Constipation and miralax

(jim Chiodo) #1

Actual question is at the end, but this is what led to it:

After off and on constipation, (previous posts), my useless regular doctor told me to eat more grains and less fat. (yeah, I’d like to ditch him, but finding Keto friendly doc is impossible.

So, I consulted my gut/butt doctor. (so named because he did back door surgery 9 yrs ago, belly button surgery and took care of diverticulitis a couple times in last two years). Discussing Keto, with him doesn’t result in the grain low fat nonsense.

We discussed Keto and conflicting advice on this forum and other (take more fiber vs less fiber). I had been taking generic capsule of pysyllium husk fiber daily but had discontinued. I also tried a small does of milk of mag daily, which worked but seemed to keep on working.

I don’t want to eat a bran cereal of anything like that with a lot of carbs. Doc suggested Fiber One but only eat a 1/2 cup daily. A full cup is 24 carbs, less 14 fiber = 10 net carbs so a 1/cup is only 5 carbs. Rather than with milk, I tried with 1/2 & 1/2 but now just put it on scrambled eggs or eat it dry with a glass of water.

It is “sort of” working. I don’t have to strain, but things are not as “smooth” as I’d like.

Ok here’s my question: What if I take a teaspoon of Miralax daily mixed with beverage? (Recommended doee is a cap full which is about one heaping tablespoon.) I want to avoid a situation where i get really constipated and need relief. Will a tea spoon a day help achieve a balance without giving me gut aches, cramps, bloating and uncomfortable feeling?

My weight loss has been stalled and i think my go - no go cycles are negatively effecting sleep, creating an overall blah feeling could be the answer.

(Michael ) #2

What do you define as constipation? I go much less frequently with less “product” usually once every couple of days but sometimes still daily. I eat at least 6 cups of green vegetables a day though so i wonder if it helps. Also ear a lot of sauerkraut and asparagus. Certainly less regular than when I used to eat a box of cereal a day though

If the only way to feel better is to take a little miralax then probably worth a try. Just thought I would bring up diet to see if anything resonates that might help you without medication.

(Kim Miller) #3

I have been on the full capful of miralax everyday for years…no problems whatsoever. You can take it forever. It’s not a stimulant laxative, there’s no dependency. It’s bulk forming and doesn’t have any side effects for me. Just makes things normal! Should have no effect on blood sugar…

(Dan Dan) #4

I think you misunderstand you need a proper balance of fiber :thinking:

Soluble fiber allows more water to remain in your stool, making waste softer, larger, and thus, easier to pass through your intestines. Insoluble fiber adds bulk to your fecal material, which hastens its passage through your gut and prevents that constipated feeling.

Be sure to drink a lot of water because fiber can clog up the intestines and cause constipation :open_mouth:

(jim Chiodo) #5

Although somewhat alleviated by the Fiber One, I used to wake up feeling like I have to go. I sit down and nothing happens. By 10 or 11, I finally feel the “pressure” and can go without straining. My stool is generally hard but not big. It appears dry at the end.

Sometime I don’t go and the uncomfortable gut feeling is with me off and on all day. When it continues to a second day and I’m more uncomfortable, I sometimes strain. If it’s been a couple days I’ve taken Milk of mag, (perhaps half of the recomended dose)

Milk of mag will “work” in 4-5 hrs and then continue to work off and on the rest of the day producing small but softer stool. Most of the day, I’ll have a sore lower gut.

I did have a movement this morning (somewhat hard). have been feeling bloated all day. I can still function. Was out snowblowing my drive and a couple of neigbor’s drives too. this evening, I took a tea spoon of Miralax. I’m slightly uncomfortable now, but the urgency to go which would produce results without straining it’s there. It’s midnight and i’m going to bed but probably won’t be able to get to sleep.

I’m 72 yrs old. 5’11" Current weight is 283. (down from 328 in 5 months)

I don’t log food, calories, carbs, etc. I don’t test blood, I just wing it and avoid carbs. I try to get more fat, but probably end up with too much protein.

Back in pre-keto days, eating mass quantities of both protein and carbs, it wasn’t unusual to go 2 o 3 time a day producing large amounts of generally softer stools.

