# Loosing Hope-PLEASE HELP



## Guest (Jul 22, 2012)

What began as chronic constipation, progressed into lazy bowel syndrome and eventually irritable bowel syndrome. It may even be worst at this point, but I have no interest in wasting any more money going to a useless doctor who minimizes everything that I say.I am honestly doing everything right-EVERYTHING. The only foods that I eat are fruit, vegetables and oatmeal with flax seed powder-THATS IT. No butter, sugar, milk, or anything of the like. The only thing I occasionaly and sparingly will add to my food is cinnamon, mustard, cayienne pepper and ginger powder. I drink plenty alkaline and spring/purified water-mostly alkaline. I drink tea (peppermint, dandelion, yerba mate, etc) Yes, I have tried the overrated Senna tea, which worked a little once and only made me bloated the following times I tried it. I also take probiotics as well as magnesium. I am sure to go on walks throughout the day, because i have a sedentary lifestyle otherwise. I also perform colonic massages on myself as well as do yoga poses and try all crazy positions on the toilet.I have not been able to produce a bowel movement on my own without laxative or saline enema (enema rarely works fy) in months. I am miserable. THis effects not only my physical state, but also my mental state, specifically my emotions.I do not know what else to do. Tonight, I will have to take laxatives (dulcolax) because it has been 1 week and still no bowel movement. I hate taking laxatives, because it always makes me so ill. Not only because of the nausea, cramping, bloating, gas, general discomfort, but also it depletes the little nutrition i am able to absorb anyways. This is so frustrating. I am about to stop trying to find a diet that works for constipation, and begin looking for a way to live off minimal, even juices/smoothies in a healthy way that can at least keep me from getting impacted and being forced to take extreme measures. I need hope, because I am on the edge. This is so disheartening.


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## TheOutlookChild (Sep 2, 2011)

Hey there. I really do know what you are going through, I have the same problem. I once went weeks without a bm and it scared me half to death. I am only 20 and this has certainly $$$$$$ed with my life. I find it helpful to meditate on the idea that everything is constantly changing. Things will either get so bad that they require a serious intervention or they will get better. Either way it wont stay the same. In the meantime it may be very difficult but you gotta hang in there, there will come a day when things are better and you just gotta do everything you can until that time comes. Do your best and dont worry about it because that is all that you can do. Have you had any tests done?


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## tummyrumbles (Aug 14, 2005)

You may may have overdone the laxatives. These things aren't meant to be used long term because they're doing all the work, not the colon. I don't know how long constipation can go for before it's a real medical problem. A week does seem a bit long. Do you take laxatives because you work? If you can, take time off work and just relax at home for a few days without using anything at all. Do you have a few hot drinks before you try to go? It sounds like you've got a real dependency problem with the laxatives so maybe get medical advice on how best to evacuate without using anything, but most people do well with hot drinks. Also don't fret in the toilet and try to force it out with strange positions. Give yourself enough time so you can relax more. Take a book or laptop in and just forget about things for a while.


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## rhonalomey (Aug 15, 2005)

This is only my opinion but you are not doing everything right. You are not eating enough variety of foods and you need proper food, fruit and veg alone there is nothing to create bowel movements.Eating is good for constipation and fibre such as psyllium instead of laxatives is a much better option it moves the fod down the colon without pain.


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2012)

tummyrumbles said:


> You may may have overdone the laxatives. These things aren't meant to be used long term because they're doing all the work, not the colon. I don't know how long constipation can go for before it's a real medical problem. A week does seem a bit long. Do you take laxatives because you work? If you can, take time off work and just relax at home for a few days without using anything at all. Do you have a few hot drinks before you try to go? It sounds like you've got a real dependency problem with the laxatives so maybe get medical advice on how best to evacuate without using anything, but most people do well with hot drinks. Also don't fret in the toilet and try to force it out with strange positions. Give yourself enough time so you can relax more. Take a book or laptop in and just forget about things for a while.


