TO wonder if my chronic constipation IS actually my own fault?

[BladdersRoom]

Been chronically constipated for years. A while back, this resulted in me being rushed to hospital in agony with an impacted bowel.

Doctor's have always said I need to eat more fibre and my response was always "I do! That doesn't work for me!"

However I've been following my fibre intake on MFP recently and have realised I NEVER hit target. In fact, the most I've ever managed was 15g one day but most days it's between 2g and 7g

So is this actually the cause of my constipation?? I'm considering going veggie so that my meat substitutes contain so much more fibre but I'm worried that I'm going to end up a bloater.

Is my fibre intake (or lack of) really enough to have caused this long battle with constipation?

Another thing to consider is there are two types of fibre, insoluble and soluble. Insoluble is in things like all-bran, wholemeal bread, nuts, seeds, cereal. Soluble is in oats, fruit, root vegetables, pulses/beans & linseeds.

Many people with IBS type conditions who have traditionally been advised to eat more of the 'bran' type insoluble fibre, find it makes them worse.

Ideally you need to eat both, wholemeal bread/pasta/cereal and fruit & vegetables/oats/pulses.

As background - I'm a (healthy) veggie and don't have any issues with constipation. My mum (non-veggie) who suffers from constipation always finds she's more regular when we go away together and she follows my diet and I tend to focus more on soluble fibre than insoluble.

And as everyone else has said if you're increasing your fibre you need to ensure you get enough water.

Soluble fibre and lots of liquid, preferably water.

You just need some vegetables. I can always tell if I've been eating stodgy crap and that's basically what you're eating. It's not fibre you need per se, it's just a healthier diet.

I think because of your need to see what is in things you are eating far more sugar and fat than if you followed a higher fibre low carb diet. Things like overnight oats and then decrease the high wheat products

Fibre does not cause anyone to put on weight, OP.

Have you tried changing to gluten free pasta, cereal, bread? I have trouble with constipation for years and nothing really worked until I tried out a largely gluten free diet. The problem cleared up almost immediately. I am not coeliac (I´ve been tested), but gluten just doesn´t seem to agree with me. I´m not gluten free now either, but cutting substantially down was what sorted me out.

Have you considered meeting with a dietician for proper advice on healthy eating? Your diet is pretty poor and likely is the whole reason why you have digestive problems - these problems won't get sorted until you sort your diet.

You don't need stodge, you need healthy vegetables. Mixed salads, cucumber, carrots, Brocolli, stir fry, courgettes.

Do you think vegetables will make you fat? Do you dislike some vegetables?

have veg with your evening meal. Not hard just a few sprigs of broccoli or peas or runner beans.
I don't think the smoothie for breakfast is a good idea - surely any roughage is liquidised so not so good for digestion. What about an apple and bit of cheese if you are short of time?

Also whenever I visited my DMIL in Yorkshire I got constipation - I'm sure it was the constant cups of strong tea. Cut back on tea, or anything with caffeine as it dehydrates you.

Flax seed is not nice to eat or digest imv. Why advise that when there are loads of other things which are actually nice and flavourful to eat?

Your sample diet looks dreadful, I have to say.
How about some yoga as well as increasing soluble fibre intake and water intake.
Either that or more strenuous exercise.
I have MS and can't do strenuous exercise. Constipation can be a thing but a better diet and good stretching really helped.

if you don't like wholemeal pasta you can cook, cool down, reheat white pasta.

Sounds as if you're doing well now.You could add some fruit to your brand flakes,banana,strawberries, raspberry and dried fruit,apricot raisins prunes in winter.
Tinned veg. Soup in your cupboard for packed lunch when you can't be bothered to cook with a chunk of wholemeal/granery bread.Take fruit or carrot sticks to work to snack on.My favourite lunch ATM is wholemeal thin with hummus and grated carrot and an apple.
Vary you evening meal try brown rice,couscous with loads of raw veg.mint,parsley.Lentil Bologna is sauce freezes well and is high in protein/fibre and sugar free.
Introduce gradually and don't give up.You may fart more at first but that lessens as you bowel adapts.
If you cannot face food in the morning have you bran flakes before you go to bed.

