General Chat

magpie and stella ............

that was the first advice to David ....... see a doctor

he doesn't seem to want to.


I might add to your diverticulitis, that constipation may also be a sign of a blockage developing in the intestines, which may be due to rectal and/or colon cancer. I have family members who had that happen.



David ...............

Tea does not count.

Coffee does not count.

Alcoholic drinks do not count

According to all the dieticians, you should be drinking at least 8-10 8oz glasses of water a day IN ADDITION TO clear juices and whatever water you can absorb from your food.

Thanks Stella.

Yes i agree....

David, please get some professional advice.. :-D

Yes, but we don't know that this what David's problem is do we?! It could be nothing or perhaps something that needs different attention, or no attention, only a professional can tell you this.

Magpie, i too have diverticular disease and this was the advice given to me... :-)

Constipation can be nothing or it can be something! OH had this problem last winter and in the end a colonoscopy revealed diverticulitis which is now controlled by diet and medication under specalist supervision. This is why I am loathe to advise anybody with any medical problem that doesn't readily resolve itself.

Tea doesn't count David, just drink lots of water during the day.. keep a bottle handy in the kitchen and if that doesn't work i suggest you get some Laxido sachets , you can buy them over the counter or get them on prescription.

i keep a small bottle of water handy all the time , even at the side of my bed ..

:-)

I've no idea about tea, but I do think that if this is a real problem, you'd do far better to discuss it with a professional person, than getting snippets of info which may or may not be applicable to your particular case. It's difficult for anyone on here to advise you as it could be completely the wrong advice in your case. Have a chat with your GP and take it from there.

I do drink water, but not that much. However I do drink a fair amount of tea.
Is that an acceptable substitute ?

I use "Benefiber", as recommended by the specialist.

It's a powder, and tasteless.... I sprinkle two teaspoons of it on my morning cereal.... the instructions say it can be added to any food or drink.

I also try to drink at least 6 large glasses of water every day.

Increasing the amount of water you drink is the easiest, safest and cheapest thing to try!!

That is the first thing I do if I have a problem ........ and it works for me, even though I take codeine.

constipation can be caused by too little water being in the gut.

Hi David, you can buy fybrogel at the chemist and I tend to take it for a couple of days then leave it for 3 or 4 days then for a couple of days again. hope this helps.

It might be a good idea to read the leaflet supplied with any pills you take, then you'll be fully aware of any potential side effects. Too much vitamin C can give you an upset tummy. If your diet is correct you shouldn't need any additional supplements and should only pill pop sparingly.

Well I'm damned.
I've been taking a multivitamin supplement table with iron for some time

Yes iron tablets can cause constipation, so if you're worried, talk to your doctor about it and take advice. If not, there are plenty of laxatives on the market for this particular problem. You should never let any medical abnormality go on for any length of time without having it checked out professionally, as meditation could well be masking a more serious problem, so if it persists once you've come off any laxatives, you really should.see your GP.

Actually iron tablets cause constipation :-(

Vitamins with additional iron I'm told helps.

Perhaps I expect too much ? some people sit there and read the paper until they move while others move more easily.

I really would ask the doctor first . Some medications cause constipation so he may prescribe something to ease the problem .or even change the meds to a different one that does the same job but doesn't bung you up !!

It's always recommended that a change in bowel habit is investigated just in case it's a symptom of something else

If all falls and the doc isn't worried I find the tablet Dulcalax has a soothing effect !!!

But taking meds too often to ease the problem can makes the bowel lazy so it won't work willingly on its own and relies on being irritated ,which is what meds do , to operate !

Finding what works for you may take time

Not everyone has a movement every day though ,what is normal for one will be abnormal for another .

Straining though can cause haermorroids so letting things build up isn't good either

AnnMarieG Ive heard of them Fybrogels will try them.

Is there not a risk of making the bowel "lazy" with these aids ?

Thank you Sylvia.. By intermittent I mean a movement every third or some times fourth day rather than daily.
My late Father had serious problems with his bowels in his old age. He was crippled with arthritis. His inactivity meant he had a struggle keeping it moving. He was formerly an active man.
I read online a lemon squeezed into warm or hot water then drank helps move you.
Also moving you abdomen in and out while panting helps.