Tips for constipation

[Hashiboy]

Hello, I'm on T3 only. I was struggling with palpitations so my new endo and I reduced my dose drastically to double check I needed thyroid meds. My TSH zoomed up to 12 so I've now begun to slowly build up my dose of T3 again little by little. One hypothyroid symptom that returned on a lower dose was constipation. I hope this will resolve on its own once I get get back to an effective dose. In the meantime can anyone please give me their best recommendations for managing constipation - I've never really struggled much with this before ☹️

[Regenallotment Ambassador]

I’ve found vitamin C as ascorbic acid granules (half a teaspoon in a pint) works, I only need to do this twice in one day to get things moving.

You might need to repeat. But at some point you will get gurgling. I read about vitamin C to bowel tolerance in Dr Sarah Myhill’s book. She says you can go up to 5g or something.

Others recommend magnesium citrate, do you take that already?

Good luck 🌱

[Hashiboy in reply to Regenallotment]

Thanks so much for that Regenallotment

[Hidden]

If you look on my profile I have a thread on this very same question! I had loads of brilliant responses.

Magnesium and prunes in my smoothie everyday is what helped. Plus laxatives BUT it all seemed to work at the same time and it was unpleasant.

[Hashiboy in reply to Hidden]

Thanks Hidden it's been a week since I've pooped so I'm keen to get things going. TMI I know

[Hidden in reply to Hashiboy]

It was day 12 before I finally went. It was brutal. You have my every sympathy.

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[Hashiboy in reply to Hidden]

😱😱😱

[Hashiboy in reply to Hashiboy]

Hidden after a bought of stomach trouble in South America I accidently took too much immodium....I think that was about 12 days so I'm now having flashbacks.

[Hidden in reply to Hashiboy]

Luckily for me, I'd been taking the 'stool softener' laxative as well as the 'transit' ones, completely by accident, so the end result was less erm... difficult (!) than I'd anticipated but I've never known stomach pain like it.

Best of luck to you!! 🍀🍀🍀

[Brightness14]

I have no gallbladder and take lactulose. It is gentle but it works. I have been taking it for 17 years now.

[Hashiboy in reply to Brightness14]

Thanks Brightness14

[Hidden in reply to Brightness14]

Brightness, what is the significance of the gallbaldder, please?

[Brightness14 in reply to Hidden]

Bile is made in the Liver then it's transferred to the gallbladder where it is stored and dripped into the small intestine to help break down fat from food.

When you have no gallbladder you have no storage, instead the liver drops the lot into the small intestine. This sometimes causes problems with constipation.

Mine was very unusual it was full of calcium stones, caused by a very low vitamin D. level.

[Bilka]

Hi, few dried dates every day helps to maintain bowel regularly. Does the trick for me. Normally I get them from Sainsburys.

Prefer syrup instead,

date syrup isn't just a holiday treat. Its everyday uses are infinite. Consider drizzling it over a bowl of ice cream, oatmeal, yogurt, French toast, pancakes, or even savory bites, like a grilled cheese sandwich. If you're making a batch of homemade granola, sub date syrup for light brown sugar or honey. Swap the corn syrup /maple syrup/ chocolate /caramel for date.

, Hope that helps.

[Hashiboy in reply to Bilka]

Thanks very much @Bilka they all sound delicious

[BreatheHelen]

I empathise as it's a chronic problem I deal with too. To ease the problem, I use an auyvedic herb called triphala. It comes in capsule or powder form. Taken daily it helps a lot. The powder can go in smoothies, porridge, soups etc.

Also, two carrots daily, lightly cooked or raw, and some tinned prunes daily also help me when constipation is bad, usually due to my taking co codamol for migraines.

I find these methods work best for me as opposed to the constipation pills I used to take nightly.

[Hashiboy in reply to BreatheHelen]

Thanks BreatheHelen for the tips. I’ve only had this problem since my reduced T3 tipped me back into hypo symptoms. I’m hoping to get back to my usual regular self once I back up to an optimal dose. In the meantime it was brown rice and chickpea curry for dinner and fingers crossed. I love prunes so I’ll try to track some down. I agree with you I’d rather not get dependent on laxatives.

[humanbean]

There are lots of constipation remedies available in the UK - lots are listed on this link :

bnf.nice.org.uk/treatment-s...

It also contains links within the text to information on the constipation remedies available.

If you look at the "Medicinal forms" on that link and then look at the individual options on the link you can open click on "Show".

If you see POM in a rectangular box it means "Prescription Only Medicine".

If you see P in a rectangular box it means it can be bought from a Pharmacy with the approval of a Pharmacist without prescription.

If there is no POM or P it means that theoretically it can be bought anywhere.

I have problems tolerating many constipation remedies and tend to use one for a while then switch to another one, when necessary.

My current one is sodium picosulfate which I buy from pharmacies and use in very small doses - much smaller than the dose given on the bottle. :

bnf.nice.org.uk/drugs/sodiu...

[Hashiboy in reply to humanbean]

Thanks very much for the detailed advice. It’s an unpleasant symptom of hypothyroidism but I can’t re bear a doctor ever mentioning it as something to be aware of.

[Brightness14]

Tinned prunes from the supermarket too, in syrup.