Any suggestions for chronic constipation that I feel my husband has from his PD?

[madamebee]

[Hidden]

My mum suffers in this way and she was prescribed movicol.

[bluemoon17 in reply to Hidden]

Take a look at both your diets. Cut back on your red meats and eat light meats like chicken, fish and increase your fibre like all bran and seeds and nuts and fruits. I make a mean salad with mixed greens, mixed seeds with honeyed pralines, strawberries, blueberries and beets throw in some slightly cooked asparagus with a light berry dressing with a little goat cheese. Have it on its own or with your chicken thrown into it.

[superjanet]

My husband takes Movicol (or Laxido which is the same thing but cheaper) plus Fybogel every morning and a couple of Senna at night. All prescribed and together that lot just about keeps him going! This is very important as chronic constipation with PD can lead to irons retention. My husband has spent time in A&E with both at different times.

[isis6361]

In the uk we advice ten to twelve cups of fluid less tea and coffee exercise and movicol daily. 8 sachets to purge the bowel then one daily

[Hidden]

give him a small pot of probiotic yogurt for the next few days I find that works.

[JohnPepper]

Hi Desparate. I am not a doctor, only a long-term patient. I am of the opinion that the constipation is caused by the inability of the autonomic nervous system to regularly activate the muscles around the intesines, thus causing the stool to move down towards the rectum. This is a common Pd problem. What to do about it? I took laxatives for over 30 years, not know that I had Pd. When I developed a lactose intolerance problem, I had a colonoscopy, which revealed polips in my lower bowel, which the specialist said was caused by thr laxatives. He told me to stop taking laxatives and start eating more roughage and to drink more water. I did that and it did omprove, but not the way I would like it. I have recently learned, and I pass it onto you, that if we sit on the toilet at a regular time each day and concentrate on getting the bowel to work, while at the same time, gently massaging the anus, while pushing with the stomach muscles, the anus muscles relax and we can bring about a bowel motion. I have been doing this over the past twelve ,onths and hava had terrific results. It almost works every day this way, although the timing differs because of work pressures and travelling. Some times it stops altogether, maybe because I didn't drink enough water. Then, if after three days it has not worked, I take 2 or 3 Duphalac sachets of powders, which contains Lactulose. Itb then come backm into rhythm. I must also remind everybody that, because of the Pd we often don't get any message that our bowels are ready to work. This I call lack of 'feed-back' . It applies to other things like thirst, hunger, obstacles in our pathway and many others. In my book, 'Reverse Parkinson's Disease' I give many ways of dealing with several symptoms, other than taking medication. I am not against taking medication but it should be the last resort and not the first. I also am convinced that walking also helps to keep the bowels moving and makes up for the lack of muscle movements around the intestines.I believe strongly in using nature to deal with health problems. By that I do not mean all these off-the-shelf 'natural remedies'. Look at my website for a stack of information on dealing with Pd. It is at reverseparkinsons.net. Good luck.

John

[shasha]

hello desperate

i take acidophilus every day which has got me going fine !!

[HealthSeeker7]

I agree with many of JohnPepper's suggestions. I always look for the most natural cures for everything and think medication should be the last resort. I'm not a practitioner, but I've done lots of research over the last 4 decades. My whole family (4 generations) is healthy, even my husband in spite of his PD.

Here are my top suggestions for what you (and anyone else) can do to resolve constipation;

1) Drink lots of water and home-made fruit and vegetable juices or smoothies. Start and end everyday with a large glass of pure water and drink at least 2 litres a day.

2) Eat lots of fibre-rich plant foods (fruit, veg, greens, beans, legumes, seeds, nuts, whole grains) and reduce or omit fibreless animal foods (including dairy) from the diet. The proteins in animal foods can interfere with the uptake of PD medication anyway. (A richly flavoured tomato, veg and lentil stew served over mashed or baked potatoes is one of our favourites.) Make sure to eat lots of fresh plant foods too, like bowls of berries or fresh green salads.

3) Exercise as much as you can. A walk outside in the fresh air and sunshine (or even just daylight when its cloudy) can do many wonders, including lifting your mood, increasing your oxygen intake (oxygen is our number one need in life, and it is healing) and creating vitamin D on your skin. (We, on the whole, are apparently now deficient in vitamin D because we've been told to stay out of the sun or wear sun blocking creams! Animals know to spend some time soaking up the sun, just watch cats and dogs. We need our natural sun!) Exercise increases circulation of the blood, lymph and helps move your bowels.

4) Before going to the toilet, do some deep squats if you're able to. If not, sit on the toilet and rock forward as far as you can so your tummy presses against your thighs, then lean back as far as you can, and keep rocking back and forth like this slowly to help move the bowels.

5) If all else fails, try a colonic irrigation to clean out the bowels and consider having enemas at home when the need arises. You'd be surprised how many people have colonics and take home enemas - you can buy cheap re-useable enema kits online. But if you're too squeamish to do this, then consider taking an oral herbal colon cleansing programme that includes Cascara compound. Cascara is a herb that helps to stimulate the peristaltic action of the bowel (the involuntary contractions of muscles that cause food to move through your digestive tract).

My husband was diagnosed with PD 10 years ago and he began having problems with constipation a few years ago, but after following all of these suggestions he hasn't had the problem since. His PD nurse says he is one of the healthiest PWP she sees. She calls him her model PD patient.

I think that whatever keeps someone without PD healthy will also help someone with PD. The aim is to be as healthy as possible in spite of your PD.

I hope this helps someone else.

