Poop Poll

Hello All;

Just doing a little research.  I've seen a mixture of people on the boards, some who have poop issues (constipation, etc.) but there are quite a few who don't appear to have any issues.  Usually when someone asks for recommendations for constipation, you're only gonna hear from those with issues . . . stands to reason.  But I want to get a balanced picture and hear from everyone . . . I think it's good to get both sides (you always learn something).  I'm always excited to see posts from people with a regularity of 1-2 full, healthy movements per day with no issues.  So I'd like to ask the following question:

1.  How much calcium, and what type, do you take?
2.  Do you have issues with constipation and if so, what routine do you use to manage it (be specific, please)?
3. If you do not have issues with regularity, what do you attribute this to?

I mean, is it just the luck of the draw, number of years out, overall food choices (I'm not talking the occasional bout) . . . every little bit of info helps.

Thanks.

I'm currently using Country Life brand Target-Mins calcium-magnesium. It's a combo calcium source: tricalcium phosphate, citrate, aspartate, alpha-ketoglutarate, lysinate, hydroxyapatite. 500 mg elemental calcium per tablet. Also has 250 mg phosporus and magnesium per tablet. I take six a day.

I will get constipated if I don't really, really push the fat and fluids. So compared to you folks *****ally suffer, no, I don't have constipation issues. Once in a while it gets to the point that I need to chug some olive oil because I need the fat and am just plain stuffed foodwise.

I have a hemorrhoid which has never bled or caused me even a moment's discomfort. This surprises the doc when I get my annual exam. I guess that makes it a big one or something. *shrug* Knowing that it's there motivates me to avoid constipation even more carefully!

Thanks for your reply.  Where do you get the Country Life calcium from . . . online, in store?

I got my first bottle at a Whole Foods market. Then I found a twofer deal at my local (well, semi-local) health food store. It's a known brand. If you're in Hickville (sorry, I don't recall where most people live if their info isn't right in front of me) you could no doubt find it easily online at any vite site. You might find a free shipping vendor via Amazon and stock up on some other basics to hit your $25.

I take 2x 660 mg of elemental calcium. It's a combo plus magnesium in a 2:1 ratio that I get from Vitamin Shoppe. I still have to take 4 pills, but they are gel caps and not compressed. I seem to do well with them.

No constipation issues.  No diarrhea issues unless I get ahold of sugar alcohols or wheat/gluten.

No problem with regularity, usually once a day. I can go twice if I have a lot of fiberous things.

Hugs,
Ratkitiy

 A bag of Jelly Bellys cures my constipation issues every time.    

Seriously though, because I take so much calcium, it's an issue I can struggle with.   MCHC (microcrystalline calcium hydroxyapatite) seems to help me avoid serious constipation issues.   I take at least 2,000 mg of my calcium a day using that.     Lots of fluids, lots of fat and lots of salad seems to take care of the rest.

I do typically have 1 - 2 well-formed, yet softish BMs, rather ideal.

I take 3 doses of 600mg Equate calcium citrate with 150mg of magnesium citrate per dose.

Prior to my newly altered diet, I steered clear of pasta and typically ate 2 - 3 servings of a bread/rice/ or potato with otherwise lots of meat, cheese, and probably 150gms of fat/day.

I've recently had a couple of minor surgical procedures where I've been taking percocets each day for a bout a week at a time.  Both times, my BM's decreased  - I skipped a day each time, and then only had 1/day which was really compact.  As soon as I stopped each time, though, I went back to my normal BM schedule.

I take six doses of Walmart brand Calcium Citrate a day.  630 mgs x 6 = 3780.  I very very rarely miss one dose.

I also take 4-6 doses of Mag Oxide a day.  I just judge how much to take by how my poop is.

I drink a gallon of water a day.

I add oil to my diet via cake shakes.  About 3 tablespoons of oil about 3-4 times a day.  When I was not eating cake shakes I added butter (1/2 stick) to popcorn nearly every day.

I poop more than once a day.  I poop more than twice a day.  I would GUESS (but I don't really count) that my average number of times I poop is 4 times every 24 hours.  I don't know why I don't have only 2 a day.  I think I eat more quantity than other people.  I dunno.

~Becky

 Calcium citrate here.  2000 mg per day.   I take Miralax daily, and 4 stool softeners at night.  Also, a small baked potato full of butter and sour cream seems to do the trick for me when I need to move things along.    Generally, I poop every am, 1 or 2 times.

I am 11.5 years post-op.  I have never been constipated in all these years.  I take 6 citracals every day.