I’m desperately searching for answers. I have been dealing with severe chronic and sometimes debilitating constipation for 2 + years. It started after I stopped taking a high dose of SSRI antidepressants. Been working with a GI doc for over a year and have had every test done and tried every med. all the usual remedies barely work for me. I finally started to get better after re-starting an SSRI and also taking Motegrity. I began to have days, sometimes weeks where I feel great, although it’s always far from perfect and bad days here and there. This last week It’s gotten really, really bad again and nothing is helping . Day 6 of taking laxatives and lactulose and some days it helps, other days not and those are only a bandaid anyway. My Dr says it’s the worst case of IBS-C she has seen and she has never had a patient who developed it from quitting an SSRI so I have very few, if any, answers. It is ruining my life. I was always very healthy and active and I’m now in bed many days and not able to function due to the extreme discomfort .
Anyone out there with a similar issue ?? Thank you so much. This has been extremely difficult .
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Prettyflow
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fiborgel + fluids + exercise, even then its hard to pass, cycling helping me a lot, i can’t help you being low BUT get up and move around, buy and old tractor tyre and a baseball bat and keep walloping it, visualise it being a stool, best of luck Sligo
Thanks. I power walk daily and eat well and drink lots of water. Unfortunately it’s much more problematic than that since even strong prescription meds and over the counter meds some days do nothing for me
I asked the AI and it said..For severe and non-treatable constipation, a multidisciplinary approach may be necessary. This may involve the help of a gastroenterologist, a colorectal surgeon, and a pain management specialist. In some cases, medications such as laxatives or suppositories may be used to manage symptoms, although their long-term use can have adverse effects. Other options, such as biofeedback therapy or pelvic floor physical therapy, may help train the muscles involved in bowel movements. Surgery to widen the anal opening (anal dilation) or remove part of the rectum (anorectal manometry) may be considered if other options fail to provide relief.
Drinking lots of water isn't really necessary. Somewhat same as saying I get another oxygen. The water content of foods is fairly high even for foods you consider dry are least 50% water, the think with thirst is if you really need water you'll know, other than that it dilutes electrolytes among other things.
That said constipation is mostly dehydration, you can say its fibre, but humans colons shrunk as we evolved meaning we cant and don't have capacity to handle high values of fibre like most animals. I recommend plenty of magnesium and potassium, keep the salt low as that just easierly deplete the others
Hi I've been taking prucalopride for a few years now it's the only thing that worked for me all other laxatives gave me horrendous cramps. I only take it when I need it now as I'm currently on treatment for cancer so that can make me the other way. 😳
I've had chronic constipation for over 30 years and have to take a pair of suppositories daily to have any chance of opening my bowels. It took many years to discover (through reading an excellent bowel book) that all the fibre I was taking, particularly the herbal laxatives like Fybogel , were making things worse. Contrary to a lot of GP advice to eat more fibre. So giving up regular laxatives helped a lot. If I do get particularly constipated then a dose of Milk of Magnesia works. Having said all that, we're all different, there's not "one size fits all". I hope that you do get sorted.
I have had a sluggish bowel for decades due to a thyroid condition and surgery to my lower spine compromising nerves.
I tried all the laxatives, eating more fibre, eating less fibre, stool softeners, drinking more water, sprinkling magnesium citrate powder onto meals, etc etc.
The only thing I have found that helps, is eating 2 kiwi fruits a day and taking a probiotic called Alflorex. Kiwis contain inulin which is beneficial to the gut and the Alflorex I get are the chewable banana and strawberry ones. They don't need refridgeration and can be taken at any time of day.
I still need the occasional Laxido sachet to soften things up, but I'm a whole lot less uncomfortable than I have been for years.
I send my deepest sympathy. I now have an elongated floppy and twisted bowel and had chronic c . Very slow movement through the bowel. Doctors were of very little help. Dulcolax helped most, but lots of cramping. I then had an infected bile duct and had my gallbladder removed. I have buttered toast for breakfast, and the gall bladder releases bile to digest the fat resulting in a bowel motion, most days. Any IBS symptoms I had before are also reduced. It might be worth discussing with your doctor to check your bile flow.