I have went weeks without going. Honestly, we are supposed to go after each meal, and at the most after three days. Waiting a week, in my opinion, is long enough. Trust me, I broke down and cried before taking the ducolax because I simply did not want to take them. I do NOT want to have to take them! I was in pain. I tried this psyllium husk yesterday, and I can tell that it certainly was doing what it was supposed to do; however, I believe that my issue is actually a tissue blockage, possibly even a tumor. The reason I say this is. . .(TMI WARNING-ABOUT TO GET GRAPHIC)I had a lump inside of my anus years ago, and that lump has now continued to grow and grow. I could not get any doctors to actually look at it, and they would merely diagnose it as hemmorhoids on mere description but refused to do an actual exam. I am pretty much convinced that it is cancer. Last night, I stuck my finger inside of my anus to see if I could pull out the poo like I used to do when I was a child. I could feel the poo on the other side of the tissue, but my finger was not able to get beyond the tissue. This actually makes sense, because unless I take so many laxatives until my poo is basically solely liquid, it won't come out, and when it finally does, it is spurting, not flowing.Sorry, told you I was going to get graphic! LOLIt is morning now, and I am pretty sick. It isn't coming out yet so I am going to probably drink some black coffee and see if that will help-rarely does but better than taking more. Wish me luck.


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2012)

rhonalomey said:


> This is only my opinion but you are not doing everything right. You are not eating enough variety of foods and you need proper food, fruit and veg alone there is nothing to create bowel movements.Eating is good for constipation and fibre such as psyllium instead of laxatives is a much better option it moves the fod down the colon without pain.


Funny you say that, read my comment below. I actually tried psyllium husk yesterday. I have used it before in different forms, such as Metamucil, but yesterday I used the organic powder all natural kind. I think that this is excellent, and probably would help if my colon wasn't so effed.


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## oceannir (Mar 6, 2012)

IBS_C said:


> I have went weeks without going. Honestly, we are supposed to go after each meal, and at the most after three days. Waiting a week, in my opinion, is long enough. Trust me, I broke down and cried before taking the ducolax because I simply did not want to take them. I do NOT want to have to take them! I was in pain. I tried this psyllium husk yesterday, and I can tell that it certainly was doing what it was supposed to do; however, I believe that my issue is actually a tissue blockage, possibly even a tumor. The reason I say this is. . .(TMI WARNING-ABOUT TO GET GRAPHIC)I had a lump inside of my anus years ago, and that lump has now continued to grow and grow. I could not get any doctors to actually look at it, and they would merely diagnose it as hemmorhoids on mere description but refused to do an actual exam. I am pretty much convinced that it is cancer. Last night, I stuck my finger inside of my anus to see if I could pull out the poo like I used to do when I was a child. I could feel the poo on the other side of the tissue, but my finger was not able to get beyond the tissue. This actually makes sense, because unless I take so many laxatives until my poo is basically solely liquid, it won't come out, and when it finally does, it is spurting, not flowing.Sorry, told you I was going to get graphic! LOLIt is morning now, and I am pretty sick. It isn't coming out yet so I am going to probably drink some black coffee and see if that will help-rarely does but better than taking more. Wish me luck.


Sounds like a rectal prolapse to me.Would definetly cause constipation.Actually im near 100% sure that is the problem.


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2012)

oceannir said:


> Sounds like a rectal prolapse to me.Would definetly cause constipation.Actually im near 100% sure that is the problem.


Okay, we have the problem, so what is the solution?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Usually for a rectal prolapse, surgery is the main treatment. There isn't a lot you can do over the counter or at home.If it is small/not bad enough for surgery just taking stool softeners or osmotic laxatives to keep the stool easy to get out is about all you can do based on what I can find.If you are eating next to no fat at all of any kind you might see what adding a tablespoon or two of olive oil to your diet does. Fat can add to the "move it along" signal when you eat it and some people find a bit more fat in the diet does help keep things moving. A no fat at any time diet isn't healthy anyway as there are some fats you need to get from your diet and you can't make them yourself. Will you eat fish like tuna and salmon or are you a dedicated vegan?


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## Guest (Jul 22, 2012)

Kathleen M. said:


> Usually for a rectal prolapse, surgery is the main treatment. There isn't a lot you can do over the counter or at home.If it is small/not bad enough for surgery just taking stool softeners or osmotic laxatives to keep the stool easy to get out is about all you can do based on what I can find.If you are eating next to no fat at all of any kind you might see what adding a tablespoon or two of olive oil to your diet does. Fat can add to the "move it along" signal when you eat it and some people find a bit more fat in the diet does help keep things moving. A no fat at any time diet isn't healthy anyway as there are some fats you need to get from your diet and you can't make them yourself. Will you eat fish like tuna and salmon or are you a dedicated vegan?


