Severe Constipation

Best of luck. To those with constipation as well as redundant colon like me:Stick with it and you can find just the fit for you! I am so glad I didn't even consider surgery. You can form fit the changes you need for just you. Be sure to be active too.

Disclaimer: 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.
I work closely with my ND, he told me to study the Migrating Motor Complex and Osmotic Gradient, He bet that I would find something that worked for me. Goal: how to keep a longer than normal pipe consistently moist…. My ND also said because my condition was physical, attention would be needed from now on.
I tried laxatives - not consistent + side effects like bloating, etc. All say for occasional use. They disrupt the system if taken continuously. Co-redundant colon person: “It’s physical” so regular constipation suggestions may not work. Don’t give up. It took me 4 months to depend on being regular. It is worth going natural.
Dec 2023 the doc had me do non sedated colonoscopy. He went through my colon as I watched on TV. I had had a baby years ago (natural) so 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. He showed me the redundancy. No wonder I had been constipation on and off starting in my teens. I’m now in my early 70’s.
Throw sugar out along with processed and refined foods. Look up foods and drinks that constipate and give them up, at least as a test. OptiMag and K2+ Potassium are great supps. I take them when I go to bed and once in the night (important to keep colon moisture consistently).
I include prunes/prune juice, winter squash, sweet potatoes, rhubarb (use in a pinch because high in oxalate). Also I eat steamed vegetables, beef, chicken and salmon. I strive eat ALL ORGANIC, we grow much of our food which helps.
I grind 2T chia, and 2 T flax seeds, add 1T or two of carob + 1 T sesame seeds - stopped because has hi oxalate which can contribute to back ache and kidney issues especially if you don’t drink enough water) For me best is one dose in the evening and one in the morning. Drink lot of water starting with a quart of hot water in the morning - boy scouts – may need to work up to it. I use warmed 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 but it usually works for me in a pinch. I only need coffee a few times a month. I depend on this for daily REGULARITY first "chore" each morning. I am an early riser and when off the farm I don't want to wonder if I will have REGULARITY.
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 supplement 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.
Oh and letting stress go is important too - I know how scary it can be. Golly it seems there is no hope for relief but it is worth looking at diet and lifestyle changes for help. Good luck, @farmersmith

Please see my solution for constipation from @farmersmith It has worked for over a year with occasional back ups of coffee and Smooth Move

Here’s a quick and easy exercise routine for strengthening your pelvic floor muscles:
Sit comfortably on the floor with your knees shoulder-width apart. Imagine that you are trying to stop yourself from passing gas, and squeeze the muscles around your anus as tightly as possible. Hold for five seconds, and then release and relax for a count of 10. Repeat this process five times.
Now do the same thing, only at half strength.
Repeat this process five times.
Finally, squeeze and release the muscles tightly and quickly for as many times as you can before you get too tired to continue.

Practicing deep breathing is another easy way to help improve your digestive functioning and relieve any stress that may be contributing to your constipation. The great thing about deep breathing exercises is that they only take a few minutes and can be performed virtually anywhere. This quick deep breathing exercise is called the 4-7-8 technique:
Sit in a chair with your back straight and your hands resting comfortably in your lap. Breathe out through your mouth, exhaling completely. Close your lips and inhale through your nose for a count of four seconds. Hold in your breath for a count of seven seconds. Exhale completely through your mouth for a count of eight seconds. Repeat these steps three more times for a total of four complete cycles.

Breathing: breath in blowing up your diaphragm but not raising shoulders or chest breath out with mouth open in oval or through hand or spread lips. Don't huff and bear down for BM

Thank you it's helpful however after having this for decades, everything short of surgery has been tried including a implant to stimulate to no avail
We are only looking for surgical solutions. Diet exercise every laxative ever made meditation prayer etcetc etc....we hope one day a surgeon can help without complete ostomy. No bag please.
It is not really constipation per se but it's the word that's used.
No ability to evacuate the lower bowel at all zero pressure outward in fact it's the opposite and the rectum actually pulls inward
Maybe one day the surgery is going to work out but not now unless someone has new information
G

Best of luck, keep at it,
beets, @farmersmith
Diet applied for redundant colon, after life time of constipation (72 yrs) Has worked for almost two years a little less than perfect at times because I have to be attentive:

STEP AWAY FROM TPYICAL AMERICAN DIET
ORGANIC WHOLE FOODS, beef, chicken, fish (baked or instant pot) + vegetables with moderate to low oxalates, and no nightshade or gluten to avoid arthritis and aches + some fruit in moderation. Prunes and prune juice for constipation + nuts & ground seeds chia, flax etc. soaked overnight for constipation and better digestion + goat kefir, yogurt and cheese in moderation since it can be constipating. Water throughout the day + lots of hot water upon rising.
My regularity happens big time in the morning after a quart of hot water + the soaked ground seed concoction with prune juice. Occasionally after over amounts of plums that are coming on now in our orchard, I have several regularities in a day. With redundant I have it fairly regular but still have to add gulps of coffee or smooth move to have regularity especially if I haven't drunk enough water.

I do suffer from this. I was hoping for help from Mayo but yesterday was turned down. They accept Aetna insurance but not Aetna Medicare Advantage! My only other choice was to give them a $5000 deposit for a work up. So disappointed. Wishing you luck and health.

It's horrible how Medicare is being hacked apart. I blame both Medicare and the hospital

G

Are any of these forums still active? I see dates that are 6-8 yrs ago!

@gbear1953 a thought I have for you is to check for any spine issues. If you have had a spine injury such as a whiplash, there may have been some trauma that years later may cause a problem as arthritis develops in the spine. Sometimes problems like this masquerade without much pain. Spinal cord compression can cause incontinence and malfunction of both bladder or bowel. If this hasn’t been considered, it may be worth a look. I had communicated with another member here who had this issue and his doctors were ready to install a colostomy bag. He had significant spinal cord compression that also caused him to use a wheelchair. He did have spine surgery and regained the ability to walk and better colon motility and avoided the bag, a win for him.

Possibly but with a bad back we've been through many MRI and such
No it's initially caused by a severe periontitis and lax abuse

Hi @gbear1953, I am reading through your comments and must say I really do relate to your wife’s all-things-constipation. This is an absolutely exhausting process for both of you!

I understand you are at a place that surgery is your only option. I also see your comment that her issue is pelvic floor dysfunction. In another comment you described her muscles not working the correct way. I struggled addressing my constipation (and much broader) issues for some time. Once I landed with my current providers they did an anorectal manometry test with the exact results, I had coordination problems where my muscles worked backwards. I didn’t understand any of it at the time but they were adamant that nothing else would work without addressing this problem first. That set the stage for progress, slow but steady. I am doing better.

I apologize if I am asking your to repeat but I am not seeing, and certainly not wanting to minimize the severity of the challenge your wife is facing.

Have you addressed the pelvic floor dysfunction?