Constipation horror

lin1019 · March 2017

Forgive me if I'm not supposed to start a new thread about this, but I kept posting on some but don't seem to have much help.

I'm turning 13weeks tomorrow and I've had constipation issues even before I was pregnant. It wasn't really an issue then because I'll just take over the counter meds to make me pass. But being pregnant made my condition worst. Also making all the meds I was taking bad for baby. I had it so bad that I developed severe hemorrhoids that resulted in an operation. I had surgery last Feb 20. I was recovering well but sadly my hemorroids came back last friday. I don't know what to do.

I apply Rowatanal cream as prescribed by my doctor so it helped in the pain, it's still there but no longer hurt. I take lactulose every day 15ml twice a day.

Has anyone here ever tried lactulose? I have been taking it everyday but I have not passed any in 4 days. I'm scared of the horror of what might come out there when I feel the need to do a number 2.

Any advise on how you conquered this? I am stressing a lot because of this, plus I work night shifts so the stress is unreal
I would appreciate any help.

bluejeanbabi05 · March 2017

Hey, I've been constipated off and on, but it's usually helped by some coffee. So not much in the way of wisdom to offer, but I hope you and your doctor figure out a solution soon! Have you looked at changing your prenatal? I read online that the iron can cause constipation.

eta for words

riababy4 · March 2017

You poor thing! Have you tried eating figs and prunes? They are supposed to help. Also make sure you drink lots of water and eat loads of veg. Hope you feel better soon!!!

beezeee · March 2017

I had it really bad at the end of my last pregnancy. I used benefiber (I think that's what it was called), which is a fiber supplement you can mix into your water. It helped a little.

ChocolateIsLife · March 2017

@lin1019 I'm so sorry you are going through such severe constipation. I know how painful and stressful that can be. I have a close friend that has severe IBS-C and I remember her swearing by Aloe. She would buy it at the drugstore and drink it throughout the day. I think they have it in the pill form too, but I remember it working pretty quickly for her when she started drinking it. It might be worth to look into.

tyannej · March 2017

I've been pretty fortunate that I haven't had to deal with this yet. But I know from other people's experience that if it is severe constipation (which bless your heart it sounds like it is) that they use magnesium citrate or castrol; but with that being said I don't know if those can be used during pregnancy. I don't see why it would be an issue but I would ask. Hopefully you can get some relief soon.

KDeola · March 2017

I take citrucel daily and if needed you can take colace (non stimulating kind). Up the dried fruit intake and maybe even start a probiotic. Make sure you are drinking lots of water.

canonmom413 · March 2017

I know coffee isn't the greatest but honestly it helps me go. I don't consume it every day , and with 1-2 cups a day being safe , I feel ok using it for emergency energy or to help me go. That combined with downing lemon water.

buttercream_frosting · March 2017

Agree with PP that iron can cause constipation so check your vitamins and talk to your GP about how much iron supplement you need. Fiber rich foods will help and even drinking straight up psyllium husk can help, or sprinkle it into a smooth or on oatmeal. I strongly suggest looking at diet since you need to avoid meds. Think about your gut health. Probiotics or fermented foods (greek yoghurt, Yakult, sauerkraut, kim chi). Also a moderate exercise routine can assist in better bowel movement. Hope your butt feels better soon

ac1259 · March 2017

Dried prunes! Even when other things like miralax had failed those work really well!

ksf13 · March 2017

I agree with the prunes, for sure. Apple juice always helps my daughter (she gets constipated from time to time) and I've heard warm prune juice (but, I haven't gotten that desperate lol).