I eat flaxseed, which is a fat, and I just recently stopped eating tuna, a little over a month ago because I was fed up with the way my body reacts every single time i eat it. I would eat it with spinach or alone. I may add ginger powder or mustard, but that was it. It was always the light. I am considering going on a liquid diet. This was something I did not want to do again because I am afraid that it will only make my lazy bowels lazier, LOL. But, if I am not going to be able to have a bowel movement either way, may as well eliminate the need for laxatives and the pregnant look.


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## oceannir (Mar 6, 2012)

IBS_C said:


> Okay, we have the problem, so what is the solution?


No you have someone on the internets opinion of what the problem may be based on your description.Go to a doctor and ask for an exam. Tell them you suspect thats what it could be.


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## Guest (Jul 23, 2012)

oceannir said:


> No you have someone on the internets opinion of what the problem may be based on your description.Go to a doctor and ask for an exam. Tell them you suspect thats what it could be.


I was not saying that this person was accurate. I would be an absolute fool to take a complete stranger-who has never seen me and has very MINIMAL information regarding my condition- diagnonsense as fact. I was simply inquiring in a solution to the proposed problem. As for seeing a doctor, doctors will not examine me. Strike three was it for me. It's hard enough without pissing money away. I guess I'll have to be near death for someone to look up me arse.


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## oceannir (Mar 6, 2012)

IBS_C said:


> I was not saying that this person was accurate. I would be an absolute fool to take a complete stranger-who has never seen me and has very MINIMAL information regarding my condition- diagnonsense as fact. I was simply inquiring in a solution to the proposed problem. As for seeing a doctor, doctors will not examine me. Strike three was it for me. It's hard enough without pissing money away. I guess I'll have to be near death for someone to look up me arse.


Explain your problems and ask for an exam and they might.I'm not sure how bad American doctors are. In Australia they do seem pretty poor at actually working through the problem with you and they just shrug you off.


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## Guest (Jul 23, 2012)

Today, I am using the dulcolax stool softeners to see if anything happens. Of course, I will have to at least give it three-four days, but I will report later how this worked out for me.


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## Dreyfuss (Dec 19, 2011)

After years of suffering with IBS, I decided to seek medical help. After several GI's, tests, and meds, I am right back where I was before. I am currently trying some "miracle shake" called Shakeology. I have no intention of seeing anymore docs.


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## em_t (Jun 8, 2010)

Dreyfuss said:


> After years of suffering with IBS, I decided to seek medical help. After several GI's, tests, and meds, I am right back where I was before. I am currently trying some "miracle shake" called Shakeology. I have no intention of seeing anymore docs.


Hi Dreyfuss, I can't remember if you said before but have you ever seen a colorectal surgeon as opposed to a GI? I only ask because from my experience GIs can only do so much and will always prefer to treat you with medicines when surgery might be a better long term solution. That drink sounds really dodgy - what does it have in it? I completely understand the urge to try anything if it helps but I hate the fact that there are lots of quacks out there that will exploit people's desire for a miracle cure. Did you doctor recommend it?


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## Guest (Jul 27, 2012)

em_t said:


> Hi Dreyfuss, I can't remember if you said before but have you ever seen a colorectal surgeon as opposed to a GI? I only ask because from my experience GIs can only do so much and will always prefer to treat you with medicines when surgery might be a better long term solution. That drink sounds really dodgy - what does it have in it? I completely understand the urge to try anything if it helps but I hate the fact that there are lots of quacks out there that will exploit people's desire for a miracle cure. Did you doctor recommend it?


Won't surgery cause permanent damage? I can't help but picture bags of poo attached to me the rest of my life, and aren't the possible effects much more severe with someone slicing your butthole open than drinking a not so tasty drink? Just saying.


