Does anyone have chronic constipation?

[HarryPotterDucks]

I do.

i can’t go what feels like weeks without going. When I was a child I never felt fully emptied.

I’ve tried extra fibre, fibogel and also lactulose. Breads and pastas I try and avoid. I’m trying to go lactose free and eventually reduce dairy. I only tend to eat butter and blue cheeses/goats cheese etc.

Yes, I have sorted it (on medical advice) with the following, tried and tested over many years:

Glycerin suppositories and laxido to sort things out and give you a fresh start.
Daily walk. Every day - keep moving, it really helps.
Porridge (made with water) with a sprinkling of linseeds every day.
A teaspoon of linseeds, with a big drink of water, every day.
Inulin (a prebiotic) - a spoonful every day in a drink of water or added to juice or casseroles / soup, it doesn't taste of anything.
Magnesium oxide supplement, every day.
Probiotics every day.
Glycerin suppository whenever needed to get things going again while waiting for your system to adjust to dietary adjustments and daily exercise.
Senokot if needed, but only when required.

I did and turned out I had an under active thyroid. All good since meds. Have you been tested?

That is a very good point. I also have an underactive thyroid, which has to be maintained at the optimum level to avoid symptoms.

I take psyllium husk capsules daily to keep things soft. I have had life long issues.

I have this due to iron deficiency / IRIDA syndrome

I think mine is much worse than everyone else's on here - I am looking at surgery in the long run. I was on piccolax daily for months and now have to take a lot of senna every single day.
I do agree with the comment about activity and probiotics. Inulin did not work for me. Fibre makes me worse so I have to eat very little of that. This is the case for a number of people.
I did have a bagging system using water enemas but I really hated doing it.

@SammySueTwo I'm not sure about that. I had surgery but the surgery I needed wasn't offered on the NHS at that time (2014) so I had to pay privately. It was called a Ventral Mesh Rectopexy. My large bowel had collapsed (telescoped in on itself) and needed pulling back up and reinforcing with mesh. Normal evacuation was well nigh impossible.

My GP (who I had visited countless times about chronic constipation, and had no help at all) had never heard of the operation, and I had to make my own enquiries. The tests to diagnose the condition were not pleasant, but you do what you have to do. Then I still had to have an examination under general anaesthetic to confirm the diagnosis.

I was told by the consultant that if I didn't have this surgery I would have a total rectal prolapse, where my rectum would end up outside of my body. I have never regretted the surgery, but still have a tendency to constipation, and have to take supplements every day like probiotics and magnesium, and suppositories and Senokot when needed. Exercise is really important - just walking makes a big difference to slow motility.

Here are some helpful links to the procedure:

www.birminghambowelclinic.co.uk/bowel-treatments/surgery/ventral-rectopexy/#:~:text=In%20most%20cases%20ventral%20mesh%20rectopexy%20is%20performed,to%20the%20front%20of%20the%20rectum%20using%20stitches.

thepelvicfloorsociety.co.uk/images/uploads/Ventral_mesh_rectopexy.pdf

www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ipg618/chapter/2-The-condition-current-treatments-and-procedure

@TheVillageShop gosh that sounds complex, I am looking at having my bowel shortened. That’s what the consultant said.
I need a lot of senna daily but the probiotics are easing that down. I haven’t tried magnesium consistently- what do you take? I am very active so I tick that box at least.

Have you tried things like movicol or cosmocol op?

DH does and one of the consultants also suggested low fibre diets. Some people can’t digest high fibre as well and it bulks up in your bowels. DH has to be careful with brown bread.

Loads of water and prunes for breakfast work for me.

Oh since as long as I can remember. I remember my mam giving me fibergel as a young child.
What I've now found works for me Senna tablets from Amazon 750mg in one capsule. One per night and that usually has me going.
If I am still stuck after a day or two I will drink a dulcosoft sachet in a lucosade sport and that usually works.

God it’s awful isn’t it?! I actually look forward to my period because that seems to be the only thing that brings on proper bowel movements. I wonder if it’s hormonal? I have tried everything. Low fibre, high fibre, exercise, etc etc. I am going try some of the tips on this thread. Something has to work!

I don't get a period anymore and my sister was enjoying her period poop the other day while texting me (lol) and I was genuinely so jealous 🤣

Yes, what is it that connects bowels and periods????

I'm bunged up and bloated pre menstrual but the day after I start menstruating and a few smelly farts it's all moving again and I feel great! And less of an appetite after

Yup - I take daily laxido (usually 1 sachet) and magnesium supplements and that has sorted everything out for the past 5 years! Prior to this I was have constipation, terrible nausea and general lethargy. It's been quite life changing finding a regime that works predictably and very well long term. I wouldn't say im thrilled I have to take laxido daily, but 2 consultants on nhs and 1 private consultat all said it's okay.

Same problem here. It is a blessed nuisance.

Breakfast: all-bran, milled flax seed, nuts and dried fruit.

Lactulose twice a day; senna at night if things are bad.

I always use a glycerine suppository when straining is needed, to avoid setting off my piles. I use Fleet suppositories. They are easier to insert than the normal flippy floppy ones - they are more solid and cone-shaped. You can get them on amazon.

Yes - always type 1 on a Bristol stool chart.

Can I make a slightly out there suggestion? Get yourself a box or something that it tall enough to put your feet on that it makes your knees higher than your hips when sat on the loo. The different it has made to making it easier to go has been incredible for me!

Also buying a one little drinking bottle and making sure I drink 2 a day - again huge difference and I notice it when not done! I know that’s boringly obvious but once I actually committed to it, it solved a lot of issues.

I have a little step in the cloakroom & a squatty potty upstairs. It fit around the loo to elevate your legs. I'm pretty short but it works well, as does my little step.

It's the uterus contracting to get rid of the blood that causes the muscles in the bowel / colon to do the same apparently

Add me to the list.

I use glycerin suppositories most days and take movicol when that’s not enough. I also tinker about with various supplements and have a squatty potty. Sometimes nothing really works though.

The period thing is because of prostaglandins (fatty acids) released to relax muscle tissues - these also affect your bowels. And pre-period worsening of constipation is progesterone-related.

A lot of us would probably benefit from a motility activator like prucalopride but only specialists prescribe them and not easily in this country. There are natural ones you could try - ginger, motilpro, Motility Activator by Integrative Therapeutics, tryphala…

I know all this stuff but am shite (no pun intended) at giving any of them a proper try. And some affect my Interstitial Cystitis - just to add to the fun.

The joys. Solidarity, gang.

I've recently found that apple cider vinegar (the good stuff with the 'mother') really helps me. I take a tablespoon in a glass of water.

To echo a pp, staying really well hydrated also helps massively too.

Did as a child. Fine now after years of IBS - much improved afte my appendix was removed.

i can’t believe no Ken is taking about how much water you drink. One of my DC is prone to constipation and it’s 100% linked to how little they drink left to their own devices.

eating lots of fibre but not drinking enough will make things worse - the fibre only helps if it has enough water to absorb so drink more!

at least 2 litres a day. More if you drink dehydrating stuff like coffee alcohol or fizzy drinks

Symprove also excellent though pricey.

but drink more first!

I have struggled for many years. It's exacerbated by some meds I take. I take 2 or 3 dulcolax and it's clears absolutely everything