I am connected to a group of younger people with Parkinson's and find that many of them have poor digestive throughput. Constipation seems to be the byword of the group at the moment, but more importantly some have poor gastric emptying which affects their medication uptake.
Any ideas please? What works for you?
Not much works for me; everyone says oatmeal, flax seeds, mirapex, and salads but none of that helps me. I generally have to resort to a mild stool softener every 10 days or so.
miralax
Domperidone taken with meals has helped me.
Prunes or dried apricots.
First off mirapex caused me to gain over 40 pounds. I find that 100% grape juice helps keep me normal. Plus drink as much water as you can throughout the day, it will keep you hydrated and loose.
An apple a day.
Thank you for your suggestions, all the more the merrier!
I find greens help enormously and I mean those leafy vegetables like spinach, bakchoi, choysum and the like. Asian greens are the best - steamed, stirfried or made into curries with spices.
Since I have stopped taking Azilect I have been a lot better!
I take Probiotics before each meal and at bedtime, take two tbls coconut oil 3xday plus avocado, berries and lots of greens and water. It helps a lot.
I continually rotate things. Prunes in a small bowl of all-bran fiber cereal before going to bed helps put me sleep and take care of the problem. Figs are also a good laxative. Celery helps for awhile ( I suggest an omelet for breakfast with celery, onion, sweet peppers). Try two sticks of celery if you're really constipated.
No one will take me seriously when I reveal my secret - which is not a secret because I tell everyone. This has worked for me from day one. it's so simple and it works. Here goes...........I will be really happy if just one person will do this and let me know if it works for them. Drink 22 oz. of water first thing in the morning all at one time. Wait 45 min. before eating breakfast. Usually I will need to go to the bathroom even before breakfast. I've alwys eaten lots of fiber and my stools are soft - so it's not what I was consuming or not consuming. But due to PD, my muscles are compromised - so this FLUSH, just llike a backed up toilet, is what will do the trick. PLEASE try it and stop suffering, people!! It's called the Japanese water diet.
BTW - don't write back if you're just going to ask about scientific backing, or just evaluate it with your opinions - just do it - it's only water. I'm guilty also of jumping from one thing to another, when all it takes sometimes, is just to stick to something and just do it. like exercising for one - am sick of talking or thinking - gotta just do it - everyday. On days that I forget and don't drink the water in the morning - I will start to get constipated that day....simple as that.
I tried it. Day three. It really works. Thank you!!!!
Yay - I'm so happy for you - Congrats! It's a little thing - but it's a big life changing thing for me to be able to feel comfortable for the rest of the day. Good for you VLRoark . I'm not a disciline person, but this is one thing I do that's a priority!! lol
Mind you, it's rather minimal movement, but movement nonetheless ... thanks again..
Hi. I have had constipation for as long as I can remember. My first Pd symptom started in 1963 and it was soon followed by the constipation. I have battled with this, taking senna, over the counter meds, but very soon they did not work! Pardon the pun. To cut a long story short, I found that my real problem has been that my body does not tell me that my stomach wants to work. If I don't get the message, I don't go to the toilet. I have found that if I sit on the loo at a certain time every day and first try to get it to work. Then if it does not work, which it sometimes does, I Take a wad of folded-up toilet paper and gently massage the muscles around the anus. This causes them to relax and bingo, it often works very well. Doing this routine every day, has got it working pretty regularly.
We know that our major problem is that the brain is not passing messages to our muscles propely, and this is one more example of that problem. I now do not need to take any medication for it and it is a pleasure. I still don't get the messages, but I have the routine.
Good luck!
John
John,
I've always tended to be the other way around so for me a bit of constipation is wonderful. Up to a point that is, you can have too much of a good thing.
I was just wondering if you have tried beer, preferably in quantities greater than you might want. Or any alcoholic drink for that matter.
My drinking career has always been disadvantaged by the laxative effect of beer. So just wondered if you have had this experience?
Hi Pete-1
I have not drunk much in the way of beer for the past 50 years. I tend to be overweight and resist the temptation to drink beer. I do like to drink a glass of wine a day, but I don't think that has any affect on the Pd. It is a s case of 'Mind over matter. If you don't mind it doesn't matter'.
