Does anyone have chronic constipation?

So your saying I should include more electrolytes in my diet as well as prunes, squash, sweet potatoes, rhubarb etc. And throw out sugar , processed and refined foods does that mean I should stop eating certain foods forever like chips or cookies because it seems like everyone's telling me to take laxatives along with a restrictive diet for the rest of my life . which seems almost impossible for me, it sounds like balancing my diet is not enough and that I should just strictly stick to eating healthy laxative and fiber rich foods.

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

Hi Anna - It is definitely good to cut way down on refined sugar. That said, I don't believe that the sugar contributed to my CIC, but who knows?

Refined sugar causes inflammation all over the body, and this is not good. Up until 7 months ago, I'd have a can of regular Coke with dinner. To lose some weight, I stopped the Coke (39 teaspoons of sugar in one can) and limited the sweets I ate. I don't torture myself though with total abstinence from sugar. Moderation is appropriate I think. And sugar is in a lot of stuff - even alcohol which converts to sugar rapidly once ingested.

That said, I went from 189 lbs (I'm a 69 y/o male, 5'10") to 170 lbs. So a drop of almost 20 lbs. In addition to cutting way back on sugar, I started doing spin class 4 or 5 times a week and that also helped to lose weight. So find a cardio exercise you like. Just get the heart going.

I'm still constipated though. But if you eat a lot of refined sugar, I suggest cutting that waaaaaay back. Constipation or not, sugar is deadly. All the best. Joe

I take 1 500 mg magnesium oxide pilll otc which is same as milk of magnesia and it works wonders.

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.

Defography and mamometry. Sorry for very late reply

Thank you for helpful info.

Unfortunately, 2 yrs ago, Milk of Magnesia, Linzess, stopped working. Miralaz never worked nor senna.

Magnesium Citrate pills worked briefly recently.

Now need to take 2 to 3 ducolax.

It also showed with the pelvic floor dysfunction a rectocele and enterocele.

Also slow transit from a sitz market test.

Please google for detailed info.

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