Cut out all.the pasta! Seems pretty obvious to me that's the problem! Drink loads of water.

I've never had constipation in my life, my problems are the opposite. I can tell you the types of things I eat on a typical day if that may help?

Wake up: 2-3 cups of hot water with lemon, about an hour before I eat breakfast.

Breakfast: Something like 2 pieces of cheese on toast with tomato on or eggs on toast.

Lunch: Sandwich and crisps or soup and bread.

Dinner: Similar to you except the nights I don't have spag Bol/pasta type dishes I always eat broccoli. A tonne of broccoli. Also, in things like spaghetti bolognaise, I grate 2 carrots and include half a bulb of garlic and a large onion, lots of bell peppers and mushrooms. Make from scratch (not the pasta) with pasata and tomato paste.

If I was you, I'd do all the things someone with IBS D (like me) is told NOT to do. I'd eat brown bread with seeds in, drink lots of tea and coffee, lots of fruit and berries and lots of curries.

Include in your diet as many veg as you can and concentrate on the p's: plums, peaches, prunes, pears and peas.

Also, drink 2 litres of water a day

OP I know it was 2 pages ago but I'm sorry for my previous harsh comment, I'd missed your post about having issues around food and weight gain. I apologise

MFP is good to track calories, and a healthy home cooked diet is much better for you than ready meals.

Given your history, OP, you'd be in a good position to ask your GP to refer you to a NHS dietician to help you plan a load of changes right for you (or go private for a qualified dietician if you can afford it). I think those actions might be much better than all the different dietary advice you're getting here would do my head in.

FWIW, I think some people live very sheltered lives if they think your diet is THAT terrible. But you want to change for good reasons. I'm sure you'll find a way to muddle thru. Good Luck.

I've been chronically constipated for years despite getting more fibre than you and drinking an OK amount of fluid, to the extent that a couple of times I've had movicol not work and I've had to use stuff you stick up your bum!

However, whenever I have a go at getting close to the ten-a-day mark, and also drink some coffee and maybe an extra glass of water a day, I magically manage to go reasonably frequently. I think I have quite slow transit so I just need a lot more fruit and veg and water, and then maybe a bit of a kickstart sometimes from the coffee, than most people.

Don't forget exercise! Even a good brisk walk gets me moving. 😂

OP, Why do you not have any veggies?

You mentioned you had considered becoming a vegetarian - the first step to that would be consuming some vegetables.

Brocolli, Spinach, Kale, Carrots, Beetroot, Carrots.

You also should try to eat more varied fruits.

You could try adding flaxseed or linseeds or bran into your morning protein shake.

1ltr of water every day is not enough - to be honest you should be drinking at least 2lts, if not 3lts!

There are so many different types of breads - seeded or multi-grained are better.

Milk isn't particularly good for people who suffer constipation - or bloating for that matter.

Brown rice is also excellent, oh and prune juice!

I think others are right that you need to see a dietician and (given your history of ED) your doctor should be able to refer you. In the mean time, could you maybe experiment with greens? Next to no calories.

I've just done a quick search - 90g portion of asparagus = 20 Calories, purple sprouting broccoli 100g portion = 36 Calories, courgette 100g portion = 20 Calories.

Add a portion of one to each of your lunch and dinner, and (if you're having panic attacks about 40 Calories - which I accept you might be if you have an ED) add a brisk 20 minute walk (a 20 minute walk should shift between 50 and 100 Calories) - the three combined should at least make some sort of start on helping with your constipation.

Good luck with it, and do go back to your GP and get a referral.

A long time ago, I moved from a job where there was a coffee percolater constantly at the ready, to a job where a friendly receptionist loved to make tea all day. It took me years to work out why the second job involved way more constipation.

I think the tannins in the tea caused constipation. Coffee had the opposite effect. Now I drink lots of decaff coffee, rather than cups pf tea and I find I have far fewer problems. So if you drink tea all day, as I was brought up to do, it might be worth considering a change.

My chilli is guaranteed to get anyone's guts on the move.

We daren't eat it the night before a long car journey.

Try having 3 litres of water a day and dates! Tesco organic dates are so yummy and I'm sure they keep me regular

You are lacking fruit in your diet.