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Post by smalltowngirlie on Mar 14, 2024 21:11:54 GMT
I apologize in advance for TMI, but I don't know another way to explain how I am feeling. I changed my diet a bit with more protein and fiber. I increased my fruit, mainly berries, and vegetables, mainly green. Drinking more water My morning glucose level is lower, under 120 consistently and my weight is slowly going down. This all sounds good right? Here is my issue, I am getting constipated now when I very rarely have in the past. It gets to the point I have had to take a laxative. What am I missing? I tracked my food and the numbers looked good. I am not perfect, but am making the progress I want and I feel this is a meal plan I can stay with.
Any ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
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Post by Linda on Mar 14, 2024 21:16:57 GMT
did you ramp up the increased fibre slowly? How much increase in water? You might need to increase it some more. Are you on any medications that might be a side effect of? Or perhaps have you taken something out of your diet that perhaps increased regularity? (coffee for instance or milk products if you're lactose intolerant or sometimes artificial sweeteners)
I hope you can figure it out and start feeling more comfortable
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Post by librarylady on Mar 14, 2024 21:50:07 GMT
Fresh spinach should help.
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Post by calgaryscrapper on Mar 14, 2024 21:51:12 GMT
An increase in water might help
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Post by crazy4scraps on Mar 14, 2024 22:05:02 GMT
Sometimes if you aren’t getting enough good fats/oils it can contribute to that problem too. Maybe instead of the laxatives you could try a magnesium citrate supplement? That was mentioned on the magnesium thread as having a laxative effect. Or Smooth Move tea would be another alternative you could try.
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Post by ScrapbookMyLife on Mar 14, 2024 22:06:51 GMT
Disclaimer: TMI
I had this issue, a couple years ago, ended up in the emergency room.
I went to ER, thinking it was appendix or gallbladder, but it wasn't that.
Severely constipated was the issue, because I was consuming too much fiber and it was binding me up. I was trying to be good and all the things with fiber that I was eating was the cause of my abnormally bloated, not having any bowel movements..... leading to severe pain and cramping.
I was advised to adjust my diet and not consume as much fiber and to use Miralax (a water based laxative).
When I consume more vegetables, sometimes it makes me get bound up. Figuring out the right amount of fiber filled food consumption was helpful for me.
I would try cutting back on your fiber intake. It may be a matter of finding the right amount for you to consume.
Disclaimer: I am not a Doctor, just sharing my experience. You should always seek medical attention first and foremost.
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Post by smalltowngirlie on Mar 14, 2024 22:12:32 GMT
did you ramp up the increased fibre slowly? How much increase in water? You might need to increase it some more. Are you on any medications that might be a side effect of? Or perhaps have you taken something out of your diet that perhaps increased regularity? (coffee for instance or milk products if you're lactose intolerant or sometimes artificial sweeteners) I hope you can figure it out and start feeling more comfortable I increased my water by quite a bit. I am making an effort to drink more. I did not go crazy on the fiber to begin with. I researched good sources and added them in. I do drink coffee, no issues with milk. |
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Post by smalltowngirlie on Mar 14, 2024 22:13:06 GMT
Sometimes if you aren’t getting enough good fats/oils it can contribute to that problem too. Maybe instead of the laxatives you could try a magnesium citrate supplement? That was mentioned on the magnesium thread as having a laxative effect. Or Smooth Move tea would be another alternative you could try. I will watch that more. Thank you. |
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Post by smalltowngirlie on Mar 14, 2024 22:13:54 GMT
Fresh spinach should help. I have been having more salads with romaine lettuce. I can easily switch to spinach. Thank you. |
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Post by smalltowngirlie on Mar 14, 2024 22:14:55 GMT
Disclaimer: TMI I had this issue, a couple years ago, ended up in the emergency room. I went to ER, thinking it was appendix or gallbladder, but it wasn't that. Severely constipated was the issue, because I was consuming too much fiber and it was binding me up. I was trying to be good and all the things with fiber that I was eating was the cause of my abnormally bloated, not having any bowel movements..... leading to severe pain and cramping. I was advised to adjust my diet and not consume as much fiber and to use Miralax (a water based laxative). When I consume more vegetables, sometimes it makes me get bound up. Figuring out the right amount of fiber filled food consumption was helpful for me. I would try cutting back on your fiber intake. It may be a matter of finding the right amount for you to consume. Disclaimer: I am not a Doctor, just sharing my experience. You should always seek medical attention first and foremost. Thank you. I will keep an eye on this also. Everything else is looking good, but dang, it gets uncomfortable and painful. |
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Post by librarylady on Mar 14, 2024 22:17:01 GMT
Fresh spinach should help. Cooked fresh spinach works well for me. Some call it "nature's broom" because it sweeps the colon clean. |
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Post by Delta Dawn on Mar 14, 2024 23:02:30 GMT
Can you trust the process and know you are doing everything right? You are winning at this diet. I do keto and get constipated all the time. Normal.
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Post by gar on Mar 14, 2024 23:05:59 GMT
Can you trust the process and know you are doing everything right? You are winning at this diet. I do keto and get constipated all the time. Normal. But not healthy at all! Are you active? Being physically active helps the gut work more effectively. Also i didn’t notice how recent this is…maybe it will correct itself soon? |
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Mar 14, 2024 23:15:54 GMT
Magnesium helps me stay more regular. But lots of water and making the changes slowly can help as well.