[Norton1 in reply to HealthSeeker7]

Hello Healthseeker7

Good advice from you as always. Thank you.

Regards

Norton

[bluemoon17 in reply to HealthSeeker7]

Healthseeker7:

Thank you for mentioning about the interference with the uptake and proteins. A lot of physicians do not tell you this. You are right lots of water, exercise and good nutrition. I have hired a personal trainer to come into my home once a week, three months has gone by and I have lost 20 pounds and 68.26 inches. This is the best I have ever done even going to a gym. I exercise 3 times in between her visits and I as of today starting to meal prep my meals for the week. Fish 2 times a week, turkey chili, beef once a week, lamb once a week, and then one junk food day. pizza and salad. All served with salad and more vegetables. 5 meals a day I eat. 3 full ones and two mini ones.

[Candles34]

My husband suffers badly. He has tried lactulose 3 x a day, senna 2 at night, Fibregel sachets and is now on 2 Docusate sodium twice daily, along with the lactulose. Still doesn't seem to help. He was recently in hospital for a minor surgery and they gave him an enema. (He can't keep suppositories in long enough!). Wow! I have never seen such a big motion. It blocked the toilet and maintenance had to be called in. I have also given him Movicol in the past with some success. Don't know why the doctor doesn't prescribe it. Perhaps we'll ask on our next visit.

[PatV in reply to Candles34]

I sympathize with your husband, having had this experience. My neuro says I have "visceral off" meaning when my meds wears off, my autonomic system in the gut stops. STOPS. So I have to focus on my diet. Seeing a GI specialist, nutritionist, PT for abdominal pain, massage therapist. I am on a low FODMAP's diet, plenty of fluid.. Sennoside recommended every day but the poor gut is trying to work and not succeeding, so I take it every other or every third day. Avoiding stress (ha) is helpful. 'Sorry can't talk to you today, I'm avoiding stress'. Not a bad idea for answering machine message

[landman]

Anal douche with warm water

[Hidden]

In Japan, they believe in 22 oz. at least of water, first thing in the morning before breakfast. The trick is to drink it ALL AT ONCE- it'll act like a flush, as it gets the muscles going plus everything JohnPepper and Healthseeker7 say! If you skip the routine, the constipation comes right back.

[soccertese]

i eat about 6 small prunes with every meal, drink lots of water and of course stay away from cheese, white flour products, animal protein. eat a lot of brown rice and vegetables but i think it's the prunes that help the most.

[froggatt55]

Hi madamebee

I suffered from constipation years before I was diagnosed 11 years ago - I think it was the earliest sign of Parkinson's - but no longer!!

I take 2 Senna tablets in the evening and a sachet of Laxido (Movicol) in a cup of water twice a day. I am actually prescribed 3 sachets a day - you can take up to 8 - but as I make myself a fresh fruit smoothie - Apple, Pear, Orange, Lemon and Blueberries - every morning to accompany my porridge, I finds that two sachets are enough '

I exercise daily and drink plenty of water

[Pandaman]

I bought a nutribullet 2 weeks ago ($100./ at wall mart) and have been drinking a shake--smoothy every morning! I always use 1 tbsp each flax,chia ,sunflower & pumpkin seeds& sometimes almonds. I add a small hand full of spinach , apple,banana, strawberries ,blueberries,carrots ect...Whatever fruit & veggies that I feel like . I have been using apple cider to thin it down ,you can probably use any tasty pure juice. After struggling for six months,this has done the trick for me! There are many combinations that could work. Adding prunes and or prune juice to the mixture could be the icing on the cake.

[srarndt]

Yes, there are a large quantities of suggestions in the search window, type in "Constipation"

[jernor]

Miralax (suggested by the urologist), Sunkist prunes in the can are very moist, lots of water. Constipation is a constant problem for my husband, who has had PD for over 20 years--all those drugs play havoc with the digestive system. Unfortunately, my husband cannot exercise due to spinal stenosis--awaiting lumbar back surgery--he cannot procrastinate any longer--the pain is so great and he does not want more drugs. Chiropractor

visits weekly, following spinal epidurals have not been effective.

[Jbcourcy]

I've used Miralax in the past but seems to really work for me is Smooth Move Herbal tea found in most grocery stores.

[kamair]

I take Normolax - works excellent, doesn't interact with my drugs, you never get used to it

recommened

[bidetsprayerman]

Most people are aware that you can use an enema to help with constipation but obviously you can’t do this every time. Another approach is to use a Hand Bidet Sprayer. Primarily used for cleaning up after pooping it can also be used to shoot a quick shot of water up the pipes. This helps get things looser and moving; fast, conveniently and without discomfort. It also works great the same way on the opposite problem of diarrhea. See bathroomsprayers.com.

[DeParkiePoet]

First find out if the meds are a potential causative co-factor, I eat a very fiber-filled diet, mostly vegetarian and have constipation infrequently, but when I do I eat a large organic carrot and the next morning the train is there on time, ( I move my bowels easier).

Bless you for your compassion and love...take care of yourself too

[margie]

Flax seed powder is very good to use daily on foods. Raisins,prunes, greens help. Raisin Bran cereal and shredded wheat seem to help. But if this is chronic, please tell the doctor. there is medicine to help.

[nuggets]

suggestion: flex seed soaks in hot water for 5 min. and drink it water and seeds, no more constipation.

Good luck

Nuggets

[bluemoon17]

I use magnesium powder before I go to bed. A little frit juice, hot water and 1 teaspoon of magnesium can use 2 teas. but for me 1 works. HELPS me sleep like a baby and helps with irregularity.