Booo on Constipation
#39982 - 01/23/04 09:31 AM
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Going on 8 days now....I don't know what else to do?! I am taking the acacia, lots of water, yoga, even tried coffee to move things along but nothing is working. I blame it on the Effexor I recently started taking.
Hansolo (if you read this)...I read that you recently started taking Effexor as well, are you having similar problems?
I am at a loss!!! Any suggestions? I guess I just have to wait it out, unless it forces me to go for laxatives (but DO NOT want to do that!) 
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Hi MM!
I don't know what else you can do, but hope you figure it out and feel better soon! 
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Try a glycerin suppository. That should start things moving and a lot less harsh than a laxative. Can't help much for long term, I'm in the process of trying to get off miralax!
I take Lexapro which I believe is simalir to Effexor and it hasn't made my C worse, not any better but not any worse!
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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thanks
#40022 - 01/23/04 10:46 AM
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Thanks guys....if things don't start I may have to resort to a suppository
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Re: thanks
#40030 - 01/23/04 10:52 AM
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sherr1
Reged: 10/07/03
Posts: 586
Loc: Southern, Calif
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How about old fashiion remedies like, a herbal tea licorice.
Hot bath, try some figs, If you can bear it a glass of OJ, or some raisins and nut mixture. Strawberries sprinkled with a little sugar. Hope you get relief soon.
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I'm sorry you are having a rough time with C. I use to be there too. I could go up to two weeks without pooping. It's miserable. When I gave up dairy that stopped.
About Effexor causing C - call you Pharmacist. He/she should beable to tell you if that is a side effect and how long it will last.
Hope you can go soon.
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Thanks. Yep, I checked the website on Effexor and it is a possible side effect 
Guess will keep up with the water and fibre and hope for the best
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FYI - my doctor put me on effexor and had to take me off two weeks later. I was having vivid nightmares. It was horrible and I thought I was going insane.
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I would also suggest a suppository. It's probably the gentlest way to get things moving again! I know how miserable it is to be constipated, so try not to wait too long! I bet you'll be glad once you've done it. 
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a694020.html ----- Look at this for the side effects
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Thanks for the info! The only side effects I have are the constipation and last week I was a little dizzy/weak with no appetite, but that went away. It's been over a week. I wonder if the side effects go away after the medication takes effect? If not, I will definetly have to stop them, cannot deal with C like this for all the time!
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I've been taking Effexor successfully for a number of years. Yes it does have a slight constipating effect. Since I have IBS-D, it was great for me! But how frustrating for you.
Yes, the side effects do lessen as the body gets used to it. I don't remember how long you said you'd been taking it, but for me the side effects (except for dry mouth) went away within 2-3 weeks, a month at the most. Too long not to poop, I agree! But perhaps the suppository will work for you. It's worth trying, because Effexor can be VERY helpful.
Someone mentioned the vivid dreams. I have that side effect too but not bad enough to matter, not nightmares just very vivid very real dreams. It's kinda fun!
But everyone's different, and so are antidepressents. If one doesn't work, my doctor just tries another. So by all means call your doctor and let him/her know.
(I love the way we can all share our common knowledge and experience here. Isn't the Internet great?!)
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Laura
Keep it simple!
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Thanks for the info...I pray the C goes away! Unfortunately my Dr is hard to get an appointment with....they only book per month, so the appointment book came out this morning at 8am and I dropped by at 10am and he was already all booked up for February!! I guess I will have to see another Dr for the time being...
Thanks 
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That sucks, I have constipation as well. I've been taking 2 stool softeners and 2 pills of magnesium(oxide) everyday and it's been working well for awhile now...unfortunatly recently the affects are wearing off, guess my body is getting too used to them! So I dunno, I suggest just taking some Colace(I take the store brand) or get some magnesium pills(usually 500mg works), but keep in mind it may be a temporary fix. Unfortunatly I don't know what else could help, sorry!
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IBS-C
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OK well for me there would be no way I would let that go that long, you poor thing. Drink Milk of magnesia, sorry if I spelled that wrong. Take 4 table spoons on an empty stomach, and I am telling you give it a couple hours and you will be ok. I went for 3 days and just knew it was time, I never let myself go long if I think that I am getting Constipated I drink it. But I highly suggest only taking it when u really need to, if you are not constipated and use it can cause cramping like the zelnorm does.
Jenn
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I've never thought of that, thanks! Will have to try anything at this point, I simply hope it doesn't stay this way for too long, lengthy constipations are not cool!
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Be careful with the Milk of Magnesia! It's not as bad as the stimulant laxatives, but it can still irritate your digestive system! I used to be able to use it, but since getting IBS I've taken it and it gave me terrible D all the next day. I think it was Kandee who said it set her off for a couple of days too. I've heard suppositories are a lot safer!
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"Anyone can exercise, but this kind of lethargy takes real discipline." -Garfield
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Probably the stool softener suppositories, right Kree?
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I am pretty sure that coffee can make you even more constipated. You may want to stop drinking it. I know it helps me
Feel better soon!
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Hi Mickey Mouse,
I have overcome some bad constipation problems by getting a juicer and juicing Granny Smith apples. I really swear by this and believe it is just about impossible for anyone to be constipated and drinking this two or three times a day at the same time. There's a world of difference between fresh and bottled apple juice. Fresh juice won't cause the cramps, diarrhea, and spasms that bottled juice can (and usually does). I'm really not sure what makes the difference is here, but there definitely is a big one. What you want is just-juiced apples where the juice is bright green. You'll notice the juice starts to turn brown almost instantly don't let it sit before you drink it. Once it oxidizes and browns that's when it will start causing the cramps and such.
Do not use store bought juice, it does not work and causes big problems. Don't use other apples; they are not even twenty percent as effective as the green.
