Wow, what to do next for constipation!

I NEED HELP AND ADVICE!  My best friend and I had our RNY proccedures done in August and September.  She has had a much quicker recovery than myself and she is able to eat better things but both of us are at wits end about this issue of constipation.  We find we are not able to go for 5 or 6 days at a time and then it is brutal.  We have both tried Colace, Senna, Mylanta, MOM, Lactulose, Magnesium and Kondremul.  And still not much luck---no more than rabbit pellets, sorry!  We both feel uncomfortable and wanted to know if others of you have dealt with this and how do you keep it under control on a day to day basis.  I think it must be a lack of fats as we both do ok with fluid intake.  Scared to take fiber for fear of bulking up even more .  In advance, I will say thank you.

Talk with your doctor about prescription Amitiza.

Do you take Amitiza regularly--like on a daily basis or just if you need it?  I am going to do this next week.  I just went through a day of hell with constipation.  Labor and delivery was nothing compared to this.  I have been living off of stool softeners and miralax with no relief--or it will work for awhile and then all of a sudden--quit working. 

Amitiza is taken twice a day, every day.

Basically, here's the route they take you through:

First: taking Miralax daily, whether you think you need it or not.

If that doesn't help, ditto for Colace-- taken daily.

Upping fiber may be necessary--depends where you are. If you're far enough out, at least 30g a day is a good idea-- but not a lot more than that or things start going "the other way." Also-- you should be getting in some beneficial fats and oils-- about 30% of your intake.

If you have tried all that, balanced your diet, get consisten****er and fiber, then I would ask about the Amitiza-- you may want to see a GI doc. In my case, it wasn't just that the movements were (sorry!) large and hard, but that I have slow bowel motility and it needs a stimulant.

Also-- and I know it seems crazy, make sure you get a shot of caffeine in the morning. Caffeine has an excitant effect on your bowels as well as your brain and may very well help get you started in the morning.

Hope that helps-- I spent two years getting hopelessly and painfully impacted (I eat a super high protein diet-- 170g a day) and really needed the help myself!

Also a couple tips for when you get really..um..."stuck"

1) Use a glycerine enema to make things a little easier
2) Sounds gross-- and it is, but sometimes inserting a thumb in your...um...other exit and pushing the mass helps move it
3) Putting your hand very low in back and pushing the mass through your lower back can help
4) Don't strain--- breathe.
5) Daily doses of fresh fruit (apples, especially) really seem to help if you tolerate sugar

Hope that helps!

You rock Jupiter.  Thanks.  I will try all of this first...I do most of it, miralax, stool softeners...but I will try to increase my fats and fresh fruit.  It just so happens I have a GI appointment coming up due to iron deposits on my liver---I know most people don't absorb iron, I actually had to stop taking mine due to over absorption???? but anyway....Thank you.  Have a good weekend.

Jupiter, you are a wealth of information.  I'm 16 months out and constipation is the only problem I've had.  Never thought I would be talking that subject on a message board.

I'm going to focus on getting in more fat and fiber.  My diet is really low in both.

I've tried Miralax but not consistently.  For a month I've been taking probiotics and that has helped a little.  Ducolax works really well but I shouldn't be taking a laxative several times a week.

Miralax is the only thing that works for me. I have taken it twice a day, every day for a year and a half.

Shar

 begged for mercy.  


honestly... I made a deal with my body around month 4 that every day would start with a fiber bar. No real protein value but the poop quotient was worth it for me.   I made sure that I got at least 25 grams of fiber which is a lot harder than it sounded at that point.  Also, you make a good point with the fats.  Some fats in your diet is a good thing.  stay balanced.  make sure that you are setting yourself up for long term success with a balance of foods that will help you.  

You know what works for me?  Even more than Miralax...COFFEE.  One cup of coffee (even decaf) in the morning, and I'm like clockwork.  I can't have more than one cup, but one cup does the trick.  Might not work for everyone, and it may not work for me forever, but for now, it's keeping things moving, so to speak :)

i have to take 4 ounces of Sugar free Prune Juice every morning.  2 prunes at midday and 4 colace at bedtime every day to stay regular.