Warning: TMI? Poo discussion

[judith55]

WARNING BUCK RODGERS: BODILY FUNCTION DISCUSSION

I mentioned on another thread that I am struggling with constipation. This often happens when I diet and in the past this lead me to overuse laxatives and I don't want to go back to that. Even when I go its usually rabbit droppings. My theory is that my body is super-efficient and as soon as it thinks food is in short supply it keeps everything and "wastes" nothing. (Conversely when I am on hols and over eat I poo loads.) Drinking lots of water seems to make no difference. So I am interested in:
a) how long do you go before you think you have to do something (I have gone 7 days without a poo in the past)?
b) what remedies do you use other than laxatives?

 

[Mummoth]

I went for four days recently & thought that was a long time! I know what you mean though, when I diet I don't go for number twos anywhere near as much.

Oranges & other citrus often do the trick - satsumas, clementines etc.

 

[Spannerwanner]

I have had real problems on a VLCD. I have tried glycerol suppositories and an enema. Both work pretty well but can be uncomfortable. My GP said that it can depend on where the blockage is. If it is just at the tail-end then the manual methods (suppositories, emema etc.) are best. If it's all the way up you need some sort of laxative. You can also try adding soluble fibre to the diet. I use quite a lot of it in my water these days and it works reasonably well.

On the question of how long to leave it, I think it depends on how uncomfortable you get. If you are going to really strain when it comes to the evacuation then I would try and sort it out regularly as that will be less painful and you could tear something if you strain too much. I have had quite a lot of bleeding at times.

 

[Aline]

I used to have these problem before I became vegetarian, not anymore. Anyway, I notice I function better when I eat kiwis, oranges or apples (apples with skin) for snacks.
Also, add some wheat bran to your soups/oatmeal/juices, it has a lot of fiber

 

[sex kitten]

if u were on slimming world i wud say buy scan bran from club 5 scan bran 4 1 heb or buy them from holland and barratt they r magic not nice 2 take but pour hot water from kettle drain then a muller yog on and strawberries or bananna u be goin within 2 hrs then (hve 3 with this 4 breakfast 2 4 lunch with cottage cheese u will be on loo that day gud luck kat

 

[breadbin]

i don't know if you know the dangers of constipation. its really serious long term and can lead to diverticular disease which is horrible i'd get it sorted by any means possible asap.

the doctors recommend hi-fibre diets to combat it in the long term. seriously weight loss isnt worth it.

 

[stn haylz]

I have also noticed that i am not pooing as much now i am watching what i eat. I have had 1 case of constipation but mainly the problem is not opening my bowel for 3-5 days! I have also noticed i am not as windy Hahaha!

 

[Lucky Cat]

I'm a vegetarian so have never had a problem with constipation, even when dieting....until I started taking a particular type of anti-depressant and they just bunged me up.

I eat a high fibre diet anyway but I supplement it with Benefibre plus I have to use laxatives. Even with all that I go maybe every other day. The longest I went was four days and that was horrendous

Try sitting on a low stool for a while. As it puts you in a crouching position it often gets things moving

 

[breadbin]

walking is great too for getting things moving down there medication can have sweating as a side effect too so keeping yourself hydrated is great for nipping constipation in the bud!

 

[judith55]

walking is great too for getting things moving down there medication can have sweating as a side effect too so keeping yourself hydrated is great for nipping constipation in the bud!

I walk my dog for about an hour every day but makes no real difference. Not been since Saturday now so I'll have to resort to the old pills again dammit.

 

[FatSlinger]

My fixes are:

Dried Fruits, especially apricots and figs and PRUNES
Binge your heart out on Lettace - usually I mix mine with Branston Pickle or Salsa (spice helps the metabolism after all )
Eating Sweetcorn in excess - if you can stand the extra calories
A HUGE exercise 'binge'
Squats (Gillian McKeith style!)

And, this probably sounds awful, but I'm a bit addicted to Diet Coke/Caffine, and I find that drinking a LOT of Diet Coke/Caffine makes me go. Ahaa.

Mostly, I think eating TONS of good Salads keep me regular =]

 

[breadbin]

My fixes are:

Dried Fruits, especially apricots and figs and PRUNES
Binge your heart out on Lettace - usually I mix mine with Branston Pickle or Salsa (spice helps the metabolism after all )
Eating Sweetcorn in excess - if you can stand the extra calories
A HUGE exercise 'binge'
Squats (Gillian McKeith style!)

And, this probably sounds awful, but I'm a bit addicted to Diet Coke/Caffine, and I find that drinking a LOT of Diet Coke/Caffine makes me go. Ahaa.

Mostly, I think eating TONS of good Salads keep me regular =]

all you need to know about constipation here

Constipation

 

[CrazyBrit]

Worryingly, nobody seems to be suggesting the obvious: Increase your fluid intake.
Your bowel needs water to be able to create poop properly, and to get rid of it easily. You require two litres of fluid a day (note, this fluid can come from food as well as drink), so if you're getting less, you'll be dehydrated and constipated.

If you get constipated whenever you diet, then it seems logical to me that you aren't upping your intake of water to replace the fluid you're no longer getting from food.

Drink more water. Simples, as the meerkat might say.

 

[judith55]

Worryingly, nobody seems to be suggesting the obvious: Increase your fluid intake.
Your bowel needs water to be able to create poop properly, and to get rid of it easily. You require two litres of fluid a day (note, this fluid can come from food as well as drink), so if you're getting less, you'll be dehydrated and constipated.

If you get constipated whenever you diet, then it seems logical to me that you aren't upping your intake of water to replace the fluid you're no longer getting from food.

Drink more water. Simples, as the meerkat might say.

I think that's because in my OP I said that drinking more water doesn't help. I drink lots of fluids and believe me, I pee plenty. But thanks for trying to help.

 

[CrazyBrit]

I'm seriously going blind in my old age. Sheesh! Sorry about that!

 

[judith55]

I also suffer from this and it makes me really narky and uncomfortable, but also I don't to abuse laxatives as it can mess up your bowel tone.

If you can feel it in your lower rectum then try a suppository, it then may be then be the case you will have some overflow but there will hopefully be soft stool above.

If it is higher up in the bowel, best option is usually senna and magnesium as this is a softener, where as lactulose just greases your poop.

You need to have sufficient dietary fibre in your system, but this also means you need lots of water to keep it moving along?

I've noticed on of your goals is to be in less pain, do you take co-codamol for this, as codeine based analagesia will 'bung you up' aswel.

A big heavy exercise session should do the trick, not so much a gentle walk, but maybe a jog, or a good cycle? starjumps? anything

I often have baked potatoes and these can be good for fibre but Slimfast is not particularly good for fibre generally. I don't take painkillers regularly so thats ok and I walk briskly (slightly out of breath, sweating) to make sure that it counts as exercise. I can't do anything that will make my knee flare up whilst I am this weight, but will do more as I lose some. I'm going to actually mark it in my diary for a few weeks to see how bad/good it is as I know I often lose track of days (I went today but realized I hadn't been since Sunday). thanks for the suggestions. x