An interesting observation about anxiety and constipation

[Rebtar]

I've had increasing trouble evacuating, but I've recently discovered something interesting that may or may not be useful to others. I hope it will.

I use vitamin C and magnesium citrate to help the process along, but even with that, I found I was having trouble and that made me feel --- STRESSED, ANXIOUS. I would focus on the act, wait, and it wouldn't happen, and I'd end up hurrying the process and using force which is not good on many levels.

Recently I discovered by accident that if it's time to go, I've eaten my morning steel cut oats with many additions, taken my magnesium citrate, it's an hour or two after and I don't feel an urge.

If I sit on the pot and attend to something else like writing an email or reading something interesting, suddenly things will move along as they should and I even feel a complete evacuation instead of partial as happens when I strain. I'm not there yet in that I always remember to do this, but I'm working on it.

I think this may apply to other issues as well, like digestion and meds working optimally. Anxiety and stress are not our friends.

[Gymsack]

do not be surprised if your doctor / neuroligist does not seem to believe you when you talk about pain associated with PD and also tremors ,cramps and problems with internal muscles. The text books used in their education were very clear, that there is no pain associated with PD and the problems they should be interested in are movement or 'motor symptoms '.

The 3 types of muscle tissue are cardiac, smooth, and skeletal. Cardiac muscle cells are located in the walls of the heart, and are under involuntary control. Smooth muscle fibers are located in walls of hollow visceral organs (such as the liver, pancreas, and intestines), and are also under involuntary control. Skeletal muscle fibers occur in muscles which are attached to the skeleton. They are under voluntary control and it is the relationship between the brain and these external muscles that they are unfortunatly mostly interested in.

I find that if i take medication on an empty stomach that I will expieriance what you describe as cramping like pain in the bowls. And if I am late on a doss of meds my legs will cramp (every muscle on both legs) leavadopa quickly chewed and swollowed with a large glass of water is the only relief and it takes about 10 minutes.

I used to take Carba/ levadopa (1) 25/250 every (4) hours which produced extreme highs and lows and I now take (2 ) 25/100 every (3) hours and it works much better. I have found that I Can not rely on receiving any message telling me that I need to have a bowl movement and after several days I am ready to explode and very constipated . I have to sit down and relax , take a hot coffee with me and there should be no hurry . After a few minutes the brain becomes interested and starts working with the bowls and its involuntary muscle .

my stupid brain will also tell my urinary system just after I think about maybe finding a washroom that it is OK to urinate NOW .

[Rebtar in reply to Gymsack]

thanks, but more than a day for me is quite uncomfortable, and unfortunately coffee doesn’t agree with me!

[1LittleWillow]

Have you ever tried a Squatty Potty or just something like a box to put your feet on to get your knees up? You just sit there are relax (as you recommended), and it's pretty amazing how well it works to facilitate easy and complete evacuation.

[Dap1948]

A tip from yoga. When I wake I fold my right knee to my chest and hold it while I come to. Then I swap and pull my left knee to my chest. I’ve got the radio on by now and am slowly coming round! Then both knees to my chest. You can stay in this position until you feel the urge… or if time is short, stay as long as you can.

[Rebtar]

I would try but that position irritates my sciatic nerve. What I’m doing does seem to work! Thanks Daph!

[kaypeeoh]

What seems to work for me is the squatty potty plus Motegrity plus one bisacodyl cap. I take the Motegrity at bed time and take the bisacodyl at dinner. Next week I go to a PT for 'bowel training'. I'd gone through something similar, basically probes in the colon after swallowing a smart pill. I asked if this was probes up the arse again but she said no, she uses her finger. I'm scheduled for ten sessions but since the Motegrity and squatty potty seem to be working I'm not sure I need fingers up the arse.

[Rebtar in reply to kaypeeoh]

Good for you! For me, the less I concentrate on trying to go, the more my peristalsis does its job. Kind of like insomnia and sleep -- if you're trying to sleep, it doesn't happen!

[bullet65]

restoralx once or twice a week works for me.

[Autumn56]

My husband has been on cascara sagrada bark for years. It's very effective and not habit forming according to herb doc Dr. Schultz.

[Astra7]

good advice.

When I’m waiting I think of Kramer from Seinfeld.

‘I’ve got no peristalsis’!!

[slimweiss]

If it comes to this, my husbands trainer recommended Fleet enema. He was terribly impacted and I won't go into detail but let's just say, mother's giving birth and changing diapers helped! He just could not pass the stuff. So we tried the enema and bingo! He was cleared. Miralax helps too and he hasn't had that issue since the enema a couple of weeks ago.

[kaypeeoh]

I understand there are standing tables where a laptop can be added. I guess a toilet with a laptop can't be that difficult.