more poop talk... come on in

[mysticmomma]

I am having some major health issues, and my GI has suggested miralax for my constipation. I don't think the miralax is going to help me because my poop is not "constipated" poop. When I go, it is normal soft "s" shaped poop. I don't have abdominal pain or cramping in my lower belly from not pooping. The problem is, it gets stuck in my rectum and I have to manually remove it. All the relaxing and pushing in the world doesn't help. Miralax works by drawing water into the stool and softening it. But, I don't need it softer... so, should I try the miralax anyway?

For years now I have felt like something is WRONG. I'm exhausted. All the time, and yet I suffer from awful insomnia. Sure, I have three kids, but this is MORE than that. I am weak, and try exercising, but it only makes me feel worse, not better like it used to. Now, brisk walking and a few reps of 5lb weights is all I can do. I can't lose this excess weight. Everyone assumes it's because my diet is terrible, except that it's not. I've tried everything from eating 1200 calories a day to 3000 calories a day. I neither lost nor gained more than 2-3 pounds during each of these 2 month experiments. I am so constipated I have to manually remove stool from my rectum. Raw vegetables make me ill with vomiting and diarrhea. And when I vomit, some of the food is from days ago. I get these painful and nauseous heat waves daily. When it comes on, it is like nothing I've ever felt. I've given birth without pain medication 3 times! This pain brings me to my knees. No matter what I eat, it is there after just a few bites. My diet has gone from mostly whole foods, (no dairy, whole grain breads, cereal and rice, raw veggies, some lean well fed/treated meat, beans, eggs and fresh fruit) to about 3 items: rice, white potatoes, and sunflower seeds. Sometimes it's in my back, other times it's dead center at my sternum. I also get pain in my left side. I feel completely malnourished, but I'm clearly beyond fat. I've been supplementing 10000 UI of vitamin D and 100mg of Iron a day for over 2 years and my levels haven't changed at all. I don't know what to do.

I used to be so smart. Now, I find myself unable to select words. I call things "chicken." and use the wrong words all the time. I'm clumsy, anxious and my memory stinks. Sometimes, I can't walk. I get so weak I need to use a cane, and I just sort of fumble around unsteadily. I'm in pain daily. My hair is falling out by the fistful. I feel shaky, like my brain is literally bouncing around my skull. I hear air bubbles in my head sometimes. I snap at my kids, and can't stand noise. I want to run and hide, but not be alone.

[catinthehat]

These issues sound like something that a Traditional chinese medicine doctor could certainly help with. I would try to find an accupuncturist that also does chinese herbs. Are you often cold? pale? night time urination? any other strange symptoms?
Try some ginger tea(slice up several peices of raw ginger and pour hot water over it and let it sit for about 5 minutes). This is good for digestion. You could try molasses for your constipation, however it might be too cloying. Take 1TB 2x day.

I highly recommend seeing a TCM doctor.

[Marsupialmom]

I think your perspective of what constipated poop can be is off.

My son would have normal bm's but the softer stuff was working around the harder stuff. His rectum got so stretched out that signals were amuck. He could have several soft "normal" bm's that has worked around the hard bm.

I would try flax seed meal first.

If that doesn't get you going try mirlax, but wean off slowly.

When you eat, try to bm right after (maybe wait 5-10) then go sit on the toilet.

[Mama2Bug]

I was having several of the same issues this time last year. I didn't have your digestive problems (though I did have some minor trouble with constipation) but the tiredness, hair loss, weight gain and memory issues all sound completely familiar.

It was my thyroid and mild PCOS.

It took nearly three years (I'd been having symptoms for some time) of tests and doctors and me insisting that something was terribly wrong to finally get a diagnosis but I feel 1000% better now that I'm finally medicated (mostly) properly. I also began a serious supplementation regimen and started exercising more regularly. I still feel that my medication needs some tweaking and I am looking for a more experienced doctor. (Our GP is great but not very well-versed in thyroid issues). My weight loss isn't quite as rapid as I'd like but it's steady and at what is probably a healthier rate than it would be on some crash diet.

Just an idea- Supplementing with iron, especially if you think you aren't digesting things properly, is possibly contributing to your bowel issues. Some people don't absorb iron well from supplements at all and having an excess can cause constipation.

[texmama]

I'd definitely get a second opinion. It sounds like you have something other than just constipation going on. Have some bloodwork done, and include thyroid test like pp mentioned. Regarding constipation, I have a difficult time with bm's, (I have a rectocele from childbirth) I've found that if I apply pressure to my perineum while making a bm then everything is much easier.

[deditus]

Oh my dear, how horrible for you.
Are you on probiotics? Poop should be mainly remnants of beneficial bacteria. Dysbiosis can cause constipation. Bifidus strains are really helpful for colon issues.
Also, being low in magnesium can cause low motility. Magnesium is used as a laxative in the forms that are hard to absorb such as that in milk of magnesia. This is NOT what you want. You want a good, absorbable form of magnesium like magnesium citrate which many people find works well. I have had better luck with magnesium glycinate for myself and my daughter. Magnesium is needed to help the muscles work (including in the intestines) and for over 300 enzyme processes in the body.
How about digestive enzymes?
And stomach acid. Have you done the beet test to see if your stomach acid is low? If your pee is pink, I would take supplemental HCL and zinc.

http://heal-thyself.ning.com/forum/topics/the-beet-test

Now how about food allergies/intolerances? They can really mess up digestion - gluten, dairy, soy, eggs, and corn are very common offenders. Gluten and dairy in particular can cause morphin-like byproducts that over-relax the intestines.
Have you been tested for celiac disease? This can cause not only diarrhea, but also constipation.
Hypothyroid can also cause constipation, but in this case (where you obviously are not absorbing nutrients), if your thyroid is involved, it may be from lack of nutrients to help it function properly.

[sbgrace]

I think you've got an underlying something--could be thyroid, parathyroid, metabolic. I think you need testing.
Metametrix comprehensive stool and comprehensive urine test might be a good place to start (that will look at metabolics along with digestion, bacterial or parasitic issues, allergy and celiac stuff, and more) a thyroid panel w/T3 and T4 and calcium level (you want calcium below 10 to be normal).

My son's metabolic condition (mitochondrial issues) can cause very delayed gastric emptying and constipation. Metametrix urine will show signs of mitochondrial stuff (though it's not a formal metabolic test).

[annekevdbroek]

The constipation - or whatever is going on - sounds like a symptom of some other underlying problem. I'd revisit the issue with your primary health care provider, and possibly ask to see an endocrine doctor.

As for Mirilax - it does work and it may be that your stools need to be extremely soft in order for you to pass them. It is largely nonreactive - that is, it stays in the gut, does not enter the rest of your body's internal systems. My son has chronic constipation since he was about 6 months old (he is amost 7 years old now). Currently he takes 500 mg Magnesium daily, and that also works very well. Miralax works too, and won't make you all gassy and crampy or anything.