Constipation and fiber question...
#114 - 01/29/03 04:46 PM
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meg
Reged: 01/29/03
Posts: 41
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I have such trouble with constipation, and diarrhea too, but this is about constipation. I will go as long as 14 days without a bm. Then, of course, I will have horrible diarrhea. Ok I've been trying all of these low fiber foods, trying to get things moving, but still...same ol' same ol'. I don't know what else to do, I cannot get things moving along, and now I've gotten the nerve up to try these new foods again and don't want an episode to come along and scare me from eating these fiber foods.
Maybe someone will have a suggestion as to how I can get things moving along. I'm afraid that my bowel is just gonna explode due to my eating these new fiber foods... I don't want to try a harsh laxative, I'm not going to go there...
Thanks to anyone who can help out 
Meg
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I had the same problem. I wrote to Heather several times because I was afraid to keep eating white bread and rice as my bowels just kept filling up and filling up with no relief. It took a few weeks at first but then I finally started having regular bm's. I still never felt fully "empty" but it was better than complete constipation. Then I tried doubling the amount of water I was drinking and I think that was key. The fiber is only effective when combined with water.
I have also recently had a lot of success with Paxil. I am currently having two bm's every day and they are always perfectly formed. I am hoping that I can continue on this for a few more months, maybe a year, while I get firmly set in the habits of this diet and exercise, then I'll be able to make a fresh start without the medicine.
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So do you still eat the rice and bread? I'm sitting here having my nightly bowl of rice...I'm totally addicted and couldn't give it up for it's the only thing that I can tolerate this late at night.
Can't do the SSRI meds, due to hypersensitivity to meds, so, the diet will have to do it for me...
Thanks for your support.
Megan
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HI MEG, I SUFFER WITH CONSTIPATION, ABDOMINAL PAIN AND NAUSEA AND I FIND FRUIT AND FIBRE BY KELLOGS VERY HELPUL FOR BFAST, TANGERINES ,ORANGES , DRY FIGS OR PEELED APPLES AS SNACKS AT 11AM, FOR LUNCH SAUSAGE ROLLS,PASTIES , SOUP OR FRENCH STICK WITH SUNFLOWER OIL ARE O.K THESE SEEM TO LUBRICATE MY INTESTINES AND ARE RELATIVELY LOW IN YEAST. AT 3PM I HAVE FRUIT AS BEFORE OR GINGERNUT BISCUITS WHICH SEEM TO HELP ABDOMINAL PAIN AND FOR TEA CHICKEN PIES AND PEAS OR SAUSAGES PEAS AND GRAVY. AT NIGHT GINGERNUTS AGAIN OR CEREAL OR ICE LOLLIES. I READ AN ARTICLE ABOUT HOW INCREASING THE FAT AND SUGAR IN YOUR DIET HELPS CONSTIPATION AND IT SEEMS TO HELP ME. TOO MUCH FRUIT AND VEG CAUSES PROBLEMS FOR ME AND TOO MUCH PROTIEN ALSO AND ESPECIALLY BRAN AND CORNFLAKES. THE WEBSITE WAS CALLED CONSTIPATION SALVATION FOR THE WEAK ,IT GOES AGAINST ALL ON THIS WEBSITE BUT I FIND IT WORKS.MARIAXXX
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Hi there Meg...I am new to this sight and would like to chat with people who suffer from this same thing...I am scared that when i log out i will not know how to get back in????Is there a chat room?????? How will i know if you answer this?????
Edited by donna (01/30/03 08:19 AM)
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HI SEK , WHAT DO YOU EAT TO HELP YOU HAVE REGULAR BOWEL MOVEMENTS, I WROTE TO MEG TO TELL HER ABOUT WHAT WORKS FOR ME IF YOUR INTERESTED. I FIND IHAVE ABDOMINAL PAIN AND BLOATING ALL DAY IF I EAT DRY BLAND NON OILY FOOD.DO YOU FIND THE SAME OCCURS FOR YOU?
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Hi, meg. Sorry I've been gone for about a week. I'm very excited about this message board and can see myself visiting every day, but I moved to a new town last week and was very busy. I ate several fast food meals during the move and haven't been feeling very well. That stinks, of course, but it's also nice to confirm that Heather's diet seems to be working for me and that some of the things I am giving up are not for nothing.
Yes, I base all of my meals and snacks on rice, bread, pasta, or potatoes. I eat a lot of bread and pasta because it is just more accessable it seems. I have found that a big key to this strategy is the water, though. I know that Heather emphasizes the water, but I've always thought that I drank enough so I didn't worry about it. I didn't have great success on the diet at first but the 4 tablespoons of Citrucel flushed out the hard, lumpy stools every 2 or 3 days so I was at least doing better. Then one time I took a road trip and ate tons of bread, rice cakes, and dry cereal but very little water because I didn't want to stop for the bathroom too often. That sent me into a week of painful constipation despite the Citrucel. It was after that incident that I started thinking about the water. I began drinking 16 8-oz glasses instead of 8 and it seemed to help. As you mentioned earlier, I am also always visualizing all of these starches, bread especially, as forming cement in my bowels but now I try to use that fear to remind me to drink enough water. I even put two pieces of bread in two bowls once and put a small amount of water in one and a lot in the other to help me visualize the difference. Oh and I also have found that when I am bloated after a meal and feel like the last thing I want to do is drink a bunch of water, if I drink some anyway it is uncomfortable at first but then it feels like it is washing through my system and it seems to even produce some gentle movement in my bowels and that is very soothing for someone who is used to being constipated!
Now keep in mind that I am far from identifying what exactly causes me problems and what helps. Plus I went on the medication a couple months ago so that also makes it difficult to identify problem foods and also solutions. But we all keep trying our little experiments, don't we? Hang in there. Something has to work. Let me know what you think.
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Hello, Maria. I just went to that Salvation website you mentioned. It's a lot of information to take in but I've definitely never tried anything like it. I'm glad to hear it is helping you. If you read the reply I just posted for meg, I have found that lots and lots of water along with all of the insoluble fiber seems to help me. That seems similar to that website except that person doesn't think water is the liquid that will 'lubricate' enough. I am still very much in the experimentation stage, though, so I haven't identified exactly what causes my ups and downs. I am temporarily on Paxil, too, so that interferes with my identification process although it helps the constipation tremendously. Have you ever tried any medications? I've never been a big fan of medication but I got desperate at one point. I want to eventually control the IBS with diet and exercise alone, though.
How is your pain and nausea? Does the fat and sugar help that as well? The fat doesn't trigger spasms or cause nausea? I ate cheeseburgers and fries several times this past week and I have been nauseaus and bloated. Unfortunately I don't know if it is the meat, cheese, or fat.
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