# Something that helps with morning bowel movement



## Rose (Mar 25, 1999)

My normal routine has always been take my Perdiem at night along with magnesium. Get up early in the morning...have a couple of cups of hot coffee to get things "moving" and hope for the best. I always "go", but most times not as much as I would like....always feel there is more to come, but doesn't. Anyway, the past few mornings...before my hot coffee, I have a large glass of cold water (at least 10 ounces), then my coffee, and I notice the bowel movement is a lot easier to pass. I read somewhere a long time ago that you should "wake up" the bowel with a large glass of cold water followed by something hot, but I had never tried it before this week. I really notice a difference and figured I'd pass it along. If you, for one reason or another do not or cannot drink coffee or tea, try hot apple juice or hot grape juice (heated up in the microwave. As long as you have the cold water, followed by something hot, it should help. Let me know if anybody tries this and finds some improvement. Also, do this on an empty stomach...before breakfast. Good Luck.


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## lk (Aug 28, 1999)

I do this every day! It works like a charm!







After the water I have one BM and then after my coffee and a small breakfast I go again. If I drink more throughout the AM I'll sometimes even go again.The only downfall is that I need a good hour of relaxation time to do all this each morning. Luckily I'm a grad student so I make my own hours - next year when I'm working it'll be a pain cause I'll have to get up really early.Glad you having some progress Rose.


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

Rose, that is interesting! I wonder what it is about the cold water that works immediately? I too am glad to hear you are doing better. The Experience tea is still working well for me.


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## Pookie's Mom (Dec 21, 2000)

Hi Rose,What good news







I had forgotten about this...my dad use to drink a cold glass of apple juice first thing every morning, then have his coffee with oatmeal...never had anymore problems after that, he had hemmies and the doc told him to do that.I had a doc appointment today and I am so thrilled with my new doctor!!! Guess what! He has IBS too and he's a C...in fact he was in the trials for zelmacc/zelnorm...he said it does work for men! He talked to me for a long time and said he wanted to go over EVERY test I've ever had, see all the drugs I've taken, etc etc and that he was making a chart for me...ordered some blood tests and said that he'd get me back to work and happy again...that each IBS patient is an individual and we all have to find our own problem...he is willing to find mine and work with me...Rose, I have NEVER seen a doctor like this in 20 years! I just loved him...he's new in the medical group and I'm switching to him from my other doc that would stand across the room and talk...he actually touched my tummy! Some of my pain might be a hernia...I can't believe how great I felt walking out of there, treated like a real person, with respect and care...this man IS a REAL doctor!!! I got my Christmas present early







he even reads this board sometimes so Doc, if you see this, you know how greatful I am that you are now MY doctor!!!Take Care Rose







I'm happy you are feeling better too! Let's do the happy dance







PM


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## Rose (Mar 25, 1999)

Ik, I have you beat with the time needed for "relaxation". I get up at 5:00 a.m to be in work by 9:00 and I am only 20 minutes from my office.







. Tiss, glad to hear the Experience is still helping you. I am out of the product. I ordered some on October 1st and here it is November 2nd, and I still don't have it. I have called several times and they keep telling me it's coming, but it hasn't yet.Pookie, so glad you found a good doctor. I believe a good doctor is half the battle in conquering this disorder. I have not been so lucky. I would be curious as to what he suggests to you to help with the "C". I imagine he wants your tests back first? Or did he already recommend something to you? Are you still taking the Mirlax?


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## Joan Gregg (Jun 6, 2000)

Rose, don't go off the PerDiem w/senna. I am now so anxious about moving my bowels, I have to go to a psychiatrist. If we are abnormal, we are abnormal. I have tried raw spinach, fiberone, magnesium, Citrucel tabs, etc.Will see Doc this tues (11/6) to see what he says. Will try the cold water.thankx,Joan


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## Rose (Mar 25, 1999)

