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Shanna and other severe C-IBSers:
Doesn't being constipated more than one day ruin your sleep? It sure does mine! If I'm constipated more than one day I have constant discomfort all day but then at night it becomes much worse- really terrible sometimes- and it either prevents me from being able to sleep soundly, and thus restfully, thruout the night. Then, since I haven't slept well, my bowels work much less well the next AM. 
HOW do you sleep soundly when you're constipated for a week or more???? I can't use any sleep medications-they all make my constipation much worse. This makes sense to me b/c all sleep meds slow down the nervous system. So it's logical that they would slow down the nervous system's activity in the gut too.
As far as herbs, valerian is a no-no b/c one of it's side-effects is that it can cause constipation, which it does in me. The other herbs, like chamomile, hops etc do NOTHING to help me sleep when I'm constipated b/c the constipation discomfort is too great, so it overrides any relaxation effect that they provide.
BTW, colace, MOM and glycerin or dulcolax suppositories do nothing to help me get cleaned out, they all just make my poop mushy, but it STILL won't come out.  However, I do think that taking magnesium helps me- 400 mg/day to offset the 1000mg/day of calcium that I have to take. I have premature osteoporosis b/c I had to stop eating all dairy in childhood due to my C-IBS. Beware of this bone disease complication from having IBS,even though you are only in your 20s. Be sure to get as much calcium in your diet as possible from foods other than dairy, so that you can avoid having to take calcium supplements, b/c they are definitely constipating! grrrrr
What has helped me the MOST after years of struggling, suffering and searching is H's diet. It has made a BIG diff in keeping my stools softly formed.  HOWEVER, I do have to make sure to eat as much "cushioned" insoluble fiber every day as possible to keep things moving and coming out.
I came up with he word "cushioned" to help my friends understand what my colon needs b/c the concept of soluble and insoluble fiber is just too much to try to explain to everyone. However, I do want my friends to understand why I'm sooooo committed to H's diet whenever and whatever I eat. I know some of them still don''t really get it and think I've become a bit of a nut but I DON'T CARE. Hey, they're my friends, they've seen me suffering w/ this yukky problem for more than 25 years- since childhood like Heather- so they're just happy for me that the diet is working. PLUS I'm alot less nuttier than many people out here in crazy SF, even with IBS! lol
Lastly, taking Zelnorm 6 mg twice a day is what has helped me to get the poop out every day in combo with always getting up every day at 5-5:30 b/c my "window of opportunity is from 5-6:30. "Isn't that special"!! I hate having to get up this early every day- sure ruins my social life having to be in bed every night by 9:30- but I've finally accepted that this is the ONLY time I can poop, even with using Zelnorm. The Chief of Gastroenterology is my MD and about a year ago he told me that I'm the worst case of C-IBS he's ever seen- said I have a "dead colon". I recently told him - very nicely of course; didn't want to take out my longterm frustration on him when I know he was just trying to be empathetic- that it didn't help my head or gut AT ALL when he told me this and it definitely made me feel depressed for several months. Thank God for H's diet and Zelnorm, at least I'm no longer having to do enemas every other day. That was a BIG bummer but I was the only thing that helped me to be able to sleep, so that I could keep working each day without being a zombie.
Anyway, back to the subject. I still have problems with becoming constipated about once a week and I have NO idea why but when it happens I don't sleep well and then I have to do an enema again, which I hate doing! SO, any suggestions about how to decrease the discomfort at night so that I can sleep better on these bad nights would be great. I've got my fingers and toes crossed.
Thanks!
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Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
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I've never gone a week, so I can't imagine your pain (3-4days Is the max for me!) i also have d and can't take Zelnorm. I'm glad it works for you!!!!!! Have you tried Benefiber???? That's my best suggestion for you-but I will always be indebted to Heather for the diet!!! Keep trying and I'll be around to help hold you up!  Maryh
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Whatever doesn't kill me will make me stronger!
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It's taken me the past 4 months-since first starting on H's diet- to work up to this much soluble fiber b/c I kept worrying that it would make my constipation worse. However, it's done the exact opposite, just helped me to have softer and better formed poop, altho must now drink even more water than I used to per day - I"m up to about 12 16 oz bottles per day! You'd think I'd be sick of water but fortuately I'm not, it's my fav "food".
