How do you deal with constipation?

Posted by marie @dvasco, Dec 4 2:32pm

I'm not regular and easily triggered when traveling or stress in general. How do you guys deal with constipation caused from external factors?

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@pml

Hi Katgob,
I love shredded wheat also. I'm 78 and have eaten it since I was a child. It is great for good bowel movements but also just very healthy for you! Most people eat it with milk and sugar but I prefer it by spreading butter on the biscuit and putting it under the broiler for a couple minutes to melt the butter. It's so good!
The water and broccoli are great also!
PML

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Love that idea. I eat my cereal with no milk or anything. At a very young age i was turned off by the mushy consistency of milk and cereal. I know it is what kept me regular. Funny how i have had friends with bowel problems who do not look at what they eat that could possibly help with their issue.
I cannot stomach any of the powders in drinks either. In the hospital for my bone marrow transplant i was encouraged to drink a "clear" ensure. The doctor said it has a nice taste. Disgusting. I threw it in the trash. I figured then I would ask for alternatives.
With everything, we find what works for us and our body.

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I have started drinking coconut water with a little 100% fruit juice added to it and that has helped my constipation.

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@isadora2021

@katgob. My Folfiri and Avastin gave me terrible diarrhoea which I had to manage. Post treatment it was a shock to deal with the opposite with constipation! I found chemo diarrhoea easier to manage.

I’m not good at hydration. I battled during chemo + immunotherapy as well as post treatment (sorted with cordial in my water). It’s my 1st check too when my digestive system isn’t working well.

It is awesome how natural remedies can help often, but sometimes they’re not enough 🥹 I try not to bring out the medication until really necessary due to toxins from being backed up or stomach pains.

In my case I had part of my colon removed during HIPEC and cytoreductive surgery so the adhesions may explain why sometimes I need medicinal help.

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Motegrity or Linzess are 2 prescription drugs which help with constipation.

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Constipation causes are dehydration, lack of soluable fiber, stress and exercise (walking is good).
Add electrolytes to your water or drink water that has electrolytes in it (coconut water, alkaline water - both can be purchased).
Look up examples of soluable fiber and in corporate into your daily eating.
And walk at a minimum if you don’t have an exercise routine or sport you play.
Learn breathing techniques to learn to calm yourself when you feel stressed.
It will all payoff to get you regular.
Best to you!

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After my stroke, my digestion was wildly unpredictable for a couple years.
It didn't matter what I ate or didn't eat.

A couple things that worked for me:

Graham crackers.

When desperate, epsom salts.

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Marie, From my standpoint having the same issues when traveling and the changes in water we drink when leaving home can gear it up within a day away, I found Triple Magnesium Complex works so well. Take it at night because one of the three Magnesium's also helps your body wind down to prepare for sleep. The first time I ever got a "charlie horse" in my life I was on a senior citizens bus trip to Canada, and when I was in bed that first night I stretched and got the most ungodly pain in my left calve. It brought me to tears and the spasm wouldn't let up for about a minute. One of the magnesium's also helps to prevent that, and the other works while we are sleeping to prepare our bowels to move the next morning. The Triple Magnesium Complex contains 400 mg. of magnesium oxide, citrate and aspartate. It truly is good for what ails the body.

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In reply to @windyshores "Magnesium!" + (show)
@windyshores

Magnesium!

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Magnesium citrate certainly "gets things moving" but for me it's usually very harsh and can result in diarrhea, stomach pain and cramping. Maybe there is a low dose that works without these side effects. I just haven't found it.

That said, I'd certainly bring it up with a GI Dr. to see if it is possible to use in certain situations, and at what dose.

All the best to everyone who has to deal with this mystifying and frustrating condition, known as CIC.

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Coconut water mixed with a little 100% fruit juice helps my constipation. I get dehydrated a lot which causes me to get constipated,until I started drinking Coconut water and now I don't get constipated much.

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@heyjoe415

Magnesium citrate certainly "gets things moving" but for me it's usually very harsh and can result in diarrhea, stomach pain and cramping. Maybe there is a low dose that works without these side effects. I just haven't found it.

That said, I'd certainly bring it up with a GI Dr. to see if it is possible to use in certain situations, and at what dose.

All the best to everyone who has to deal with this mystifying and frustrating condition, known as CIC.

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@heyjoe415 - Most everything is harsh or something else for me. For Magnesium, I use Hilma's Gentle Bowel Support. It is gentle, for sure.

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It's Very important to stay hydrated. Not cofee, tea, etc.. but good old fashioned water. A min or 40 ozs a day. Trust my there are times when I don't want to, but just a few sips throughout the day. Get 2 20 oz bottles to assist in knowing for sure how much you've had. Also PRUNE Juice. Do Not get the fancy sweetened bottles. Get the Simple, 100%, Unsweetened bottle or can. Drink aporox 20 oz. daily along with you 40 oz of water. Also a Stool Softener, a shotglass of Quality Olive Oil. Think of your body as a machine. It's important to keep your machine oiled well to function. Occasionally I will take "Linzess" but not often.
Good luck, I know how horrible it can be. Good luck and God Bless.

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