Problem with Chronic constipation

I don't know what's going on with my digestion ,I have been chronically constipated since December so it's been 4 months. I am always gassy and the smell has been very foul so I've been scared and embarrassed to be around people lately because of how bad it smells, when I've tried to poop only gas comes out most of the time, sometimes my stomach feels stiff and I start to feel lethargic. And I've tried almost everything digestive drinks like meta Mucil, eating more fiber i live an active lifestyle and I drink plenty of fluids and water. I recently had an appointment with my pediatrician about this she made me do colon cleansing for a day . And take Miralax for a minimum of 3 weeks. My stools were watery during the cleansing but after a couple days it feels like my stool is going back to being hard and stubborn. I still don't poop completely sometimes and I'm still gassy but it's not smelly like it was before. She said I can stop taking Miralax when i feel like my stools are going back to normal after a few days or weeks and it's been a week or two and a few days. I know I still need to wait one more week but my follow-up appointment is next Wednesday. The Miralax seems like a temporary fix, I feel like it'' never go away the worst part is I cant figure out what the cause is. I don't think it's IBS because I heard IBS involves bloody stools and stomach cramps I don't have bloody stools and I don't think I get stomach cramps . It just feels like have some other serious digestive problem or something I don't really know. I don't want to be constipated for the rest of my life I feel miserable, my pediatrician said if the Miralax doesn't work as intended I may have to see a gastroenterologists.Has anyone or is anyone dealing with chronic constipation ?,does it or did it ever go away ? and has anyone been experiencing the same symptoms as me ?.Do you have any recommendations on how they treat their constipation ?

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

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

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

I don't know what's going on with my digestion ,I have been chronically constipated since December so it's been 4 months. I am always gassy and the smell has been very foul so I've been scared and embarrassed to be around people lately because of how bad it smells, when I've tried to poop only gas comes out most of the time, sometimes my stomach feels stiff and I start to feel lethargic. And I've tried almost everything digestive drinks like meta Mucil, eating more fiber i live an active lifestyle and I drink plenty of fluids and water. I recently had an appointment with my pediatrician about this she made me do colon cleansing for a day . And take Miralax for a minimum of 3 weeks. My stools were watery during the cleansing but after a couple days it feels like my stool is going back to being hard and stubborn. I still don't poop completely sometimes and I'm still gassy but it's not smelly like it was before. She said I can stop taking Miralax when i feel like my stools are going back to normal after a few days or weeks and it's been a week or two and a few days. I know I still need to wait one more week but my follow-up appointment is next Wednesday. The Miralax seems like a temporary fix, I feel like it'' never go away the worst part is I cant figure out what the cause is. I don't think it's IBS because I heard IBS involves bloody stools and stomach cramps I don't have bloody stools and I don't think I get stomach cramps . It just feels like have some other serious digestive problem or something I don't really know. I don't want to be constipated for the rest of my life I feel miserable, my pediatrician said if the Miralax doesn't work as intended I may have to see a gastroenterologists.Has anyone or is anyone dealing with chronic constipation ?,does it or did it ever go away ? and has anyone been experiencing the same symptoms as me ?.Do you have any recommendations on how they treat their constipation ?

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

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 there, welcome to HELL of CIC. It's especially aggravating when even your GI doesn't know, for example, that ANS-autonomic nervous system has a HUGE impact on CIC. I'm keeping my comments on the short side. Tried every script, OTC, food, etc...all failed. 17 years of failure. In last 3 years it's gotten worse. 3 partial small bowel obstructions, 2 cleared by eating almost zero solid foods, used meal replacement shakes, and tons of all fluids (I have always been a huge water drinker), 1 SBO 3 days in hospital via ER, ng tube, OMG, it hurt. Three blocks in my anus that required digital removal, by my fingers, OMG these hurt too. I hope you have never had to dig 💩enough holes to release an avalanche of 💩💩. I use miralax 3-6 caps per day to keep my bowels in a liquid/sediment state. My GI simply ghosted me. My Hyperparathyroidism was found accidentally. My main reason for replying is, consider having your PTH, calcium and vitamin D tested. Do NOT start any supplements, if you choose to pursue Hyperparathyroidism. That will skew your results. Look it up online, see if you have a lot of the symptoms (which are also common in many other diseases). Elevated calcium can wreak havoc on your body and you don't even know it. Good luck. I know this is not the answer for all CIC, but it WILL NOT be brought up by any dr., it's up to you to get enlightened. Shelley

I don't know what's going on with my digestion ,I have been chronically constipated since December so it's been 4 months. I am always gassy and the smell has been very foul so I've been scared and embarrassed to be around people lately because of how bad it smells, when I've tried to poop only gas comes out most of the time, sometimes my stomach feels stiff and I start to feel lethargic. And I've tried almost everything digestive drinks like meta Mucil, eating more fiber i live an active lifestyle and I drink plenty of fluids and water. I recently had an appointment with my pediatrician about this she made me do colon cleansing for a day . And take Miralax for a minimum of 3 weeks. My stools were watery during the cleansing but after a couple days it feels like my stool is going back to being hard and stubborn. I still don't poop completely sometimes and I'm still gassy but it's not smelly like it was before. She said I can stop taking Miralax when i feel like my stools are going back to normal after a few days or weeks and it's been a week or two and a few days. I know I still need to wait one more week but my follow-up appointment is next Wednesday. The Miralax seems like a temporary fix, I feel like it'' never go away the worst part is I cant figure out what the cause is. I don't think it's IBS because I heard IBS involves bloody stools and stomach cramps I don't have bloody stools and I don't think I get stomach cramps . It just feels like have some other serious digestive problem or something I don't really know. I don't want to be constipated for the rest of my life I feel miserable, my pediatrician said if the Miralax doesn't work as intended I may have to see a gastroenterologists.Has anyone or is anyone dealing with chronic constipation ?,does it or did it ever go away ? and has anyone been experiencing the same symptoms as me ?.Do you have any recommendations on how they treat their constipation ?