Constipation remedies?

[SeaSaltMill]

I suffer from IBS with constipation so am generally bunged up most of the time. Pregnancy makes it worse, as does the extra progesterone I'm taking! I have lactulose...is there anything else you can recommend to get things moving? Its getting very uncomfortable!
Thanks!

I have had IBS badly in the past and found that sipping warm water, or warm (not hot) peppermint tea really helped. Some people recommended slices of lemon in warm water, but I found that citrus made my IBS worse.

Thanks Starrynight I will try the warm water.

Hello, here is a patient info leafelt about constipation in pregnancy. The non-pharamceutical methods will not exactly be a revelation to you, but there are summaries of the evidence of safety for all of the different pharmaceutical remedies. Hope this is helpful.
www.medicinesinpregnancy.org/Medicine--pregnancy/Treating-constipation-during-pregnancy/

Syrup of figs worked a treat for me!

i also tried prune juice mixed with hot water! that had a bit of an effect too

Prunes work well for me :)

warm peppermint tea works a treat for me!!

Dried fruit like apricots are good ( though check they don't have sulfites as an ingredient, don't think they're too good in pregnancy), also muesli (though i don't like it that much) and bran flakes are good x

Hi SeaSaltMil,

I soak 2 prunes and 1 dried fig overnight and eat them next day morning. Also drink the leftover juice. I started off with 1 prune but it did not help. I havent had a problem ever since I have moved to this routine:)
On tougher days, I eat a banana in the night as well.

Hope this helps:)

Porridge was my miracle cure. Dont know why but went from agony to almost normal.

Prune juice and more water.

For me, it was prune juice, oats, being wheat-free (stopped my IBS within 2 days) and making sure I drank enough fluid in general. An apple a day helps too - all that lovely pectin!
Also exercise, especially stairs.

I drink loads of water I don't understand why it happens :( I have syrup of figs I'll get some of that down me, thanks all x

I've been eating three prunes a day which works well. But recently ran out and tried a bowl of fruit and fibre... Was miraculous and now eat it every morning.

Movicol, it's safe in pregnancy. It's not absorbed into the blood stream, it simply passed into your bowel. I swear by it at the moment.

Plain old exercise for me.

I have movicol in the cupboard but am wary of using it when pregnant, defo safe?

Fybogel is really effective for me.

oooooooooooooooooooo ive just remembered raisins soaked in hot water overnight also!

agree, small porridge and a cup of coffee does the trick

Big glass of orange juice and fybogel work very well for me.

SeaSaltMill there is info on the patient leaflet I linked to above about movicol under the 'macrogols' section

There have been a few threads on this topic recently so a lot of people are obviously feeling a bit on the congested side!

My miracle cure is kiwi fruit. Honestly, Google it, it contains a unique laxative that does help get things moving again, though I don't know if it would aggravate IBS with it being quite acidic?