said I supplement about 2700mg of calcium citrate a day, throughout the day, which thus far has been enough.

As far as hydration goes, I think I drink enough.  I get in at least 64oz a day and usually more, probably 90oz.  I try to drink water with the psyllium husk but I might not be drinking enough at the time of taking the fiber to hydrate it enough.

I appreciate your input Kayla you're exceptionally knowlegable, also I will keep in mind the stimulant laxative issues.

Thanks agan!
Justin

Edit: NYB - I take 135mg of Iron (from 670mg Ferrus Sulfate, 5 pills).  Also, I simply kept adding fiber to my diet as time went on hoping it would help the issue.  I guess I could end up backing it down and see what happens when I add magnesium oxide and some more oils.

Hi Justin,

You're much better off if you don't avoid fat, you need it in your diet in order to absorb the fat-soluble vitamins like AEDK- these are very important :) Also, fat helps prevent constipation by keeping the "water slide" well oiled. Others may chime in, but I think I read on several old threads from other menbers that the more fat eaten the easier it was to pass stool.

Ditto what everyone else said, but I would also recommend adding a very good pro-biotic.  Somethings I did temporarily that helped me were:

I decreased my calcium intake (actually eliminated it altogether) at the worst of it because I was nursing a fissure and have begun gradually adding it back.  Haven't started causing problems yet, but I'm watching closely.  I'm also looking playing with combinations of citrate and hypoxylate (sp?) as I'm told it is not nearly as binding..

I started the day with a glass of 1/2 prune juice, 1/2 water heated to hot tea temperature followed by a glass of just warm water to get me moving in the morning and would repeat in the evening if necessary.  I only had to do this a couple of days.

Raisinette (chocolate covered raisins) always get me moving, so I did indulge a couple of days.

I have also increased my water and started having oatmeal (the good old-fashioned kind, not instant) for breakfast.  I make it with Lactaid whole milk with Benefiber mixed in.  Several people have recommended the steel cut oats, but I haven't tried that yet.

Sometimes it's an individual thing.  These are the things that worked for me.

What I do:

One Magnesium Oxide with EVERY Calcium dose (for me this is 6 per day).
Add fat:  I put up to 3 T of butter or oil in my cake shakes.  I add 1/2 stick of butter to popcorn, 3-4 days a week etc...  Actually all that is too much so I don't do ALL of that but if I needed to I could.

Here is Vita Lady's plan for constipation prevention:

www.obesityhelp.com/forums/DS/4276854/Vita-Ladys-constipatio n-program/

You may also want to change your Calcium to Calcium Hydroxyapetite which some folks have seen as much less constipating that Calcium Citrate.

This is a very important issue tha you must resolve.  You don't want fissures.

~Becky

P.S. Why the hell are you eating low fat?  No wonder you can't go.

~Becky

All, I did some checking on Magnesum Oxide, from what I read you're not really supposed to take it more than a week or two.  Wouldn't taking it with every dose of calcium cause problems, or is this more of a recommendation?

Thanks,
Justin