Struggling with bowel movements (sorry if tmi included)

[Keepingmecalm]

I am doing well with reducing calories and am beginning to drop some pounds. However for the last couple of days it has been very difficult for me to pass stools with lots of straining involved and some pain as a result. Am thinking of taking psyllium husk tablets. Can anyone else offer any advice?

Drink loads of water and take some docusate. Brands include dulcoease. It's a stool softener.

Take two or three twice a day, once before bed. That should get you moving.

If still no movement in a few days you can use glycerin suppositories which usually do have quite rapid results. Do not do this outside of the house, for obvious reasons!

Add chia seeds to your diet. I mix them with yoghurt and add some frozen fruit.

Yes will definitely up my water intake. I have bought some tablets to help for the next couple of days and will look to see where I could use chia seeds. @BashfulClam How much do you add?

20g to 100-200g of natural yoghurt . I let it sit overnight. It does a great job lol

Thanks. I have also ordered some magnesium supplements which are supposed to help with number of things, including sleep and muscle cramps.

Psyllium husk or inulin is often recommended, the former did nothing for me, I didn't try the later.

I started taking a magnesium complex with glycinate (for foot/leg cramps that were happening nearly every night and poor sleep), citrate (for constipation) and malate, oxide and that has made a difference to both cramps and constipation. If I forget to take it for more than a couple of days I soon notice.

I also found raising my feet while on the loo helped a lot more than I expected it would. I bought a squatty potty foot stool and everyone at home uses it now.

If you use chia, make sure you soak them overnight (eg in yoghurt as suggested). Never eat them as is, eg sprinkled over a salad, they will absorb water in your gut and cause a blockage.

Have you looked at how much natural fibre you’re getting in your diet? For example, swap out white pasta and white rice for brown pasta and brown rice. Maybe avoid bread for a few weeks, and then make sure you get a whole meal one. A good tip is to eat your veg first, then your protein, then your carbs. Vegetables have lots of fibre. Apples and blueberries are anti-inflammatory and great for your gut, kiwis again are full of fibre, especially if you can eat the skin.

To get things going initially, I would use Macrogol. It makes your stool absorb water, making it easier to pass, but longer term you need to take a careful look at what you’re eating. It might take a few days to take effect but stick with it.