How Do You Handle Constipation?

AnnieBird55

Prune Juice does it for me!!! I have 1 cup about twice a week.

Post Bilat mast surgery, I was *really* constipated (7 days!). So I drank about 1 liter of prune juice in 1 hour.
I had diarehha for 3 days after that! Ulghh...

swinn

An alternative doctor recommended Konsyl and it works great for me. 1 tsp in a glass of water at night. There are no sugar or preservatives in it.

Anonymous

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PS..notice?MAGNESIUM citrate? It comes in pills, like calcium.

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I just had to respond to Joan's "cure" for the poops. LOL

I've been constipated since started Amitriptyline over 20 years ago. I've used Correctol and Milk of Mag. Milk of Mag did a great job without cramping. HOWEVER, once I learned I was supposed to take magnesium with my Calcium I was cured! I take magnesium citrate and mine's a capsule. I've even gotten diarrhea from it and that was a MIRACLE! I had to cut back.

Someone else may have come along since Joan posted on the first page. I am now trying to talk my friend into taking mag citrate instead of Senokot and stool softners. AND it's good for you.

Good luck.
Shirley

Anonymous

Hmmm..I just noticed that my post said I posted at 10:26 PM. It's only 8:33 here in the East. Oh, well.

I see other women have suggested the mag citrate. This is what I take.

http://www.vitacost.com/Allergy-Research-Magnesium-Citrate

jasmine

Can you get the mag citrate at walmart?

juanita63

I couldn't find it at mine, but it's a regular wal-mart not a super one.

saluki

Quote:

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Quote:

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PS..notice?MAGNESIUM citrate? It comes in pills, like calcium.

---

I just had to respond to Joan's "cure" for the poops. LOL

I've been constipated since started Amitriptyline over 20 years ago. I've used Correctol and Milk of Mag. Milk of Mag did a great job without cramping. HOWEVER, once I learned I was supposed to take magnesium with my Calcium I was cured! I take magnesium citrate and mine's a capsule. I've even gotten diarrhea from it and that was a MIRACLE! I had to cut back.

Someone else may have come along since Joan posted on the first page. I am now trying to talk my friend into taking mag citrate instead of Senokot and stool softners. AND it's good for you.

Good luck.
Shirley

Whenever, I took the calcium and the magnesium together it would put me right off to sleep like a baby, so I had to separate them. What can I tell you? ---I react weirdly to
any meds; And it seems supplements as well! LOL

Anonymous

Susie, the two taken together never put me to sleep. I wouldn't mind that one bit. I could get off the Amitrip..aw that would be great. One less prescription.
Shirley

Pharmmom

Magnesium citrate is in the aisle with the exlax and the other laxatives. Its pretty drastic. You drink a bottle of that with water and you better stay close to home! No question that it does work. Miralax took a few days to work for me and it made me feel like I had cement in my stomach. When I got it, it was available only by prescription. Now it is an OTC item. Didnt like it though. I just stick to my tea and my stool softeners. With the fosamax, arimidex and calcium I need to do something. Unfortunately I've been kind of like this since childhood. Very slow moving bowel. Not good!

Anonymous

Magnesium citrate also comes in pills or capsules as a supplement. We need magnesium to help absorb calcium. It's good for our bones and other things. I didn't take my mag the other day because I had been sick and guess what, I DIDN'T GO TO THE BATHROOM.

So, I would suggest you supplemnt mag citrate. You need it anyway. I had to cut back a bit because my stools got too soft.
Shirley

saluki

Quote:

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Magnesium citrate is in the aisle with the exlax and the other laxatives. Its pretty drastic. You drink a bottle of that with water and you better stay close to home! No question that it does work. Miralax took a few days to work for me and it made me feel like I had cement in my stomach. When I got it, it was available only by prescription. Now it is an OTC item. Didnt like it though. I just stick to my tea and my stool softeners. With the fosamax, arimidex and calcium I need to do something. Unfortunately I've been kind of like this since childhood. Very slow moving bowel. Not good!

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The first time my Gastroenterologist prescribed Miralax because of the constipation and Diverticulosis, I felt the same way as you. Nothing but allot of gas and discomfort. In fact I discontinued it.

But, when I started breaking the toilets and as Peggy and Shortbread have said:

" I was ready to go to the hospital and actually (anyone with a weak stomach can skip this part) had to *dig* stuff out manually. I thought I was going to die."

A few times of doing that and you get a whole new respect for constipation. Did I mention the blood?

Anyway, my Pain management Doctor after he "thanked me for sharing!" told me to take the generic Miralax. Since, it had a different name, I did not realize it was the same product.

