[] Q: COPs causing constipation

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone

Can anyone explain this.

The patient is a 64 year old woman I have treated periodically over the years

for allergies. Beginning in early Jan she returned for treatment of a cough

that wouldn't resolve. I treated her with 5, 14, 35 and BTG. The next month

the cough was gone, but she had knee pain (tx - 2, 11, 28). Her diet has

always been excellent, she walks 40 min/day, and drinks lots of water (6-8

cups/day depending on the weather). In the past, she would never do COPs.

Last month, I finally convinced her to try them. She did them for 60

minutes/day. She had bms the first 2 days she did the COPs, then nothing for

10 days, followed by diarrhea all night, then 6 more days of nothing before

she called me. There is no particular pain, cramps or discomfort except a

feeling of fullness as the days of constipation go on. She has had very

regular bms the past 3 years, but has had constipation off and on in the past,

although never this bad. For the next month, we managed the constipation with

Blue Heron (laxative herbs and probiotics) and prunes - which did work. If

she stops the COPs the constipation improves. If she starts them again, it

gets worse.

Her cough and knee pain both resolved and I am now treating the constipation

(3, 6, 50) and had her shorten the COPs to 20 min/day. She is also on HMF.

What I would like to understand though is why the COPs seem to be causing

constipation. Any ideas?

Loreen Dawson, ND

Sechelt, BC

Family Medicine