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Post by Delta Dawn on Mar 14, 2024 23:16:20 GMT
Can you trust the process and know you are doing everything right? You are winning at this diet. I do keto and get constipated all the time. Normal. But not healthy at all! Are you active? Being physically active helps the gut work more effectively. Also i didn’t notice how recent this is…maybe it will correct itself soon? I am as active as I can be with a broken arm. Would I like more exercise? Yes but my arm hurts a lot. |
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Post by AussieMeg on Mar 14, 2024 23:21:46 GMT
I do keto and get constipated all the time. Normal. Please don't think that being constipated is normal. It's not normal and it's not good. |
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Post by gar on Mar 14, 2024 23:22:10 GMT
But not healthy at all! Are you active? Being physically active helps the gut work more effectively. Also i didn’t notice how recent this is…maybe it will correct itself soon? I am as active as I can be with a broken arm. Would I like more exercise? Yes but my arm hurts a lot. Fair enough, just that it sounded like a long term situation not a temp one - you said “all the time”. I hope your arm heals soon. |
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Post by Delta Dawn on Mar 14, 2024 23:58:36 GMT
I am as active as I can be with a broken arm. Would I like more exercise? Yes but my arm hurts a lot. Fair enough, just that it sounded like a long term situation not a temp one - you said “all the time”. I hope your arm heals soon. I need it better, too. It’s my right arm so I am lucky. I fell well. Three more weeks. |
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Post by pmm on Mar 15, 2024 1:06:11 GMT
I met with a GI dietician recently, and they suggested 1-2 kiwi per day to help with the constipation. It does help me.
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Post by peano on Mar 15, 2024 1:28:15 GMT
1. more fluids
2. exercise, especially abs
3. probiotics
4. Smooth Move Tea
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milocat
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,421 
Location: 55 degrees north in Alberta, Canada
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Post by milocat on Mar 15, 2024 1:39:36 GMT
did you ramp up the increased fibre slowly? How much increase in water? You might need to increase it some more. Are you on any medications that might be a side effect of? Or perhaps have you taken something out of your diet that perhaps increased regularity? (coffee for instance or milk products if you're lactose intolerant or sometimes artificial sweeteners) I hope you can figure it out and start feeling more comfortable I increased my water by quite a bit. I am making an effort to drink more. I did not go crazy on the fiber to begin with. I researched good sources and added them in. I do drink coffee, no issues with milk. This was my thought also, fibre. Maybe it has to be even slower. |
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Post by auntiepeas on Mar 15, 2024 2:42:02 GMT
I met with a GI dietician recently, and they suggested 1-2 kiwi per day to help with the constipation. It does help me. I'm really glad your GI dietician's advice helps you, it sounds like good advice, but it also gives me the giggles.🤭 |
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Post by Zee on Mar 15, 2024 3:25:31 GMT
Any new medications that might be contributing?
Try a little healthy fats (maybe a tsp of coconut oil in a cup of coffee, if you like that) or avocado toast. Use a gentle laxative/softener combo like senna plus. Are you walking regularly? That helps too.
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samantha25
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,892
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Post by samantha25 on Mar 15, 2024 4:45:49 GMT
Red wine helps me. Sometimes fiber is not the best. My colonoscopy prep said to avoid it. This may sound crass but if diffulcties voiding poop, just grab it with tp to get it moving.
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Post by Lexica on Mar 15, 2024 5:53:51 GMT
I take some strong pain killers daily and they are very constipating. I learned at the beginning of the chronic pain treatment to add a stool softener to my pill box. Costco carries them and so does Amazon. It makes all the difference.
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Post by lesserknownpea on Mar 15, 2024 8:20:54 GMT
When I used to limit carbs I found a big salad every day, and lots of cooked mushrooms helped.
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Post by Susie_Homemaker on Mar 15, 2024 13:08:28 GMT
My go-tos are adding ground flaxseed to something- I usually sprinkle it on my salad- once a day and/or take a probiotic for a few days. Both of those help me not to get constipated. But most importantly, drink enough water!
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Post by heckofagal on Mar 15, 2024 13:23:45 GMT
I agree that your body is probably not used to all the fiber yet and that you are getting less fats & oils in your diet now. I also agree that taking magnesium nightly can help with this along with some stool softeners until you get back to normal.
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Post by smalltowngirlie on Mar 15, 2024 17:06:25 GMT
Here are some replies:
-I need to walk more - this is probably a big factor in my issue - thank you all for the reminder
-I will continue to monitor my water intake and make sure it stays up
-I don't do avocado or red wine, sorry
-No new medications
-I tried a stool softener, but it did not do anything.
-We tried keto and I believe that is what triggered diverticulitis in me. DH loved it, me not so much.
-I have thought about adding flaxseed may look at more ways to add it in on a regular basis.
Thank you all for the gentle advice and encouragement. I do believe this will work for me. It is not a diet, but rather just rethinking what I eat and focusing on what my body needs, but still allowing myself to have what I want in moderation.
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Post by mollycoddle on Mar 15, 2024 17:25:46 GMT
Drink a lot of water. I toast a bag of walnuts very lightly, put them in an airtight container, and have a small handful or two every day. If that won’t work, try a couple of prunes. But only a couple; too many prunes will give you the trots.
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