Regards
John
Hey John, that lack of beer over the last 50 years could be exactly the cause of your problem - well you never know for sure. lol ?
Hi Pete-1. You are probably right. They should investigate the natural benefits of hops. It mightr be the cure we are all looking for. At least, the waiting will be a lot easier, because the time flies when you are full of hops.
Regards
John
John,
Did you notice in the media there was a story about PD )probably a good year ago, being linked to an industrial solvent Tri-chloroethyline (SP?) or Genklene as a trade name.
its just that I was exposed to this stuff for something approaching 3 years about 25 years ago. Does make you wonder although that can be only one of many possible factors - who knows?
Hi Pete-1. It makes us all realize that chemicals should all be approved by your Food & Drug Administration control board. I have read somewhere that that is controlled by big pharma anyway, but who knows? We just pays our money and put our trust in others. Did you work with Genklene?
Regards
John
I worked as a Laboratory Technician for what was then known as the "British Steel Corporation". In the Lab. where I spent most of my time there was always some Genklene floating about. I used the stuff quite a lot. It was used to clean gunge of samples of steel (or whatever) after those samples had been ground flat and polished with diamond paste. Also Isopropyl alcohol (SP?) was used a lo for the same purpose. I once dropped a glass container containing something like 2 or 3 gallons of the stuff. Yes it did shatter leaving a large puddle with me sat in the middle of it.
This was an area where smoking was allowed too.
It took quite a while to dry out even though it was a warm sunny day.
Hi Pete-1. I think you were taking the name Genklene very literally, when you decided to sit in it! I thought for one moment that you were working in the lav with the Genklene! We all make mistakes! Have you thought of approaching British Steel Corp. for some compensation for this unfortunate accident? I suppose you would have to prove that the Genklene was responsible for your Pd?
I put my Pd down to having 8 teeth filled in one year with amalgam, which has high levels of lead and mercury. Can you imagine still using that type of filling, knowing that it is so toxic? It makes you wonder if the medical profession really are being professional in matters like this.
Kind regards
John
It was the alcohol I dropped.
My father was a dental surgeon for 40+ years. He maintained that he was exposed to the the amalgam metals for all that time with no ill effects. He died at the age of 87.
Pete-1.
You are meant to drink alcohol, not swim in it. Amalgam does not cause any problems touching it, but in the mouth it has an entirely different effect. My levels of mercury were very high, before I had the fillings removed.
John
I agree with you John,, about getting the message and the routine. It's really important. I think the big glass of water triggers the the muscles to start working, because that's the message - it needs the carrier to go along with it.
Hi allnarural. It has taken a while to respond to this. My understanding is that if our fluid levels are lower than a certain level, our system takes water out of the gut, which then makes the stools hard and difficult to pass. Perhaps someone out there can tell us exactly what happens!
Regards
John
Well the kidneys regulate the amount of water in the blood eliminating any excess by filling the bladder. If on the other hand you are dehydrated then excess water in the large intestine and maybe the rectal part of the intestine too can allow water to be re-absorbed into the blood stream thereby maintaining a balance. Rather short on detail but that is the general idea. And so the result can be hard stools as John said.
Thanks Pete-1. I am glad we have some real experts looking at this forum!
Regards
John
Excellent advice from Allnatural! Water. I love it already.
Yay Zena67! and not just water, but at least 22 oz all at one time for the FLUSH effect first thing in the morning!!
I was wondering Allnatural if you are truly all natural in managing your PD or are you taking meds?
Try warm water of same volume and you hardly have to wait for action!
Flax seed powder works quite well for most people.
i find d prunes at nite work g8 4 me and loads of water durin the day
Hi ftadh. I agree with this. I take 3 prunes a day, soaked in hot water the day before. It works! Pardon the pun.
Regards
John
I've heard that strawberries are very good. Just go straight through the system.
