Constipation

I've been lurking around for several months reading everything but never asking about an issue. I'm four and a half months past surgery and have lost 102 pounds. I've had an issue with strictures and fixed it. I've had virtually no issues with nausea for a couple of months now, but I have weekly issues with constipation. I need some advice.

Are you eating much fiber (veggies, fruits and whole grains)? Lots of protein tends to plug most people up but fiber keeps things movin'.

Hi Gerald, I start every mornng with a cup of coffee, usually about 12 onces or so. I drink it while I'm surfing the web. By the time I'm finished drinking my coffee, sometimes a few minutes after I fini**** I gotta go.  I also eat one package of oatmeal everyday, always after my morning toilet break. Oatmeal contains much needed fiber. I don't take any laxative or anything, never have.  That's what works for me. Ron

Been there, done that. Some take a stool softner. I added veggies to my diet, a salad or two a day and also one oz. of almonds a day. I also keep track of my liquids and be sure to get at least 64 oz a day. Most of the time it is more than 64 oz. This helped me put an end to the dry bricks I was trying to pass.  pan head

Constipation?  Yep.  I remember times early on When I was regularly crapping Granite Tombstones! There were times when I considered Drilling & Dynamite. At the least, I wondered about a long teaspoon Or one of my least favorite fingers. Once it’s gone solid, there’s only Stool Softeners Like Dulcolax®, Colace®, and the like, Or The Mother of them all- MOM- Milk of Magnesia. If it has gotten to critical stage- There’s the Fleet® Enema.

But when it comes to Constipation, An ounce of Prevention, Really is Worth a Pound of Cure. With the reduced amount of food in the pipes, The large intestine has less traffic to push stuff on through And since the large intestine removes water from the waste material The slower it travels trough, the drier it becomes. Fiber is your friend in keeping stuff moving. My Doc recommends increasing overall water intake as well Which just makes sense. The more water in the overall system, the more remaining Even when the large intestine has taken out all it can.  “An Apple a Day” is a great one, so are most all crispy Veggies. If Oats aren’t good for you, then maybe more salad stuff Like celery, carrots, raw veggies in general? Be selective though.  Broccoli, Cauliflower, and other High-Insoluble Fiber foods such as Cabbage, can cause major gas And act more like “Colon-Blow!”  Resulting in more output than One might think of as “ Normal ” regular bowel movement. You can always just get some Metamucil Or any of those clear drinkable fibers, But it would be beast to adjust your typical dietary intake To include more roughage, rather than be tied to some “Product.” Whole grains are also a good source.  Just look at the fiber content on labels. Also, More Fat. I know it sounds counter-intuitive to weight-loss But more Essential Fatty acids are a great way to Boost your overall health as well as “lube” the system. It also scrubs the “bad-Cholesterol” out of your system. That’s what all the rage about Flax-Seed Meal comes from. High fiber as well as Essential Fatty Acids in one food. A teaspoon or two of Flax Seed meal in Yogurt or in “Anything” Is hardly noticed and it’ll keep you regular and provide The essential fatty acids needed for great health. Cold Pressed Cannola Oil and Olive Oil are also great sources That fit easily into a normal diet. Some Essential Fatty Acid info- http://goodfats.pamrotella.com/ I have Flax-Seed Meal in some food most days, Typically with cereal and/or yogurt at breakfast. Also, I still shoot for “an apple a day” and that has worked for me. Hang in there.  This too shall pass. Particularly if you get in the habit of eating enough fiber And getting in enough water. Best Wishes- Dx

 

I went through a bad spell of it. Even as I was getting enough water I was still ****ting, what felt like, giant glass tree trunks. I ate colase and stool softeners like skittles. I too had a small bowel obstruction from an internal hernia, which I think may have contributed alittle. Coffee, fiber, and ruffage all work good, but if you read the back of a protien bar in little letters it says "excessive consumption could have a laxative effect". Needless to say after I introduced them to my daily diet, I haven't had a problem.