Have to work hard to not be constipated. Anyone else?

[eurovisionfan]

Struggle to poo for past ten years. The only way I can overcome is trying to drink nearly three litres of water and loads of pears and seeds and whole meal bread etc etc If I do this I am fine but I don't see other people having to make such an effort. If there is a day when I only drink 1.5 litres and only have one pear I'm straining! Feel fine otherwise. Anyone else like this? Oh I often have a few tea spoons of calfig of syrup to make sure I'm getting fibre in. It's exhausting remembering to do all this. Anyone else have this issue??

What age are you? It’s really common in peri/meno. I think women just don’t talk to each other about this issues really.
Two kiwi fruit every day, including skins, have been proven to help with constipation but it takes around two weeks to start really helping. Chia seeds are also really helpful. I put 30 grams in a home made smoothie every day. Lentils are also brilliant for getting things moving.

Chia seeds and strong coffee (not instant). It has a cumulative effect, so give it a few days and then be prepared!

Yep same here. Eat loads of veg , loads of all bran and some herbal supplements. I also eat loads of Kimchi and sauerkraut. That’s just to maintain a normal bowel movement a day. Could eat a tin of prunes and nothing would move.

ive been constipated in various countries - trekking in Nepal was a memorable one - whilst all around me have been going down with Various bugs. In fact the mere sight of a plane makes my bowels just seize up. We flew business last year and it was my best flight ever, not because of the seat and free flowing Moët but because the weetabix and seeds they had in the emirates lounge elicited a bowel movement at the airport before boarding.

I consistently find apples good for this purpose.

I take 30mls lactulose daily to keep on top if it.

Flax seeds help me keep on top of it. I have an enormous smoothie for breakfast each day with a banana, frozen berries, orange juice and about a couple of tablespoons of flax seeds.

When this started 10yrs ago, what did your GP or specialist diagnose or suggest?I assume you did see your GP when your bowels changed and suddenly NEEDED 3L water daily etc?

A squatty potty can help even more so that dietary changes, or anything to life you feet up into a squat position.https://www.squattypotty.com/

Did you try drinking a glass of warm water early in the morning, as soon as you get up? This definitely speeds up the process for me.

Same here. I'm on a fairly high dose of amitriptyline so it's not surprising really. Annoying though.

Another vote for kiwi fruit with the skins on. A relative is on some nasty medication that causes constipation and he has one every day and he says they work the best.

I have to be very careful as I tend to collapse (dead faint) when I get constipated - bowel presses on nerve
I find it can be linked to hormones for me so at certain times of the month I up my fibre intake, water intake and snack on liquorice & dried apricots.
I don't always get it right but it's awful when I don't so big incentive.
I would say if you are regularly struggling it might be worth discussing with your gp

I had painful constipation for ages. It went away after I'd had DC1.
Finally worked out that it was the prenatal vitamins I was taking. I'd delayed TTC (job change then COVID) so was on them for a long while.
I notice it now when I take vitamins with iron.

A glass of a decent red wine helps Mr if all else fails. It's either that or laxative tablets which are awful

I had my gall bladder removed in Jan this year. The change in my bowel habits has been astounding. I've struggled since childhood and now just...don't. Amazing.

I'm peri and have cold brew coffee in the morning with whipped up almond milk and flaxseed oil along side a bowl of steel cut oats cooked with hemp seeds, milled chia, chopped apricots.

In the afternoon I have a small bowl of Greek yogurt mixed with keifer, mixed nuts, dates and chia seeds again.

I think it's quite a common problem but like others have said not talked about often.

My body likes have a dramatic clear out just before a random period pops up, horrifically painful and makes me vomit utterly the rest of the time I have to really keep my fiber intake high.

my problems are due to drinking too much tea. If I cut back on tea and drink water or fruit tea instead I’m ok.

I take magnesium citrate when I need to. That used to always be the last two weeks of the cycle, but that's changing now.

Of the suggestions given here, I can't have qiwi because I'm allergic to it and lentils give me wind. I will have to experiment with pears, apples and chia seeds
I will say that when it's premenstrual what I eat doesn't have any effect at all.

Me too. I wonder if this is the origin of the "apple a day keeps the doctor away" saying? 🤔

I take a drug called diltiazem which causes constipation.
I used to take laxatives to deal with it but now managed mostly with diet.
Lots of water.
Tinned prunes , not dried as they don't work as well.
Prune juice.
I hate prunes.
All bran or oats sprinkled with flax seed and chicory root.
A lot of fruit and vegetables.
Sauerkraut every day.
Still had to resort to laxatives last week when I had covid

I have to have a bowl of Alpen every morning with half a banana and not eat bread at all. Otherwise I get terribly constipated and due to fissures I cry with the pain. Going on holiday always causes problems. I'm post menopausal, have been like this since being peri menopausal. Squattie potty didn't help me at all.

I’m not sure I could call my situation constipation as it’s not like I feel the urge to go and then sit on the loo straining- it’s more a case of my system just moving very slowly- ‘slow motility’ I think it’s called. So I don’t actually get the urge to go very often. I know it can be normal to only go three times a week, but I don’t like feeling bloated and sluggish, so yes, I do work hard at staying regular through eating the right things and avoiding the things that make my system work more slowly (carbs and beige food, basically).

I menopausal, doing weight watchers diet and struggling to go. Apples have no affect on me whatsoever. I realised it my prescribed painkillers that causing the issue. It a constant balancing act

To add- I’ve been like this all my life so it’s obviously just the way I’m made. Now in perimenopause too which obviously doesn’t help!

Nit just me then.,,I am 44

Since having a baby I noticed a change