1. < Digestive Health

Problem with Chronic constipation

Posted by bb03 @bb03, Feb 1, 2021

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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heyjoe415 | @heyjoe415 | Sep 11, 2023
In reply to @cl0wncl0wn "I'm 20, very young to be having problems this bad. When I was younger I had..." + (show)
@cl0wncl0wn

I'm 20, very young to be having problems this bad. When I was younger I had severe depression and anxiety, still do, but I've only ever had the occasional constipation with a quick fix solution then I was fine for years.

Around my birthday I had a severe, and sudden, bout of constipation. It went on for weeks, and when I say constipation I mean ZERO bowel movement, not even a sliver. So, I went to the hospital. I got stigmatized, they told me it was just constipation and I'd be fine, handed me a few packets of laxatives and sent me off.

The laxatives worked, at first, but deep down I knew it wouldn't solve the issue, so I used them sparingly as I saw my family doctor. 6 months later and the issue is still persevering, in fact, it got worse. Now my digestive system is struggling to digest food, I am constantly hungry despite the fact that my digestive system is too slow to eat food normally anymore, if I eat it won't come back out.

I had a small few weeks of no severe issues, and suddenly it got twice as bad recently, as I write this my stomach is screaming at me to eat, as if it's starving. Mind you, I never felt this way before when I woke up until all of this began happening. I considered if food could be a trigger, but none of it makes sense, because I've constantly switched my foods and never had stomach pain, gas or bloating unless I haven't had a bowel movement for days on end.

I have no idea what's wrong with me, other than sharp gut pain, usually around the lower abdomen/belly button, and the fact that I usually I can't have a bowel movement at all unless I bomb my gut with laxatives. I'm at a loss, I'm terrified, and I've been to the ER 3 times and the Urgent Clinic once along with my family doctor 3 times. When I call helplines (yes, I'm that desperate) they tell me to go to the ER, but the ER never takes me seriously.

I've had a CT x-ray, an ultrasound, and I'm stuck waiting until December 22nd for a specialist. I'm at a loss, I don't know if I can wait that long anymore before I start digging out my own stomach. What do I do?

Jump to this post

So sorry clown. 20 is way too young for these problems.

Question, are you athletic, do you work out? I'm not talking about a gym rat, someone who exercises regularly.

If you can do it, I recommend you try running, ideally outdoors. I used to be a runner, ran a lot of marathons, and running jump started the peristaltic motion in my intestines. I'd go for a run, and be looking for a public rest room, or some woods, at some point in my run.

It's worth a try if you can run. As far as other exercise, I found a rowing machine kinda does the same thing. Your knees are up above your waistline, and this is a recommended position for a BM.

Might sound weird, but it involves no chemicals and is good for you in many ways. Give it a try if you can. All the best!

(I don't run anymore after having both knees replaced. But I row a lot and work out a lot. And I drink a lot of water.

REPLY
tadueo | @tadueo | Sep 12, 2023

!'m 90 and take a diuretic, Furosemide, for blood pressure and CHF. I take Miralax but it has recently stopped working cause the diuretic dries out my colon and the Miralax needs water to work. Is there another laxative that will work for a dry colon?
Gastroenterologists have been no help and I battle constipation every day and it can only end badly unless I find a laxative that works.
tadueo

REPLY
2 replies
camoriello | @camoriello | Sep 12, 2023
In reply to @heyjoe415 "Yeah the frustrating part of the GI Drs is they all say the same thing -..." + (show)
@heyjoe415

Yeah the frustrating part of the GI Drs is they all say the same thing - fiber, hydration, exercise, sleep, manage stress, diet - I've tried all that!!!!!! I'm a 68 y/o male, in shape and in the gym 6 or 7 days a week, twice with a trainer. Had both knees replaced last year and I feel good and am in the the best shape since my marathon days in the 80s and 90s.

I finally settled on Miralax before bed, every night, and then setting an alarm for 12pm to take Dulcolax every other night. This has been called "gush and push" - but it mostly works. I haven't seen any signs of tolerance to the bisacodyl in Dulcolax. I'm 68 and don't want to do a shit load (pardon the pun) of tests only to get nowhere. I'm doing what works. If there are consequences, I'll have to deal with it.

Jump to this post

I tries just miralax. Then I tried just Metamucil. I found using these interchangeably helps more than doing just one of them every day. I throw in oatmeal here and there. Seems to be good or working for me. I haven't been eating veggies lately but I need to add that back in. Seems to be a balancing act

REPLY
Moderator
Justin McClanahan, Moderator | @JustinMcClanahan | Sep 12, 2023
In reply to @tadueo "!'m 90 and take a diuretic, Furosemide, for blood pressure and CHF. I take Miralax but..." + (show)
@tadueo

!'m 90 and take a diuretic, Furosemide, for blood pressure and CHF. I take Miralax but it has recently stopped working cause the diuretic dries out my colon and the Miralax needs water to work. Is there another laxative that will work for a dry colon?
Gastroenterologists have been no help and I battle constipation every day and it can only end badly unless I find a laxative that works.
tadueo

Jump to this post

Hi @tadueo, I moved your discussion and combined it with an existing discussion titled:
- Problem with Chronic Constipation, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/problem-with-chronic-constipation/.

