constipation help!

lizok · October 2011

this may be a recurring thread but i need something out of the ordinary to work on me. The usual props are not cutting it. Its been a painful week with no BM.

Colace does nothing, Metamucil seems to make things worse. Fiber gives me more gas and prunes usually work but not lately. I need something stronger, safe for pregnancy. Can anyone help me out there?

mirandagc91 · October 2011

1 cup of regular (not decaf) coffee usually helps me out now days.

Julia_JJ · October 2011

Things that have kept me regular:

- the VitaFusion fiber gummies. I take them with my prenatal.

- Mexican food. Mmmmm, beans.

- Lots and lots of water.

- Walking. And attempting to bend over. Keeps things moving.

- hot tea

juepnunes · October 2011

- coffee followed by orange juice

mrsfowler1016 · October 2011

Honestly, RAISINS. They never had this kind of effect on me before but I honestly can't bring them to work anymore because of the constant gas and diarrhea. Coffee helps, as well as drinking plenty of water.

I stopped drinking soda and started drinking more water and my BM's have become more constant and healthy than ever.

Fletcha · October 2011

mirandagc91:
1 cup of regular (not decaf) coffee usually helps me out now days.

This is me too, I'm averaging about a cup (8oz) every day during the week with the occasional latte on the weekends and it has really helped. I notice a difference when I cut back on it. Same with my headaches.

And this may be flame-worthy to some, but not taking your prenatal vitamin every single day may help. As long as you have a good, balanced diet, it really won't hurt your baby one bit to not take it daily. Give your system a break from all the iron. I average about every other day and again, noticed a difference when I started slacking on it.

iluvmylab · October 2011

Coffee, activia yogurt, peaches, pears, or a mc donald's sausage biscuit does the trick for me!

lizok · October 2011

thanks guys, its the worst part of this whole pregnancy for me. That and the hemorroids i got from it!

i am looking forward to trying the MCD's biscuit!

McSquishy · October 2011

I've been having luck with frosted mini wheats. The maple brown sugar kind are great.

tosh24 · October 2011

A word of caution: if your constipation is that bad that you've been trying softeners/foods with a laxative effect and they're not working, you're likely going to need to use a glycerin suppository or enema. There is nothing worse than stuffing yourself full of all these high fibre/laxative effect foods, having diarrhea cramps and still not being able to go because of the large, hard bowel movement sitting in your rectum and blocking the way. Trust me on this one.

Glycerin suppositories are safe for pregnancy. Not the most glamorous thing in the world, but you'll survive. Just insert one, lie down and watch some TV. You're going to feel like you really have to go, but try to hold it in as long as you can because that will enable the suppository to work better and remove more poop (about 15 min. is good). It does not hurt (even if you have hemmies it's not too bad - I had them bad with DD), does not cause diarrhea cramping, and you will feel back to your normal self within 5 minutes of having a BM. The glycerin helps to coat everything too, so the bowel movement is easy.

Once all the poop is out of the way, THEN I would make sure to keep up with the PP's suggestions so that it doesn't happen again.

lizok · October 2011

thank you so much. do you use the liquid ones or the suppository ones? is one better? i think this is the help i will need. its been too long since i went.

alieb82 · October 2011

My savior is taking 2 Colace along with a full serving of Phillips Milk of Magnesia right before bed. I did it last night and feel great today

tosh24 · October 2011

lizok:
thank you so much. do you use the liquid ones or the suppository ones? is one better? i think this is the help i will need. its been too long since i went.

I use the suppository ones. I find they're gentler than the liquid enemas (I've had those before too before colonoscopies). Sometimes I find that when I lie down and am good at "keeping it in", the feeling to go goes away. I get up and walk up and down the stairs, put some laundry in, etc., and the moving around will get things going. You can just buy the generic brand of suppositories - they're exactly the same as the name brands.

TMI Warning - The liquid enema works immediately (as in, I couldn't even finish squirting the bottle before the feeling was so intense that I just had to go). It also turns all your poop to liquid and small pieces, so you get a little more discomfort with it (but still, it's not that bad....having the constipation is worse).

Hope you feel better soon....constipation (plus hemmies) is no fun at all.

MesmrEwe · October 2011

Here's the "everything is over the counter GI Cocktail" that I had in the hospital (it's just that usually no one thinks to combine everything at once) - otherwise, if you REALLY are up for getting things moving in a hurry (btw - a week without is something you might consider because more than anything you DO NOT want to get a blockage), Magnesium Citrate by ITSELF will get the job done - go ahead and put it on ice and don't trust yourself to think it's gas after you take it for ANYTHING for the next 24 hours...

Miralax packet 2x/day (mix it with some OJ and it's not THAT bad - far better than metamucil)...Colace 2x/day, Senecot 2x/day - do this until you get things moving then wean off starting with the Miralax, then Colace then Senecot...

lizok · October 2011

MesmrEwe:

Here's the "everything is over the counter GI Cocktail" that I had in the hospital (it's just that usually no one thinks to combine everything at once) - otherwise, if you REALLY are up for getting things moving in a hurry (btw - a week without is something you might consider because more than anything you DO NOT want to get a blockage), Magnesium Citrate by ITSELF will get the job done - go ahead and put it on ice and don't trust yourself to think it's gas after you take it for ANYTHING for the next 24 hours...

Miralax packet 2x/day (mix it with some OJ and it's not THAT bad - far better than metamucil)...Colace 2x/day, Senecot 2x/day - do this until you get things moving then wean off starting with the Miralax, then Colace then Senecot...

Is all that allowed? and safe?

Mehllers · October 2011

tosh24:
A word of caution: if your constipation is that bad that you've been trying softeners/foods with a laxative effect and they're not working, you're likely going to need to use a glycerin suppository or enema. There is nothing worse than stuffing yourself full of all these high fibre/laxative effect foods, having diarrhea cramps and still not being able to go because of the large, hard bowel movement sitting in your rectum and blocking the way. Trust me on this one.

Glycerin suppositories are safe for pregnancy. Not the most glamorous thing in the world, but you'll survive. Just insert one, lie down and watch some TV. You're going to feel like you really have to go, but try to hold it in as long as you can because that will enable the suppository to work better and remove more poop (about 15 min. is good). It does not hurt (even if you have hemmies it's not too bad - I had them bad with DD), does not cause diarrhea cramping, and you will feel back to your normal self within 5 minutes of having a BM. The glycerin helps to coat everything too, so the bowel movement is easy.

Once all the poop is out of the way, THEN I would make sure to keep up with the PP's suggestions so that it doesn't happen again.

Going with Tosh here. All the above suggestions are great for maintaining healthy bowel movements, but if you're constipated and it's been several days, you need something more to get things moving. I usually first try the full dose of the Phillips Milk of Magnesia tablets (4 of them) taken all at once. If I don't get a bowel movement within 12 hours after taking them, I go to the suppository Tosh mentioned.

I take Colace every night and Miralax in coffee every morning to keep myself regular. Pregnancy plus Zofran three times a day has done a number on my bowels.

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