Medication induced Constipation

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I've been on Methadone for almost a year and have had to Vicodin to my regimen along with about four other meRAB for other aliments. Constipation was a big problem for me so I did change my diet to eating a lot more chicken and more fresh vegetables cooked al dente and even started adding Benefiber to my meals and drinks. Trust me, if I have a problem going now it's only because I went off my regimen!
 
Ok since last thursday after loading up on laxatives and lactulose I finally went. Since that day I drastically changed my diet I eat bran cereal every morning, have an apple in the afternoon and for dinner I have salad with chicken or tuna in it and a fruit smoothie or sorbet at night. I take stool softners every single day and oh yea since my last "movement" I lost 7 pounRAB. WELLLLLLLLLLLLLL NUTTIN I JUST DON'T GET IT. I thought I was doing the right thing making sure I was picking out the fooRAB with the highest fiber staying away from fatty food I turned into a rabbit and they poo all the time but nope not me. I feel myself bloating again and I am gaining weight and getting that nasty uncomfortable feeling. I thought I changed my habits for the better. I am going to keep on eating this way It has to be helping something.
:wave: Kelly
 
Most people have a schedule that is regular for them, usually 1-3 days. 2 weeks is to long. You can be setting yourself up for a bowel obstruction and the hospital way of treating this is not fun. An obstruction left to go long enough can lead to gangreenous bowel.

You may need to work on it a while to get your body train to a more reasonable schedule.
 
Hi everyone

I know that this is a very serious problem. One that is well to be addressed. But, honestly - you people are hilarious!!!! - "if 2' a day, then I'm 2 years behind" or gas omg - it's so great that we still have a sense of humor!

My brother swears by the new activia yogurt. I, however, prefer - now don't laugh and hurt yourselves - a "Traditional Medicine" tea called - okay, here goes = SMOOTH MOVE = isn't that a gas? But, honestly, it works miracles. As a matter of fact, I told my dr. about it and he's including it in his pre-op package in lieu of Senakot now.
 
Kelly,
You need 30 grams of fieber in your diet a day. An apple and a smoothie and a salad isn't going to give that to you. The smoothies are tasty, but I would guess that they don't have hardly any fiber. and the sorbet is just frozen water with flavoring....

I would try the Miralax that is sold at Target and Walmart. It was by script only, but is now over the counter. I got some on Sat. you mix it in water or juice. Can't even taste it. I just started it yesterday so will let you know how it "goes", so to speak. It's an alternative to fiber tabs. I would take senecot and also colace. They each have their benefits and work well together. One is a stool softener and the other is a gentle laxative. Both my dr.and my favorite pharamacist recommended them. I use house branRAB...

Lettuce doesn't have much fiber in it, but it is a great diet food! What kind of bran cereal? Are you eating Fiber One or All Bran? Those are the only two fiber cereals that have signigicant amounts of fiber in them. They have from gbetween 11-14 grams of feber. Raisin bran is only 4 grams.... that doesn't do you much good... broccoli is high in fiber as are dried plums and apricots and dates... are you walking some to help "move" things along? The only bad thing about fiber cereal is that until your body gets used to the extra fiber in your diet, it tenRAB to cause some horendous gas....noisy. My hubby used to say that he could hear it rurabling through his intestines, hit corner, turn, rurable down the straight a way, hit the next bend, turn, keep going....you get the picture.....:D
 
I have bowel retention after the fusion surgery. Probably from the opiate drugs which are known to cause constipation. I was diagnoised with a loose sphincter muscle after the surgery and was told to watch my diet and take in as much ruffage as possible. High fiber diet. I use Milk of Magnesia. I have also used Glycolax (perscription). The Senikot didn't seem to work for me. I known that bloated feeling. For me, it causes abdominal pains.
 
LOL....
THe things we can't talk about anywhere else. I have found that the Fiber one bars that are out help alot...alot, alot!!. Also, eating dates helps for me. I eat about 6-8 dates a day. I noticed when a friend gave us a box of fresh dates that I wasn't using all the fiber tabs that I had been taking (20 a day) and it was - soft(!)-

I was talking to my DIL's mother who is a nurse in the VA hospital. She says that when they get someone there that gets backed up the nurses give them a glass of - are you ready - warm prune juice. I just looked at her. She said that there is something about heating the prune juice that will produce results in an hour. SOOOOO, guess that if you are truly in need it may be worth a shot.

