most recent 30 from http://paleohacks.com 2013-05-22T15:50:12Z http://paleohacks.com/feeds/question/157066 http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/rdf http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help Nancy 2012-10-21T01:34:17Z 2012-11-02T04:06:24Z

<p>Hi Good People,</p> <p>26 years now, and I have been having terrible life with this horrible constipation. It has gotten worst for last 1 year or so. For weeks and now...even for months, I can't get solid waste out of my body. I don't remember my last trip to female restroom. I tried everything...controlling diet, taking oral pills, not eating anything for days, but nothing seems to work. Is it because I am a woman, I mean my gender that has to do with this constipation thing? Please please help me. Last night, I had to put fingers into my throat so that I could throw up and release extreme pressure in my poor belly.</p> <p>Please help...I see GOD in you guys!</p> <p>Miss Nancy</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help/157067#157067 nursling 2012-10-21T01:53:43Z 2012-10-21T01:53:43Z

<p>I would look up the GAPS diet if I were you and start on the into diet immediately. start making and eating nothing but bone broth</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help/157069#157069 dmi 2012-10-21T02:03:52Z 2012-10-21T02:03:52Z

<p>You should definitely go to the doctor if you have such severe constipation! Who knows what could be the reason, and it is certainly not because you're a woman.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help/157072#157072 Renee 2012-10-21T02:40:33Z 2012-10-21T02:40:33Z

<p>I also think, if you really haven't had a proper BM in months, there is probably a lot of impacted fecal matter in there. The longer it stays in your body, the more hard and dried out it gets (as your body absorbs the liquid), so the harder it is going to be to pass. That's why constipation can have a snowball effect. I'm thinking your first course of action should be a series of colonics to get most of that old stuff out of there. Then the probiotics and fat etc in your diet can actually have some impact. </p> <p>I've suffered from severe constipation as well, so I speak from experience. </p> <p>Also, start squatting with your feet on the toilet to have a bowel movement. And also squatting on the floor when you want to go, i.e. right after breakfast, to get your bowels going. I hang out in squat, sipping tea and reading the news on my laptop, every morning. </p> <p>Abdominal massage can also be very effective. RMTs are trained in massage for constipation. And you can do it yourself as well. </p> <p>Ice cold compresses on your belly can also help, as they draw blood to the area, improving circulation. Sounds weird but 20 minutes of this can trigger that urge to poop. </p> <p>I have so many more ideas, but this is probably enough for now. Point being this is very surmountable. I still have issues, but I go pretty much every day now. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help/157077#157077 Renee 2012-10-21T04:05:22Z 2012-10-21T04:05:22Z

<p>I had severe constipation which let up when I stopped eating strict paleo but then nothing seemed to work after a while. After I finished a course of antibiotics for lyme disease I was having ok bowel movements. Now I notice I'm getting clogged up again. Are you stressed out? I can tell you that stress will stop your colon because it's a basic survival mechanism built into the human body. That fight or flight hormonal cascae shuts down your peristalsis so you can get away from killer animals. Just sayin' I am a nurse in a nursing home and feel for the old ladies who can't poop because I know what it's like. I'll also say that I'm not above doing enemas. Enemas are actually better than oral laxatives. Please do go see a gastroenterologist though and keep us posted.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help/157078#157078 Sadie 2012-10-21T04:09:44Z 2012-10-21T04:09:44Z

<p>Magnesium Malate tablets twice per day, strict paleo diet, you should have no problems, eat lots of vegetables and squash, sweet potatoes</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help/157109#157109 CC 2012-10-21T13:33:36Z 2012-10-21T13:33:36Z

<p>Oh god I definitely feel your pain. Constipation is something I also deal with in my life. I usually have a bowel movement right after I finish breakfast in the mornings, that's like my window of opportunity to go. If it doesn't happen in the morning, I'm unable to go until next morning (hopefully). Last month for some reason I had a bout of constipation that lasted about three weeks. It was absolutely miserable. I didn't want to take laxatives so I did everything else - prunes, squatting, lots of water, etc. My diet was already pretty clean to begin with. </p> <p>Finally after weeks of only having 1-2 bowel movements, I decided to take three Ducolax stool softeners. I also did a lot of research and found that apparently, magnesium is important for bowel movements, which is found in cocoa powder. Fats are also helpful for digestion (bile production and all that), and I found that some people recomended taking a spoonful of pure olive oil in the mornings before breakfast. </p> <p>So I took one stool softener at noon, and two more at 9pm. That day I also had some yogurt and some ground flaxseed. The next morning, before I ate my breakfast (one sunny side up egg), I took a tablespoon of olive oil. Ate my egg, drank my hot black tea (hot liquids help you get that urge to go), and a few minutes later I was able to have a full bowel movement! That day I went I took two more stool softeners just to make sure the next morning I was able to clear everything out. </p> <p>I fear getting constipated like that again, because for those three weeks I felt so uncomfortable everyday, and it was mentally stressful. I felt so debilitated. So since then, everyday I will drink at least 2.2 L of water, and have my yogurt mix of sugar-free yogurt, 1-2 Tbsp of flaxseeds (ground up), and a Tbsp of unsweetened cocoa powder. And everyday since then I've had a pretty hefty bowel movement. The flaxseed definitely helps in providing bulk to your stool and soften it, as long as you drink enough water everyday. I also make sure I have some papaya after a heavy meat meal. Fiber and veggies are somewhat important, but not as important as it has been made out to be. </p> <p>I would advise you to take some magnesium citrate to clean everything out as well as some stool softeners, since it sounds like you have a lot of old impacted fecal matter in there and it may be too dried out to get it out through usual methods like prunes or healthy eating. If it still doesn't come out, you should really see a doctor!! Then to prevent it from happening again make sure your diet is clean, and drink lots of water everyday. Make sure you get enough magnesium in your diet, and I would recommend a daily serving of yogurt (no sugar added!) and flaxseed, only because I've found that it has definitely helped me stay regular. Yogurt for probiotics, and flaxseed to help add bulk to your stool and to help soften it. Good luck, I hope you're able to resolve this issue. I know how horrible it is! :(</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help/157112#157112 UncleLongHair 2012-10-21T14:15:20Z 2012-10-21T14:15:20Z

