Delayed bowel movements, pain

#21

That’s exactly how I spent almost 4yrs, felt like I was trying to crap out a watermelon, then it either came out like cat crap, or diarrhea like, never made sense that it felt like that on the way! Was never like that prior to keto, and when I’d have a cheat meal or something, I’d have long smooth movements like how we’re supposed to.

Now if you’re electrolyte depleted or borderline dehydrated, electrolytes may help, but if not, get in more fiber. Electrolyte wasn’t a problem for me, it was fiber. I wound up getting a colonoscopy to find out I’d done damage from forcing them out all that time, now I have my fiber up to “normal” levels, and haven’t had a single problem since. After my doc chewed me out over it his last words were EAT FIBER!!! It was literally 2 days and I was good after that.

Don’t be me. I ignored what was right in front of my face because I’d believed that “we didn’t need it” or that salt or more fat would help, nope. Fiber. If you can get it in with food, great. If not, supplement it in. Stool softeners are also safe to take for a while if you need to, just not laxatives, those will mess you up if you keep taking them, plus, who would want to?

(Martin) #22

So, were you getting Keto friendly fiber? What food fiber sources keep me within the Keto guidelines. I’ve been adding flax to meals. Whole flax, so it just swells up with water and passes. I don’t know if this has helped. The list I have of good keto sources includes avacadoes (which seems like a top source and I could eat more often), chia seeds, cauliflour (which I eat semiregularly), …

Any recommendations?

#23

Hi, I eat an avocado, chia seeds and raw cauliflower in a shake daily, I blend it with ice and a chocolate sweetener. It’s delicious!

#24

All Fiber is keto friendly, our bodies don’t process fiber like other carbs, that’s literally what makes it what we call “fiber”. There’s some evidence that a minority of people, probably with more cellulase enzyme do in fact process it more of it, but really not something to worry about either, unless you determine it’s causing an issue for you. I use the generic ripoff of Benefiber mostly. It completely dissolves in whatever liquid you put it in. I usually just throw some in my protein shakes. But you could put it in anything.

With my now self created issue, I’m supposed to be real careful with seeds, I used to do a Chia pudding though, it was pretty good! Used to mix it with sugar free pudding and it pretty much made it like a chocolate tapioca, guess you could use vanilla as well.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #25

Now that is interesting. I thought human beings lacked cellulase entirely.

#26

I could be wrong on this (and probably am) but my understanding was that we don’t make it on our own because we lack some gene for it, but wind up with it anyways from other things we eat, I always assume cows since they’re grass eaters, but honestly never looked too deep into it. I only lightly looked into it once when I noticed that my Digestive Enzyme blend contained it, so started questioning whether it was going to turn my fiber into real carbs on me or not, but dropped the ball on looking deeper.

(Edith) #27

Did your digestive problems begin around the time you made the switch to ghee? It looks like your diet is pretty paleo based - no dairy. Maybe its the ghee?

I can’t eat dairy, but not too long ago I decided to try ghee since it supposedly has the milk proteins removed from it. Let’s just say, ghee did NOT agree with my digestive system.

(Martin) #28

Hi,
no, I switched to the ghee because of the problem. I don’t know if that helped or not. It is somewhat better now - I’ll know more in a few days, but I think it is the fiber addition. I now drink/eat/chew some chia pudding with each meal. It has certainly bulked up my BMs and so far not much pain. But since I go less than I did off the Keto, it’s still early to tell.

(Martin) #29

I’ve been doing the Chia pudding. Just a little now with meals and it certainly bulked up my BMs. I think the situation is better, but it’s too early to tell for sure. But thank you, fiber was definitely something to explore. I’ll add on after I know more.

(Martin) #30

I’m doing a simple chia pudding. I had some coconut milk at first, but actually I’m pretty happy with just the bare chia. Seems to be helping, I’ll know more soon.

(Kirk Wolak) #31

I always recommend salt and more fat with less fiber if you are constipated.
I have to avoid dairy. Also being hydrated.

I assume the pain is the passing through of the harder stuff…
And once it moves through you the pain is basically gone.

If this is the case, certainly would add some cod-liver oil or more fats, and some fats first.
You might be doing the salad/veg/fiber, then the meat/fats. Try to get some fats in there first to “grease the skids”!

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #32

Some pain is actually distension of the bowel from trapped gas. The gas is produced by intestinal bacteria when they digest certain carbohydrates. I find that I have far, far less gas when my carb intake is low, and it doesn’t take much in the way of extra carbohydrate before my gas production starts up again.

(Stan) #33

My fat portions were generous. My salt perhaps too generous, if anything.
Fiber was pretty low and so far, five days in, this seems to be at least part of the solution.

(Bacon is a many-splendoured thing) #34

It’s different for everyone. Fibre on a ketogenic diet is a non-issue for most people, it seems, but there are those who cannot tolerate it, and an equal number who must have it. People have to do some experimenting to find out which category they belong to.

One thing that sometimes throws people is that on keto, more time generally goes by between bowel movements than before. This is perfectly normal. As long as we are not straining to eliminate, or having problems with diarrhoea, there is no need to be concerned. I am old enough to remember when the notion of “regularity” was invented by the laxative manufacturers in order to sell their product. Before that, people just did their business without worrying about having to be on a schedule.

(Stan) #35

Yes, I agree. I am quite content to go a few days without a BM. As long as I feel no discomfort. Since I added the chia seed pudding, I haven’t had the kind of abdomen pain I was and the BMs are more normal and larger. Before it was a half day process where instead of a train I got a car at a time. But given the gap between BMs I can’t be sure the problem is over.

Anyway, Keto is analogically like when I lived in the tropics. I peed so much less because I sweat most of the fluids. I never peed at night which was lovely. I don’t mind sweating. And I don’t mind BMing. As long as everything is working as it should.

(Jane) #36

I am one of those here who does better with additional fiber in my diet. I take a psyllium capsule every other day to firm up my stools (opposite problem from you). My gut biome changed dramatically 7 or 8 years ago after a business trip to Brazil. I have had all manner of gut biome testing but nothing ever shows up. Thankfully the fiber solves the problem of me having to take Immodium AD all the time.

This was prior to me going keto, so not diet or salt related.