side effect .... constipation

I am over a year out and feeling wonderful except the nagging problem of constipation.
So I am looking for ideas and or remedys.
I was eatting oatmeal and flax seed every morning and that seemed to be the answer.
Went to my pcp and told her I picked up a bottle of Pericolace by mistake but it was helping alot.
I thought I had picked up just Colace.
My doctor said stop the pericolace and take Miralax everyday.
Yesterday I saw my therapist who is into holistic health who is treating my lymphadema and she showed me a product called COLONIX she does not know much about RNY and was not sure if I should take it.
I have taken Cascara Sagrada a few years ago and it worked like a dream but I had not had wls then.
So with that being said any ideas would be helpful.
                                        Annie

My savior has been gnu bars. Go to gnufoods.com and order them online. They're natural and don't have any chemicals to make you sick. Smear some WW cream cheese on them and they're sooo good too. I order 2 cases at a time and eat at least 1 a day. I used to eat a lot of Fiber One bars, but they have that chemical in there that makes me bloated and sometimes makes me dump. I also eat some bran or Kashi cereal sometimes with light soy milk (lactose intolerant), but the gnu bars are best for normal maintenance. :)

Thank you Wanda,
I just ordered the sample pack.
                                         Annie

Hey Sweetie!

Good to see you here! I have had good luck with MiraLax. It is very gentle and really works well. I don't really have to use it much anymore. I make sure that I lead with at least 2 ounces of lean protien for each meal, then I have complex carbs that provide natural fiber. I also make sure to have some fat, not much but some to keep everything moving. It's worked very well for me. I often try to add beans to my diet as well, they are a great combination of complex carbs and protien and really help to keep everything on a even keel.

Hope you are doing better soon.

All the best,

Barb

Hi Barb,
Thanks for the ideas.
I guess for now I am sticking with the Miralax till I can try other things like the bars.
BTW your experince with the walnuts sounded rough.
Are you going to the Saturday Meetup?
                             Annie

Hi Annie,

Please know that I don't have to use the Miralax on any kind of regular basis. It was something I used a couple of times to address specific and uncomfortable issues, but the bottle is still quite full in my medicine cabinet.

Yep, the walnut experience was a real bear and not something I'd like to have happen again if I can figure out a way to avoid it.

I don't yet know if we'll be coming to the Zoo this weekend. I have a conflict and I haven't resolved it yet, so I'm just a maybe. Unlike you, if I go, it will be for the people company, I never have much been a Zoo fan. Soooo, we'll see.

Have a great time,

Barb

I personally got hit with the constipation at year 4. I take stool softners every single day and then about every 10 days I take 2 correctol.  that seems to keep me "regular" when nothing else did.

Good Luck
Diana

Miralax was one of the worst gas inducer's I've ever had the misfortune of using besides the 3 day wait.  I now eat prunes daily which does the trick.  Make sure you are getting in enough fiber, water and fat.

The only thing that works for me is Miralax 2-3 times DAILY. If I miss a does, I don't go!

I had chronic constipation for 11 years. I tried: more fiber, less fiber, soluble fiber, insoluble fiber, no fiber, both fibers, stool softeners, Smooth Moves & Correctol teas and Metamucil wafers, together, apart, more water, less water, cut out anything bu****er (and protein), senna, cascara sagrada, everything one could possibly try until I was basically dependent on enemas for 3 yrs.

Miralax helped the stool be passable. It was rx and finally became generic, so went from $80 for 3 months to $20 for 3 months. Now it is OTC, but is about $8 for 5-6 servings. If you can get the rx, it is much cheaper, safe, daily, for life, according to my GI doc.

The stool softeners are store brand equal to Colace, not PERI-colace.

Word was that magnesium citrate was such a great thing. This is pills, not the green bottle, so I tried it and nothing happened, and so I kept increasing it. What DID happen is that my foot and leg cramps ceased. So, I kept doing that and tried magnesium oxide. This is small, cheap, found anywhere, like drug stores. And finally, it worked. Mine are 500 mg and I take 2.

My final formula:
1 serving MiraLax (rx) *
4 stool softeners at night
1 mag ox with lunch, 1 with dinner

In the morning, hot beverage first thing on empty gut

This has worked for several years yrs now.

* MiraLax was rx only until the end of 2007, and is now generic by rx. The original name brand is available at drug stores at about $20 for a large bottle. You might want to try one first, taken daily, at about the same time. If it solves the problem, then ask your doc for rx. It is NOT a laxative. It is safe, daily, taken for life, per 4 doctors I've asked. It was a pediatrician who introduced me to it. My rx plan allows me to have 6 of those big bottles every 3 months for $20. Check with your doc and your insurance to see if it's beneficial to buy it by rx. BTW, my doc writes for 2 servings per day, because they might SAY there are 30 servings per bottle, but somebody can't count. Me or them? I use only one, but if I spill or get too much, I still have enough to last til next refill.