Bloated

Hi Michelle!

I'm sure Hala will come back to elaborate and she has so much knowledge that I always listen to what she says.

All I can add is that the diuretic effects our bowels because it eliminates so much liquid. They are necessary at times (I'm on them too) but when we take them all of dosages and the meds we take for constipation must be re-assessed. If you haven't already, maybe remind your doctor that what you took pre-op doesn't necessarily work post-op and also that you are on a diuretic. It may be a simple as upping your dose of what you did pre-op but only they will know.

And whatever Hala says. Do it. It may not work 100% right away or even at all but it will help just to try it. At the least you'll be able to add to the list of what doesn't work for you. And like I mentioned everything she says has value as far as I'm concerned and she has helped the majority of us a LOT.

Take Care; hopefully you'll find what works for you soon. =)

This is long and rather detailed ,- read at your own risk.

As far as I know senokot is laxative- stimulant. Miralax is not. I use miralax and magnesium. LaxstLaxcan be habit firmifo- the more you use, the less they work. Plus often you can't "go" without them.

Before RNY i also had issues with constipation. But I learned to deal with that. I used to get migraines when I got severly constipated. What I was probably dealing with as a child and an adult was IBS-C. But working with naturopathic doctor I had things under control. Way before RNY, to correct my issues I use to do high water enemas, as a way to gently stimulate my bowels. That plus probiotics, gentle herbal stimulants, self abdominal massagers, etc etc. Eventually - 90% of the time my bowels were moving properly. The other 10 % of the time I had my ways to deal with that. I never went without BM for more than 48 hours. Often I took action at 36 hours.

Post op RNY it got worse, much worse. Again I used my knowledge to help my bowels. But after I lost my GB things really got bad. Even with daily BM, there were not "complete" so after a while ...due to severe pain I had a ct scan and I was told that I was literally "full of it". Later on, during colonoscopy, they discovered that my colon is rather very long, and there are some twists and turns in it. That can explain why my BM was always an issue.

Colon extracts water from feces, and the longer the colon, the dryer they can become. Plus the turns and twists.. did not make it's it' easier.

My gastro let me try some Rx linzess, but I had to take 2x of a dosage and that only work for 2-3 days max. That meds ($$$ and my insurance does not have it on an approve list) bring more water to the colon. So does Miralax. But you have to drink more liquids with either one, or they may not work, plus the water diverted to colon can make your kidney's work really hard.

With my doc approval I use up to 3 capfuls of miralax per day in my morning coffe. Less if I had great BM the day before, more if I did not. (No more than 3)

Plus I take 800-1200 magnesium oxide in evening. We need magnesium, and any magnesium our body does not absorb - ends up in a colon. Magnesium pulls water into the colon and our intestine. That way things move along more smoothly. My small intestine is rather sensitive..(I had a few minor obstruction due to internal hernias) and when it has to work very hard to process my food - I end up with severe gut cramps.

High protein diet we supposed to follow plus no drinking while eating can make our "food" difficult to process. Constipation due to "keto style diet" is "given", specially for someone without GB. Fat can help but too much fat can make me nauseated.

So for me the following are a must:

• Good fat in my diet.
• Magnesium (citrate during the day, oxide before bed)
• Probiotics (different strains, high quality, high # per capsule)
• Miralax
• Last - only when other things don't work - suppositories and water enema.

Read on IBS-C.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for the detailed reply I'm going to put another call into my centre today to see what they recommend now since the previous recommendation didn't work. I'm already drinking a lot did before surgery due to the diuretic. Interesting about the colon, when I had my colonoscopy they said it took longer because my insides were all twisty also not as clean as they would have liked.

Yeap about colon. Now you know why you dealt with this your whole life. I need to do a 2 day prep before my colonoscopy. One day - as normal people does not work for me.

Not going every day is not normal - or rather -It's not good -IMO.

I feel so much better when I go everyday. The energy, no major headaches, no offensive gas (unless I eat things that cause offensive gas).

