Is constipation a thing that happens as you get older?

[Pigwidgeon99]

Suffered with it while pregnant (10 years ago!), about to turn 40 and since last summer keep getting it on and off. It's not that I can't go, I go every day, it's just like pooing rocks. Some days it's so painful it can take me half an hour and I'm in tears with it. Spoke to GP a few months ago who was quite dismissive and recommended lactulose. If I take that, it improves its but then I go the other way so I stop and then constipation starts again. Is this something that we just have to deal with in our 40s?! Or should I go back to the GP? Anyone found a remedy that works? I think my diet is decent though like most people there are improvements I could make.

I always keep a carton of prune juice in the fridge. It works wonders. If I haven't been for a couple of days I end up like you. I have a glass of prune juice before my breakfast and it usually does the trick. It's an acquired taste but it's worth it for the results. I also try to drink plenty of liquids to keep things moving but sometimes I need a bit of help.

have you had blood tests? Constipation can be caused by underactive thyroid (can also cause tiredness, aching, thinning hair and eyebrows)

Yes it gets worse. Was about the age of 30 for me.

You need to find the "magic" thing that puts your system back on track.

All the things people mention on here are likely to do it, muesli, prunes etc but you may have something else that works for you, you just need to try different stuff. There will also be things that make it worse. For example bread and rice tend to do it for me - a lot of crusty white bread is a serious no no. But I can eat in small quantities.

If you do not do this then you will literally wreck your backside passing hard stools. So a bowl of muesli for breakfast each day which is what works for me is a pretty small price to pay vs. haemarroids, anal fissures and maybe worse.

Do you take other medication that could be causing it? Look at any OTC stuff you might take, not just prescription meds. My IBS tends toward the opposite problem but after years of taking omeprazole/esomeprazole for reflux, I've realised it badly constipates me.

I take high strength probiotics every morning and magnesium glycinate every night. I bought it to help me sleep but find it really helps my digestion. Make sure you're eating enough healthy fats, drink tonnes of water and once you get the initial "movement", experiment to find a maintenance dose of stool softener (like Movicol) that you can take daily without swinging things too far in the opposite direction.

If all else fails, consider ordering MagO7 capsules from iHerb. It's an American product marketed as a gentle, oxygen-based cleanse but in my experience, it's less "cleanse" and more "digestive exorcism". I promise you'll leave the bathroom clicking your heels a la Dick Van Dyke.

Dried prunes. I take ten daily as my meds bung me up.

Diet might change.
Exercise ime definitely changes.
possibly more meds as you get older. Cocodamol is a bastard.
Get yourself a smoothie maker. Chuck in apples, pears, plums, use frozen fruit for ease, ground seeds ( chia, flax, sunflower, whatever you want , Aldi have lots v cheap) Add kale. Buy a bag in the supermarket, freeze it then gently crunch it up. One smoothie a day. You’ll never be constipated again.
Drink more water too, that helps.

No , at least not for me (I'm 61). I remember having it in my teens, probably due to dieting and not eating the right stuff, and occasionally in my 29s. Not sure when pregnant but maybe - if so it wasn't a big deal if I can't remember (certainly remember the indigestion- and how disgusting Gavescon is).

dulcolux pico liquid - just don’t plan on going to far for the day

Having been under consultant care for chronic slow transit constipation, I know it's very individual. My consultant advised fibre for some of us is a disaster and should be avoided. He advised black coffee first thing and ortis fruits and prunes etc - all to be tried and either ruled in or out. All ancedotally helped others.
I have been on senna for 18 years and have been able to reduce down (I take way over the dose), it's that or piccolax daily (I had that for 6 months.)
Things like fibogel, lactulose etc cause back-ups in me. My next stop will be bowel resection. I am convinced I have something wrong with the inside of my bowel too - this all started after a severe issue post surgery and by the time I had a colonoscopy I was mostly in remission.

Yes to the magnesium - one of these at night is enough for me to be ‘ok’ https://amzn.to/3weJDby

and then massively upping the fibre tips the scale to ‘great’!

I was very bad op would go every 3 days. On sun hols its awful. I started drinking more water and fibre which helps. My bowel is quite sluggish. I walk alot.

I'm late 50's and although I exercise and eat a fairly healthy diet, I have been adding dried prunes into my diet as a daily snack to help things along. Seem to do the trick.

I have this issue since mid 40 having never had issues before - but also too loose stools as well - it appears to be related to my menstrual cycle.

More fluids do help - starflower capsules and fish oil help a bit - I am starting to think I need to keep a diary with foods - travel also seems to make it much worse which I assume if diet and access to toilet related.