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## oceannir (Mar 6, 2012)

IBS_C said:


> Won't surgery cause permanent damage? I can't help but picture bags of poo attached to me the rest of my life, and aren't the possible effects much more severe with someone slicing your butthole open than drinking a not so tasty drink? Just saying.


The idea of surgery is to address the problem and reduce your symptoms, its goal is not to create permanent damage. Obviously all surgery has risks, but for some people the constipation is so bad that they can no longer live their lives with it, so something has to be done.


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## Guest (Jul 27, 2012)

oceannir said:


> The idea of surgery is to address the problem and reduce your symptoms, its goal is not to create permanent damage. Obviously all surgery has risks, but for some people the constipation is so bad that they can no longer live their lives with it, so something has to be done.


That's how I feel right now. Some times I wish I would just die. I know that sounds ridiculous because people are living with much more serious illnesses, but I am literally sick of this. It effects my entire life. Social life, work life, general mood, self-esteem, everything. This sucks.I would go to a surgeon if I was GUARANTEED at least some valid hope. At this point, I am done wasting money-not only on "healthy" food, but on useless doctors.


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## dilu (Jun 24, 2012)

Hi,I have the same problems like you. It is simply terrible, it destroys your life. I've searched the internet for years, after decades of listening to incompetent or uninterested doctors. Heard the same nonsense about eating more fibres, drinking a lot of water, having daily exercises. I think i ate more fibres, drank more water and had more exercises than all the doctors combined. They simply don't know what they are talking about. And if you see a doctor who is finally listening to you like he is doing his best, then you know that he thinks that the problems are all between your ears and he just wants to be patient with you. On this forum some people even suggest that you over'did' the laxatives. It's just nonsense talk. And so many possible 'diagnoses' like IBS, Crohn's disease, Coeliakie,allergies, etc.. pass the revue. Most of the time these diagnoses are just something that doctors throw at you because they can't find the real cause. So i went through all that... Until one day i found out empirically that certain antibiotics relieved me of all problems at once. And believe me, constipation was not the only symptom. The relief was total. Not just an improvement, but a reversal of all symptoms. I felt great, like i hadn't felt in decades. However after the antibiotics were finished, the symptoms gradually returned each time. But from then on i was sure that it was a bacteriological problem which i had somewhere in my bowel. After searching more, i came to the conclusion that it's probably my appendix that was the cause of it all. It was difficult to find a surgeon who wants to perform the appendectomy, because with chronic appendicitis (doctors learned in universities that it doesn't exist) most standard diagnosis methods often show negative results (CT-scan, white blood cell count, ...). However the most important indication for chronic appendicitis is a preceding acute appendicitis which was not treated with surgery. I had that when i was 19 and my appendix was not removed. If you had an acute appendicitis before (terribly stinging sharp pain in the right bottom bowel area, pain around the navel/'belly-button', maybe vomiting and nausea, shaking, chills, light fever...) then you have a good chance that your problems are caused by a chronic appendicitis. In that case the infection is no intense as with acute appendicitis and your appendicitis may even look terribly normal on CT scans. But it still can cause a whole lot of problems, not only to your bowel but also to other organs in the body. I found a surgeon who is willing to do the appendectomy, he even advised me to do it, following his own experiences with his patients. I will have the operation on Monday (laparoscopic surgery). Take care. Nick.


IBS_C said:


> What began as chronic constipation, progressed into lazy bowel syndrome and eventually irritable bowel syndrome. It may even be worst at this point, but I have no interest in wasting any more money going to a useless doctor who minimizes everything that I say.I am honestly doing everything right-EVERYTHING. The only foods that I eat are fruit, vegetables and oatmeal with flax seed powder-THATS IT. No butter, sugar, milk, or anything of the like. The only thing I occasionaly and sparingly will add to my food is cinnamon, mustard, cayienne pepper and ginger powder. I drink plenty alkaline and spring/purified water-mostly alkaline. I drink tea (peppermint, dandelion, yerba mate, etc) Yes, I have tried the overrated Senna tea, which worked a little once and only made me bloated the following times I tried it. I also take probiotics as well as magnesium. I am sure to go on walks throughout the day, because i have a sedentary lifestyle otherwise. I also perform colonic massages on myself as well as do yoga poses and try all crazy positions on the toilet.I have not been able to produce a bowel movement on my own without laxative or saline enema (enema rarely works fy) in months. I am miserable. THis effects not only my physical state, but also my mental state, specifically my emotions.I do not know what else to do. Tonight, I will have to take laxatives (dulcolax) because it has been 1 week and still no bowel movement. I hate taking laxatives, because it always makes me so ill. Not only because of the nausea, cramping, bloating, gas, general discomfort, but also it depletes the little nutrition i am able to absorb anyways. This is so frustrating. I am about to stop trying to find a diet that works for constipation, and begin looking for a way to live off minimal, even juices/smoothies in a healthy way that can at least keep me from getting impacted and being forced to take extreme measures. I need hope, because I am on the edge. This is so disheartening.