ChocolateIsLife · March 2017

Also, have you asked your doc about milk of magnesia? I don't know if it is safe while pregnant, but that helped me the last time I was in the hospital. And prune juice!

lovehorse77 · March 2017

Prunes prunes prunes...but mine isn't as bad as what you're describing. I also take a prenatal without iron and just try to eat iron rich foods bc my body seems to be better with it in food vs in a concentrated vitamin for some reason.

lin1019 · March 2017

bluejeanbabi05 said:

Hey, I've been constipated off and on, but it's usually helped by some coffee. So not much in the way of wisdom to offer, but I hope you and your doctor figure out a solution soon! Have you looked at changing your prenatal? I read online that the iron can cause constipation.

eta for words

For now we have not mo ed on to iron yet. And yes I am fearing what it would do to me to further my agony. My doc and I are working on what to do, I'm on lactulose right now but I haven't gone yet to see if it helps. I really hope this gets better soon.

lin1019 · March 2017

Thank you so much everyone for your kind words! We will go grocery shoping tomorrow and I'll make sure to buy lots of prunes! (Juice and dried). I'm also sticking to an oatmeal only breakfast and also frinking loads of water. Like 3-4 litres a day! I try my best and make every effort to make sure I get better. I wish tbis would all pass or hopefully get a lot tolerable. I appreciate all your suggestions mommas. Hopefully it'll get better soon.

migdala · March 2017

Have you tried a prenatal probiotic? I used to need coffee to go but when I got pregnant coffee started being repulsive. I started taking the probiotic at night and drinking a hot tea in bed in the morning and I've been miraculously regular!

lickastick · March 2017

ChocolateIsLife said:

@lin1019 I'm so sorry you are going through such severe constipation. I know how painful and stressful that can be. I have a close friend that has severe IBS-C and I remember her swearing by Aloe. She would buy it at the drugstore and drink it throughout the day. I think they have it in the pill form too, but I remember it working pretty quickly for her when she started drinking it. It might be worth to look into.

Lurking
I hope you don't mind me commenting oct 17. I'm an acupuncturist and supplement expert. Please please do not take aloe while pregnant it can cause miscarriage. Aloe is very effective for constipation, but it is what we call a purgative. Purging the bowels is not safe while pregnant.

The supplement "calm" is a fizzy magnesium drink and is completely safe to take every day in pregnancy for both sleep and constipation. I highly recommend it, I took it every day of my pregnancy my ds was born in sept 16.

dogperson11 · March 2017

My constipation was so bad that I was throwing up and having to give myself enemas. I had been trying prunes, prune juice, stool softners, nothing helped. I finally started taking a Magnesium pill every day and it's been a freaking miracle. Now I poop every day like a normal person. I would definitely give it a try.

lin1019 · March 2017

createillumination said:

ChocolateIsLife said:

@lin1019 I'm so sorry you are going through such severe constipation. I know how painful and stressful that can be. I have a close friend that has severe IBS-C and I remember her swearing by Aloe. She would buy it at the drugstore and drink it throughout the day. I think they have it in the pill form too, but I remember it working pretty quickly for her when she started drinking it. It might be worth to look into.

Lurking
I hope you don't mind me commenting oct 17. I'm an acupuncturist and supplement expert. Please please do not take aloe while pregnant it can cause miscarriage. Aloe is very effective for constipation, but it is what we call a purgative. Purging the bowels is not safe while pregnant.

The supplement "calm" is a fizzy magnesium drink and is completely safe to take every day in pregnancy for both sleep and constipation. I highly recommend it, I took it every day of my pregnancy my ds was born in sept 16.

Thanks for sharing your input. I will definitely make sure to ask my OB first for all of these and see what works or is safe for me and baby. Also, not all of these are available or easy to get a hold off in my country. So very limited options as well.

lin1019 · March 2017

dogperson11 I'll certainly look into that as well. Make sure I ask my OB about it. But I won't have an appointmetn until Week 16

So, for now I'll stick with the fruits, fiber, water and the meds my OB already prescribed, and hope for the best.

