Please give me your industrial strength remedies for constipation

[OverwateredCheeseplant]

I’m weaning off cocodamol after years and my constipation is just dreadful. I need to go several tunes a day and when I try it’s just tiny malteser size bits! Sorry tmi. Anyway, please give me your best advice as to how to have a good clear out!?

Those “diet teas” are just laxatives by another name.

Have you pooped yet?

Magnesium citrate, lactulose and 2-3L of water per day. Sorted out my nuclear constipation during pregnancy, iron tablets and post-csection. I found Lactulose most convenient since it tastes sweet and you only swallow a small amount. High dose magnesium supplements are actually good for health and the laxative is only a side effect.

I was prescribed lactulose and an enema for constipation whilst abroad. I will say it was a very gentle and effective remedy.

if you're like me and don't drink enough water, try and have a mugful every time you go into the kitchen.

Poop update!

Ok so I’ve had two sachets of movicol and I tried two lots of glycerine suppositories. That didn’t go well. As soon as I put them in I felt desperate to go but only a tiny bit came out. I’ve drunk two litres of water a day as well. Bought some prune juice but it was disgusting and I couldn’t bear to drink much.

So now I’m not sure what to do next.

Colonic irrigation I've had awful cramps from constipation a colonic really cleared me out.

Coconut water is what I swear by! Linseeds also good as well as figs... good luck op, I feel your pain.

You need to carry on, the advice I have always had with ds is that it will work eventua!ly, and tackling it from both end so to speak will.help!

Prune juice through a straw or mix it with sugar free lemonade (because sweeteners give you the shits anyway)

Licoriice

Movicol takes a little while to work. I had terrible problems once while taking cocodamol. I ended up necking about 6 sachets in one day. That did the trick, but not until the next day though. God, I was so uncomfortable. Hope you clear down soon.

I'm a nurse and was speaking to one of the consultant physicians about preventing/relieving constipation in patients, he likes pear 🍐 or prune juice. Apparently pear juice is available on the baby section in supermarkets, good luck 😉. Xxx

Oh and lots of beetroot is always speedy though my system!!!! 😂. Xxx

Two sachets a low dose. Take four before bed tonight.

I found the enema only moved a tiny amount but every little helps. Lactulose is very palatable, take that and a mug of water at regular intervals throughout the day, and you will see results.

Very large, very hot, very oily curry with chick peas
Six pints of real ale

Can I buy lactulose over the counter?

Yes, Boots, Lloyds, Superdrug, Sainsbury's pharmacy definitely have it. It's about £5-£6 a bottle, very syrupy sweet, doesn't give you cramps. I'm not a medical person but I believe it takes liquid from the gut and softens the stool. It will take a few days to work through your system but will work.

Lactulose isn’t as effective as Movicol though, trust me. I am a veteran when it comes to these things.

Seriously, movicol/laxido is the business, for getting you to do the business.

Senna tea before bed works for me. You can get it on Amazon

Prune juice. Always worked for me. I have some in my fridge right now as I’ve been seriously bunged up. I don’t like taking medication as I don’t feel it works that well.

Definitely movicol.

You need an adult sachet 3x per day.
It took 3 days for me when badly bunged but it was totally gentle and natural with no pain or mad rush to the loo.

If you are totally bunged you can take 8 sachets over one day.

The substance in dulcolax can cause really bad cramps in some people. I had a lot of pain from taking one for “gentle overnight relief” and nearly fainted on the loo as my body went into shock. This is not on the package, but there are similar stories on the internet.

If you think about it, you do not want to force hard dry stools through your intestines in a hurry. Best to go for the gentle approach.

The glycerin suppositories help with the dry stuff at the other end.

Once things are moving, then you can experiment with food and fibre. A kiwi fruit a day works really well as a preventative.

Keep going with the glycerin suppositories. Just lay down and keep clenching for as long as possible.

Unfortunately this is my specialist subject after years of opiate induced constipation, which is not like regular constipation and needs a slightly different approach.

I use multiple things:

1. stool softeners taken every day that you take the painkillers and as much water as you can stand, which softens what’s in your bowel

2. if you haven’t been for a few days, use dulcolax (bisacodyl) at night

3. If youre trying to poo but you can’t pass what’s there, glycerine suppositories are miraculous - you can buy them over the counter, but they’ll only work when the poo has worked its way through so you may need the stimulant (dulcolax) first.

This has kept me out of hospital many times after over a decade on opiates

Don’t listen to anyone who says take more fibre - that bulks your stool and the painkillers slow your bowel’s motility, so it will make things worse or cause an obstruction if things are really bad.