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## dilu (Jun 24, 2012)

Another case:http://www.mombu.com/medicine/psychology/t-severe-ibs-or-chronic-appendicitis-stress-appendix-appendicitis-constipation-weight-2212835.html


IBS_C said:


> What began as chronic constipation, progressed into lazy bowel syndrome and eventually irritable bowel syndrome. It may even be worst at this point, but I have no interest in wasting any more money going to a useless doctor who minimizes everything that I say.I am honestly doing everything right-EVERYTHING. The only foods that I eat are fruit, vegetables and oatmeal with flax seed powder-THATS IT. No butter, sugar, milk, or anything of the like. The only thing I occasionaly and sparingly will add to my food is cinnamon, mustard, cayienne pepper and ginger powder. I drink plenty alkaline and spring/purified water-mostly alkaline. I drink tea (peppermint, dandelion, yerba mate, etc) Yes, I have tried the overrated Senna tea, which worked a little once and only made me bloated the following times I tried it. I also take probiotics as well as magnesium. I am sure to go on walks throughout the day, because i have a sedentary lifestyle otherwise. I also perform colonic massages on myself as well as do yoga poses and try all crazy positions on the toilet.I have not been able to produce a bowel movement on my own without laxative or saline enema (enema rarely works fy) in months. I am miserable. THis effects not only my physical state, but also my mental state, specifically my emotions.I do not know what else to do. Tonight, I will have to take laxatives (dulcolax) because it has been 1 week and still no bowel movement. I hate taking laxatives, because it always makes me so ill. Not only because of the nausea, cramping, bloating, gas, general discomfort, but also it depletes the little nutrition i am able to absorb anyways. This is so frustrating. I am about to stop trying to find a diet that works for constipation, and begin looking for a way to live off minimal, even juices/smoothies in a healthy way that can at least keep me from getting impacted and being forced to take extreme measures. I need hope, because I am on the edge. This is so disheartening.


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## SarahLund (Aug 16, 2010)

A shame when anyone loses hope. I suppose you should think of it as just another bad round of symptom flare-up that you will get through, because you managed to get through it every other time. Prayer can help, but it's all still a waiting game. If you know you're own method of coping, then you can at least reassure yourself about the fact. I get that the pains seem like a cruel trick that god has toyed with, and that it feels like a curse, but just letting yourself not worry about it, is a good way of taking away the panic. You need to stop frightening yourself by constantly thinking about it. Whatever needs to be done to make yourself feel relieved, then do whatever you can. Take life slowly. People forget we're not as healthy as they are. Take your time. Or as much as you can


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## aaltimas1 (Aug 15, 2010)

Yea thanks for posting, it is hard to keep hope alive at times, it sure helps me to realize that I am not alone, every time I come on to this site I think wow I am not alone and that is nice to know. As far as hope goes I try my best to encourage everybody, it makes sense to fake it, because the alternative is to get hopeless, and give up. I realize I am not alone, and if I give up then that will effect others, it important to keep trying, keep helping and supporting each other, what else can a person do?? I don't have the answers, never did, but I do have the experience to say that hey for every bad day, where you don know what is up or down there is another person out there going thru the same thing, and they might be going thru worse, so I believe that we need to hang in there if not for ourselves but for the person suffering. With out some hope life becomes meaningless so if you lose it then fake it, like me and try to give some one else some hope and seems to help you as well. Anyways take care and try to help some one else out and you will I think find that it helps if we lose hope to help some one else.Andrew


