I have been dealing with constipation for several years now, but it recently got much worse. For the past two weeks, I haven't been able to produce a bowel movement without the aid of laxatives or suppositories. I use Miralax every morning and take Linzess (290mg) once a day. I eat
a relatively healthy and high fiber diet and I exercise 3-4 times per
week.
Does anyone have any suggestions or advice?
I feel so bloated and gross. Trying not to overdo it on the suppositories/enemas because I do not want to become dependent, but I am running out of ideas to try!
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Jmhnath
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I dont have issues in this area but i know people that do. It sounds like you r seeing a gastroenterologist if you r taking Linzess? Have they tested you for Crohns?
I had a friend with both MS and Crohns that went thru similar issues u r describing.
I have an appointment to see a gastroenterologist on Monday and will ask about Crohns disease. I haven't been tested for Crohns before (that I know of).
Jmhnath,it's Fancy1959. I do not believe I have spoken to you before so I would like to officially welcome you to our extended family. You have found a safe place where do you can come and ask questions, voice concerns, and simply speak to others who truly understand what you are going through.
Now on to your question. I am my mother's daughter and I fought constipation most of my adult life. Finally, I have found products that relieve it through assistance from doctors at the Cleveland Clinic and others I have met over the past 5 years. One thing I would make sure you do to start with is to increase or add fiber to your diet. Go to the store and get a fiber product. They are often sugar-free and unflavored. You can get store knock off and they are just as effective as the big brand name such as Fiber One. You can add it to anything you drink and you will not taste it and it will not make your drink thick and gooey. I myself Take 2 tablespoons in drinks twice a day. In the morning I added to coffee or 2 milk and afternoon whatever I'm drinking even water will not have any taste to it with the fiber added.
The next product I turned to because I was having trouble sleeping well at night. My sister read an article and shared it with me and I added magnesium, with my doctor's approval, to my diet. A word of caution here, magnesium is the main product that they give you when you have a colonoscopy to clean you out, so be careful how much you take of it. Start out with the lowest dose you can find and perhaps even cut that in half. Then gradually increase the dose until you get relief. I am proud to say, after 50 plus years of being constipated, I now am as regular as clockwork. It's a miracle for me indeed!
If you have any other questions just reply back. I hope these two suggestions help you as much as they have helped me. Remember there is much we can learn from each other and we are glad you have found our chat room. As I tell everyone, remember together we are stronger!
Thank you for your warm welcome! This is a great online community and I am so glad that I found it.
Have you found fiber products to be more effective than getting fiber from food? I already get 40-60 grams of fiber per day from food, which is why I haven't tried fiber supplements.
Trying magnesium is a great idea. I also have trouble sleeping well at night, so maybe magnesium will be a twofer and help to solve both problems!
Jenna, growing up I always loved fruit and ate a lot of fresh vegetables that we grew. Nothing ever seem to help no matter how healthy I ate. The fiber we get from our foods depends so much upon their freshness. In off-seasons the fiber is just not as good as sometimes they tell us it is. It was when I had a stay at Cleveland Clinic that they put me on fiber. Since then I haven't stopped using it and it helped significantly.
And we also know Jenna that certain medications, painkillers, Etc can reek havoc with our bodily functions. It was when I add the magnesium to my diet to help me sleep better that I finally was able to become regular no matter what medicines I was on. So yes I do not depend on my diet to meet my fiber needs. Extra fiber in your diet, as far as I know, can not hurt you at all so what do you have to lose? Honestly though it was this magnesium that really turned the tide in my favor.
I hope this helped. If you have anymore questions just reply back to me. Take care until we speak again. Fancy.
Thanks Fancy. I modified my diet over the last week - more Whole Foods, dark leafy greens, and fruits and vegetables- and started taking magnesium, and I have already noticed an improvement, although there is still a ways to go. I really appreciate your and everyone else’s feedback and suggestions.