(Dan Dan) #6

Sounds like you need more Soluble fiber and to drink more water :thinking:

(Dan Dan) #7

Can you give us an example of your daily meals, eating window, and your body composition it would be easier to help :thinking:

(Daryl G Jackson ) #8

If one thinks fiber is an issue, let me suggest a low carb bagel from samisbakery.com. It has 28 carbs with 24 fiber and tastes great with butter or cream cheese or as a sandwich. Their low carb bread and rolls are awesome also. The bread is dense but when grilled in butter it makes the best grilled sandwich in our universe! It’s like carnival decadent food! And great fiber!

(jim Chiodo) #9

Dan Dan: RE: body composition: I’m not sure what that means. Obviously at 283#, i’m not a lean-mean fighting machine, nor am I physically fit or very flexible. Loosing 40+ lbs has reduced my waist, but i’m still much more gut than butt. Without suspenders, my pants (46" or 48") would fall down. Shirts, etc are now 2XL; previously 3XL.

At one time, eons ago in through college football, wrestling then into 20s and 30s, pitching fast pitch softball, I was formidable, even at the upper 200lb numbers. Most of my work career was professional (sales, management, etc) although I always did my own home, car ,etc repairs and building things. My later life “sport” was sailboat racing, but as owner/captain, it mostly was yelling at my crew.

daily meals greatly varies:
for past 10 days, day begins with 1/2 cup of fiber one. sometimes with just enough whole milk to make it wet. A couple days a week, that is all I will have in the morning. Other times, I have scrambled eggs (usually 3 eggs) with the fiber one as topping on the eggs.

With eggs which are cooked in lots of butter, i’ll have either bacon 2-3 slices of bacon or 2-3 sausage patties.

About once a week, I tire of eggs and mix a can of tuna with celery and mayo.

With all of the above, i have at least two full glasses of water or crystal light.

with the larger breakfast, I generally skip lunch or maybe just grab a piece of cheese. During the day, I’ll grab a frozen strawberry - cream cheese “fat bomb” a couple times a day.

Dinner is generally some kind of meat, (chicken, steak, hamburger, pork, ham, etc). with the meat, there will be brocolli, spinach or green beans.

If I have a light (fiber one only) breakfast and i’m out driving, I’ll stop at McDonalds and grab a triple cheesburger on the run. It’s can be messy in the car but I scrape condiments off and toss the roll. Once in a while, i’ll have a diet coke with it, but more often unsweetened ice tea. If I am meeting with someone at McDees, fast food or even a sit down place, i’ll get a burger with no bun and have it on top of lettuce or a salad. Blue cheese is my usual choice of dressing.

Desert: To avoid the temptation of sweets since thanksgiving, I’ve made a low carb coconut custard thing that will last me a week or so. Also made a Keto cheescake a couple times. I might cut up some strawberries on this.

If I have a snack, it will generally be cheese (american, swiss, cheddar or blue. I might also grab a pieced of lunch meat, etc.

As I said, I don’t log quantities or apply macros.

The closest thing to bread I have had is a 90 minute microwave egg, butter and almond flour and put ham or lunch meat on it.

for the big holiday meals where there is so much food on the table to temp me, I gorged on turkey and green vegetables.

I’ve made a fat head pizza a couple of times for a meal.

Again, I don’t keep track but I believe I get at least 8 or more full 10z glasses of water every day.

I don’t exercise, per se, other than household chores like clearing driveway of snow. (if light, I’ll use pusher shovel but more than couple inches, snow blower). A couple days a week, I’ll bundle up clear snow off wood pile and bring in about a 1/2 rick of wood for the wood stove.

Today, I’m retired and outside-the-home, “work” consists of volunteering, sometime a meeting or sitting at my computer. At meetings, I rarely drink, even at holiday party.

(Michael ) #10

Sounds like quite a bit of cheese. I wonder if it’s binding you up. Sometimes it’s hard to lose the cheese though

#11

I’ve had two surgeries for diverticulitis and also tried all your same solutions which worked for awhile. My last surgeon suggested mirilax and for the last 1 1/2 years I put a capful in my coffee, no taste and it works like a charm. If I need a little more help I take a couple fiber gummies and I’m good to go! Good luck to you!

(jim Chiodo) #12

Update: I took 1 teaspoon of miralax with some orange crystal light last evening. Felt uncomfortable through the night. Slept fitfully. Although I felt the urge to go when I got up, but nothing happened and I did not strain. I had a movement later in the morning. the stool was small and hard. An hour later, I had gut pains which yielded another easy to pass movement and another similar a couple hours after that.