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## dilu (Jun 24, 2012)

Instead of losing hope and complaining, you'd better get back on your feet and fight back. I was in your situation for more than 20 years, but I never gave up. And since last week my problems are over. I'm symptom free and feeling better than ever. It's a new life. Before that, it was impossible to pass stool without using masses of laxatives such as dulcolax (bisacodyl). I've eaten truck loads of fibres (spagulax/psyllium). Total constipation, tired as hell, lethargy, nausea, muscle pain, terrible belly pain.... name it, I had it all. Impossible to find any doctor here who knew even just a little about my illness. They were all quickly to point to rare diseases like Crohn's or stick to some vague diagnosis as 'irritable bowel syndrome', for the simple reason that they just know almost nothing about it. The first time I realized that I had a bacterial problem, was when I took the antibiotic metronidazol, which completely relieved me of my symptoms after 2 days. However, symptoms returned slowly after the antibiotics course. But it gave me a clue as where I had to look. I found the website of the Center for Digestive Diseases in Australia of dr. Borody. He puts the cause of total bowel block on bacteria of the clostridium type. In his hospital they give their patients metronidazol or oral vancomycin to dramatically reverse their symptoms. So i tried the vancomycin too. Again all symtoms disappeared, but they returned slowly afterwards, because clostridium is a spore-forming bacterium. Spores (endo-spores) can survive antibiotics, high heat, acids etc.. The bacteria creates this spores when it is attacked. Normally the benign bowel flora deals with clostridia, but in my case the normal bowel flora was taken out of balance by the use lots of antibiotics like Augmentin (Amoxicillin+clavulanic acid) when i was young. Some antibiotics cause the benign bowel flora to be destroyed and give way to an overgrowth of clostridium. Clostridium produces strong toxins that can paralize the bowel and cause pseudomembranous colitis (inflammation of the large bowel/rectum). Read these links to know more: http://www.cdd.com.au/pages/disease_info/constipation.html , http://www.cdd.com.au/pages/disease_info/clostridium_difficle.html . Read this link to know how else clostridium causes constipation: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11339861 (interesting link!). In my case, it was difficult to eradicate the bacteria, because i had chronic appendicopathy. When i was 19, I had an acute appendicitis, but my appendix wasn't surgically removed. On a recent CT scan it looked perfectly normal, but after appendectomy and analysis in the lab it showed to be very dilatated and filled with faeces. I was walking around for decades with old poo in a little bag in my bowel! So bacteria, parasites etc. always found a save haven there and my own immune system couldn't effectively fight them. Also lot's of eosinophils were found in my blood and in the appendix, which points to a parasite infection, which often accompanies a clostridium overgrowth as a 'secondary infection'. As I said, I'm cured now. But for sure I suffered enormously in all these years. I had to stop my job as general manager because I couldn't function anymore. Life simply wasn't worth living anymore and I thought that if I couldn't find the solution, then I would just wait until I die and get rid of all this misery. But at a certain moment, I decided to dedicate all my time to finding a way to my recovery. I searched for hundreds of hours on internet until I found what I needed to know. Even when I decided to have my appendix removed the first surgeon whom I consulted refused to to it and ridiculed all I had to say. Luckily shortly after, I found a great young surgeon who even supported me in my quest and removed my appendix. However it is my experience that most doctors are of no help. They simply don't know enough about the topic. So, what I want to tell you is this: don't give up, try out everything you can, do something, don't listen to people who say you need to eat more fibers (clostridia even digest fibers, so the more fibers you eat, the worse the infection gets), drink more water, have more exercise, learn to live with it, understand that is it all in your head, etc... Don't be intimidated by doctors. Fight for your life! Diagnostic techniques are much more developed now these days. PCR-tests (polymerase chain reaction) test for the molecular level of the bacteria (DNA) and are much more efficient than old fashioned microscopic stool tests. See this link for clostridium diagnostic tests: http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/cdiff/tab/test . Clostridium was previously thought only to cause the life threatening diarrhea, but with recent developments in the field of DNA screening of bacteria, many different types of clostridium have been discovered. Some cause diarrhea, and others cause constipation. Take care and don't submit yourself passively to this disease. Fight with all the energy you have left!