I have found that lots of water, extra fiber through either the fiber one bars, miralx or fiber one cereal, fiber tabs, WALKING, dates is what keeps me going. Ang the pain of hard poos is no laughing matter.

Colace and senecot are both good additions to your diet also. If I don't hit Target for them, Costco has their generic. Because my surgeon told me that I will be living with some degree of pain the rest of my life, i will need to be careful that i keep the lower part of my body as happy as it can be. i'm not fond of hard poos.....so an ounce of prevention.....is worth it. you know something is wrong when you don't want to go to the bathroom...;)
 
Yes, you are so right!!! Silly me!!! I'm blowing their cover!!! Poor little maligned plums!!!

:D Emily
 
AWWW Thanks guys for all your help I do appreciate it. It helps to talk to someone who understanRAB this problem. Well after everything I took last night I am pretty sure I am almosy empty I am six pounRAB lighter,and difinatley ill be changing my diet to include salRAB and fruit and I just bout a whole bunch of chicken, and I intend to eat less. I feel so much better his morning. Thanks again all :D
:wave: Kelly
 
LOL!It is true. Nature's Secret makes these body cleansing programs specifically designed to clean out the intestines and in a cd that came with it, that's what it said, that a healthy digestive system produces that (2ft) daily. I just had a micro d and am on some pain meRAB which totally have backed me up but i make smoothies daily of broccoli/spinach/carrots/flax oil, and it helps, but as soon as i can drive to the health food store i am going to get one of their ultimate cleanse supplement programs again. cleaned me right out :)
 
I eat all bran, fiber one, or just straight bran flakes unfortunaltley Miralax doesn't work for me anymore I was on for about a year before it went over the counter between the fruit cereal and vegetables I am eating throughout the day I do get about the recommended amount the smoothies I drink are mainly fruit bananas 4 grams dietary fiber, bluberries 4 grams dietary fiber, strawberries 2 grams dietary fiber you can put some fiber one in it for more fiber a little oj a little yougurt. A bowl of All bran is 10 grams of dietary fiber. I am getting close to or more fiber that is recommended. Just like everything else in my life I have a stubborn belly.
:wave: Kelly
 
Kelly, I am glad you are feeling better. Like I said, if you like apricots they work wonders. Even if you just have a few a day to keep thing going.
Take care and happy Friday.
Barbara
 
I stopped drinking diet pepsi several months ago I not like to drink straight water. So I drink diet green tea about 3-16 0unce bottles a day the only thing in it is 60 mgs of sodium per serving a serving is 8 oz .I do not use added salt to any of my food yuck. And I drink a half pot of coffee everyday:eek:
I am going to try benefiber ( do they have a generic type )
Thanks so much
:wave: Kelly
 
Ughh, I wish I could give you more suggestions...I had a horrible time after my surgery with the same issue. While in the hospital they started giving me stool softeners right away and i kept taking after I went home, but they did me no good. I ate alot of fruit & vegetables, drank prune juice , tried the fiber stuff, laxatives, it just wouldnt budge. I even ate things that I knew would give me diarhea in the past in hopes that would help....like chilli and ice cream. For me it took almost 9 days to finally go....I cant imagine how you go on being able to go only every 2 weeks or so! I hope someone has some other ideas for you that work!
 
This thread just goes to show that there are many of us who have been thru this and look at all the alternatives we have found. What works for one may or may not work for the other. Have a blessed day everyone!! :)
 
I was told by my pain mgmt dr. to take a laxitave every day. I have to take 2 or 3 and then add Milk of Magnesia (generic). This helped so I would go every 3 or 4 days. I just tried Miralax today. It worked but I also had my regular stuff too. For a quick fix I always eat dried apricots. I can always get relief in 24hours if I eat a couple of hand fulls of those and they don't taste bad like prunes. You can also add raisins to your salad.
Good luck, I have been there many times.
Barbara
 
Yes I have problems with Banannas, carrots and applesauce. My Mom on the other hand eats a Bananna and she has no problem doing her business. LOL.
 
I am 4 weeks post op fusion and I experienced this really bad at week 2 and 3 feeling like I was trying to give birth during a BM.:mad: The first week home, a fleet enema had to be done and then I started using senacot and it didn't work, then I bouth Miralax and after 3 days, it finally softened up. It is a very fearful feeling anticipating this event. You can get this product at the pharmacy or Walmart etc. This stuff totally dissolves and has no taste. Oh, I also tried Metamusol with no luck. Good Luck.
Bailey07
 
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