Without straining, my belly feels sore, and I have an anxious feeling.

This from only one teaspoon!.

Do I need more fiber? Aside from trace fiber in green veggies, the 1/2 cup of fiber one cereal, with about 7 grams of fiber is my daily intake. Should i increase this? how much?

#13

Constipation is generally more complicated than fiber. Gut bacteria is the primary issue but its presence, diversity, and health are as related to what you eat as what you don’t eat. Miralax is a good way to deal with persistent constipation because it doesn’t have the side effects of fiber that isn’t being processed effectively (i.e. gas and pain) and it isn’t habit forming. It is an osmotic that pulls moisture into your stool. A good thing! If constipation is an ongoing issue you might want to work on building up your gut biome and ensuring everything is in balance. A functional medicine doctor or a chiropractor who uses applied kinesiology could help sort things.

(Tovan Nhsh) #14

I haven’t read the entirety of the thread,hopefully I’m not repeating anything but personally Miralax has had absolutely no effect for me. My go to for relief is Natural Calm. It’s a magnesium supplement but has always solved the issue within a few hours.

Secondly, I am on day three of a “dairy free” experiment. One of the major improvements I’ve seen so far is regularity. I haven’t been this regular in years.

(Michael ) #15

I think you hit the nail on the head with dairy. Most people are at least a little lactose intolerant, unless you’re origin is Scandinavia. People think they don’t have an issue since they don’t get terrible pain and gas immediately but a lot of people experience symptoms like diarrhea, constipation or general illnesses associated with inflammation. I can do butter but any amount of cheese doesn’t seem to do me any favors

(Dan Dan) #16

Thomas DeLauer

(Candy Lind) #17

I agree with the dairy comments - cheese binds me up and stalls my weight loss if I go overboard with it. BUT - I think you are not drinking NEARLY enough water. 80 ounces is enough for someone who weighs about 150 lb, but not for a big guy like you. I weigh 250 and I feel like crap if I drink below 120 ounces. I AIM for 170 ounces a day. Along with that, use the Natural Calm or another magnesium supplement and plenty of salt. You didn’t mention, but do you experience any kind of cramps in your extremeties? Fingers, toes, hands, feet, calves? This is another symptom of dehydration and out-of-balance electrolytes. HYDRATE. It’ll help!

(Naomi Brewster) #18

Hi @Michelinman - I feel your pain and the confusion of knowing what works for you - unfortunately and fortunately we are all very different and you will have to pick and choose and try things out before coming up with the perfect recipe for your own gut health. I have recently had some success with this issue by doing a few things:

  • Getting a little stool to put under the toilet so that I’m sitting in a squat position when doing number 2s. Surprisingly this has had a wonderful affect - I don’t feel like I am straining as much as I used to. I just bought a very cheap little stool from the 2 dollar shop (not a crazy fancy one for $120 from online - called squatty potty). Apparently the squat position straightens out the kink in your colon so gravity works better.
  • I have a drink in the morning of borax, magnesium, salt (if you are interested in recipe happy to share). And this also has helped.
  • I did increase greens (having green smoothy in morning) which was very effective for this issue but I had to stop when my thyroid crashed (apparently raw greens a goitergenic and suppress thyroid hormone) but if you don’t have a thyroid disorder like me having more greens may help
  • Increase water intake - I am probably having between 1.5 to 2 lts a day which is more than my usual (everyone’s needs and habits are different so work out your levels).

Note on miralax - I recently read a book by Guilia Enders called ‘Gut’. She was saying that taking something like miralax can empty the whole colon in one go, rather than the usual lower end of the colon which means that you if you take it you may not have the need to go again for several days. So keep this in mind if you decide to take it not to have every day - allow time between each dosing for the colon to fill again and give it a chance to naturally empty.

#19

Getting regular is easy. 4 tablespoons of Chia seeds soaked in a cup of almond milk overnight. Just cover and keep in the fridge. Eat it, and you’ll go!

(Michele) #20

When constipation has been an issue for me I have soaked linseeds/flaxseeds overnight. I would then take a tablespoon at a time. When soaked they become mucilaginous (and have very little taste) and the soaking releases products that are helpful in keeping you regular.