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[Michelle46]

Hi ladies
The last 5 weeks I've been suffering with constipation. I've never had it like this. I've tried loads of things but not helping much. Things I've tried:
Drinking lots of water
Eating cereal with fibre,lots of fruit and veg
Drinking prune juice
Having fybogel each day
Taking ducolax certain days
Doctor gave me a powder thing to take until sorted

Anything else?
Oh I've tried magnesium citrate

[Annie0710]

I get this and it's gone as far as faecal impaction which I had to google to save an embarrassing trip to A&E, actually did end up in A&E but due to anaphylaxis from Movicol but anyhow magnesium can keep me very regular but have you tried Movicol ?  Drs at the hospital also said tinned prunes would work as well as Movicol

It's horrible and then I end up with anal fissures

X

[dahliagirl]

Hi - I have had this for years.  Progesterone makes it worse for me.

I saw a physio who specialised in this.

You are doing ok. Keep up with the fluids.  For fibre, it is best to stick to soluble - oats, pulses, fruit and veg.  Avoid bran, as this is like peat based potting compost when it dries out - it is hard to re-wet and helps with bunging up.  The same with fybogel.

Use meals to stimulate peristalsis from the top down - a good fibrous breakfast, with a hot drink then a trip to the loo is supposed to be ideal.  Chew well.  Acidphilus capsules are supposed to help (not me though  )

Use laxatives pre-emptively when you know there will be a problem.  I was told senna (in ortisan cubes) but this gives me cramping pains.  I prefer movicol (sorry to read about your anaphylaxis, Annie - that is awful bad luck!).  Glycerin suppositories are useful when things have got out of hand.

I was told 2 kiwi fruits a day will shift anything!  I have tried a kiwi every day and it was as good as movicol, but I have allergy/hayfever problems with some fruits, so could not tolerate it every day.  A friend swears by daily magnesium and a kiwi fruit.

Also, check out positioning (google 'squatty potty'  ) and pelvic floor relaxation exercises.

[dahliagirl]

PS - I took dulcolax once and ended up on the loo in the early hours, trying not to faint whilst my bottom end exploded    It was a horrible position to be in.  I have since looked online, and this does happen to some people. 

Another thought - have you been tested for thyroid function?

[Michelle46]

Thankyou ladies
I've tried all except movical (if that's how you spell it) I will carry on with prune juice and drinking lots and exercise today I think. This is horrid I don't really know why it has started now. I did read omega 7 is good so off to the shop today x

[Annie0710]

Please don't let me put you off Movicol

I have severe latex allergies which also include any fruit that has natural latex/rubber gum in the trunk (i.e. Kiwi, passion fruit, bananas etc)

Drs couldn't find the link with Movicol leaflet of ingredients (as I couldn't before I took it) but when I was discharged and feeling better I delved deeper into each ingredient, acacia popped up and yes it contains the latex !

X

[Grumpy girl]

Be very careful with Movicol! I was prescribed this stuff and according to the leaflet the instructions were to take between 1 and 3 sachets per day dissolved in water. Well on day one I took 1 sachet with hopes of a BM in the morning and well........nothing so I increased the dose to 2 the following day and again.... nothing happened so on day three I took three of them and by this time I am wondering if this stuff would actually work when .......Well by the forth day I couldn't get off the loo! I had terrible diarrhea and leakage, couldn't go to work, or go anywhere and had the most embarrassing wind. It took the best part of a week for things to settle down. With hindsight I should have just had 1 sachet per day for three days then see how I got on.

Think I might try Kiwi fruit though. See if that works for me. 

[Kathleen]

Hello Michelle46.

I have another suggestion for you.

My friend had severe constipation and was given a drug usually used by  people preparing for a colonoscopy. When she was better her gastroenterologist told her to take Linseed/Flaxseed every day. I don't know the details of dosage etc but I do know that these seeds should be ground before swallowing as they work better that way.

I hope you find something that works well for you. Take care.

K.

[Michelle46]

Thankyou ladies for your help. I've read a lot of people take flaxseed. Do you buy them whole?

[linz57]

I once used flaxseeds from Sainsburys and sprinkled them on my breakfast cereal. The result was somewhat explosive for me , but apart from hrt it's the only thing that worked after suffering for 5 months with constipation .

[dahliagirl]

Movicol is quite gentle and a good stool softener.  If you take it, it usually works in three days.  The first time I took it, my intestines were on a go slow with at least a 6 day transit time. (You can do a rough test of this with a load of sweetcorn - never saw mine again  ) So it took three days of once sachet three times daily.  Then you should go to the loo as normal, albeit more often.  Then once you have it stabilised, you reduce the movicol and work on the diet until that takes over.  It may take some time.

The aim is to restore normal bowel function, and to do this, you need to retrain it by eating a good breakfast with lots of soluble fibre, chew well and drink plenty fluids.  This encourages the muscular contractions (peristalsis) which start at the top of the intestine and go all the way down.

It is not a take it and go solution, and it is probably not a good idea to take a laxative until it all gets pushed out in one go.  Many people with constipation problems have things like diverticules, and that is not a good way to find out    Best to tread softly.

If you are bunged up at the bottom end and need to move it, then glycerine suppositories are the way forward.    For problems at this end, the seating posture and pelvic floor release exercises are important.  Google 'pelvic floor dysfuction'.

I have not had much luck with flaxseed.  At the moment I am trying chia, mixed with porridge oats and dried mango and then soaked in boiling water.  It absorbs a lot  of water and has to be seen to be believed (never eat chia without soaking.  When you have seen it you will understand why).  Then I put banana in it.  It is ok, but not as good as the kiwi.

[linz57]

The strange thing is I used to find the more fibre I ate, the more bunged I became. If I needed to get things moving along I fared better with a fry up. I think the oil must have helped lubricate things.

[Kathleen]

Hello again Michelle46.

The packets of Flaxseed, also known as Linseed can be bought in most supermarkets and other shops like Holland and Baratt and Grape Tree. There are Golden and Brown varieties but the nutritional value is the same and although  they are tiny the seed casing is so tough it can pass through undigested so we are advised to grind them first.

I  recently started sprinkling them on my morning cereal but  it was too much too soon and I needed the loo several times. I didn't have diarrohea  but I did feel 'cleaned' out (apologies if tmi). I am now trying again but building up slowly. Incidentally I had a similar experience when I began eating homemade Sauerkraut so I took a break and then introduced small amounts every day and I now eat a tablespoon every lunchtime and I'm fine so I assume my bowels have adapted.

I've also remembered that the gastroenterologists told my friend that she should aim for two bowel movements a day and she also uses sweetcorn to track any progress and one time  waited two weeks before any emerged!

I hope all this is of help to you.

Take care.

K.

[dahliagirl]

Fibre like bran, fybogel, does bung you up if you have slow transit.   As it passes through the colon, the fluid is taken out.  If the passage is slow, more fluid is taken out, and it dries up rather like peat based compost, and does not re-wet easily.  This slows the transit further, so more fluid is taken out etc and so on.

This is why soluble fibre is more the thing now, and things that help improve transit.

Exercise helps too - forgot that further up 

[Grumpy girl]

Had some prunes today, not too many just in case!