Embarrassing question...

I can't believe I'm asking this, but I'm getting a little desperate.

I have been constipated for the last several days, and I've had a problem with constipation on and off for the last several weeks...

It never used to be a problem before, especially around my period, but now? It stinks!

Any one have any suggestions or even recommend a good GENTLE laxative? Something's got to give here or I'm going to burst!

i take haldol and it constipates me so i have added a stool softener to my med regimine to stay regular.

its not a laxative but it works every time for me. i take a swig of maalox and it cleans me right out by the next morning.

good luck

Hi Hope-Full,

Sorry you're having to go through this. I think that taking just a stool softener (Colace, Docusate, Fleet, etc.) should be all you need. It is non-stimulant and works by drawing water from your body into the intestines, softening the stool and relieving your problem. If you want to try a non-medicated route to begin with, start with more water. If your intestines are "dry," it's gonna be hard for them to push things along. Also, I know it's cliche, but prune juice, prunes and even dried apricots may help. An increase in fiber works well too, but needs lots of water for "lubrication" during passage.

I apologize, I'm full of random bits of information... Remember that items that containing caffeine tend to have a dehydration effect, so you may wanna steer clear or again ... drink more water.

Prunes is a winner!

Me thinks I'll have to make a run for some prunes I know I don't drink enough water, so that has got to be part of it, I hope. I know things are shifting cause I've never been a big water drinker but things always worked well in the digestive area until now!

Someone suggested Senna, so I will look into that too, as it's an all natural, vegetable based product? Dunno, but at this point, bring on the IV water and anything else that will help!

Good ideas on various ways to not get constipated. I will only add that if you need a relief now, use an enema.

It is not good for your health to be constipated, though so many people are chronically so, that the AMA adjusted their definition of normal frequency of bm to once every 3 days - frigging unbelieveble! Twice a day is best, and we used to know that.

And just as an aside, I did not find your question embarassing, nor would be embarassed to ask such myself. I don't believe there is anything inherently embarassing in any aspect of reality. But we've created weird social stories and great many people are embarassed or repulsed by normal body functions. Personally I find "embarassed" a totally useless emotion. It is a trained reponse to "what may they think" , a result of a form of brainwashing. You know not too long ago, girls were advised not to engage in sports or any vigorous activity because that could make them sweat, and that would be soooooo embarassing. Now we reduced that to a small area underneath the arms. It's good for several big businesses, not so good for us to be using antiperspirants, but embarassment is a powerful tool.

I once looked at a dog, doing what dogs so love to do - sniffing butt, and experienced a common human reaction of revulsion to that ("how can he do it? it's disgusting!") But what does a dog think? Does he sniff rear end because it is a pretty smell to him, like roses are to us? Probably not. And I realized a little truth. To a dog smell is not one enormous palette of judgments as it is to us, instead it is one enormous palette of information. Data, that's all. Some useful, some useless, but he takes it all. With his sensitive nose the dog will learn a lot about the animal or person whose butt he sniffed, and you know dogs can be trained to pass on some of that information to us, or as we humans like to say "trained to sniff out a disease", right? I found this little reflection also useful at comprehending a difference between discernment and judgment.

Take care of your bowel.

Senna can be a very strong herbal laxative. Try psyllium husks and flaxseeds first (gelcaps, or powder the kind you mix it with fruit juice).

If you can find Activia yogurt, it really helps regulate the digestive system. Try eating it every day for a week along with drinking water. i hate water too but it makes a big difference. I also eat ground flax seed that you get in the organic section - you can put it in the yogurt or in oatmeal which can help too.
I would definitely go with a stool softener over a laxative but if you're long overdue, get Senekot, take it at night, go to bed but make sure you don't need to be anywhere for the next morning because you will be in the bathroom for a while. It's not pretty but it will empty you out!

The generic version of Miralax is good. MD told me to use it, and it never causes cramps. I mix it with Gatorade. It has practically no taste.

Another great product is in the tea section of the grocery store. It's called "Smooth Move." You make it just like tea. It's active ingredient is Senna. I brew it 25 minutes to make it stronger. This stuff is fantastic. Effective, without cramps. However, it is a stimulant, and stimulants all have the potential to make you dependent on them. That's why doctors prefer the Miralax. But the Senna tea works faster if you need quick action.

I definitely second that Activia yogurt! Take the 14day challenge! Lol. And it tastes so yummy!!