If you haven't had a thorough GI workup, there is a new process just recently available called capsule endoscopy. You swallow a large capsule that has a camera inside and the docs can see nearly the whole GI tract. It is a very exciting break through and they are helping people that they could not help before.
The only other thing I could recommend are the Hypno CDs - they really have helped many many people who were ready to give up after trying everything else.
By the way, you need to drink this juice on an empty stomach (don't be afraid it's NOT like drinking bottled juice at all) and at least two to three times a day.
I wish you luck,
Will Heather's husband.
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Will,
Wow, this is definitely something worth the try-------for all of us with severe "C"!.
With IBS it almost makes me shudder to think of the instant cramps it would produce but if you say it doesn't, well, maybe it doesn't!!! Besides, the nutritional quality alone is worth it!
Ok, this begs the question.....how long can one continue to do this.......
on a continual basis, yes, no?
How many apples get juiced for one "dose"?
Since the skins are waxed on non-organic apples, should one wash that off with hot water first?
Capsule endoscope is exciting and I hope more GI's get on the bandwagon with them ASAP. Now, to find an viable alternative to the dreaded colonoscopy. From what I'm hearing virtual colonoscopy seems to be met with some resistance by the professionals.
Thanks again. We always enjoy reading your replies and solutions to problems.
(Granny Smiths and Costco here we come. They have those big, cheap sacks of apples that weigh about a gazillion pounds. Organic ones are hard to find off season.)
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Thanks for the info will, I will definetly look for a juicer. As for the capsule endoscopy, I hope it will be available where I am from soon, I will have to ask my doc during my next appointment.
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there is definitely something different with the fresh juiced green apples. Bottled apple juice will kill me within minutes. I can't even look at that stuff without cramping up. But Will's fresh Granny Smith juice is something else...and it took him years to convince me to even try it. I was just sure it would be instant pain, like bottled juice. But nope, no problems, not an empty stomach, not ever.
It takes 4 apples to make a glass of juice, and you can peel them first (or not). If you don't peel, scrub them really well first.
I was almost afraid to have Will post about this, because I know the thought of apple juice is horrifying. Why there is such a world of difference between the fresh juice and the bottled, I just don't know. But there sure is.... 
- Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Juicers
#40454 - 01/24/04 03:49 PM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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But you need a special kind of juicer, right? That's not the same as the thing that you use with oranges and lemons, holding and turning the rinds while the machine squeezes out the juice into the bottom?
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Re: Juicers
#40466 - 01/24/04 04:07 PM
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Heather
Reged: 12/09/02
Posts: 7799
Loc: Seattle, WA
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Yeah, you do.
Alternative, if you have a local juice bar, is to get a glass there. They don't always have green apples, though.
- Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Re: Juicers
#40479 - 01/24/04 05:53 PM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Heather, what about veggies? This was just brought up on another post, and it caused me to pause. If we bought a juicer and made Will's green apple juice, why not also make carrot juice with the juicer? Pineapple juice? Grape juice? BROCCOLI JUICE? (EW.)
I don't recall any posts about canned vegetable juice. Canned V8? Any good? X-rated? I don't usually drink those -- last time I had a V8, it was just before the flu hit me big time, and I spent the next 3 days sleeping with the toilet; haven't been able to touch the stuff since.
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Thanks so much for the thumbs up on this one!!! So you had to be the guinea pig to prove it worked, sans the attack? (Brave lady!)  Although I hate to admit it, I'm still almost nauseous over the thought. Juice of 12 apples a day? That's a bunch but that must be what it takes. (Oh my, the thought of cleaning the juicer 3 times in one day ! ) I have no problem with using Granny Smith. It used to be my favorite munching apple, before IBS.
Just call me "from Missouri" until I try it
.. 
Kandee
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Hi - It's amazing how many apples it takes to make just one glass of juice. If the apples are big, sometimes just 3 is enough. That is a lot of apples in one day if you're juicing a couple times daily, I know. Will buys the apples by the case in Chinatown where you can get beautiful produce for dirt cheap. 'Course, this is also Washington, the apple state, so that probably helps too.
And yes, cleaning that juicer is a pain!!
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Hi - If you have a good juicer, you can juice just about anything and everything. And it all seems to be really tolerable for IBS. There are some past posts on this if you want to search.
I'm not a veggie juice lover so I don't drink that, but you could certainly make carrot, celery, beet juice. Add some gingerroot if you like. Not sure how pineapples would juice as they're so stringy, and I'm also not sure about the acidity of that and IBS. I'd be careful there. Now, freshly juiced grapes would be interesting, because bottled grape juice is right up there with apple juice in sending people running to the bathroom. I honestly don't know if fresh grape juice would be as different as the fresh apple juice is.
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Is there a subsititute for apples. I think I'm allergic to apples but I'm not really sure because it's been a year since I had an apple. When I use to eat apples, I get an ibs attack but if the apple was baked like apple pie, I didnt get an attack. Should I risk it because back than I ate an apple on an empty stomach maybe thats why I use to get an attack.
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Good questions!
If you DO eat an apple, peel it first.
I would suggest starting out with a baked apple. If you do ok with that, then try eating a raw apple AFTER a soluble fiber meal...peeled.
HTH...let us know how you make out!
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Formerly known as Ruchie
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Hi Alan - Doesn't sound like you're allergic to apples, but that you had an attack from the insoluble fiber of the skin. This is typical for IBS. Cooking, cutting up, pureeing insoluble fiber makes it much more tolerable. Check the info here Insoluble Fiber
And if you're thinking of juicing the green apples, that will be totally safe because you're completely liquefying the peels. The inside of apples is soluble fiber.
Just make sure you do the juicing and drink the green apple juice right away. NO bottled apple juice!
- Heather
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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How come you are trying to get off Miralax?
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