Problem with Chronic constipation

@danilo1m

I watched a Dr. Gregor video, nutritionfacts.org which gave information about prunes. I always thought they were gross but the studies show this: 12 prunes daily, not 8, not 4 or 10 or like that. But 12. So I bought the Trader Joes non-sorbate ones and the others that have sorbitol in them since TJs has both and I eat 6 of each throughout the day. It is a lot of prunes. The first batch I bought were not the non-sorbate ones and I pooped all day long. I also take 1.5 caps of Miralax in 20 oz of water which I mix up in the morning and leave on my dresser or desk and 2 Colace morning and eve (but the generic which is way cheap on Amazon), a 20 oz glass of water in the morning upon arising with my meds, eat a near vegan diet except for a few candies. NOW finally my gut works. That is what it takes for me. Do I write all that down when I go to the doc. NO. I did the FODMAP and all the other notions of dietary changes but until I did the prune thing, nothing helped. I sure hope this helps someone. I feel good and that is all that matters to me. At 69 years old, I need all the help I can get.

Based on my experience of being completely normal with my digestion until a few years ago, I suspect that the constipation has an emotional component.

I’m writing about the constipation I’m experiencing. Earlier this year, I spent three weeks in bed and six days in the hospital for an episode of flu that knocked me flat. I couldn’t eat, and/or I couldn’t keep food down. After I started eating again, they had to resort to an enema in the hospital. I’m home now and doing physical therapy after the long period of being in bed, and I’m constipated again. I’m currently taking 3 colace tablets/day, drinking as much water as I can. I saw on this site I should try to get 64 oz of water each day. For five days in a row, I was able to have a bowel movement - not complete, but passing some stool each of those days.

Now I’m into a third day of not passing any stool. In addition to drinking water and taking Colace, I eat oatmeal, prunes, grapes, dates, walnuts and blueberries. Once when I was able, I oven roasted chicken and carrots and Brussell sprouts. Took two days to put that together since I haven’t regained all my strength. My husband doesn’t cook; I’m eating these foods because they are high in fiber and don’t require preparation. I’m considering using a suppository to help with getting things moving.

I take medication that has a reputation for causing constipation. We’ve decreased dosage, but stopping the meds isn’t an option right now.

Thoughts and ideas about getting through this are welcome.

About a year ago, I started having serious bowel movement issues. I never go daily, but when I do, my stools are like hard stones, or the opposite if taking a bunch of laxatives (foul, runny quirts). After pushing too much, I had to get several hemorrhoids banded.

Last summer, my gastroenterologist did both an endoscopy and a colonoscopy, and found two things: when I digest food, it seems to stay in the lower esophagus before finally entering the stomach/intestines - he said that the green mess (I only had a salad the day before) was still visible lower in my esophagus, which diagnosed digestive track issues - and from the coloscopy, that I have slight diveraticultis, so "lay off the seeds and nuts and fiber"!

One Dr stated I should increase my fiber (of course), while another said the opposite > if you have a hard time with your digestive track, eat LESS fiber and go with food that is "easier to break down" (pasta, rice, bread, ALL WHITE!.)..."do the opposite" (Seinfeld). To address my diagnosed chronic constipation, I tried stool softeners (of course), fiber powders (Benefil, Miralax, Bloom), and medically, a few prescriptions - Linzess (cannot tolerate due to horrible diarrhea), Ducolax, and the expensive Prucalipride, to no avail. The ONLY thing that helps (not 100%) is Milk of Magnesia, but that should not be a long-term solution, and it usually does the same thing: at first, hard stones have to be pushed to "get it going", followed by foul-smelling runs.

As for my protologist, he did a bunch of tests: Anoscopy, pelvic MRI with rectal gel, and X-ray with Sitzmarks® pellets (radiopaque markers test to measure colonic transit time). Everything came back NORMAL! The only finding, which was mentioned from a prior cystoscopy, was that I have weak muscles in the bladder floor (which is more related to my recent prostate post in here). BTW, I tried pelvic Physical Therapy (who knew that was a thing?) but with no improvement.

I am still struggling with constipation that is so chronic, it is upsetting my daily life. I do not know what to try next, and the Dr's do not offer any best, final solution. I continue to take MOM just so I can void at least every few days to get some relief. And yes, I do follow a healthy diet and drink a LOT of water.

That's my story, and I hope someone in this forum has had/is having similar experiences.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/prucalopride-oral-route/description/drg-20452343
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/24993-anoscopy
https://www.sitzmarks.com

@sjd416 I have had chronic constipation for many years, due to having an implanted pain pump and late stage Adhesive Arachnoiditis.

Some of the things I use besides added fiber, are HOT prune juice (a nurse suggested it and it helped me), Smooth Move tea, raisins, and flax seeds (in anything you can). Daily supplements are Colace stool softeners, Magnesium Citrate capsules, and MiraLAX. My prescriptions include Linzess and Lactulose. In the event nothing is working, I keep a bottle of Magnesium Citrate liquid in the refrigerator to drink, or try the old fashioned enema. One of those usually produce something fairly quickly.

Hopefully I’ve given you some ideas to try to get things moving again. Best of luck.

@danilo1m I have very similar bowel problems and need to take Linzess 290, Lactulose, Dulcolax, and a stool softener in addition to extra virgin olive oil, water enemas to have a watery bowel movement passing pebble-like waste. I have bad diverticulosis, especially in the sigmoid colon, and have a tortuous colon that can only be scoped with a pediatric scope. CT scan of pelvis and abdomen shows restriction, not blockage, have internal hemorrhoids, nerve, pelvic floor issues, and urinary frequency issues. 83 yrs old trying to avoid life-threatening bowel surgery.