This time though, I took twice as much as the normal dose on a full stomach and made sure every morning started with a Preparation H suppository. That and plenty of water and
things move pretty smoothly now as long as I keep to the regimen.

shorfi

Saw my medical oncologist about 2 weeks ago and told her once again my situation...and she said it was ok to take senekot at nite along with colace for the stool softner. I have been doing that and have been fine since...except that I use Senekot-S.

shorfi

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Quote:

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Magnesium citrate is in the aisle with the exlax and the other laxatives. Its pretty drastic. You drink a bottle of that with water and you better stay close to home! No question that it does work. Miralax took a few days to work for me and it made me feel like I had cement in my stomach. When I got it, it was available only by prescription. Now it is an OTC item. Didnt like it though. I just stick to my tea and my stool softeners. With the fosamax, arimidex and calcium I need to do something. Unfortunately I've been kind of like this since childhood. Very slow moving bowel. Not good!

---

The first time my Gastroenterologist prescribed Miralax because of the constipation and Diverticulosis, I felt the same way as you. Nothing but allot of gas and discomfort. In fact I discontinued it.

But, when I started breaking the toilets and as Peggy and Shortbread have said:

" I was ready to go to the hospital and actually (anyone with a weak stomach can skip this part) had to *dig* stuff out manually. I thought I was going to die."

A few times of doing that and you get a whole new respect for constipation. Did I mention the blood?

Anyway, my Pain management Doctor after he "thanked me for sharing!" told me to take the generic Miralax. Since, it had a different name, I did not realize it was the same product.

This time though, I took twice as much as the normal dose on a full stomach and made sure every morning started with a Preparation H suppository. That and plenty of water and
things move pretty smoothly now as long as I keep to the regimen.

I hate mixing up stuff...but does it really work (Miralax)?

abbadoodles

t

saluki

It didn't work for me at all at the amount supplied in those little packets.

Once I substantially upped the dose (I took the generic) It worked like a charm, although it does take a few days to get started. Then, its like a well oiled train.

moogie

Post surgically, a tip from a nurse set me on the right path: warm prune juice. " The poopacchino". I tried metamucil, colace, and a dozen other things to no avail. The warmed prune juice worked every time. Be sure it is as hot as a cup of coffee.

Afterwards, Taking Benefiber 2x a day in my tea worked well ( it removed the ned for colace...metamucil has a tendency to still leave you with a ....to be delicate..." hardness problem. Benefiber is a gum and works differently)...and religiouslt increasing my daily fiber every meal. at breakfast , add a fruit. at lunch add a vegetable, and a tdinner be sure to follow veggies with a fruit dessert. So far , I have been very well for months.
Moogie

lvtwoqlt

I drink 10-12 oz of apple juice every morning and that helps keep it going.

rumoret

I drink Barley Grass (my greens) during the day. If I am really constipated bad....I take one teaspoon of mineral oil. I try to do that rarely and try to get my greens and fruit.

Terry

Coltsneck

I take a stool softener every day with my vitamins. Prior to chemo (finished last treatment a year ago) I never had a problem with constipation. Despite the passage of time, the problem still persists.

shorfi

Having problems again...took me about 35 minutes yesterday and that is after taking senekot (3 tablets) a day. This morning I feel miserable. I wish I REALLY knew what I am doing wrong...some people can just with EASE, and yet I suffer so much from this. I just went, but it was rough.

Anonymous

I take MoM and Senekot. MoM seems to make a difference for me.

Miss S

shorfi

But you take it everyday?

sharebear

I can relate to everyone. I've actually been in the emergency room after my mastectomy because of the added pain medication. I have had Irritated bowel syndrome with constipation for years. About 6 months ago they actually had to stop a colonoscopy because I was not cleaned out enough even after drinking all the "yummy stuff" they prescribed. I've tried it all. I was even on zelnorm which they took off the market because of heart issues (of course it actually worked). What I have found to work the best is taking 4 collace (stool softener) a day, eating oatmeal for breakfast and 5 dried prunes (one serving). If this doesn't work, I add 2 Phillips Milk of Mag. to the mix. Once you start going, you can usually cut the pills and stick to the prunes and the oatmeal.

Many people think that caffiene helps. It can also, hurt. caffience works as a diuretic which will dry it up and make it hard. Yes, water is essential.

Coltsneck

I'm definitely going to try the poopachino - only because I love the name!

moogie

Maybe if Starbucks would get on the case they could invent a tastier version with a kick of espresso. I defy any colon to stand firm in the face of such brew!!!
Moogie