aaltimas1 said:


> Yea thanks for posting, it is hard to keep hope alive at times, it sure helps me to realize that I am not alone, every time I come on to this site I think wow I am not alone and that is nice to know. As far as hope goes I try my best to encourage everybody, it makes sense to fake it, because the alternative is to get hopeless, and give up. I realize I am not alone, and if I give up then that will effect others, it important to keep trying, keep helping and supporting each other, what else can a person do?? I don't have the answers, never did, but I do have the experience to say that hey for every bad day, where you don know what is up or down there is another person out there going thru the same thing, and they might be going thru worse, so I believe that we need to hang in there if not for ourselves but for the person suffering. With out some hope life becomes meaningless so if you lose it then fake it, like me and try to give some one else some hope and seems to help you as well. Anyways take care and try to help some one else out and you will I think find that it helps if we lose hope to help some one else.Andrew


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## jnmurphy (Jul 18, 2012)

I haven't read all of the above posts but a couple things. 1. If you take laxatives for too long, your body can get dependent on them and this could be contributing to your not being able to produce a BM. 2. If you take a laxative and do not go within 24-48 hours, you need to see a doctor URGENTLY. This is NOT normal, and could be indicative of a more serious issues such a bowel obstruction. 3. I think you need to vary your diet- more fiber and a more varied diet will be more beneficial than eating only 5 foods. I hope that you feel better soon and please be your own advocate and seek second and third opinions if doctor's aren't willing to listen to your concerns.


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## Green_Life (Jan 16, 2012)

I have suffered with IBS for approximately 10 years, so I'll give you the best advice I can. My main symptoms are wind and incomplete evacuation.I'll tell you what I find extremely good for regular bowel movements: Oxy Powder and Amaranth Grain. Oxy Powder comes in capsules. When taken, it creates oxygen in your bowels and turns your stools into liquid. It really does work, and it has helped many people with severe constipation. I once read from a woman who had constipation so bad that she was considering surgery. However, she tried Oxy Powder and it worked fantastic. Amaranth grain is a organic, dairy and gluten free grain. It is extremely high in protein and fiber. You just boil it for 15/20 minutes. When I started taking this daily, I was having a lot more bowel movements. But for severe constipation, Oxy Powder is fantastic. The only problem is that the next day after taking it, you need to be close to a toilet, so be warned.And don't give up on the diet. I'm now eating organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs. No meat, no dairy, no gluten, no sugar, no unhealthy fats. Only foods provided by nature. Give it time! We have spend years and years clogging ourselves up with hard-to-digest foods, and this has weakened our digestive system. Don't expect to eat healthy for a few months and be cured. It may even take a few years. But don't give up. Stick to the diet and eventually I believe our digestive system will heal itself.Good luck


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## KCleary (Aug 25, 2012)

It seems as if some people in this topic are afraid of eating fats. Thats incredible. In my experience, fats are one of the MOST CRUCIAL parts in curing constipation.From all people I've helped overcome their horrible constipation, increased fat intake was one of the very CORE ingredients that led to total reversal of symptoms.Good fats can be found in egg yolk, coconut oil (start small - 1tsp - and increase slowly from there), animal fats, organic butter (preferably unpasteurized), ghee, avocado, olive oil.Fats like these, especially animal fats like bone marrow, and the gelatin from bones, help the damaged gut of all people suffering from constipation heal. This is absolutely crucial for any successful recovery. In fact, I can't remember one person who has overcome their constipation LONG TERM without increased fat intake. Our cells NEED fat. It is imperative!Kris Cleary


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## dilu (Jun 24, 2012)