Our body need magnesium - a lot of it. Most of us are magnesium depleted. Not the blood magnesium, but magnesium in tissues. We need magnesium to build strong bones.

Followed your advise, I did discuss with my Clinic and family Doctor, so now using Restoralax and a probiotic daily and it seems to be working well. I may also get some magnesium the next time I get to Costco as I used to take before surgery.

Wow I was hoping to stop taking some of my pills before surgery, but still taking everything from before and adding more. but yeah just realized my Ticker says less than 50 pounds to goal.

Hala ... thanks, you always answer many questions even for those of us who did not post the question. Is it okay to take Your magnesium oxide at night at the same time as you take Iron?? I normally take my Carbonyl iron all by itself before bed and I too suffer with constpation and would like try adding tthe magnesium oxide at night (in addition to my magnesium citrate that I take in the morning). Can they be taken at same time?

Thanks! Megan

Hm... Not sure if you should. I probably would not take it at the same time as iron.

Magnesium oxide pretty much stays in your intestine- it is difficult to absorb, and pulls water into the intestine. You want iron to go the other way - from intestine-to your blood. I think mag oxide may reduce how much iron you absorb.

Taking an extra mag citrate during the day - divided dosage - may be better.

I can't take oral iron except heme iron, plus magnesium relaxes me - relaxes my muscles - so for me taking it before bed also helps me sleep.

I use emergen-C brand mineral mixes I mix with my drinks and sip during the day or "gulp" in the morning as I exercise. This is a link from Amazon, but I always can get them but *****eaper when I look at other sites.

Fyi- 2 of those mixes in 8oz of warm water with a few drops of stevia can take care of ANY cramps for me: muscles, intestine, or colon. I always keep them handy.

https://www.amazon.com/Emergen-C-Electrolyte-Replacement-Pot assium-Magnesium/dp/B002HWRY5S/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1 525106931&sr=8-3&keywords=emergen+c+electrolyte+mix

Thanks Hala I will do the iron around 4 and magnesium oxide at 8pm maybe.

since you are so knowledgeable, can I ask you ... one more?

i have been taking everything else in morning all at same time around 6am : calcium citrate, prenatal vitamin, D3, magnesium citrate and b12

then at noon I take another dose of calcium citrate and another prenatal....

my labs have been good but what do you think? I have questioned myself on the calcium with prenatal!- taking at same time ok?? Is that different then straight iron ? Labs Always been good (10 years this month) except over years had problem with low ferritin which I fixed on my own by switching to Carbonyl Iron based on Grims recommendation to another person. Thanks.

Hopefully it was ok to ask this question in this post. Apologize if not. Could help others too.

As long as you labs are good - keep doing what you are doing.

Even though the labs are good - 10 years is a long time. Have you had a DEXA scan to check the bones? If you are too young for insurance to pay for it - lately DEXA scans are run all over the country for 80-150 per scan, often in some specialty gyms or local universities.

Check Julie post on the main forum about labs and trending.

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/amos/6032156/Helpful-vitam in-info/#50406259

I found out the hard time that my doc did not run all labs that can be essential, and I had that corrected.

As long as you feel good, plus you know your bones are fine (DEXA) - what you doing is working. I would not change things.

Fyi: I am not a medical person, nor do I have any proper medical training. I did a lot of research and work on myself because I was not feeling very good. I can tell you what I would do - but it is your responsibility to make sure you do what is right for you.

Thanks Hala. No I have not had a dexa scan . I need to. I am 51 (not young) but not sure how much insurance will pay but will check into with my doctor or if I have cheaper places around.

I feel good but I notice my memory fading with names and different things and sometimes not being as sharp cognitively that scares me at times. Could also be age and possibly pre menopause or menopause approaching which I have not experienced yet. Has to be soon!

Thanks again. I appreciate I have definitely become more aware since joining this forum. I research more then I ever did. I was really not aware of so many things.

I had labs drawn every year at my WLS center but never got written results until this past January appointment. I will start trending from now forward. I always just took the centers word all was good! No more ... I will start tracking myself.