5/2/24, So I passed a decent Stool this morning for some reason, and I didn't strain a whole lot but was still a bit gassy throughout the day, but I didn't smell any foul or strong odor .Tonight I did strain and only a small drop of stool came out, I'm starting to feel a bit skeptical about taking Colace now, one day it works and the next it doesn't.

I'm late to this thread and so my apologies if I'm writing something that's been submitted.

I have CIC - chronic idiopathic constipation - which is the medical world saying (with way too many vowels) that they have no idea why I'm constipated or how to fix it.

Some medicines can cause constipation, so check side effects for your meds, especially opiates. For the times I've been on opiates, Relistor sorta worked, but it is VERY expensive and needs an Rx. And it's not a miracle drug for sure.......

Other than that I've tried everything. I eat a lot of fruit, high-fiber muesli, miralax once a day. The only thing that gets me going is Dulcolax, but that's a stimulant laxative and I am told should not be used on a regular basis. As far as movement, well I'm 70 but I'm in the gym every day, 5 spin classes/week. Doesn't help me with CIC.

Magnesium citrate will work but it causes explosive diarrhea. Pass on that, unless someone has had success with dosing - if so please reply. And like Dulcolax, I think MC shouldn't be used on a regular basis.

So I eat all the right stuff, exercise a LOT, take miralax every night, and use Dulcolax when nothing is happening. I shouldn't be doing that and don't recommend it, but don't know what else to do.

It certainly seems age related. I only started having problems around age 68. Maybe my expectations are too high for how often I should be "going" - but after a day or two of no action, well it's just uncomfortable, and I don't over eat and my weight is perfect for my height. I suppose I'm lucky because I don't have problems with stomach cramps as so many others do.

Best advice - stay young forever. Please let me know if you know how to do that. Thanks all! Joe

You read exactly like you are my double. I am in the same predicament. I have been given samples of Lizness; after the Miralax and Dulcolax only gave me diarrhea and then it was backed to being plugged again. The Lizness is not working very well at this time. I don't know what happen next, if it continues to not work. By the way, my research says that when there is blood in the stool, that could be indicative of Cancer and not IBS. Perhaps youwill want to go back to your research. May God bless you on your journey also. Charles aka brotherchuckles80.

I have been constipated for years but worse in my 70s. Add to that, I have slight pre diabetes so I can’t eat prune and apples and a ton of fruit. I have berries in AM mostly. I need my fiber from veggies and a few high fiber grains. I eat Fiber One cereal a few times weekly. 18 grams of insoluble fiber. It has carbs but no added sugar. That works for me.

Also have a redundant long colon which people don’t always know they have. Slow transit

My doctor said it’s ok to take Miralax daily. I do every night. It works 3 -4 days per week. Other days I take an additional lax. I try to change them. Ducolax or Milk of Mag (that works too well at times) or plain senna or senna tea. .

If I don’t go every day I get gas and with the redundant long my doc says keep it moving so I don’t get a blockage.

I take 400 mg Magnesium Gluconate/Citrate daily.

I have chia and flax, I soak them and put them in oatmeal or yogurt. They work well bu I don’t do oatmeal daily due to higher carbs. Eggs and avocado every other day.

I quit sugar. No white rice, light potatoes, bread except 2-3 times per week if it’s high fiber. I do stir fried veggies a few times weekly. Cooked veggies work well for me.

Final key is water. You have to drink a ton with fiber or you can get fiber bound. I had a urine input output done. I drink 100-120 oz of water daily. If I don’t I have a problem.

Sugar feeds inflammation. I had to stop it if I wanted to get healthy. I don’t want diabetes and I was headed there.

Hope this helps someone.

For as long as Ican remember I have always had a constipation problem. Anyone out there who can relate to this??

I'm almost positive that I read the following here on the Mayo site; one of the more recent theories of why some people have CIC is that their bodies don't process water correctly, too much goes directly into their bladders and not enough into the intestinal tract. I think that applies to me (along with an intestinal tract that they told me is 2 feet longer than normal).

I had to return to taking 1 cap of Miralax a day in order to go at all. I had improved for a couple of weeks. And, that’s on top of my healthy diet of veggies, whole grains, beets, sweet potatoes, healthy fats, beans, fiber packed, plenty of water, daily cardio exercise, magnesium supplement, etc. My day is centered around promoting digestion,

Anyway, I also tried the Linzess I was prescribed. I took it 3 days with no effects. i went the same as I normally do with Miralax. How long to see a change? I had to stop, because I wasn’t sure when it would kick in and I had appointments in my office with clients and was on the road,…couldn’t risk potential BM incident during that time. I can’t just stay by a toilet for weeks waiting for results. I thought I’d get results the same day, but nothing. Some people report major diarrhea. Huh? Lol.

I’m doing ok with BM taking the one cap of Miralax. Maybe, I should just be content with that and stop searching for a way to be normal again. Hmmm…..I’m so tired of dealing with this.

I am amazed that Linzess causes major event for many patients. Man…. I guess everyone is different, it did zero for me. Three days straight.

I can understand that Celia. God bless you on your journey. Charles brothechuckles80.

Please try Australian black licorice- I have chronic constipation, currently 12 days without a bowel movement- I’ve been putting off eating my licorice because 1-I have high blood pressure & 2- I’m diabetic. I was in the drug trial for linzess,but side effects weren’t good. I stopped going out for dinner with friends because like you, within 20 minutes of eating, I would have horrible gas. I have given some of my licorice to patients undergoing chemo who get constipated always with warning in case they have high blood pressure - each has had great success with it to relieve constipation.