Bowel habit changes

[edmonton]

Hi all, just wondered if anybody has had softer motions due to all the medication e.g. Steroids, Adcal, K2, magnesium etc. Plus loads of fruit and veg and little bread. Does all this add up to a looser bowel? Mine seems to be like this for the last 18 months of so after having PMR. Has anyone else noticed any similar changes? Had Pm r since March 2017 and down to 4mg now and feeling very well at the moment thankfully. Thank you

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Magnesium supplements have a laxative effect if you take too much at one time - they attract water into the gut and soften the stool. Think granny's Epsom salts! It is pretty well impossible to overdose on magnesium as a result. Loads of fruit an veg will help too - and a much healthier way to be that t'other!

[Yellowbluebell]

I have the same issue since lowering my carb intake. As I have had investigations for changes in bowel movements before I spoke to my gp and he was happy it is just the change in diet.

[edmonton in reply to Yellowbluebell]

Thank you all for the swift replies, something else I forgot to mention is that a year or so ago some research showed that eating 5 prunes a day helped to combat Osteoporosis and being Osteopoenia I have tried to do this (any truth in this i don't know) however, I'm aware that this doesn't help the soft motion problem!!!

[Rose54 in reply to edmonton]

Hi

Are the prunes dried

I was having 5 a day as thay are high in Potassium and yes thay do protect your bones.

I was advised to cut down to every other day as the Sugar content is very high .

At the present time trying to lose weight and follow healthy heart diet following Heart Attack .

[SheffieldJane]

Me too, yet inefficient if you get the drift.

[SnazzyD]

High dose Pred made things somewhat rushed each morning which settled with dose going down. However, magnesium and calcium do it too, as well as cystitis, so I take half a tablet every other day.

[Louisepenygraig]

I've been the opposite if anything! I've always suffered with constipation though and now I eat 5 prunes every morning and that seems to help, as well as possibly helping my bones too.

[Yellowbluebell in reply to Louisepenygraig]

I am lucky because although i have constipation at times the increase in fruit and now the seasonal garden peas have made going to the loo easier!! Eating plums has the same effect if people dont like prunes. X

[Blearyeyed]

All supplements and medications can have a laxative effect on your body in the first week or two of taking as you body gets used to the new regime.

Unless , you are get bowels doing the other extreme of course which also happens.

Basically , the stomach and bowels never get off Scott Free when you make changes in your diet and medication , it's the thing that helps process what you use.

If you are now eating " loads " more fruit and vegetables for you , that will definitely soften things , the fruit sugar content and additional fibre working on the system. Fruit like grapes , peaches , plums , citrus and pineapple definitely increase how much you go to the toilet , so do vegetables like sweetcorn , peas cabbage and some fresh beans.

Try bananas , avocado , raw vegetables like salads and vegetables with a dip.

You might want to give it a few weeks for the body to adjust and add some more protein and insoluble fibre to the diet to help reduce bowel issues , as long as the issue isn't give you pain or discomfort.

Those food changes could rebalance your digestion enough for you to continue the supplements you take at the current level.

If it very bad , or the problem is still continuing after the additional diet changes , you could reducing the dose of supplements like your Magnesium but not stopping it entirely.

[SheffieldJane]

Does anyone get episodes of anal pain? Lasting for anything from 20 minutes to an hour or two? Paracetamol and avoiding straining on the loo are the only remedies I have found. I haven’t had this symptom since pregnancy, now it happens every few weeks. It’s excruciating.

[Hidden in reply to SheffieldJane]

Sounds like "piles" - can be very painful. They can be herniated/strangulated (?) sometimes which is pass out painful.

[SheffieldJane in reply to Hidden]

I think they are spasms. The doctor says nobody knows what causes them. I think that along with other muscle issues they are linked with PMR/Pred.

[Hidden in reply to SheffieldJane]

I have​ had then with fibro/painkillers too. I just assumed those spasms were normal with constipation which I have had combined with the opposite for years.

[Noosat in reply to SheffieldJane]

Seeing PMR affects the muscles in the body, it sounds reasonable to me that it affects them internally in the rectum/bowel