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When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the poos were the small hard pebbly kind. As an adult (I'm in my late 60s) my poops tend to form too wide. It's either the first poop of the day, or the first part of the first poop. My drs have always labeled this as constipation - but I go poop every single day so it seems like the wrong diagnosis. I'd poop even if I didn't use Citrucel or Colace, which I do. And you won't be surprised to learn that I've had hemorrhoids and 2 surgeries for fissures.
To make this more complicated, I had the bad luck to get CDiff a few years ago which morphed into IBS Mixed - I've found that drs pretty much leave it up to patients to determine what kind of IBS, but I think I'm mixed, but maybe it's actually D? Anyway, I now eat low FODMAP which is very effective, but means I can't have certain things like prunes or Metamucil. Oh, and most GIs I've seen are glad I'm eating low FODMAP and just don't care if I call my condition IBS-D or IBS-M or even IBS-C. Oh and I had a rare bad reaction to Miralax, so I can't use that.
So I'm just wondering if anybody would recommend I try anything to help with this poo-size issue. I'm thinking about getting ground flax seed, I think that might be my next experiment. If I overdo the stool softeners or counting my fiber intake or Citrucel, then I poo and poo and poo - it almost never becomes watery, but it causes many bad mornings and sometimes can't leave the house until noon. I'm so sick of myself! I'm in my golden years and I just want to enjoy them!
Thanks.
Replies to "When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the..."
I've tried and tried ground flax seed, but the gas & bloating it causes have made me quit every time. Even small amounts trigger significant problems. Has anyone overcome this?
Well, I went ahead and started ground flaxseed. 1/2 tablespoon this morning, going to take same this evening. Crossing fingers!
Have you used stool softeners regularly?
Water is what makes your poop move thru the colon. Since you’ve had a long standing issue with it maybe the 8 glasses of fluid a day is what you require? Fructose or fruit sugar pulls water into your colon to help you go too. Yes flax seed does it too but can cause loos stool too. As another reader stated 1 tblspn to start in morning as a test run and increase your fluids. Since you’ve had a long term issue are you seeing a GI doc?
@mikayla68 -
If your bowel movements are too wide it is an indication that you are constipated. Your large intestine has stretched out over the years to handle all the stool. You can have several bowel movements a day and still be constipated.
I also think you should see a gastroenterologist to help you find something you can use daily and something you can tolerate.
You can get back to normal- it may take some time.
I also have had to deal with it- still working on finding the magic combination!
Chia seeds have a much higher fiber content than flax: You can make some delicious puddings with thrm, add small amounts to oatmeal, yogurts, smoothies, soup. They need to soak a short time to swell up.
Sweet potatoes, avocado, black beans, chick peas, brown rice, barley, wheatberries...all have soluble fiber.
Add beans slowly to meals and try Beano to prevent gas.
Full Plate Living, which focuses on getting soluble fiber, is on social media and has a PhD nutritionist who answers questions.
400-600 mg of Mag Citrate daily has been a game changer for me. Not gassy, not bloated, just regular and non-hard stool. Good luck. So frustrating having to spend so much time pooping - and thinking about pooping!
Sorry you’re suffering so much. Have you ever worked with a dietitian or a naturopathic provider? I’m thinking outside the box. I presume you’re Medicare age and have been thru the wringer with your gut.
I did find that there is a speciality in GI medicine under the heading naturopathic providers. I don’t know where you reside but if you search I bet you can find an MD or DO who is also trained in naturopathic medicine. And also look into large teaching hospitals with Alternative Medicine programs where you might find this too. Good luck but I earn out of suggestions.
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(Also wondering if I start using flax seed, any advice on how to start? How much? Should I start small and work up to a certain amount?)