Constipation....can anyone recommend probiotics?

[Abkbjbjb]

Hi just looking for a bit of advice.....I am suffering with persistent constipation and it's driving me crazy!
I eat a healthy diet high in fibre and I only go maybe twice a week..... and the times I do go it's like giving birth-sorry TMI I know!!
My typical daily diet is as follows
Breakfast
Green tea, jumbo porridge oats made with water with large handful of blueberries,walnut & cinnamon
Mid morning snack-apple
Lunch- brown bread roll with chicken or ham and loads of fresh rocket
Afternoon snack-piece of fruit
Dinner- lean chicken with potato and at least 3 veg.
Every evening for supper- half a honeydew melon

I don't understand it as think i eat pretty well. I have been reading up on probiotics, does anyone take the, to help with constipation? If so can you recommend a brand? Or any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated ☺️

[Nucleoli]

Not a probiotic, but a prebiotic, fructooligosaccharide powder (FOS) by BioCare

[Snog]

I rate Bimuna

[NeurotrashWarrior]

Yes you need prebiotics as the fibre you describe is all good stuff.

You could also try kefir too (most supermarkets not sell it).

If that doesn't help, maybe ask to check thyroid levels if you have other symptoms too.

[NanTheWiser]

I take Inulin by Bioglan - basically the same stuff as Nucleoli takes, it's a pre-biotic. Easy to take in tea or coffee, it's a very slightly sweet powder, and you can adjust the amount to suit you.

[mondaypolomint]

As well as the FOS or inulin try flaxseeds mixed in with your oats

Could bread be making it worse? - I know it does for me

[aNonnyMouse1511]

Have you had bloods? Did it come from no where? Any other symptoms? I ask as it can be a symptom of actual illnesses.

[myday]

I take a teaspoon of acacia fiber am and a teaspoon of psyllium husk pm. Both in 1/2 glass warm water. Every day.

[ahran2k]

@Abkbjbjb just a bit of advice - I see your diet is good in proteins and fiber but it lacks fat, and whether you consider fat good or bad ( though all fat is good except trans fat) you need to have some fat in your diet to keep things moving smoothly. Also some people get constipated if they eat Apple skin- now skin is healthy but some sellers wax their apples to make them shiny and the wax does not agree with everyone.
Again with oats - they are a wonderful addition to a diet but mostly contains soluble fiber. Try switching to insoluble fiber and see if it works better for you.
As for probiotics - any yogurt works.

[DearGod1]

I haven't found anything dietary really works.

I'm afraid osmotic laxatives were the only thing that did it for me

The GP gave me a prescription for it and then after seeing the difference it made to my life, I just kept buying it over the counter

Movicol is about £15

The same ingredient but non branded version: cosmocol is £7 if you go to the pharmacy counter.

All it does it pull water into your bowel. It isnt a stimulant and it doesn't cause cramps. It was life changing though.

[partysong]

Are you drinking enough water? Without it the fibre is useless. I would up your water intake

[xGAIAx]

Kefir works brilliantly for me

[Luscinia]

Put a teaspoon of chia seeds in your oats. You could also add in lentils and beans to your diet. Dried fruits are good too.

[Notthebloodygym]

Likely to be insufficient fluid intake.

[Tannerfamily]

You didn’t mentioned your water intake, are you drinking enough and more?

[wafflyversatile]

Is it a new thing or is this your normal?

Maybe try linseeds.

[DearGod1]

If you're only going twice a week then I'd say start with cosmocol. There's bound to be a backlog, so to speak.

It will gently clear it ... it isn't painful or cramping. 2 sachets a day will suffice and you dissolve it in water

Once you've cleared it keep using the cosmocol every day or other day and work on your diet.

[Notthebloodygym]

Some of this advice isn't good.

It's important not to add in lots of extra fibre until water intake is up. Otherwise it'll make it worse.

[Fairylea]

I would have some blood tests done to check nothing else is going on.

Also - are you drinking enough water? It’s all well and good stuffing yourself with tons of fibre but you need tons of liquid to flush it all through. Most people really underestimate how much they need to drink.

[Abkbjbjb]

Thank you all so much for all your advice and replies 😊. I drank quite a lot of water anyway 1.5-2 litres a day but I have upped that over the last week or 2. I bought Bimini pastilles today so hope they might help. Also got some prunes and chia seeds to try. Fingers crossed something works.
Thanks again

[stayingontherail]

Do you do any exercise? It really helps get the system moving. Also concur with water. If you can handle caffeine, I’d recommend a trying a coffee in the morning - it’s like pressing an eject button for some people

[ChinUpChestOut]

I was the same as you, but sometimes only once a week . I had bloating as well, and although I drank a lot of water and had plenty of fibre it wasn't until I removed gluten from my diet that I saw any long term consistent improvement. As in going say 3 times a week.

And then I removed dairy from my diet and now I go every day, like most of the rest of the world (according to DH).

I don't recommend being on laxatives as a long term solution. So if you're sure that you're drinking enough water, and you've got plenty of fibre, maybe it's time to start taking something out. Try it, start with no gluten for 2 weeks and see if it helps. And although going dairy free isn't fun, I tell you what, my insides are now awesome.......

[simonisnotme]

rather than green tea try a large mug of ordinary tea first thing
ie when you get up, it shifts me if you get my drift