What are the Safest Laxatives to take? -nt-
#221821 - 10/28/05 11:19 AM
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Do a board search on laxatives. Hit the search button at the top of the page.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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to take 1-2 Dulcolax tablets twice a week. I don't think I'll do it though. But then he'll think I'm not following his recommendations, which I wouldn't be! 
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Go for Osmotic laxatives like Miralax instead of stimulant laxatives - they can be really bad news for IBSers.
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Beth (Augie) I've been lurking reading the posts and copying the recipes for a while, finally figured out how to join. I e-mailed you once after one of your messages as I felt so bad for you. I identify most with you as C and spasms is what really bothers me. I don't like or trust my Gasto Dr. I started the acacia and fennel tea during the summer, evidently didn't eat enough IF and spent a week in the hospital with a bowel obstruction. My regular docs are an oncologist and a heart spec. but they conferred with the GE and he pres. Zelnorm (I'm 75 and devoid of estrogen), however it did work, can't get ahold of him so am now taking 3 tablespoons of ground flaxseed and 2 triphalla pills/day. 1 tablespoon acacia, lots of soluble fiber food and also IF.exercise, liquids. So far so good for C but still have spasms. Have you tried those? Love all the peoople here and the site. Bette
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I probably didn't recognize the name.
RE: Zelnorm....did it help you? How long had you been taking it? I thought it wore off with most people.
I currently am at 4 tsp of Acacia, one Tablespoon of Flax and I do walk 30 minutes a day and do some yoga stretches. I keep increasing the Acacia, but honestly am not sure if it's the one for me yet. I'm afraid to increase the Flax. Doesn't the flax cause you gas? How do you take it? All at once? Mixed into foods? What brand do you use?
I also take 4 triphala a day, Acacia, my flax...but I think I need to drink more. How much do you drink a day? What does your diet look like? Can you post an average day?
Do you think the Ducolax is a bad idea? I'm so scared to take this laxative. Maybe I should reduce the Acacia and increase the flax to get more IF in? I'm confused. 
What does lack of estrogen have to do with your bowel distress? I have a problem and don't menstruate and so my hormones must be screwed up  ...does this have something to do with my bowel problems?
I agree...the people on this site are the best people in the world!  So loving, caring, compassionate...
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
Edited by Augie (10/29/05 06:49 AM)
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Awhile back when I saw my doctor I was telling him that the miralax was working, but I never felt completly eliminated. He said since I have the enlarged colon, the fiber would be very bloating for me and stool softeners are useless. He suggested that i need two different types of laxatives to get things moving and get more cleaned out. He suggested taking my miralax and in addition one dulcolax PER DAY!!! He said my body was dependant upon laxatives already, being the miralax, and I would always need something to make me go because of my colon. He said that taking the one tablet per day would not be harmful. I haven't been doing it though. Every once in awhile I take one if I get backed up, but that's it. To be honest with you, since I started eating more protein and good fats in my diet, I'm going way better. Before the miralax just gave me runny poo and not much of it, now my poo is more solid and more of it comes out and I have not adjusted the amount of miralax I'm taking. Plus I'm pregnant, so I feel lucky that I'm pooping like that now because pregnant makes C so much worse.
Jessica
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Hey Beth! I guess if your hormones are out of whack you can have bowel problems. I don't have cycles either, so my gyno checked my hormones and even though I don't cycle, she said my hormones were fine. But, she made me go back on the pill to keep me from getting cervical cancer. She said that if I continue not to cycle, I could get cancer. Maybe go talk to your gyno doc and have him/her run a test on your hormones.....just so ya know, I guess. Process of elimination, right???
Good Luck and keep in touch!
Michelle 
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IBS-D. Hiatal Hernia, GERD
Unstable
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or is triphala considered a harsh laxative like senna?
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Dr. Andrew Weil promotes it too! It is actually suppose to help tone your insides the longer you use it.
