About constipation. I have tried almost all the above. I’m now following suggestions from my acupuncturist and functional doctor: drink half my weight in ounces in water, eat clean, mainly organic, avoid processed food and eat the rainbow which has helped me a lot with being more regular, but eating daily 5-6 cups of vegetables per day is helping me to go everyday and feel really clean.

bb03, I have had Amitiza, Linzess, and Trulance(a cheaper version of Linzess), 10 years ago when I first started using these, it helped a pinch...now they do nothing for me. I hope it works well for you. Shelley

Has anyone here had excessive flatulence? Mine has flared up recently to an extreme degree. I am returning to see my GP and a Gastro specialist this week. Previously the Creon and Gas-X kept it manageable, but it has returned with a vengeance. It came on suddenly, and has not retreated.

I can understand. I have been in same place. I finally found GI specialist, she suggested I could have a (rectocele) I am looking for Dr to treat this. If anyone has had this I would appreciate your help.

Disclaimer: This is only my experience going natural. I have used organic, integrative, functional, holistic Naturopathic doctor's advice along with my MD’s since the early 1980's. There is science in alternatives too. Because I work closely with my ND, he told me to study the Migrating Motor Complex and Osmotic Gradient and he bet that I would find what worked for me. How to keep a longer than normal pipe with consistent moisture…. My ND also said because my condition was physical, attention would be needed from now.
I tried laxatives and they are not consistent and have side effects like bloating, etc. All say for occasional use. They disrupt the system if take continuously. I liked a response from a co-redundant colon person: “It’s physical” so regular constipation suggestions may not work. Don’t give up because it took me 4 months to feel I could depend on being regular. It is worth going natural.
Last Dec the doc had me do non sedated colonoscopy. He could get through my colon as I watched on TV. I had had a baby years ago (natural and could stand pain) so figured I could stand it – it was no big deal. Most people in world don't get put out. Very interesting and it helped allow the scope to get through because I relaxed. No wonder I had been constipation on and off starting in my teens. I’m now in my early 70’s.
OptiMag and K2+ Potassium are great supps. I take them when I go to bed and once when I get up to pee. I include prunes/prune juice, winter squash, sweet potatoes, rhubarb etc in my diet. I eat cups of steamed vegetables each day. I like to grind 2T chia, 1 T sesame seeds and 2 T flax seeds, then soak in prune juice overnight. I add a T of carob now since it can help regularity. Take half in the morning and half at night. Throw sugar out along with processed and refined foods. Look up foods and drinks that constipate and give them up. Drink lot of water starting with a quart of hot water in the morning - boyscouts. I use warmed up diluted chicken broth at times too. It is soothing to my stomach. Coffee and Smooth Move are my back ups. I don't like coffee and never have drunk it much but it usually works for me in a pinch. Thankfully I only need coffee a few times a month.
Check out helpful research of biological processes that take place in our gut:
- Migrating Motor complex which is the electroactivity in the GI tract during meals and fasting
- Osmotic gradient. If too much water is pulled into the colon, diarrhea results. If not enough water is pulled into the colon constipation results. Balance of minerals is important. Magnesium, potassium and sodium brings water into the colon. I have found balancing these help prevent constipation. I have to watch my calcium intake because it tends to encourage constipation. Calcium carbonate seems to be the most constipating. I depend on blood work from time to time to make sure my minerals are balanced. Good luck, @farmersmith

Please try Magnesium Serene which you can buy from Amazon. It's a powder...most tasty is BERRY. You mix it with hot water.
Just be careful not to take too much ..... start with 1 teaspoon daily, no more than that.
Works for my wife and I. Blessings to you!

Sorry throbing!

I knew you meant that. Yes, I had that feeling, also. For the constipation, I've been weaning of Miralx. Too early to tell but 5 Senna S once a day, 1/2 capful of Miralax(small am't. for me) once a day, magnesium oxide 425mg., prunes and prune juice twice a day is showing some results. I have a G.I. dr appointment next week. I need to ask him if I can take Senna S indefinitely!

I just posted the following on another Mayo Clinic site:

This might not apply to you, and I'm not a medical person, so please keep that in mind when reading this. But I'll tell you what is helpful to me. I seem to have an area just under my stomach and to the left where things get stuck. I have found that the following helps: I lie on my left side and just slightly rotate my waist to the right so that it opens up the area where things are stuck. After a moment I feel and hear gurgling, and things start moving. If things get stuck farther down, I take the heel of my hand and gently push downward (toward my lower abdomen) on the upward edge of the problem area, and that seems to get things moving again. This relates to my specific problem, but a massage therapist suggested it to me and it has really helped. Maybe you can figure out where things bog down for you. And a massage therapist may be able to give you good advice. Also, I've changed my diet: no rice, potatoes, minimum starchy foods or cheese, and plenty of water!

I do miralax and mg citrate every pm BUT still I would not have a BM other than a few hard rock balls that you will blow a carotid artery to get out if I didn’t take a prescription called Linzess. Before Linzess three years ago I lived like that! It was proven I have very slow colon transit with the Sitz study and I only had rock hard people fer with bloating and abdominal distention and pain. I’m 64 and since 36 I’ve been extremely extremely constipated. I was a vegetarian and very active and drink lots of water. They couldn’t blame it on the usual like poor die, lack of exercise and lack of activity etc. I do have some adhesions from years and years of endometriosis and have hypothyroidism which is under control but still didn’t help when hypothyroidism fixed as it should if it was my hypothyroidism. Sometimes everything checks out, you eat a pristine diet, drink adequate fluids and are not sedentary and you’re still severely constipated! Drs don’t know everything. I’ve been a nurse for 44 years and as I’ve have had more health issues from just a life of working hard and genetics I realize more and more Drs know less and less. I also see the basic knowledge decrease in Drs in general and in the inability to listen and look at the whole person. They all specialize and are poor diagnosticians. Quick to stamp on a one size fits all because that does not require critical thinking and a broad knowledge base.