# Too much water -> constipation - my story. Maybe it helps some!



## imatry (Aug 11, 2016)

Hello everyone!

Was lurking these boards for the last 2 years, its quite an awesome community. I think i finally found my cure *knocks on wood* and would like share it with you, maybe i can help someone.

A short background: I've been prone to constipation my entire life, but not to extremes. 2 years ago i've been diagnosed with 4 internal grade 2-3 hemmorhoids. Doc suggested lots of fiber and water - think you all heard that a lot too. Like its some miracle cure, even hearing "fiber and water" made me frustrated after a while. It didn't help at all, every single morning was horrible, my whole life centered around my bowel movements. Even had a colonoscopy, but everything was normal except for some mild inflammation of the cells. So docs said it again. Fiber and water...

Tried everything, Ispagula, peppermint tea,chamomile tea lots of Vitamin C, magnesium, coffee, macrogol. Nothing seemed to work long-term. If i could go with 'em, its diarrhea for sure, with leaking for hours after... Soluable fiber (fruits) seemed to help more than others, but it wasn't sure-proof either.

On to the main topic, so it wont be TL and you won't DR









Ever since GIs and GPs suggested to drink LOTS of water, i did. In reality, that is what actually made me constipated, or at least it looks like it. If you drink too much, you'll be overhydrated (noshit, i know), causing you to flush out your valuable minerals - potassium and magnesium mostly. Potassium is actually more effective in holding water in the feces than fiber, i read somewhere. Should be true, because ever since i cut back from daily 5-7 liters of water to 2-3 liters i'm fine. Still get constipated every now and then, but its not a daily thing and i can live with that. Banded all my hemmorhoids now, and i just can't describe how being "healthy and free" is. Its like im reborn.

If you're drinking that much water as i did, cut back on it! Also drink warm water with a lemon squeezed in it in the mornings with a half teaspoon of SEA salt for a few weeks. Should help you with that electrolyte imbalance you've done to yourself.

I really hope i could help someone, will get back to answer any questions. Its probably nothing you guys dont know already, but i rarely see it mentioned how MUCH water can actually make things worse.

PS: If you haven't been on the loo for quite a while, you might've to take care of the already dry feces before hoping this to work. Laxatives might be necessary then for the first few times.


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## tessamess67 (Aug 9, 2016)

omg! that was totally helpful! I have been drinking water like mad trying to help myself and this whole time it's been screwing me up??! I drink a gallon of water a day, cause I live in a freaking desert. And I was so scared of being dehydrated, and all the docs say " drink water that''s why you're constipated you don't drink enough water" and I say " I drink a gallon of water or more a day" and they say " oh, that's good then" and go on and tell me to eat more fiber and prescribe some more drugs. And still....nothing. This whole time I was flushing out all my minerals. no wonder when i take a magnesium pill I feel relaxed and sometimes I can go. huh. go figure.

So, can I get the potassium from bananas, Oranges, tomatoes etc? I'm going to cut the water down immediately! I am going to take a magnesium pill everyday now. and calcium. Holy cow.

Thank you!!!!


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## imatry (Aug 11, 2016)

Try it first, thank me later 

This might not work for you and i know how disappointing that is. We've all been there.

I wouldn't recommend bananas, no matter how ripe i ate them, they always seemed to make my matters worse. Yams (sweet potatoes) and tomatoes are a great source of potassium. Prunes too, they never really worked for me as a laxtive, though.I wouldn't take calcium, calc supplements can actually constipate you!

Decrease your water intake gradually, and dont go lower than 3L if you've been drinking as much as me (chugged down a gallon too).


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## tessamess67 (Aug 9, 2016)

good thing I like sweet potatoes  bananas didn't seem to make a difference. I learned an emergency trick in a hospital of all places, but it's sporadic at most, warm prune juice. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. The calcium I was taking was the chewable kind but then I looked at the packaging and it was sugar free which explained the stomach pain, gas and bloat.

Thanks, so far so much better with less water


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## Patrick ibs c (Mar 5, 2016)

drinking water never helped my case of ibs-c


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## flossy (Dec 8, 2012)

Patrick ibs c said:


> drinking water never helped my case of ibs-c


Me neither. It's supposed to (just like "eat more fiber!"), but does not.


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## imatry (Aug 11, 2016)

Glad i could be of help 

Sadly, after a night of partying with plenty of alcohol i'm back in the club  Still not as bad as it used to be, though.


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