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Problem with Chronic constipation
I have a history of hypothyroidism, severe endometriosis/treatment was a hysterectomy 17 years ago.I also have a hx of IBS. My thyroid hormone levels are stable. I eat like a rabbit(I poop like one too, LOL!!!!!!). I eat a large amount of fiber and drink almost every hour(nonalcholic).ONly prescription drugs I take are armour thyroid and my estrogen/prosterone troche. I make a coconut bread and I add psyllium husks,flax seed and chia seed to it. I eat it practically every am. I also eat a spinach salad for lunch daily with nuts and yogurt and eat a lean meat and veggie and more coconut bread at night. I do one cheat meal with a cheat dessert once per week. I am relatively active for my age of 60. I've been to a gastroenterologist and we have tried Linzess which didn't help at all. I take miralax, and a Super Cleanse tab one per day which has herbs to soften the stool and to stimulate the bowel and It barely works. I am at a loss. I have not tried Montegrity yet. I don't know if it will be helpful and the side effects scare me. I had a CT of my abdomen and it was ok, no obstructions. The gastroenterologist that I go to practically accused me of abusing laxatives. I would be impacted if I didnt use the miralax and the Super Cleanse. Diet/water and activity do not help. I had diarrhea from my late teens to the age of 36 when my intestines out of the blue just shut down completely. I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism, I was put on Synthroid but the constipation didn't go away. So if there is any gastroenterologist out there that can help me, please let me know.I feel defeated and worry about my health.
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Thanks for the information. There are some good studies online on magnesium oxide as well. Another non stimulant laxative. Have you also tried that? I will look into the epsom salts also.
The first thing that comes to mind when having IBS after being on antibiotics is probiotics but antibiotics also cause thiamine to be diminished in addition to other causes found in the stuttersence link and there is a good possibility your IBS is from a combination. Activating thiamine is needed before you benefit from it and for that you need magnesium. Stress, pain and others found in the krispin link cause magnesium loss putting you in a deficiency state. The krispin link also has a formula for calculating daily magnesium. The brain and vagus nerve are affected by low activated thiamine and in turn, because they control function in the gut, an IBS condition results. These links offer a path to follow and I hope they encourage your to look further in this direction. Always consult your health care professional before using any supplement.
http://stuttersense.blogspot.com/2014/08/these-factors-reduce-your-thiamine.html
https://www.krispin.com/magnes.html
https://www.eonutrition.co.uk/post/when-sibo-ibs-constipation-are-just-unrecognized-thiamine-deficiency
https://www.eonutrition.co.uk/post/thiamine-deficiency-a-major-cause-of-sibo
I had this problem due (plus diverticulosis).
Diet with fibres (beets are great for me, also a bit of psyllium at breakfast.)
Five glasses of water apart of other liquids
Miralax or similar in the morning before breakfast.
Chew very well, specially meats.
Avoid white bread, cakes etc., chocolate
And I went to a pelvic physiotherapist who gave me exercises for the muscles that control the rectum, etc. Marvellous.
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1 ReactionTook a dose yesterday with probiotic, Kimchi. Still have loose stools today. Have you or anyone else had luck with Kimchi for constipation? How often to take, dosage? Thanks
Also started with a dose of magnesium oxide. Says to take 500 mg three times a day, but with the Kimchi I only took two doses. Per above its a good thing. Having loose stools most of today. Not sure if it was the mag oxide, the Kimchi or combination of both. Going back to miralax 1/2 dose and a little mag citrate which my system is used to.
New here. Having constipation most every week. I had a terrible bout of diverticulitis. Still trying to recover after several weeks. Dr. prescribed Linzess. It has only been 1 week since I started taking it, but i cannot imagine having to live like this rest of life. Linzess takes 2 hours to start working, then diarrea for 2 to 4 hours. Will I ever go back to "normal?
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1 ReactionI used to have that problem. For me it took weeks of experimentation to get it right. Originally my doc had me taking miralax and 4 stool softeners a day! Too much. After lots of trial and error I figured out the best solution for me was to eat a big helping of beans or peas daily along with one stool softener in the morning and one at bedtime. (No miralax)
I am currently working with my two medications/supplements, miralax and mag citrate capsules and trying to create a good daily pattern in the a.m. I am taking the miralax, 1 dose before bed with the anticipation of morning bowel movements. I used to take 100 to 300 mg of mag citrate at breakfast but I have been getting too strong of a reaction and need to taper back and at some point hopefully stop. I would like to get down to just miralax and a vegan diet and at some point just have the vegan diet do what it needs to do. Like you are saying it takes a lot of experimentation and patience to get the timing and dosages right. I don't use stool softeners except for miralax and beans produce a lot of gas. Directed by my GI. I am 90% vegan except for some fish at night a couple of times a week. Working on weight loss and trying to stay active as well.
@marcconey, the links from eonutrition raise the deficiency of thiamine as one of the causes of constipation. Magnesium is needed to activate thiamine as well as vitamin D. Activated thiamine in turn is needed to activate B6. The B vitamins work better together. Unfortunately, anti thiamine factors diminish or destroy thiamine and a comprehensive list can be found in the stuttersence link. The krispin link offers magnesium information. Another form of magnesium is glycinate that is gentler than citrate and allow you to meet your daily requirement when you reach your citrate tolerance. The effect of low activated thiamine on the brain as well as the vagus nerve and gut should be followed up. Always consult your health care professional before using any supplement.
http://stuttersense.blogspot.com/2014/08/these-factors-reduce-your-thiamine.html
https://www.eonutrition.co.uk/post/when-sibo-ibs-constipation-are-just-unrecognized-thiamine-deficiency
https://www.eonutrition.co.uk/post/thiamine-deficiency-a-major-cause-of-sibo
https://www.krispin.com/magnes.html
Thanks for the information, I will take a look at it.