Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Menopause

Mumsnet doesn't verify the qualifications of users. If you have medical concerns, please consult a healthcare professional.

Hormonal constipation

40 replies

Prunemaster · 20/02/2025 12:23

The last time I had constipation was when I'd just had dc2, was bf and on mini pill.

It is back. But this time with a stage 1 posterior prolapse, so I need to be careful with pooing. Which has never been a problem before.

How can I stop it? My diet, which used to keep me regular, hasn't changed, so I'm thinking it must be peri related ( I'm 46).

Diet currently similar to this:
Veggie Chilli/ curry/ veggie spag bol. All the beans.
Salmon/tuna steak/ veg/ couscous
Lunch: oat cakes+ some kind of topping.
Breakfast: greek yog + coffee
Water. The odd apple, but it's been winter so not so much.

Run twice a week. Gym twice a week.

What am I doing wrong? Is it time for hrt?
Tried prunes yesterday. I don't like them😁

OP posts:
TheOGCCL · 22/02/2025 09:05

Have you tried making chia seeds puddings?

Prunemaster · 22/02/2025 11:04

TheOGCCL · 22/02/2025 09:05

Have you tried making chia seeds puddings?

Nope. But I will.

OP posts:
Prunemaster · 22/02/2025 11:08

Ilovelowry · 22/02/2025 08:00

Hi, you are using estradial cream yes?

I was 44 and went to a pelvic physio because I was leaking. She told me I had prolapses and sent me to GP. GP gave me estradial cream and gynae has me using it daily.

If you aren't on it and want to PM I can tell you more. You have my sympathies as I now haven't been since Thursday but I have the added pain that my scar splits every time the prolpase protrudes if I try to poo 😱😭

No, Dr sent me straight to the nurse. Not actually seen a Dr yet. Don't even know how long I'm meant to stay on laxatives for either. Until the boxes run out, presumably.
Going to have to give myself longer for breakfast on work days too. Usually have 20 minutes then out the door at 7. It's taking me roughly that time to force an orange powder cocktail down!

OP posts:
Ilovelowry · 22/02/2025 11:21

@Prunemaster that's no use. The GP or nurse should have offered estriol cream for your pelvic floor/weak connective tissues.

Have a look on the meno boards with respect to estriol cream and it's magic properties.

Those orange drinks are minging. I made mine up with the bare minimum of water, downed it then followed with a downed pint of water to clear my mouth out. I do the same with lactulose. Agree that if man can go to the moon they should be able to make a decent tasting laxative.

Here's my view on effectivenrss of those things:

Fybogel/laxido - bleugh, though they do get things moving after a few days

Senna max - apparently shouldn't use for long, but they work. After surgery I took two every night for a few days and I'd go after two or three days.

Lactulose - gives bloating and stomach cramps but makes it soft

Dulco-ease - useless, should have gone with the surgeons recommendation of lactulose

Dulco - lax - useless. Took one or two every night for a week after sugery and still took a fortnight to poo!

Other things that work:

Grapes. Also give wind and cramp, but do move things on
Carrots as mentioned
Red onions
Beetroot
Lots of orange, I prefer big navel ones from m&s

I also eat fig, pear, prune and skin on kiwi but these don't help any more than anything else.

Mixed plain nuts, though I think it's the cashews that really work
Shed loads of water. I'm 4 pints in, plus I had a caffeinated coffee.

Flax and oats which provides bulk. Avoid if you don't want massive poos though.

Hope this all helps.

Just out of interest do you need to poo at home? I don't eat brekky till 9ish at my desk and then usually go just after lunch. Can you eat breakfast later so you are not rushing the digestion?

Prunemaster · 22/02/2025 20:46

Ilovelowry · 22/02/2025 11:21

@Prunemaster that's no use. The GP or nurse should have offered estriol cream for your pelvic floor/weak connective tissues.

Have a look on the meno boards with respect to estriol cream and it's magic properties.

Those orange drinks are minging. I made mine up with the bare minimum of water, downed it then followed with a downed pint of water to clear my mouth out. I do the same with lactulose. Agree that if man can go to the moon they should be able to make a decent tasting laxative.

Here's my view on effectivenrss of those things:

Fybogel/laxido - bleugh, though they do get things moving after a few days

Senna max - apparently shouldn't use for long, but they work. After surgery I took two every night for a few days and I'd go after two or three days.

Lactulose - gives bloating and stomach cramps but makes it soft

Dulco-ease - useless, should have gone with the surgeons recommendation of lactulose

Dulco - lax - useless. Took one or two every night for a week after sugery and still took a fortnight to poo!