ChocolateIsLife · March 2017

@createillumination I love when people lurk because then great advice like this pops up, so thank you! Yes, always check with your OB before taking anything, which I why I always say to look into it if I post any kind of suggestion or tip that I have heard. Just curious, have you treated constipation via acupuncture? It seems like it could be effective in stimulating bowel movement. I'm planning on asking my OB at my next appointment, though I'm pretty sure he will tell me to drink more water and eat more fiber.

dogperson11 · March 2017

lin1019 said:

dogperson11 I'll certainly look into that as well. Make sure I ask my OB about it. But I won't have an appointmetn until Week 16
So, for now I'll stick with the fruits, fiber, water and the meds my OB already prescribed, and hope for the best.

I'm 13 weeks today and my OB said Magnesium was fine. Just because you don't have an appointment for several weeks doesn't mean you should be suffering. Call and ask - a nurse will call you back with an answer.

lin1019 · March 2017

@dogperson11 I may call my OB and ask about it, but what I'm worried about is the availability of Magnesium in my country. Hopefully it'd be easy to get a hold of if I get an ok from my doctor.

lickastick · March 2017

ChocolateIsLife said:

@createillumination I love when people lurk because then great advice like this pops up, so thank you! Yes, always check with your OB before taking anything, which I why I always say to look into it if I post any kind of suggestion or tip that I have heard. Just curious, have you treated constipation via acupuncture? It seems like it could be effective in stimulating bowel movement. I'm planning on asking my OB at my next appointment, though I'm pretty sure he will tell me to drink more water and eat more fiber.

Acupuncture is fantastic for treating constipation! Any and every kind. If you are not near an acupuncturist, or don't want to put it in your budget, I seriously love, love the magnesium supplement in pregnancy. You can take it in any form like the supplement "calm", or you can do pills (make sure they don't have calcium if you want the laxative effect) or milk of magnesia. It's a lot cheaper than acupuncture;) most ob's will have a list of things you can take that are stronger than fiber/water for constipation because it's so common in pregnancy. Lots of women on the bump swear by the squatty potty! I can highly recommend that as well!

mommykay-2 · March 2017

My first pregnancy was so bad I wanted to go to the er. Tmi, I had to dig it out myself because it was right there and my anus wouldn't close. So sorry tmi. I was taking benifiber and miralax with my Drs advice. I also have bad hemmorids but prescribed a steroid because prep h says not to use with thyroid disease. Anyway, I'm only 9 weeks now and already experienced an episode like that. I started miralax on my own since my appotinment was still weeks away and I was getting chills and weak from pain..

lin1019 · March 2017

Eta incorrect post. Can't delete. On mobile.

lin1019 · March 2017

MommyKay said:

My first pregnancy was so bad I wanted to go to the er. Tmi, I had to dig it out myself because it was right there and my anus wouldn't close. So sorry tmi. I was taking benifiber and miralax with my Drs advice. I also have bad hemmorids but prescribed a steroid because prep h says not to use with thyroid disease. Anyway, I'm only 9 weeks now and already experienced an episode like that. I started miralax on my own since my appotinment was still weeks away and I was getting chills and weak from pain..

Oh I'm sorry to hear that! We are exactly in the same page! I had hemmorhoidectomy at 8 weeks pregnant. It was the most painful thing ever! Everything is painful! I can't take meds for pain because we have to think of baby. I did the same thing with mine, I dug it out just to get some out, it was so huge that I can't push it out, I had lots of bleeding, I had blood clots all over my face, I felt like vomitting ang I was so weak and shivering. It was awful! I do not want to go through that again!

Kimn99 · March 2017

I'm so sorry you're going through this. It sounds absolutely miserable. I was only able to go once every few days with my first and I felt terrible all the time. Fingers crossed once the first tri is over you will get some relief.

mommykay-2 · March 2017

@lin1019 it is truly traumatizing. The things we go though! When I can't go I get panicky. I'm probably going to ask a Dr about my hemmroid after this pregnancy. I know the worse is yet to come

yasandson · March 2017

Mom who has had stool issues all her life, to the point where shed take 6 pills of Epanat to be able to go, recently tried this and swears by it : put a cup of water to boil, with three prunes. Then drink liquid and eat prunes. She says she runs straight to the bathroom. No more pills for her for 6 months now. She does that trick everyday!

