Weight loss/constipation - sorry if tmi!

[Itfeelslikeapartyeveryday]

I started doing ww In April and so far have lost two stone, I have one more to go.

Over the last month or so I have been struggling to go to the toilet, easily going five days or so without. I don't actually feel physically that I need to go tho, just start to get bloated. I had some problems yrs ago after the birth of one of my dc, so I bought some fybogel which is what I was prescribed last time. However I really struggle to drink the vile stuff so tried a few days of fresh figs/prunes but nothing.

I switched to dulcolax taking one a night which did nothing, two did gave me stomach pains. I read online tht it can be caused by a low fat diet so tried to make some changes in my diet. My husband thinks it because I'm not eating enough (26 points a day plus 49 weeklies). I must admit I don't ever count any activity points for my walking as I only ever lose 1lb a week anyway.

Anyway this week I went to the gp's and asked for advice. I must admit I felt a bit pissed off as she questioned everything I said as if she didn't believe me. I have honestly turned my diet around, I drink lots of water, I eat loads of fruit/veg and I try and exercise (walk 3-5k a day). She prescribed 1-2 sachets of laxido a day. Day 1 I had one sachet - nothing, day 2 I took 2, nothing, day 3 - spoke to pharmacist who advised you can work slowly up to 6 a day, so I had 3 sachets- nothing, day 4 - I had 4, I did manage to go a bit, but last night my stomach was making all sorts of noises. Day 5and woke up with a bit of diarrhoea and only had one sachet so far, not sure whether to continue now.

I feel like my digestion is all over the place, not sure if it's the ww but I can't see how. Have been having fruit and fibre for breakfast to try and help too. I just want to be able to go to the toilet once a day normally! To top it off since all this started I have only lost about half a pound in the last month despite being really good (I have def stuck to points as I write it down and weigh/measure)

Sorry this was so long, would love any advice!

Aaaargh ...I lost my first post while looking something up.

Anyway what I was going to say is don't panic. You can get this sorted. I screwed up my system with painkillers and antacids but now it's taken two years and is just fine.

You're doing everything right just needs a bit more tweaking. Keep on with figs and prunes on a night

Vit c. Powder. A teaspoon a day. Two the next. Build it up until stools become soft. That's when you've saturated your body with it. Then ease back as you don't want to give yourself diarrhoea.

Linseeds/ flax. Chew thoroughly . Don't just swallow them. Take a glass of water. Again use of an evening.

Tiger stores sell a marvelous tea I discovered by accident. It's called ginger tea. It's got loads of great herbs in it that are good for digestion . £2 for a big bag and I take that before bed.

The stores at the moment are in Wales, south of Nottingham and Norfolk. I get mine in Cardiff and Milton keynes.

www.tigerstores.co.uk/store_locator.html

Now for the big guns. Have you had antibiotics recently. Do you take probiotics? Get the best probiotic you can afford. With lots of different strains in it. I make my own. I make kefir, sauerkraut and just recently have started with kombucha which is amazing. Eat some of these every day. You will get a huge boost from them though everything takes a while to get into the system.

Another little goodie was given to me by my Russian therapist. It's an Indian product called bio triphala . That is amazing. I buy gelatine capsules and fill them with the powder as I'm a wuss and don't like the taste. It is a fruit powder and very very good. It's annoying when you are doing everything right and nothing happens.

If I get to that scenario I will take the odd buscopan occasionally. I don't want to rely on them though.

If you are still struggling do update but that little lot should keep you busy for a while ;-)

Here's a site for the bio triphala

www.herbals.lv/en/Ayurveda-Supplements?a=3470

Thank you will look into all of those.

I should have said in my first post that I really don't want to be relying on these medicines, that there must be better ways of sorting it out.

I bought a honey kombucha from a seller in Ireland off eBay. I've given one away and have 5 as they reproduce.

Look at Donna Schwenks cultured foods site.

Lots of great ideas. I think you need to go down more than one pathif things are stuck and you need more help.

Checkout abdominal massage as well. Can't praise the linseeds, figs, probiotics, the ginger tea , bio triphala highly enough.

We owe it to ourselves to keep our innards as efficient.

As possible!

Laxido is useful stuff. It can take a while to work if you're quite bunged up though. It's a stool softener rather than a stimulant laxative.

The fact you started having loose stools means you've probably shifted the blockage now. From now on I'd stop taking it but resume once my bowels slowed down again. So if you go for a day or so without a bowel movement, take a couple of sachets (one is never enough for me!)

How much water are you drinking? The more you need to drink

lots of water
lots of raw fruit and veg
lots more water

I had exactly the same problem, starting almost overnight back in March. I suffered for a month with this...going from 'going' several times a day, to being lucky to get anything coming out once a week!!

I tried eating a very high fibre diet...but even a whole bag of dried Apricots made no difference!

I finally went to the doctor and she said straight away "sounds like an under active Thyroid". She prescribed laxative sachets to drink and I had to have blood tests.

Phoned later in the week for results and was told by receptionist "tests all fine"...I asked for my results, as I'd in the meantime done some research online about 'TSH' (Thyroid Stimulating Hormone) levels and so knew that the NHS often tells people there is no problem, when there is.

My TSH was 2.8 and T4 (think that was it) was about 14. I'd read that TSH anything over 1 for is under active...but you have to be quite bad for the NHS to say it's under active, higher than 2.8..they have moved the goalposts for diagnosis.

I've had to self medicate..been taking loads of Kelp (for the Iodine that stimulates your Thyroid)...dried, tablets, liquid and that has sorted things, but I need to keep on top of it every day, by taking note of how I feel and how often I go to the toilet.
I consume as much Iodine as someone in Japan (about 3mg/day) now. If I stop taking the Kelp it I get constipated again, so it is with out doubt, in my case, my Thyroid.

I was diagnosed with an over active Thyroid last year, so I am probably prone to Thyroid problems now.

Might be worth asking for Thyroid tests?

Interesting post gourmet. I'm often terribly tired yet all my tests were fine.