Other things that work:

Grapes. Also give wind and cramp, but do move things on
Carrots as mentioned
Red onions
Beetroot
Lots of orange, I prefer big navel ones from m&s

I also eat fig, pear, prune and skin on kiwi but these don't help any more than anything else.

Mixed plain nuts, though I think it's the cashews that really work
Shed loads of water. I'm 4 pints in, plus I had a caffeinated coffee.

Flax and oats which provides bulk. Avoid if you don't want massive poos though.

Hope this all helps.

Just out of interest do you need to poo at home? I don't eat brekky till 9ish at my desk and then usually go just after lunch. Can you eat breakfast later so you are not rushing the digestion?

No creams mentioned. Just 'well, you're mid 40s so.....' I tend to need to be in work before 8 and there's no time to eat once I'm there. So breakfast (greek yog+ granola+ coffee) at 7, then out the door. I was, however, generally able to fit a quick poo in before starting. But i think it's forcing those quick poos to fit in to my .work schedule that might also be psrt of the issue.

I need every day to be like my weekends.

OP posts:
Ilovelowry · 22/02/2025 21:04

Please get some estriol cream. And read the threads on vaginal oestrogen on the meno board. Every woman over 40 should get a tube for their 40th birthday.

It's NOT HRT.

Are you able to poo once you've started working? Possibly the pressure is holding things up? Also are you pushing more than you should? I wish I'd known about not pushing 5yrs ago, I might not be in this mess now!

I realise I might sound over invested but I just know how bad it is with the prolapse.

RandomMess · 22/02/2025 21:20

I have to take psyllium husk capsules to cope.

Enigma52 · 22/02/2025 21:56

Mmmm.. have been reading and thinking about this too. I'm 53, so older, but have noticed my digestion has slowed down significantly, thus impacting the ability to poo successfully!!

I'm up at 7am during the week and need to leave the house by 8am. In the past, I'd reliably poo , straight after my breakfast ( porridge or Greek yoghurt and fruit). These days, often I don't even get the urge, before I need to shower and dress. This has really stressed me out, as I hate to be showered and dressed before a poo!

Things are generally better at the weekend ( more leisurely). So, I'm thinking the " rushed approach" just isn't working!

Starting chemo on Wednesday, so dreading what impact that will have ( probably the opposite!!)

Let's hope things settle down soon 🤞

BathroomTrouble · 22/02/2025 22:06

i started a thread yesterday for constipation advice and this one has opened my eyes to the possibility of a hormonal connection. I’m late 40s and didn’t realize it could be related.
I’m miserable with uncomfortable constipation and piles

Enigma52 · 22/02/2025 22:18

BathroomTrouble · 22/02/2025 22:06

i started a thread yesterday for constipation advice and this one has opened my eyes to the possibility of a hormonal connection. I’m late 40s and didn’t realize it could be related.
I’m miserable with uncomfortable constipation and piles

Yes, I'm thinking the same.
The " transit" some days, is so slow; despite drinking loads and eating plenty of fruit/ veg/ fibre etc. So annoying!

ClodHoppers · 23/02/2025 07:18

Just fyi HRT made my constipation far far worse so I came off it

I also started a thread here on this as the only other time I've been constipated was pregnancy!

ClodHoppers · 23/02/2025 07:22

My go to are those glycerol suppositories you can get - I eat tons of fibre so I know it's not that. The thought of having this forever now is dreadful tbh!

JinglingSpringbells · 23/02/2025 07:36

@Prunemaster Coming back to this with some other thoughts.

I think you need to do more exercise. I notice the difference myself if I've not had my usual daily walk of 45 mins.

Bowels need exercise to function.
I see you're running twice a week but that's not enough.

Even just 20 mins round the block at lunchtime or after work will help.

Also- your prolapse- have you thought of seeing a women's physio? There are some really snazzy gadgets - the Maple device is one which use biofeedback - they can use to identify which muscles need strengthening and which do the work for you - far more focused than just Kegels.

mrspk · 23/02/2025 08:24

I have a psyllium husk drink every morning when I wake up. Either Regucol from H&B (often out of stock) or Lepicol from Amazon. It's a big tub of powder and I mix 2 teaspoons with orange juice then follow with a cup of tea. It works great for me, if I miss it for couple of days I notice a big difference.

Ilovelowry · 23/02/2025 08:49

@JinglingSpringbells yes agree with that too. I need a lot of walking to move things on. I always exercise first thing before work etc and if I don't it's awful.

This week post surgery I've done a lot of lying down and a short walk each day and it's only the lactulose that's saved me!

New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Swipe left for the next trending thread