Eta because... Words!

MCraig1484 · March 2017

You poor thing! Colace to help soften the stool, its probably hard at this point, so that will make it easier to pass. Its safe during pregnancy (according to my OB, but you can/should call your doctor's office to confirm). It may take a few days to work, but you just continue to take it every day until you end up going. So that you're not in this situation going forward I suggest lots and lots of water (I set a reminder throughout the day), a cup of warm water with lemon each morning, lots of fruits and veggies (1 kiwi a day is super helpful) and exercise. I also agree with looking into the fiber in your prenatal and anything with prunes involved is bound to help. I hope you get some relief soon!

lin1019 · March 2017

@Kimn99 i don't think so, because after firat tri we have to take iron supplements and that makes consgipations worst.

but I am hoping for the best.

@MommyKay I try not to panick when I haven't gone for a couple days because O wait for the urge yo go, otherwise I'll be sitting there and straining when I don't really have to go, increasing my chances of getting hemorrhoids again. The hemorrhoids I developed a week ago subsided, fortunately, i do hot sitz bath, basically sitting on top of a pail of warm water. And I'm using rowatanal ointment. You should really visit your doc, maybe it can still be treated and don't have to be removed surgically. I do not wish that experience even to my worst enemies.

@yasandson does prune have to be ripe or dried?

@MCraig1484 i'm on lactulose 30ml a day. And it is softening my stool but it still hurts to pass because my wounds from the operation are still fresh. I strain a lot because I also panic if i don't pass after a few daus, hence why my hemorrhoids came back. But now i try not to stress about it and jist wait for the urge to hit, i am drinkinh lots of water, and I do a lot of walking. Hopefully i start getting better soon. Thank you so much for the tips!

yasandson · March 2017

@lin1019 ripe if i remember correctly. Shewent on vaca this week, Turkey lol... Will have to wait to confirm! Hope all those momy advices help u meanwhile!

emwj10187 · March 2017

GARLIC. I'm telling you guys it works. If you're brave enough, and your constipation is really bad i'd suggest eating 2-3 cloves raw. If that's too much, I like to roast it then spread it on some toast ( yum). Or you can mince it up in your dinner ( still use 2-3 cloves just for you). Garlic acts as a natural (harmless) laxative. It takes about 8-12 hours for it to take effect ( if you're eating it in excess), or it can take 24 hours. I had horrible constipation in the beginning and completely solved it with garlic. I eat a little bit every day now.

If you try this and you don't go right away, keep eaitng 2-3 cloves every day until you go. If i were to guess it shouldn't take more than 3 days. Its powerful stuff.

Plus side: garlic also has great benefits for pregnant moms like lowering blood pressure and other ailments!!! here's a link of garlic benefits.
https://www.livestrong.com/article/285924-the-benefits-of-garlic-when-pregnant/

here's a link for a roasted garlic recipe:
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roasted_garlic/

yasandson · March 2017

emwj10187 said:

GARLIC. I'm telling you guys it works. If you're brave enough, and your constipation is really bad i'd suggest eating 2-3 cloves raw. If that's too much, I like to roast it then spread it on some toast ( yum). Or you can mince it up in your dinner ( still use 2-3 cloves just for you). Garlic acts as a natural (harmless) laxative. It takes about 8-12 hours for it to take effect ( if you're eating it in excess), or it can take 24 hours. I had horrible constipation in the beginning and completely solved it with garlic. I eat a little bit every day now.

here's a link for a roasted garlic recipe:
https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/roasted_garlic/

Shes right! I usually stir it in olive oil and put it on my toats or in salad.
Honestly chia seeds in yogourt also help me!

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