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I no doubt goofed up the e-mail. Just getting comfortable with these message boards. Zelnorm: took 120 pills 2.day for 2 months. They work, get rid of a lot of gas etc. I read on the internet they were for younger women and had something to do with hormones. They are expensive and had to get some special clearance with the insurance company. And should be used short term only. Dulcolax: For relief of occasional constipation and irregularity. This product usually causes a bowel movement in 6 to 12 hours. You may have stomach discomfort, faintness or cramps. Looked this up on the internet. It is a stimulant laxative. I wouldn't take it. Triphalla is ok according to everything on the internet and endorsed by Dr. Weil. 3 Tbs Bob's Red Mill ground flaxseed meal in a little rice milk after cheerios. I drink 24oz water with acacia and at least 3 cups of tea/day. peppermint, fennel, green. Heather's fennel the best and it works, releases gas. Gas and bloat eventaully dissipate every day. Spasms is the worst. Typical day: bowl Cheerios, flaxseed, bowl raisin nut bran, small servings of apples (peeled), pear, prunes, small piece banana, nectarine or peach or apricot chicken breast or fish after yams,potatoes or carrots. small servings of lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, jicama. peppermint cake or brownies from the list (ice cream is a killer). Still working on this to find the best foods. Keep trying, Beth. Forgot to say I have a huge, redundant colon. xo
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It sounds like it never did stop working for you, but that you just lost touch with the doctor.
And you take all 3 Tablespoons of flax at once?
Do you peel all your fruit, or just the apples?
Finally, when and how much at a time, do you take your acacia? Are you still working on increasing it or are you happy at one Tablespoon. I'm up to 4 1/2 tsp as of yesterday. Still not sure about it!
Oh, do you use Heather's brand peppermint tea too? Have you ever tried her capsules?
I heard that sometimes when you stop the zelnorm for a while and then return to it, it works again. So, if you start having problems again, it may be an option.
The Ducolax scares the crap out of me. Everything I have read says not to take stimulant laxatives. But this doctor is the head of the whold GI clinic at Northwestern Hospital. He also wants me to stop Acacia and go on Miralax. I don't know what to do...who to trust...what the best course of action is for me!
What brand triphala do you take and how many mg? I take Planetary Formula (4 a day at 1000mg each)!
thanks for listening! 
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~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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I've been off Zelnorm about 3 weeks and I think the flax and the triphala are doing a better job. I prefer natural to chemical products. Take flax all at once, prob should divide it, take heaping T of acacia in large glass of water with a tiny bit of orange juice and sip it all day. Not increasing it at this time. Use Lipton's peppermint or Bigelow's mint medley tea. Good. Heather's peppermint pills are good also, but have GERD, so don't take all the time. I take the same brand triphala as you. 1000 mg. twice a day. You could take any amount of that you want, won't hurt you. Do you have internet to research? You can find a lot on it. Miralax appears to be ok. Long story: I've had three colonoscopies, never cleaned out even with the Miralax. After the bowel obstruction, which I think happened because I had quit the flax and triphala and gone on strictly the SF acacia (4T) and diet and the redundant colon, was finally cleaned out good enough to have a satisfactory colonoscopy. That's when they found the huge colon but of course nothing else wrong. I have breast cancer that had spread once to a lymph gland im my neck, so the drs. wanted a good colonoscopy. Thought they saw something on an exray. The clinic where the Gastro dr is has trouble with communicating with the drs, thus I haven't talked again with the gastro. I have an oncologist, heart specialist, and a nurse practicioner (sp?) so when I went into the emergency room with the obstruction, I ended up with 10 drs and their assistants. I have automatic appointments with them every 6 months, so haven't felt like dealing with them right now. I will ask for an antispasmotic as the spasms drive me crazy (after 35 years of it). If I were you and I don't want to preach here, we're all in this muddle, I would increase your flax and triphalla, fluid, exercise until you feel you have good movements, less gas and bloat. What do you do for the spasms? I take tylenol, doesn't touch 'em. xxoo
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