I did this so you could meet many of the members in your shoes discussing what they have tried and alternatives to the things that have not worked so well. @camoriello, @heyjoe415, and @reillyg1013 have all discussed different things that have tried.

@tadueo, you mentioned your GI docs were no help, did they give any suggestions? It sounds like you may be battling dehydration or not being able to get enough fluids in your body to work with the Miralax as a diuretic, are there any foods or coffee or anything that got your body going in your past you could try introducing?

REPLY
halcomstock1942 | @halcomstock1942 | Sep 12, 2023
In reply to @sher71 "For some people to much fiber can be a problem. I'm one of them. I have..." + (show)
@sher71

For some people to much fiber can be a problem. I'm one of them. I have to stay on a low fiber diet and use laxatives. If I want fresh vegetables I have to use the "french" method. I shock them and put them in the fridge. You can google the method. I'm still trying to find the perfect combo of stool softeners and a nonstimulant laxative like miralax or magnesium. Working with a nutritionist is helpful. Hope this helps you.

Jump to this post

Hi, My name is Hal I was having trouble so I started using Mira Lax and I eat several pitted prunes and now I go every day. I don't know if it would work for you but it works for me. Eat several prunes per day until you find the balance that works for you. I buy Costco Sun Sweet prunes and they are tasty also. Hope you get better. By the way my care Dr. recommended the Mira Lax. I mix in a little Crystal Lite for flavor. in an eight ounce glass. This method is not like using Milk of Magnesia or other types of laxatives. Some days I don't even use the Mira Lax.

REPLY
tadueo | @tadueo | Sep 13, 2023

Thanks Hal,
I'll try it.
tadueo

REPLY
1 reply
researchmaven | @researchmaven | Sep 13, 2023
In reply to @tadueo "!'m 90 and take a diuretic, Furosemide, for blood pressure and CHF. I take Miralax but..." + (show)
@tadueo

!'m 90 and take a diuretic, Furosemide, for blood pressure and CHF. I take Miralax but it has recently stopped working cause the diuretic dries out my colon and the Miralax needs water to work. Is there another laxative that will work for a dry colon?
Gastroenterologists have been no help and I battle constipation every day and it can only end badly unless I find a laxative that works.
tadueo

Jump to this post

Try a lubricant laxative -- mineral oil or olive oil at bedtime. A well-structured study shows that olive oil works as well as mineral oil.

Mineral oil works by coating the bowel and stool with a waterproof film that provides slip. Olive oil may do the same. I have used both and both seem to provide similar benefit. Miralax doesn't work for me.

Experiment with the dosage. I take just shy of 1 teaspoon of olive oil but have a sensitive gut. Olive oil is safer -- try that first. My mineral oil bottle says the dose is 1 T - 3 T, so it should be the same for olive oil. Before trying mineral oil, check with your doctor.

Tip: I keep the oil in my mouth for 20-30 seconds so it can mix with my saliva, to make it easier to swallow. Then I do a water chaser.

REPLY
1 reply
tadueo | @tadueo | Sep 14, 2023
In reply to @researchmaven "Try a lubricant laxative -- mineral oil or olive oil at bedtime. A well-structured study shows..." + (show)
@researchmaven

Try a lubricant laxative -- mineral oil or olive oil at bedtime. A well-structured study shows that olive oil works as well as mineral oil.

Mineral oil works by coating the bowel and stool with a waterproof film that provides slip. Olive oil may do the same. I have used both and both seem to provide similar benefit. Miralax doesn't work for me.

Experiment with the dosage. I take just shy of 1 teaspoon of olive oil but have a sensitive gut. Olive oil is safer -- try that first. My mineral oil bottle says the dose is 1 T - 3 T, so it should be the same for olive oil. Before trying mineral oil, check with your doctor.

Tip: I keep the oil in my mouth for 20-30 seconds so it can mix with my saliva, to make it easier to swallow. Then I do a water chaser.

Jump to this post

Thanks researchmaven. I'll try the olive oil tonight.
tadueo

REPLY
researchmaven | @researchmaven | Sep 14, 2023

Good luck with it.

I neglected to say that I have also added a dinner pill -- a magnesium supplement-- that may also be part of my solution. It draws water into the colon. Again, I use a small dose, this time a half-dose (1 pill) for a small amount of magnesium. The recommended 2-pill dose is too much and not helpful. The product is Hilma - Gentle Bowel Movement Support. One pill is 87 mg magnesium, so a dose at 20% of the daily value. Note I have an extremely limited diet, so perhaps I wasn't getting enough magnesium from food. If you are not getting exactly what you want with the oil, you can consider a magnesium supplement.

REPLY
1 reply
tadueo | @tadueo | Sep 14, 2023

Thanks again. I'll try it as you say.

REPLY
1 reply
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