Just as I thought I was getting much better...i hit rock bottom. But I am better today. Yesterday is another story. I had not gone to the bathroom for 3 days but yesterday i felt the weirdest things. Most of my life I have had loose stool so this was a first for me. But all day yesterday I would get this weird feeling pushing (down there) and it would hurt but nothing would come out. VERY painful. I finally called my doctor and he told me take a laxative (which i have never taken before) So here i am thinking that it's a magic pill but three hours later i am sitting and nothing and feeling sharp pain...finally after 5 hours...it happened. So at night because I was so scared of this happening again, I took one before i slept...i was up 4 hours laters with diaerhea and abdominal pain and every hour afterwards. My question now to you brave ones who read this thread...what now...should i take another laxative when i eat? before every meal? every night? i mean it's not like i like having diaerhea or the cramps BUT i would take those any time over the constipation? please help. and thanks for those who read this...

There are lots of things that can make you constipated. Changes in diet, medication, being dehydrated. It's not a good idea to start relying on laxatives because they can have an adverse effect on your system. You have to start taking more and more of them to work. The best option would be psyllium husks. I prefer metamucil when I need it which is based on psyllium husks. Have some once a day for a few days. Because it's a natural fibre it's a lot gentler on your system than some laxatives.

This usually happens to me when I have to take pain medication or when I don't get enough water for a couple days. Couple of chewable fiber tablets and extra water usually do the trick for me real quick. Plus I don't get any of the laxative side effects. Hoping you don't have to go thru it again, it's never fun.

I took milk of magnesia for about 2 weeks after banding...until i discovered benefiber. i think that because of all of the additional protein i've been having a hard time with bm's...but the benefiber has been a lifesaver!

if you are constipated, you aren't drinking enough water...another thing you can do to make sure this doesn't happen again is get some glycerin suppositories at the drug store and use one when you haven't had a bowel movement in a few days (don't wait more than 2)...it usually works within about 15 minutes...then you need to remember that if you don't drink a lot of water to keep your system going...this will continue to happen...good luck!

Drink more Water, eat peanuts, prunes, fruit etc... I stay "regular" by diet... not by meds.

Good luck and... I hope everything works itself out-so to speak.

Psyyllium husk are a great way to stay soft if you drink enough. but can add to constipation is you don't. Try a stool softner like Docusate Sodium in addition to the Psyllium for a while. Trully you need to drink lots of water. I have diverticula and have had 2 perforated bowels so I have to be very careful not to become constipated and this has worked really well. Laxitives are helpful once in a while but can be very bad for you if used regularly. Pain meds will make you constipated for sure get rid of them and use the tylenol if you really need something. It sounds to me like you have never really experience normal bm's if you have always had diareha. As you have more "normal" stool your colon will adjust to the pressure and the pain should lessen some. If not you really need to talk to a doc about this. Good luck to you.

I'm 2 months after surgery and it has taken that whole time to regulate my bowels. I would get really stopped up and then take too many laxatives and have the opposite problem. The major changes in diet can cause irritable bowel type symptoms. I know that what eventually works is different for everyone - but here's the magic formula that finally got me regular.

I make a hot cup of decaf coffee every morning. I put half an envelope of carnation instant Breakfast and a tablespoon of Benefiber into the coffee. In the last 2 weeks - that has been my breakfast every morning and within 30 minutes of my coffee, we get action. I'm not sure if its the hot beverage or the benefiber that has things normal again - but I don't want to mess with the formula! Best of luck - this can be a frustrating problem.

Everyone offered great suggestions . . . there are a lot of options for this problem.

I would most strongly agree that other than the occasional use of a laxative for a specific issue, you should not take them regularly. It is not healthy for you.

thanks everyone. I appreciate all the information. I love this site.

Are we allowed to take Meamucil?

I had a similar problem. After a few weeks (and being scared of taking a laxative) I tried eating a FiberOne bar for breakfast each day, and problem solved! Although, I skipped it one day this past weekend, and I paid for it the next day. So, it's back with FiberOne for me! I like the idea of a food source better than a supplement.

Add a stool softener morning and evening, drink lots of water, add juice apple or prune on an empty stomach in the morning. you have changed your diet alot and fried/fatty foods cause loose stools, so you will notice alot of changes now that these are out of your life!

I have that activia yogurt because it helps with constipation.

Hope you find something that works for you.

Sue

Hi Bibo07,

I had the exact same experience as you - it was horrible! I would avoid taking laxatives. They are too harsh and are not healthy to take on a regular basis. My 4-year old was diagnosed with severe constipation as a baby and has been on Miralax for over 3 years. I take it now also and have had great results - no pain, cramping or gas. I take it 3 or 4 times a week in the morning mixed into my orange juice or V8. You can now buy Miralax without a prescription - I buy it at costco, but I see it at CVS and all grocery stores. Hope this helps!

Just as I thought I was getting much better...i hit rock bottom. But I am better today. Yesterday is another story. I had not gone to the bathroom for 3 days but yesterday i felt the weirdest things. Most of my life I have had loose stool so this was a first for me. But all day yesterday I would get this weird feeling pushing (down there) and it would hurt but nothing would come out. VERY painful. I finally called my doctor and he told me take a laxative (which i have never taken before) So here i am thinking that it's a magic pill but three hours later i am sitting and nothing and feeling sharp pain...finally after 5 hours...it happened. So at night because I was so scared of this happening again, I took one before i slept...i was up 4 hours laters with diaerhea and abdominal pain and every hour afterwards. My question now to you brave ones who read this thread...what now...should i take another laxative when i eat? before every meal? every night? i mean it's not like i like having diaerhea or the cramps BUT i would take those any time over the constipation? please help. and thanks for those who read this...

Well NO... That is not good for your system. What I do every other day I take PSYLLIUM HUSK Fiber pills straight from the vitiman shop. it says that you can take 2 3x per day but since i have my system pretty much in check...lol.. i only take 4 1x a day.. usually at night before i go to bed with a huge glass Water and when i get up in the morning it is like clock work... i have regular movement.... with no strain and no stomach cramps at all.. The reason the fiber works is because it is not digestable.. fiber expands when it is in water.. so what it will do once u take it, it will expand and pull the other crap off of you instine walls and push everything that you ate before u took the pills out... Trust me it works... and you will see your stomach go down and you will see weight loss...because the food is not staying in your system for 2-3 days because your system may be backed up... Also that's why they say eat an apple with the hull on because it is packed with fiber...