Question re: constipation & Magnesium Oxide

Hello!  I'm here seeking advise again!  I had constipation problems in the beginning and after a couple nights of taking milk of magnesia, things worked out and I wasn't constipated anymore.  Now, for the past couple of weeks it is back with a vengeance!!!  I have followed what everyone has advised.....I drink at least 100oz of water a day, I try to get 100 grams of fat a day & I am getting at least 100 grams of protein.

I have seen some people say that they take Magnesium Oxide tablets, so I went to the store and bought a bottle of 250mg tablets.  My question is:

How many of the 250mg tablets should I take each day and are there specific times throughout the day I should take them?

Thank you in advance for your help!!

I was taking the tablets...2 with each dose of calcium. The calcium is what has been causing me BAD constipation problems. I just stopped taking the vitalady calcium and am now trying out the Jarrow Bone up hydroxyapatite calcium to see if it constipates me less.

Anywho...the mag ox tablets were doing nothing for me...I was also taking 9 colace every day as well with no relief. 

Someone on one of the fb pages suggested trying the capsules instead of the tablets...the tablets are very hard..not sure I'm digesting or absorbing much of them. So I ordered some and are waiting for them to arrive. 

Wow!  That's a lot of Magnesium Oxide and Colace!!  Have you had ANY relief yet???

It was pretty bad. I had to stop taking the calcium altogether. 

I drank two bottles of that liquid magnesium citrate oral saline laxative and then had to use two enemas and then drank a 32 oz glass of water with a tablespoon of sea salt in it to finally get unstopped up. It was MISERABLE.

I've now switched to the calcium hydroxyapatite from the citrate and I've switched from the tablet mag ox to the capsule mag ox. We'll see how it goes! So far so good. 

Wow!  I'm sorry you went through that!  Prior to having the DS I was worried about diarrhea, at this point it would provide some relief!!

That's what I keep (guiltily) thinking...If I can find something that my guts don't like and would send me to the bathroom maybe it would be easier to combat this constipation!

I've yet to have a single loose stool since surgery. 

I read through some old posts about this and some people recommended sugar free popsicles, people supposedly react to the sugar alcohols.

Ughka.  This is my battle as well.  I have normal days, constipated days and runny days.  I've learned not to fill my month long pill organizer because there is just too much swing between these modes.  On constipation days I cut out all Calcium but the UpCal D on day one and will stop it all together if things haven't resolved by day two.  On runny days I found it better not to up my calcium, but I do rearrange my pills so that I take my calcium much earlier in the day.  My grail is to get my calcium dose up to 2500 and then find the exact balance of things needed for a consistent experience.  It does seem like the veterans do find the balance in time. 

I found to slowly up my calcium.  Like 250 - 500 mg a week, and to expect to fight off constipation the first part of the week and the runs the second half of the week.  I used MyFitnessPal to track all my vitamins and found that my calcium intake was much higher than I expected.  Some because calcium is in a lot of pills (like Centrum) and also with all the protein shakes that I add whipping cream to. 

I use UpCal D for 1000mg of calcium, Centrum for 500 mg and have just started Bone-Up Three a day (although I'm just taking one a day so far) to try to get up to around 2500. 

I also take some mix of:

* probiotics (finishing up Vitacost brand and then going to try Biotech)

* Aloe Vera Gels -- 1 a day normal, 3 or more when I'm constipated.  I will also put fresh aloe in my shakes when constipated.

* Fiber pills and also Chia seeds.  I soak my chia seeds in my protein drinks so they get to the colon moist.

* Stool softeners (Kirkland brand)

* Mirilax (Kirkland brand)

Weird.

This got cut off twice:

* Mirilax (Kirkland brand)  probably the most effective thing.  1/2 a dose is normally all I need unless I've upped my calcium lately.

* Mag Oxide.  I generally use Mag O7, it has some potassium too.  It seems to work a little better than straight up mag oxide. 

* Vitamin C.  Over 1000 mg has always given me the runs.

All of the above is considered non-habit forming.  Mostly they are slippery or attrac****er into your colon making everything softer and easier.  I think they are all considered gentle for every day use, but I read some weird warning about the Mag Oxide that I'm trying to run down.  (Anybody know for sure?)

I've learned the hard way not to let constipation go for more than a day without a battle.  I watch a clock and do something every 6 or so hours until it goes away.  If I'm heading to bed I just added another product:

* Swiss Kriss.  I've tried this twice now.  It is truly a laxative, so don't use every day because you could get dependent.  But it is herbal "gentle overnight relief".  Stimulates your digestive system, what ever that means.  It hasn't let me down yet.  This is my drug of last resort.

NOTHING ever has given me the runs!