Hi, I have diagnosed slow colonic motility which I believe came on as a result of taking ppi meds for 6 years. I also have very high methane overgrowth. As a result of dealing with chronic constipation for over 6 years I now have 2 colonic redundancies, a rectocele and enterocele. I hadca hysterectomy 2 years ago for initially fibroids, they discovered during the op I had endometriosis sticking my bowel and uterus together which had to be detached and adenomyosis. I have tried a lot of things over the years, I have to take movicol everyday and prucalopride, they don't work much at all. I'm low fibre, gluten and dairy free, have tried magnesium, probiotics, bio feedback and irrigation but still suffer. I am now in talks with my colorectal specialist about a temporary ileostomy so I can see if it will change my quality of life, at present I can't work or do the things I want to do because of this condition. I completely understand your frustration, have you had motility testing?
Hello, so sorry to hear how much your suffering with constipation. Like you, I’ve got IBS-C and found the only thing that seems to help is Milled Ground Flaxseeds.
I have porridge every morning, the sachet ones, and put a teaspoon to a tablespoon of flaxseed on the porridge. It does not look nice but you can’t taste the flaxseed when you’re eating it. When I first started using flaxseed, the tablespoon was too much so I put it down to 1 and a half teaspoon and that appears to be the right dosage for me.
I’ve also tried a few of the other products mentioned in other replies, the kiwi fruit being good but I found you had to be careful that they are not over ripe as it once gave me a bad stomach ache. I’ve also heard that Magnesium Citrate is good for constipation. I think it’s 310-320g for women but perhaps check with pharmacist or in a health food shop for right amount.
Hope this helps and you eventually find the right product to help you with your constipation.
It’s taken me 13 years to finally find something that is right for me. Take care.
Hi I’m so sorry to hear you’re struggling so much hopefully you’ll get lots of advice from this forum of fellow sufferers. I have had very stubborn IBS/C and slow motility for many years and sadly there is no magic cure it’s just a case of managing it as best you can. I’ve often found insoluble fibre very unhelpful it just bungs me up but soluble fibre is tolerated better. I currently take Prucalopride 2mg and Bisacodyl 5mg every night and sometimes use a micro-enema if necessary. It’s all trial and error I’m afraid. Wishing you all the best x
Thank you so much, I appreciate the kind words. I agree, it seems like it’s completely trial and error. I also am on 2mg prucalopride and I’ve been taking 10 mg bisacodyl lately every night. This week I have been eating a lot of fruit and less food overall and it seems to be helping. Strangely, enemas and suppositories never work for me, they just make me feel worse. Those antidepressants I was taking and then stopped really did a number on my gut , it’s unreal . Wishing you all the best as well!
Hi Prettyflow constipation is the worst, I suffered for years only going every few days and never feeling like I’d fully emptied my bowels, and having periods of chronic constipation where laxatives didn’t work. Now I take a probiotic every morning, have a tablespoon of chia seeds and flaxseeds with my breakfast, I also eat kiwi every day and find it amazing, I do think water makes the biggest difference as if I’m out and about for a day and don’t drink as much I’ll be constipated the next day, and I take magnesium supplements which were a game changer for me, apparently they help with motility of the bowel. I also took a greens supplement in water which made me very regular from the brand free soul, but I had to stop taking during pregnancy as it has some ingredients that aren’t suitable. I can’t wait to take it again! There is also one from Rheal foods called Clean Greens which has kiwi in it and I’ve heard it helps with bowel movements. I avoid oats, gluten and bran flakes as it seems my gut cannot digest them and I get constipated almost immediately after eating these things. High fat foods slow down bowel emptying to I would advise to avoid. When things were very bad I started having a spinach and greens smoothie every morning with wheatgrass. I added some banana pineapple and mango to improve the taste, it didn’t taste brilliant but it kept me regular! And I also went for a colonic around that time and the relief was incredible, I personally think it kick started my recovery from constipation. Please do research into it as there are risks associated with it. You could also try enemas. I’ve also heard deep breathing exercises can help to relax the bowel and a warm bath always works for me if I’m really backed up! Apologies for the information overload but you really do need to try everything as what works for one person might not work for another. Best of luck!
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