Hey, I've had this problem ever since I was kid! Here are some wonderful things I do when I get in a rut.
1. Prunes ( A favorite, prune juice too)
2. Peppermint tea (Really good to rid the non 'a-go-go's' cramps)
3. Coffee
4. Metamucil ( Its really good to make sure you have a lot of fiber in your diet, its a winner to make your bowels regular again!)
5. Water.Water.Water! ( Warm water is reallly good)
6. Yoga or any form of exercise.

I hope I helped.
-Sam

Thanks everyone for all the ideas! I love the idea of Activia, but I'm having some trouble with dairy these days (which actually could be part of the issue itself!) so I'll tuck that one in my back pocket for later on.

I used to be a very "regular once a day" person, this every 3ish days is killer! I can't believe people live like this all the time! Wow!

I'm adding in prunes (eww) and the tea to start, and will go from there!

Believe it or not, coffee and watermelon are both good for constipation. (Not necessarily together, lol!) They both have fiber and a high water content.

The old thinking was that every 3rd day is good enough, and nothing to obsess about. Well, as a professional in healthcare I can tell you that the thinking has changed. Just watch Dr. Oz, if you want confirmation.

The NEW thinking is that we should be going, at least once daily! If we're not, we need to do what it takes to get there, while minimizing stimulants.

Prune juice might be easier than eating actual prunes, just because you can gulp it down quickly- it's also easier to drink it warm. My dr told me last fall to try drinking "Juicy Juice" - he gives it to his kids when they have these issues.

Have you changed your diet recently? Before I was a vegetarian, basically my childhood, I was... wait for it... once a week. At the least. But now its every day. Occasionally 2 days. Try changing some things in your diet if this becomes a (excuse the pun) regular thing. For example brown or wholemeal bread instead of white bread, or looking in the health food section of the supermarket for a 'fibre cleanse' which is basically ground up high fibre seeds like flax seeds. You can sprinkle it over food like cereal. Just dont add it to food while you are cooking as Ive made the mistake of doing, cooked flax seeds create a gel with is repulsive to eat. I made the mistake of adding it to a soup I was cooking, it was like eating mucous. *shudder*. Though if you boil flax seeds on their own, the gel does make a really good natural hair gel!

My diet really hasn't changed that much, I'm dealing with some allergy issues and have lost interest in food in general, but I'm still eating pretty much the same thing that I've been eating for the last two years (two years ago I had to go gluten free). I've been a vegetarian for 15+ years, and even then I was still very regular, so this is rather perplexing!

Hey Hope-Full
I'm gluten free too for about two years. Do you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity? If so, it might be related to that. things can change inside as you heal. Making your body respond differently to the same foods.

So have you, uh, gone yet?

Hey all... no, um, movement yet, but I am hoping things will move along today... sucking down as much water as I can this morning, so we'll see...

I have quite a few food allergies, gluten being one of them. It really sucks, but I'm getting much more used to it. It isn't easy, and I rather hate food these days, but whatever, right?!

Hi Hope,

Two years ago, I got into a situation like yours after taking narcotic pain killers for a dental abscess. I ended up going to Urgent Care. The Doc there said I was at the stage where I probably needed to go to an emergency room. "Why??" I asked him. He said that I was going to need morphine to be able to tolerate the pain of what lay ahead. That sounded far-fetched, so I went home and tried various approaches.

That very night, I DID end up going to an emergency room. They told me to just go home and drink Citrate of Mag. and use Dulcolax suppositories. I ended up in horrendous pain.

A day later, I went to a different emergency room at a University Hospital (a teaching hospital) where, praise Heaven, the DID know what to do. They told me the Urgent care MD was correct. So they obtained IV access. (Put an IV deal in my arm.) Then they brought in "LACTULOSE" in little one ounce containers. They said drink one container of Lactulose every hour, or even every 45 minutes, if I wanted. After 2 hours the pain was bad, and I felt dry heaves. (Hadn't eaten in days.) I called for help. They knew just what to do. They shot some morphine up the IV portal and, also, some anti-nausea medication. WHAT A BLESSING! The pain and sick feeling completely subsided, and that allowed me to continue slugging down the shots of Lactulose. Eventually, I was just fine and walked out of that emergency room starved and had my sig. other take me to a diner.

The reason I share this is because it's good to know what is a protocol solution formulated at a teaching hospital. I say that, in case you end up in an emergency room like the first one I went to, where they - literally - did not know what to do.

Good Luck!

Thanks for the info Rose, I was really worried that I might be headed in the same direction - but finally today - success! Hoping this is the beginning of a very "regular" routine

Thanks for all the ideas everyone - I've saved them in case this situation arises again!