<p>A friend of mine who is from Africa says that if you take a small fragment of soap (like just regular bath soap) and pop it up there (you know where), shortly you'll be shitting "like you were paid to do it". She scoffs at all of the laxatives, stool softeners, and other pharmaceuticals that people buy, because she says this is a free and effective method to get the mail moving.</p> <p>I have never tried it myself. I suspect that if you were really seriously constipated for days that this might not work, but there doesn't seem much harm in trying...</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help/157149#157149 Lesley 2012-10-21T17:46:15Z 2012-10-21T17:46:15Z

<p>Please get yourself to a doctor. Like, now! When your immediate situation is under control, remember to eat vegetables and fruit. Paleo/Primal people talk about meat and fat a lot, but vegetables are such an important part of the equation. Also, cheese can really stop up your digestive system, so I recommend reducing or eliminating dairy consumption if constipation is a problem for you.</p> <p>To Recap:</p> <p>1) GET TO DOCTOR NOW. SERIOUSLY.</p> <p>2) Eat veggies every day. Fruit counts, too!</p> <p>3) Try reducing or eliminating dairy, especially cheese.</p> <p>Hope this works for you.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help/157180#157180 Poop Master MC 2012-10-21T21:41:03Z 2012-10-21T21:41:03Z

<p>I cannot help you, if you have gone months without proper Poopage then it seems that your poop is broken. When your Poopage is broken then you must start again, begin at the beginning, and ask "Why is my Poopage broken?"</p> <p>Only then can you proceed to the higher path.</p> <p>You must begin again.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help/157253#157253 mANGE 2012-10-22T09:17:41Z 2012-10-22T09:36:40Z

<p>Miss Nancy,</p> <p>Whatever you do, do not try and force it! I found this out the hard way when I developed an expensive rectal prolapse which required surgery. In an emergency buy glycerin suppositories which you will have to stick up your arse for near instant relief. For surgery patients are sometimes told to drink a full bottle of Magnesium Citrate because it seriously flushes you out within 1/2 to 6 hours. Stool softeners and harsh laxatives will not work long term as your body quickly develops a tolerance to them. Miralax (which is now available over the counter) is highly effective and your body will be slow to develop a tolerance but it is still a drug that is not recommended for more than two weeks (search the web for its side effects). Metamucil or just organic psyllium husk fiber (they have this at health stores) is probably the best long term solution and it has the bonus benefit of being beneficial for diarrhea because it also acts like a bulking agent (gives you something to push against), this also gives your bowel movements a slick mucus covered coating. Psyllium takes 12 to 72 hours to work its way through you. Any food that gives you gas can be helpful but plain fiber has always been worthless in my experience. You need to check your prescription medications because they are ruthless constipators and potentially ruinous to the bowels. All prescription side effects should be looked at as direct effects of poisoning and never be taken lightly. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help/157385#157385 Jo 2012-10-22T20:41:13Z 2012-10-22T20:41:13Z

<p>Hi Nancy, As people have mentioned above - please get your condition checked out by a doc first. I have suffered the same issues all my life and found out from a colonoscopy that I have a reduntant bowel (extra long) so it takes much longer for stool to travel through the colon and will get dry and 'stuck' along the way. I need to drink loads of water. Some other things I have done that have made a huge difference are: Reducing the amount of protein I was eating. Not in a dramatic way, but I was over eating protein and this can be very hard on digestion. I just stick to 65gms of protein per day (which is perfect for me).Reducing the amount of veges I was eating. Eating loads of fibre can work for some people but not everyone. Too much fibre can cause too much bulking. I still eat veges with every meal but I have reduced the amount and stay away from raw veges. Increase fats.....duck fat, coconut oil and macadamia oil all work for me. Eat lashings of it with your veges. I started going to an infra-red sauna 1-2 x week. There are many benefits to infra-red saunas, one of them is that it stimulates all the internal organs. Also get yourself checked for candida overgrowth - this was an issue for me as well. A few colonic sessions are also a good idea. I feel your pain...good luck!</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help/157398#157398 jennifer 2012-10-22T21:45:06Z 2012-10-22T21:45:06Z

<p>I have had the same issue! Sever pain from going long bouts with no movements! Nothing worked, changed up my diet many times. nothing seemed to make a difference. Over the counter products stopped working. i ended up going about 3 months on my last horrible bout! After rounds with MD's and getting no where I found a doc of natural medicine. She diagnosed me with chronic giarda! She put me on a plan using natural products, enzymes and other stuff for 100days. It worked! I have been regular for the first time in my life and feel great! Hope this helps! I can 'feel' your pain!! </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/157066/severe-constipation-please-help/159145#159145 Philly 2012-11-02T04:06:24Z 2012-11-02T04:06:24Z

<p>I overcame sever constipation myself. I just wrote my thoughts on another thread about constipation a few minutes ago. </p> <p><a href="http://paleohacks.com/questions/156798/chronic-constipation-issues/159142#159142" rel="nofollow">http://paleohacks.com/questions/156798/chronic-constipation-issues/159142#159142</a></p>