Hi Joan,I am so sorry you having such a hard time. With regard to the Perdiem w/senna or any other laxative for that matter, I have always maintained that those of us who have come to rely on laxatives to move our bowels would never have reached this point if our bowels worked they way they should. As a child, I used to go weeks with no movement, so it's not as if the laxatives have screwed up my system making me unable to on my own. I could hardly ever "go" on my own anyway, long before I ever took a laxative. I am not surprised about you needing a psychiatrist because there is definintely a "mental" aspect involved with IBS. Most of us whether IBS-C or IBS-D are abnormally fixated on our bowels, where "normal" people probably never give it a thought until they feel the "urge" to go. I have come to the realization that I need "help" to go, I am just not sure the Perdiem is the best thing to be using, because although I "go", I always feel "bloated" and have that "imcomplete" feeling. The Perdiem contains 82% psyllium and I am wondering if all that fiber is actually helping or hurting those of us with slow motility. Flux has said many times that those will slow motility should be on a low fiber diet. I read recently where you said your doctor said you could take Milk of Magnesia. Have you tried that? Did it help at all. I have tried it in the past and unfortunately all it did was make my stomach rumble, but nothing else happened, if you get my drift. Good luck with the doctor. Please let me know how you are doing.


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## lk (Aug 28, 1999)

I know your C is more serious than mine Rose, but I have definately found things to be soooooo much better without taking fiber. I was actually thinking about starting a thread to see how many people have been hindered by taking fiber. Since my C problems started I took fiber - which made me go, but caused so much bloating and gas that I was never comfortable. In February of this year I started on magnesium, and when I asked my doctor about it she suggested I stop taking the fiber all together. I never thought it would work since I was so used to taking the fiber, but she was right. The magnesium works fine on its own without fiber (I still eat veggies though, just no suppliments).I've noticed now that whenever I eat soluble fiber I get the bloating and gas again, and it actually makes me go less. I try to avoid it as much as possible. I feel like all that time I spend taking fiber was just counter-productive and I wonder how many other people are the same. Its like we're brainwashed into thinking we need fiber when really it could be adding to the problem - for once Flux might be right!







(Sorry Flux, but I've never agreed with your whole gas isn't real arguement)Rose I know you take Perdiem Plus, but have you ever tried cutting out the fiber and taking just plain Sennakot? I bet you'd have way less gas and bloating. For me its as if the gas gets in the way of my digestion functioning properly, If I eliminate it I can have poop coming out instead of just air! This is not true for everyone, I know that fiber helps a lot of people, its just that I bet there's a few of us out there who are just hindered by it.I think I'll copy this and start a new topic.LindaP.S. From my own experience, I found that one Sennakot tablet is roughly equivalent to one teaspoon of perdiem. Its hard to say exactly because Sennakot measured is sennosides and Perdiem includes the whole senna - pod.


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## Rose (Mar 25, 1999)

Ik, strangely enough, I have tried both Sennekot, and Ex-lax, both of which are made with sennosides, but the Perdiem works best. Maybe I answered my own question...maybe I do need the fiber? It is so hard to know what to do. I have never tried just taking the magnesium alone, maybe one of these days when I get brave, I'll give it a go.


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## lk (Aug 28, 1999)

What about the sennakot with magnesium?


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## Rose (Mar 25, 1999)

I didn't know Sennekot made one with magnesium. Is this new???


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## lk (Aug 28, 1999)

I just mean you could take it with magnesium.Magnesium will supply the water (equivalent to your fiber) and the sennakot would provide the stimulant. They do make sennakot with a stool softener, which I think is the same idea.


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## Rose (Mar 25, 1999)

LOL!







I guess I am tired today, and not thinking.







I thought you meant Senekot made a product with the magnesium already in it!







Anyway, your idea makes sense. I might give it try. Thanks, Ik


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## Joan Gregg (Jun 6, 2000)

Rose, I am taking the milk of magnesia, too. I have incomplete evacuation problems and that awful feeling of stool moving down after lunch, that I can't expel at work.I tried Mike's tapes, but have to start over (see post on Cog.Hyp.board)I was once IBS D, from 1969 - 1995. Then, when baby turned 3, it all turned to C. Back then, GP said cut out the Metamucil.I am now fixated with whether I'll be in pain that day.Sorry to vent,"Joan"


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## Joan Gregg (Jun 6, 2000)

Rose: Day one back on senna. At least I got all that am stool out (LowMo) without all the panic and straining. Still have to use suppositories.Will let you know about the "post work" pressure feeling.