I had same problem, Doctor put me on Movantik and it helped but not completely 🤷🏼♂️ Changed from Tecfidea to Aubagio and back to normal 👍 So maybe it’s Youre medications 🤷🏼♂️🙏🐾🐩 Ken
Thanks Ken! I've never heard of Movantik, I'll have to ask my doctor about it. It definitely could be related to my medications. I started Tysabri in September 2014, and my issues with constipation started around the same time. Tysabri has been highly effective though, so I am hoping the two are unrelated!
A lot of my fiber came from popcorn and Halo ice cream. Admittedly not the healthiest of foods. I started modifying my diet with a focus on whole foods and more fruits and veggies. It seems to be helping so far.
Don’t count on your fiber to come from processed items - even when they list fiber, it’s essentially additives. Focus on natural items containing fiber. When you’re consuming those items at every meal and as snacks, you will see a difference.
Based on My own experience and a lot of reading and research I’ve done, I would not be surprised if fiber wasn’t the only issue, either. That’s another song and dance for another topic as I tend to get long winded.
Without much water preferably warm water, fiber products, and all the oats, nuts, seeds, certain fruits (like bananas) .... can constipate . Must drink plenty of water or decaffeinated drinks. Fruits, foods with high amounts grains, ... but make sure you get protein. I went to a nutritionist one time but must return because now I lose weight.
Prebiotics. Funny I was just thinking about telling y'all about the dinner I opted for but decided against it then the first thing that popped up was about constipation. . I was out if my mind a couple of months ago. Bloated feeling like I was being poisened. So started reading about prebiotics. I used to eat these probiotic foods all the time growing up. Sauerkraut pickled vegetables and craving salt. So these things helped. First I purchased Banana Bag for dehydration. It works. Then added the pickled vegetables. For dinner tonight I opted for a sauerkraut, pumpkin seeds, coconut water, prunes, cacao magnesium, blueberries, Greek yogurt and pear smoothie. For me it doesn't taste bad or good. I don't care it will help me. In the morning I i will drink the other half. If it works do whatever necessary. I also added miralax. I hope this helps as much as it has helped me . The Chinese eat kimche all day long....
Usually I would just eat a good portion of sauerkraut or pickled cucumbers but realized I wasn't feeling well and it was because I was constipated. My mother's maiden name is Kaiser and she grew up in the depression. She had three children then remarried and had one child and was told she couldn't have any more children. Seven years later here I came. 16 years between me and the first group. I know the prebiotic food sounds weird. I also added Bragg vinegar to my smoothies. But it really works.
Thanks for your suggestions! I started reading "Gut Bliss" by Dr. Chutkan and she is big on prebiotics. I've never been a fan of pickled anything, but I will try it if there's a chance it will help!
Thank you! I have a jar of kimchi in my fridge that has been there forever (it is probably expired now). Are there any simple recipes or food combinations that you go to for using kimchi?
Not really any recipes. I just use it as a side to whatever I’m eating and some things work together better than others I’ve found a simple pan steak or seasoned pork filet are the best along with your favorite vegetables. BTW I forgot to mention that Greek yogurt or yogurt with an active culture is also good if you aren’t too sensitive to milk products. .
Sorry to hear about your problem . Since I was young I have had a lazy bowel. The trouble is I am not a lover of Breakfast Cereals - except for porridge in the winter months and the odd Wheat Bix. Only trouble is all our crops are smothered with Chemicals so that is another reason why I stopped eating cereals. A GP told me once that I was allergic to Chemical Wheat. Many years later my naturopath told me to take 1 teaspoon of raw Linseed with a glass of water and a second spoonful with another glass of water. It worked like a charm about three days later - so I took it for a couple of weeks until I was regular - I was fine for a few of months and then I took it for a few days again of course everybody's metabolism is different. It was the best bowel medicine that I had ever taken. (The actual seed you can buy it at the Health Food shop) The constipation over the earlier years caused Diverticulitis. You would never want to suffer from it as the pain is terrible. They would always give me antibiotics to fight the infection in the bowel . I thought this has to stop so I decided to take Psyllium Husks. I added a heap desert spoon full to a milk shake just before I went to bed - the Milk adds a coating to your bowel and the Husks swell up and moved everything with it . I have never asked my Dr. for antibiotics since. So I know what to do now if it happen's again. Hope I have been of some help. Kind Regards
Thanks JMTS! Is Linseed the same as flaxseed? Is there a particular brand that you would recommend? Divertifcultitis sounds awful - I'm so glad to hear you found a solution that works for you.