In answer to Zena67's question about my AllNatural name. I started on this site when i had just decided to give mucuna pruriens a try - so I was excited about the outcome and needed name for this blog aat athe same time. Up to then, I had been on 2 Sinemets 100/25 .x3 Now I take 7.5 g Zandopa +1/2 Sinemet 100/25 x 3. So I'm not 100% when it comes to PD meds. but, I am trying to cope w/ naturals supplements like turmeric, coconut oil, magnesium, etc. I think I still need the 1/2 Sinemet to help dopamine to cross the BBB.
Hi allnatural. You are still pretty well tanked up on meds aren't you! Am I correct in thinking that you have reduced the quantity of levodopa meds since you started the mucuna pruriens? If so, what were the withdrawal effects? I am keen to know what happens when patients slowly reduce their levodopa meds. Do they go rigid or do they slow down?What happens? I would assume that if anyone started doing energetic walking, at the same time as starting to cut down on the levodopa, the walking would make up for the lower dosage. Who has tried this?
Regards
John
Hi John, I had no problems switching from sinemet to Zandopa. I was able to sustitute the Zandopa brand mucuna ( except for the 1/2 Sinemet for helping the mucuna cross the BBB) from day one. So the only PD meds I am taking now is the 1/2 Sinemet 3x daily. That's 1 1/2 of a 100/25 mg Sinemet total per day!
Hi allnatural. Sounds good to me! Do you do any energetic walking? If not, you are missing the opportunity to start reversing your Pd. It is a slow process, but at least it is going in thr right direction.
Kind regards
John
We seem to have moved away from the target audience's needs!
I developed a new cereal bar which makes eating fibre a more convenient and trendy thing to do. You can see BAR15 on e bay. It lets you get the fibre you need without the extra fat, salt and sugar/syrup/sweetener you can do without! This means it is low cal too! Eat a cereal bar like this with a drink and the fibre will swell up and help your digestive system clear itself out.
Sharon
For me, the constipation is the result of compromised muscles and nerves because of PD. I don't have a problem with keeping the stool soft, but it's a problem with expelling. I think constipation problems for a lot of us is not lack of water or fiber - although that's important for keeping the stools soft. I think its the physical function that's impaired - much like urinary incontinence. So, the large amount of water first thing in the morning is what I need to help with this function, because I seem to need this FLUSH for my system. Anyway, if I don't do it, I get constipated and if the stool is held longer than a day (for me) then, it does start to get hard! I think deep breathing helps keep the muscles working as well. PD affects everything, but solving this problem with constipation is very important in our battle with PD progression. I do appreciate John Pepper encouraging us to exercise!!! We should concentrate less on our drugs, and more on what nature can do for us that's good for us and FREE. But we have to do it - breathing, exercising, eating right and getting rest.
Hi allnatural. Thanks for all this good input. You are quite right, constipation is a combination of the physical problems expelling the stool and keeping it soft. I just can't keep my system regular. It works well for a few days and then it goes off at a tangent. All the food input remains fairly constant but the output varies. More info on this subject would be highly appreciated.
Regards
John
Hi John, Have you tried the 22 oz. of water all at once in the morning, and then waiting 45 minutes before eating breakfast? For me, it's the only thing that has worked. I had problems for years ( diagnosed with PD 12 yrs. ago ) with constipation. But for 3 years now, since I started doing this regimen in the morning, I have had no problems. But, like I said, no one wants to believe me, because it's so simple and it's free. But, you should seriously try it - nothing to lose... except extra bulk that you don't need to be carrying around for the rest of the day! lol
Hi allnatural. Yes! I drink a large glass of water as soon as I get up in the morning. Every second day, I walk 7 kilometres and then drink another large glass of water. I perspire a lot, so I use up a lot of that water. However, I still have the problem on and off with constipation. I have tried very hard to pin it down, but there is no obvious cause of this variation. Walking is very good for constipation, and with the amount that I do, I should have no problems at all!
Thanks for your input.
Kind regards
John
How do you grow mucuna pruriens? 
How do you define "Cure"?
How many hours do you sleep? 
How do you deal with gastroparesis?
How does anyone overcome anxiety due to Parkinson’s