If you "don't remember one person who has overcome their constipation LONG TERM without increased fat intake", then here is one: Me! Chronic constipation for 37 years, evolving into total block. Finally solved thanks to own research on internet. Nothing to do with fats that I ate or not. Culprit: clostridium infection. Medical study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11339861 (Clostridial constipation's broad pathology):'Clostridia are normally found in the healthy colon, where their numbers are kept in check by other bacteria. However, when they establish themselves in the ileum they become formidable foes. They produce medium-length fatty acids that increase water absorption, causing hypertension and drying up the feces, causing constipation. Furthermore, they can deconjugate bile (impaired fat absorption), metabolyze tryptophan (the most scarce of the essential amino acids), digest fiber (so that the more fiber the patient takes, the more the constipation is exacerbated), digest lecithin, produce carcinogenic metabolites and copious amounts of extremely foul smelling gas, etc. They can also prevent vitamin B12 absorption in the ileum, causing anemia. The synthetic sugar lactulose, which can only be digested by lactobacilli, can help displace the clostridia and resolve the constipation by causing the lactobacilli to produce short fatty acids that have the opposite effect to that of the medium fatty acids produced by clostridia and their accomplices: they cause water retention in the intestines.'I had my appendix removed to prevent the bacteria from having a safe haven from which they could overgrow in the small bowel and cause dried out hard stools there. After appendectomy stools were always soft to watery. Second action: fight the clostridial pseudomembranous colitis, which causes the inner layers of the large bowel to be inflamed and painful. Hard and dried out stools could never pass this inflamed part of the bowel. Meds: antibiotics specifically aimed at clostridium: metronidazol, vancomycin, fidaxomycin (dificid, dificlir) + fecal transplant. Result: healed. My advice: don't listen too much to anybody who never experienced this hell in real life. My experience: 10.000 unfounded and useless diagnoses from doctors + advices from so called 'experts' on what to eat or not. Cause of my long time illness: repeated intake of broad spectrum antibiotics (amoxicillin clavulanate/augmentin), combined with an untreated (initially acute) appendicitis. Good luck to you all.


KCleary said:


> It seems as if some people in this topic are afraid of eating fats. Thats incredible. In my experience, fats are one of the MOST CRUCIAL parts in curing constipation.From all people I've helped overcome their horrible constipation, increased fat intake was one of the very CORE ingredients that led to total reversal of symptoms.Good fats can be found in egg yolk, coconut oil (start small - 1tsp - and increase slowly from there), animal fats, organic butter (preferably unpasteurized), ghee, avocado, olive oil.Fats like these, especially animal fats like bone marrow, and the gelatin from bones, help the damaged gut of all people suffering from constipation heal. This is absolutely crucial for any successful recovery. In fact, I can't remember one person who has overcome their constipation LONG TERM without increased fat intake. Our cells NEED fat. It is imperative!Kris Cleary


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## No Longer Suffering! (Jun 5, 2012)

I can certainly understand how you feel.


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## No Longer Suffering! (Jun 5, 2012)

No Longer Suffering! said:


> I can certainly understand how many of you feel..... so frustrated with the doctors. I felt that way a lot when my children were babies and screaming for hours and hours in pain and the doctor didn't have answers!
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## sademerkki (Oct 13, 2012)

I used to have the same problem and I found that adding more lean protein to my diet and eliminating grains helped get me regular along with lots of vegetable juice. It's definitely your diet that is causing your woes. Don't give up until you find out what will work for your body. After three years I'm so glad that I stuck in there long enough to find a solution, especially after trying almost every diet out there. Using too many laxatives can throw your body out of whack and those spicy foods will only make things worse. I love spicy food, but they always give me constipation. I hope things get better for you, good luck. ; )-Sade


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## sademerkki (Oct 13, 2012)

whoops, douple post. : )


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## wje630 (Oct 16, 2012)

Hello:After reading your TMI post, the one where you said, WARNING...GRAPHIC EXPLANATION..or something like that, I experienced the same problem.My Internal Medicine doctor checked it out after I explained to her that the growth kept coming out after I had a BM. She checked it and said she didn't think it was a hemmiroid? She referred me to a surgeon who after examination said he didn't know what it was but it he felt it should be removed. We scheduled surgery and after he removed it they did a biopsy. Turned out to be Anal Cancer....so in my opinion you need to get it checked out by a doctor, preferably a surgeon. When my surgeon called to tell me it was cancerous, he was so apologetic. He said he never expected it to be cancer....that just goes to show you, YOU have to be the proactive one here. Insist on them doing a biopsy of the growth...it could save your life. Mine was caught early and I was able to treat it with just radiation. It has been 7 years and I am still NED(no evidence of disease). Please get this checked soon, IT MAY BE A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH FOR YOU!


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