Welcome, Jmhnath . We obviously talk about everything here! 😉 But it sure is great to be able to do so.
I take miralax every other day, Amitiza twice a day, and 300mg colace (generic) stool softeners daily. I love checking out at Costco with a large bottle of stool softeners and a double pack of miralax! But it sounds as though you are really having a rough time. I am sorry...
My only other suggestion is to make sure you drink lots of water. It sounds as though you are doing everything you can. Best wishes for relief. I hope the gastro has some answers for you. 💕
Stay away from caffeine and dairy products. Also i had to change the time I take Linzess like first thing in the morning. And wait the hour before eating anything. If you take a narcotic your gastrinologist May want you to try movantik. Good old enemas sometimes have to be taken periodically.. but go to your gastrinologist!! Drink plenty of fluids,. No caffeine or dairy products. Camomile hot tea!!!
Magnesium capsules work wonders like milk of magnesia
Thanks! I use liquid glycerin suppositories occasionally. They help some, but do not completely empty my bowels. Definitely increasing my water intake, although I also drink 1-2 cups of coffee per day. In the past, coffee has helped move things along. Milk of magnesia used to work for me, but not lately - not sure why. I am trying a magnesium glycinate supplement - keeping my fingers crossed it helps.
Hi there, i have had the same problem for just as long as you have. I started eating copious quantitys of romaine lettuce (could be any lettuce i suppose) lunchtime. Big ole salad, dinner time: big ole salad with sm amt protein (fish or chicken) , garbonzo beans in the salad mix as well. Lots of green tea. Sure enough, things started moving in a very short time- less than 2 days after start.. it was a matter of desperation for me ( very uncomfy). I feel almost normal but have found it is best for me to never skip on the the greens!! Good luck and best to you in the battle with the beast we call MS!! Eliz
Jmhnath Have you tried Magnesium Citrate? You should be able to buy it at Walgreens, Walmart of other similar pharmacies. I too share the same problem and just recently started taking Linzess, but I do find that even with that, I have to take Stool Softeners at night. and sometimes have to do the enema route. If you haven't already, definitely report this to your gastroenterologist. My research says 3 times a week should be ok with chronic Constipation, for myself, I'd be very ill at only 3 a week. Sounds like you are doing everything I also have done in the past. Do you eat Dried Prunes. They do help, with me if I'm really backed up, I eat 6-8 and it helps. Interesting that's the only thing my MS Neuro doesn't help with just says see the gastroenterologist. Best to you.
I know, right? My neurologist told me my constipation was likely unrelated to MS...until after a year of telling him it wasn’t going away. 😑 Thanks for your suggestion. I take magnesium gylcinate and it does seem to help, at least a little. I also started taking Isagenix Isaflush which has been surprisingly effective. It’s still tough to completely empty but it gets most of it out.
Sometimes when I am constipated I sit on a sturdy chair and lift one leg up to my neck about 10 times then switch to the next leg. It seems to help but watch your cheese intake. Also eat a Banana 🍌 that has some brown marks on the peel. Hope this helps a bit.
Yup I was in that situation once that time 2 bottles of Mg Citrate and 4L of golytely needed to clean me out. I’m a dr so I could write my own prescription for Golytely. Then I started my mg citrate tablet and colace 300mg, pm and citracal am with Raisin Bran for breakfast. Occasionally Clearlax.
I have this refining that I wrote about before but a friend w/chronic constipation recently started probiotics 100 billion daily. I added it and it has regulated me after a week - by daily or everother. Buy on amazon
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I’ve found a simple pan steak or seasoned pork filet are the best along with your favorite vegetables. BTW I forgot to mention that Greek yogurt or yogurt with an active culture is also good if you aren’t too sensitive to milk products. . 
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