# Has anyone found a daily regimen that helps?



## pinwheel (Jan 12, 2008)

Hi all,I'm new to the site but have been struggling with IBS-C for years. I tried to ignore it for a while, then kind of half-assed dealing with it. But now it's to the point that I'm almost always C. I have somehow managed (through increased water intake mostly, I think) to get myself to have a BM at least every other day. However when I do go, it's always hard and very difficult to pass. I have the gas issue too. I've been experimenting with different types and amounts of fiber, and wonder if I should try stool softeners. I don't even mess with laxatives because I know that's not a good long-term solution. I'm also considering those "Live Active" cheeses that are supposed to promote good digestion (basically just Dannin Activia). I'm pretty active, but I'm wondering if doing some yoga might help too. Has anyone come up with a daily regimen (diet, medicine, exercise, ANYTHING!) that they've had some success with?Thanks!


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## Hedgehog (Jan 4, 2008)

I started struggling with rectal fecal impaction (hard stool that can't be passed) in 1988. Around 1991 or so, I discovered enema bulbs at the drug store. Until about a year ago, it was enough to empty myself of the rocks at night, and I'd have a more-or-less normal BM in the morning. For some reason, my bowels just about shut down a year ago, and I had to use large doses of miralax to get anything through. I've had the doc give me a Rx for paxil, and I'm taking 10mg along with 2 fibercon tabs a day, and it looks like I'm back on the empty at night and normal in the AM schedule again.You might give a nightly plain water enema a chance; using an 8 oz bulb. If using standing up, put your left hand behind your head and arch your back forward a bit to relieve the pressure. It adds enough volume and lubrication to pass stuff you can't force out. Only Lukewarm Water, of course, and don't squeeze it in so hard it causes pain.Hedge


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

quite a while ago someone posted this link for various yoga poses for ibs. they look helpful. i do basic yoga relaxation poses (corpse pose, child's pose etc) and plan to try some of these ibs-c poses. here's the link--scroll down to get all the links to the various poses. ../yoga/poses.asp#poses


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## 15636 (Aug 3, 2005)

YES!!! i do ! its called now vegetarian digestive enzymes type it in to amazon.com and take this with a Ritz cracker (or 1 small pretzel ) B4 EVERY MEAL and u may be cured. make sure u buy this product and take it u need to be on a digestive enzyme thats what ibs means it means ur food is not digesting. i found this out myself and with my natural doc


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## Joan Mack (May 20, 2007)

I drink plenty of water, eat fruits and veggies, eat kashi cereal daily and take 1 tablespoon of konstyle fiber supplement a day. Also eat dried prunes at times. I am doing my best.


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## poor_kiwi (Jan 21, 2008)

The only solution I've found for myself is rotating laxatives(but doing my best not to take too many of bysacodil and senna type things), eat healthy(white bread, pastries is a strict no no), loads of fibre, loads of water(10-12 glasses per day), exercise.


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## CuReYet? (Jan 28, 2008)

Vitamin C, calcium magnisium, and triphala. The triphala is a miracle worker, big time! I take half the recomended dosage though because i go to much with full dosage. I also drink lots of water and tons of fiber. I make sure i get at least 35 grams a day. I have kellogs bran buds in the morning (double serving, more fiber) The i have fiber bread and for dinner fiber pasta. I also eat a lot of fruits, veggies and whole grains. Also it seems for me if i cut back at all on my intake of food i get blocked up, i recently stoped eating cookies and cake after dinner and lunch and replaced them with fruit and bingo, i can't do that anymore, huh.


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## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

Pinwheel, I think you will find that all of us have different ideas, but that's how IBS is. It's not the same for every person which makes it more frustrating. I am healthy (except for IBS for 34 years), normal weight, exercise 6 days a week, including walking, Tai Chi, and Pilates. I had to cut back on extra fiber because I believe it was making things worse. Don't be so quick to judge laxatives. For many of us, it's the only thing that helps. Many people think they're habit-forming, but if you don't go at all, what's worse? Here is my daily regimen:8 glasses of water a day1-2 T Fruit-ezeActivia yogurtprobiotic capsuleAcai juiceMagnesium capletsColon ClenzSometimes I have a BM every day, but sometimes it's worse. Then I take Milk of Magnesia, use enemas (Fleet or warm water).


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## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

Thanks for the yoga poses, Annie7. I've been having trouble lately and it just so happens that I haven't been going to my yoga class (wonder if there's a connection?)


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## Joan Mack (May 20, 2007)

I also find eating something with oil in it helps. Cooking food in a wok with olive oil is very good. If I feel I have not taken in enough oil, you can aways have an tablespoon of olive oil. Yes drinking water is the best thing for you and lots of fiber (like kashi cereal) and double fiber arnold bread plus fruits and veggies are always good.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

Hi ABnormal sorry you've been having trouble lately and hopefully the yoga poses helped. i find i just seem to cycle in and out of bad phases--often exacerbated by stress--when even my daily routine doesn't help and i have to resort to suppositories or an enema. my daily routine is a lot like yours--exercise, lots of water, healthy eating, activia, a probiotic capsule plus daily mom and since i need that peristalic push i also alternate zelnorm (which won't work for me when taken daily) with a laxative--alternate those too--senna, cascara sagrada and ducolax. i've had ibs-c and ie for over 40 years and tried all the natural things which for me didn't work so for years i just suffered with it but last summer i started adding the laxatives because i was so absolutely sick and tired of being miserable all the time and like you said, if you don't go at all-- what's worse. and i do take a break from the laxatives weekly and periodically for longer periods. but for the most part with this routine with the added laxatives, i'm finally doing better than i was before.and the current thought on laxative use is that they aren't believed as harmful as they once were provided you're in good health and don't take more than the recommended daily dosage. recently someone posted here that her mayo clinic gastro dr recommended taking both miralax daily and also what ever laxative she wanted to add to that. and i know i've posted this before but here's that link to an article from medscape about laxative use. i'm not necessarily encouraging a routine like mine for everyone--of course you want to try all the more natural things first-- but as a last resort when nothing else works..... http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/496828_print


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## janetmtt (May 28, 2007)

AbnormalDoes FE still work for you and did you ever get any of the bad effects that some of us had from it?I keep going back to it and I find that even just a wee bit on the end of a spoon does it for me!


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## AEJR (Feb 3, 2008)

I've had fewer problems since switching to a high-fiber vegan diet. Since everything I eat is full of fiber, it scrubs on through. For a while, I used laxatives, but they only made it worse... all that good digestive bacteria went out with the laxatives. High fiber is what I'd say, unless it backfires and gives you IBS-D.


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## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

janetmtt, Yes, I'm still using the Fruit-Eze and have had no problems. As I've said before, it didn't solve my problem, but it makes the stool easier to pass as in the past, the stool was like rocks.


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## ABNormal (May 24, 2006)

*annie7,* you and I sound a lot alike with our IBS-C. I cannot use too much fiber because that messes me up. I also have to get up at the same time every day. If I happen to sleep in, it seems that my system gets all goofed up. I even have problems when we change the clocks every spring and fall. Zelnorm and Amitiza did nothing for me. Have you tried the Miralax?


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

Hi ABnormal yes i tried miralax but it don't do anything for me--made me bloated and gassy but didn't help move anything out--even with the max dosage, the two caps full. and amitiza was even worse--horrific bloating and no results.and yes we are a lot alike--i've experimented with different amounts of fiber and found that i do need a certain amount of it but too much binds me up even worse. and yes, i have to get up at the same time every day too--sleep in too late and i can't go--- hate the time changes. i have chronic insomnia as well c so they really mess me up. gotta stay on schedule.


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