Only problem is that now I'm ALWAYS distended, even if I'm well cleaned out and have no gas-have gotten that under complete control w/ fennel tea, beano and US phayzme and exercise  . I believe that the distention must be due to the soluble fiber. Oh well, I can live peacefully w/ distention, just wear loose pants. Wish they made elastic waist jeans! LOL
BTW, forgot to mention in 1st post that exercising makes NO diff, as far as I can tell, to help me poop each day or to help me sleep if I'm constipated. I exercise 3 days a week for 2 hours of aerobics and wt lifting, plus on the other 4 days I do an hour a day of rowing. Regardless of all this activity, if I'm constipated I STILL don't sleep well and I STILL have to do an enema the next day.
Geesh, I wish they'd invent a drug that reduced the pain/ discomfort sensitivity communication between the gut and the brain ie: reduced the brain/gut signaling that's hyperactive in IBSers. I'm sure this is why I don't sleep well, my brain gut connection is too hyper. It's weird b/c I'm not a person hyper at all, unless I'm tired and then I can feel myself gradually becoming hyper thru the day in order to keep pushing myself to get my work done.
This is one of the MANY reasons why it's so hard to explain this disorder to my friends-even the ones who work w/ me in healthcare!- b/c they all say that I'm such a calm person. I appreciate the compliment, considering there are so many spaced-out, "mellow folk" among all the former hippies, yogis and meditators around out here! Next to them I think I DO look hyper, but my friends are none of these types, so I guess that's why I look calm to them. 
I'm doing Mike's hypnotherapy tapes- day # 41- but so far can't see any diff in terms of the strength of my AM pooping
contractions. However, I can definitely tell that it's helping me to feel better emotionally as I continue to learn, one day at a time, how to live "with graceful acceptance" w/ my C-IBS. sigh.......
Next step is to try probiotics. I can't eat any type of yogurt-even soy-, it instantly plugs me up. So I'm starting them today in powder form, based upon how much they seem to have helped Shanna. Everything I'd ever read about them either poo-pooed them in the conventional Western medical literature or, in the alternative lit, I'd only read that they were often-altho not always- helpful in relieving diarrhea. However, I'd never read ANYWHERE that they help w/ constipation until Shanna's posts about them. I've decided to give 'em a try. I decided to use the powder form b/c it's the srongest formulation that Jarrow makes- 12 billion organisms per 1/4 tsp dose. Sure hope it helps me to poop like it does Shanna...... it'd be wonderful to be able to stop having to do enemas, even once a week, which is about my average now thanks to all I've learned from Heather and this board.
Glad you are able to go regularly and that your IBS is under good control Thanks again for your empathy. LL
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Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
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Hmm...I don't know if it's safe to drink that much water a day. There's such a thing as being at a health risk if you drink too much, I forget what it's called but something bad happens where you can lose your electrolytes/body salts, that could be part of the reason you're distended.
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IBS-C
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I believe that I need to drink so much water b/c I've had severe C-IBS for so long so my body has gradually become accustomed to more and more water and both wants and needs it. Also, I don't drink as much on some days as others, the more constipated I am the more water I seem to want to drink.
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Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
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Me again. I know I wrote alot a few days ago but I wanted to share my experience so that it might be of use to others.
Anyway, I'm still interested in knowing what helps others to sleep soundly when they are very constipated.
Also, Shanna, have you tried the aloe vera juice? If yes, how's it working? I bought some yesterday but I'm not sure how much to take b/c the bottle says 2-8 ozs. 
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Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
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"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." -- e e cummings
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Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
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Sometimes, my IBS just has a mind of its own!
Also, the Jaro-Dophilus EPS, peppermint capules, and beano seemed to help get me back to normal... plus a couple of does of M of M to clean me out... (unfortunately)...
That's a/b all I can come up with.
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"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." -- e e cummings
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Shanna, I'm really happy for you that you're feeling so much better! Sure wish I could get there myself. I had a flu shot last week and ever since then my colon has been behaving like it's not even there.......grrrrrr!
Did you ever try aloe vera juice? If so, what amount and how often? Txs and I sure do appreciate your having started this thread way back sometime ago. I've learned alot from following it. NOW, if my colon would just learn too!!! 
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Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
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