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## Rose (Mar 25, 1999)

Joan,Don't worry about venting. This is what this board is for. If you are taking milk of magnesia, suppositories etc. but they are not doing the trick, and the Perdiem was making you feel better, why don't you just go back to the Perdiem??? I have been taking it for years (around 10 years, I think) and it hasn't hurt me at all. I have had many scopes and barium enemas, etc. and there is no damage to my colon. As a matter of fact, it was a GI doctor who put me on it to begin with. The one thing in its favor is, I have never had to increase my dosage. I have actually decreased it from when I first started taking it. Initially I used to take 2 teaspoons at night and 2 in the morning. Now I just take 1 teaspoon at night, along with 1 teaspoon of the fiber Perdiem in the Brown can. Occasionally if I am stressed and don't "go" that well before work, I might take another teaspoon in the morning and then I usually go later that afternoon. (I hate "going" at work also, but I just kind of wait until nobody else is in there)Hope you feel better.


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## Joan Gregg (Jun 6, 2000)

Rose, thought you should know I'm a teacher in a bld. built in 1931. To get to the bathroom you walk one city block. There's only one stall. We only have 1/2 hour for lunch and can't leave the classroom. During "prep," (80 minutes), I would still need a cup of coffee to get things moving w/o suppositories. Even when I get home, despite all that "pushing" feeling, I need coffee before pushing it out.Plus, if I pick up my daughter first, she wants a meal NOW, etc.See psychiatrist Monday 11/12 (Vet's Day in US, as you know, being from Beantown) Still get that stool moving down.Thanks for your support,Joan.


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

Hey Rose, I've been drinking a huge glass of water in the morning and I think it really does help get things going pretty quickly. I wonder why that seems to help? I also drink tons of water during the day but that morning glass seems to kick things off. Are you still having some luck with the morning water thing?


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## T423 (Oct 8, 2001)

Good morning everyone.I've only posted to the IBS board a couple of times, but I have to say that each time I read, I'm nearly in tears realizing, (unfortunately), that I'm not the only one.I thought I was the only one that gets up sicker than a dog and in pain EVERY SINGLE MORNING hours before needing to get to work, hoping I'll at least have a microscopic bm so that I can function somewhat in society. Unfortunately for me, this morning doesn't seem to be a good one.I read with interest and have read it in the past about drinking a glass of cold liquid then, your hot. I'll give it a try tomorrow!Thank you.-Tst423


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## stierney2 (Jun 7, 2001)

lk - re your survey on fiber helping IBS C people. I am IBS C. I have tried both Metamucil and Citracel (sp). Both made me much worse. Now at night I take a stool softener and just recently started taking 250mg of Magnesium. Seems to working ok (for the most part) Sometimes, still have setbacks.


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

T423, You are NOT alone! I went for YEARS(my whole life to some degree) suffering with constipation, had my first lower GI when I was 18 and learned I had a 'spastic colon'. No help at all from doctors through the years and then a couple of years ago I stumbled onto this BB. I started reading every post I could on constiption and trying this and that. Some things worked, some didn't. I have come across a combination of several things that seem to help, not cure, but I at least 90% better than when I started out here.Here are several things that are helping merunes 6-8 daymagnesium citrate-800mg at night (start out with 200-400mg day)Vitamin C tabletstool softener everydaycitrucel (2tablets everynight)Ezekiel bread-2 slices every morningaloe vera juice (George's brand) 4-8 0z day3 capsules of a product called Experience (you can find out about that in the products section or e-mail Josee or Rose)All of this was through trial and error. I tried other things that didn't work, but I was grateful to have something to try. I would not try everything at once. I would try 1 thing at a time. Alot of people have good luck with the magnesium. I added that much later and it helps ALOT.Best of luck to you. This is a very helpful and supportive BB! Tiss


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

T423,I forgot to add that I drink 4-5 liters of water every day. Water is VERY important in combating constipation.


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## Rose (Mar 25, 1999)

Hi Tiss,Glad that morning glass of water is helping. I drink mine every morning also, followed by my coffee. It definitely seems to help things flow a little easier.


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