Guest guest Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 >My daughter who is laxative dependent has not had a bowel movement for >8 days now. Two evenings prior she took 8 senokot tablets and last >night she repeated this dose and has not had any results. This is the >first time she has not had relief after taking this dose even just >once. What should she do? >She had been eating the commercial kefir and taking Primal Defense for >two weeks and then last week she was not able to. Now for 4 days she >has had homemade kefir but no primal defense. >Sandy A number of people I've talked to seem to get constipated eating kefir, esp. at first. There may be two factors: 1. When you start taking probiotics, you produce less of the toxins that stimulate the gut into mobility. So it kind of shuts down. That happened to me when I started taking probiotics, but not to such a major degree. 2. Ongoing constipation seems to be often related to food intolerances (gluten/casein being the big ones, but not the only ones). I'm assuming since she is " laxative dependent " she's been tested for IgA intolerances? 3. Once a blockage develops, the gut might not be able to move it at all, which can be a big major problem (as I'm sure you know!). Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 On Friday, March 11, 2005, at 12:37 PM, Heidi Schuppenhauer wrote: > 2. Ongoing constipation seems to be often related > to food intolerances (gluten/casein being the big ones, but > not the only ones). I'm assuming since she is " laxative dependent " > she's been tested for IgA intolerances? > She has not been tested. She doesn't even have a doctor. We are working on trying to find one that takes our insurance. Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 >She has not been tested. She doesn't even have a doctor. We are >working on trying to find one that takes our insurance. >Sandy Well, the quick and cheap test is ... try a paleo diet (meat/vegies/fruit ... no corn, eggs, soy, dairy, wheat, or other grains). It's hard though, when someone is laxative dependent. Most doctors won't do the IgA tests unless you ask but the gastros probably will. If she doesn't " go " soon though you should probably check with someone ... 8 days is a long time ... ! Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 >>>A number of people I've talked to seem to get constipated eating kefir, esp. at first. She may also have a true allergy to milk... ~Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 >My daughter who is laxative dependent has not had a bowel movement for >8 days now. Two evenings prior she took 8 senokot tablets and last >night she repeated this dose and has not had any results. This is the >first time she has not had relief after taking this dose even just >once. What should she do? >She had been eating the commercial kefir and taking Primal Defense for >two weeks and then last week she was not able to. Now for 4 days she >has had homemade kefir but no primal defense. >Sandy After 8 days I would seriously consider performing an enema. Or maybe at least try some of those glycerin tablets I've heard you can insert to " get it going " ... By the way, you may have heard of a wonderful product called Fruit-eze? http://www.fruit-eze.com/ It's simply a big jar of prunes, dates and figs mashed up. Nothing else. No preservatives. I have no idea how or why it works so well but man! that stuff Really Works Great to help keep one's stools at just the right consistency. You start with a tablespoon a day and work up to as many TBSP. it takes to get things running smoothly and then you back off to two TBSP. a day. It helps you to retrain your bowels... ~Robin Ps. BTW it's just my 2 cents but I don't like Anything about Primal Defense. I'm guessing that it might be what made a bad problem a lot worse.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2005 Report Share Posted March 11, 2005 Your daughter will need to drink LOTS of water - 4 to 5 litres a day and eat small meals a few times a day of something high in roughage such as lettuce and other salad vegetables. After a couple of days with a high fluid intake she might want to try an enema or colonic irrigation, to assist the process. She can continue this process while slowly reducing the quantity of laxatives that she uses. Depending on how laxative dependant she is (e.g. 8 once a day is not considered a severe problem, although it is definately far from ideal) it can take a while to get back to not needing any laxatives, but keeping up a high fluid intake and roughage will help. Some people who have a long-term severed problem will take 6 months or more to be able to return to eating a normal diet and have normal bowel function, because the bowel has lost all muscle tone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2005 Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 > My daughter who is laxative dependent has not had a bowel movement for > 8 days now. Two evenings prior she took 8 senokot tablets and last > night she repeated this dose and has not had any results. This is the > first time she has not had relief after taking this dose even just > once. What should she do? > She had been eating the commercial kefir and taking Primal Defense for > two weeks and then last week she was not able to. Now for 4 days she > has had homemade kefir but no primal defense. > Sandy Has she ever had round ball- like bm's? That's a casein allergy and it can be what's holding up the elimination. Apples with peel for pectin and nut butter is a helpful snack. If she improves on bone broth or calcium supplements the meat, potatoes, veggie diet Heidi brought up will keep her fast metabolism moving. Wanita -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.7.1 - Release Date: 3/9/2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2005 Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 What an interesting product! How about an oldie? Milk of Magnesia. If you're short on magnesium, you will tend to be constipated, or have a stiff, crackly neck, or have hiccups. > By the way, you may have heard of a wonderful product called Fruit- eze? > http://www.fruit-eze.com/ It's simply a big jar of prunes, dates and figs > mashed up. Nothing else. No preservatives. I have no idea how or why it > works so well but man! that stuff Really Works Great to help keep one's > stools at just the right consistency. You start with a tablespoon a day and > work up to as many TBSP. it takes to get things running smoothly and then > you back off to two TBSP. a day. It helps you to retrain your bowels... > ~Robin > > Ps. BTW it's just my 2 cents but I don't like Anything about Primal Defense. > I'm guessing that it might be what made a bad problem a lot worse.. > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2005 Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 On Saturday, March 12, 2005, at 11:08 AM, wrote: > What an interesting product! > > How about an oldie? Milk of Magnesia. If you're short on > magnesium, you will tend to be constipated, or have a stiff, crackly > neck, or have hiccups. > > Wow! That is very interesting...a stiff crackly neck! That sounds like me and I thought it was just old age! Thank you everyone for your help...she did have a small response just after I posted my email and we obtained a grinder and she has taken some flaxseed so we are waiting to see if that is going to help but I am holding on to all your emails just in case. We will also ask about the IGA testing when we finally get her a doctor...thank you all so very much! Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2005 Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 >> http://www.fruit-eze.com/ It's simply a big jar of prunes, dates >and figs >> mashed up. Nothing else. No preservatives. I have no idea how or >why it There is also the old standby, stewed prunes! My family LOVES them just for fun, me too. Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2005 Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 >> How about an oldie? Milk of Magnesia. If you're short on >> magnesium, you will tend to be constipated, or have a stiff, crackly >> neck, or have hiccups. >> >> > > Wow! That is very interesting...a stiff crackly neck! That sounds > like me and I thought it was just old age! > > Sandy With the principles of metabolic typing if magnesium or Milk of Magnesia improves her instead of the calcium or bone broth she'll be better off on a lower protein, higher carbohydrate diet. Magnesium speeds up and improves slow metabolizers. Calcium slows down and improves fast metabolisms. Confusing, as magnesium is considered a body electricity regulator, muscle relaxer. Will speed up faster, fast metabolisms and make them worse. My stiff, crackly neck never went away on years of calcium, magnesium together or extra magnesium too. Just calcium and it's gone. Calcium or magnesium could help the diaphragm and those hiccups. Wanita -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. Version: 7.0.300 / Virus Database: 266.7.1 - Release Date: 3/9/2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2005 Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 The wonderful thing about stewed prunes and other dried fruits like the figs and dates are that they contain so much " wet " fiber. Part of the constipation problem is, I think, that the walls of the colon become dehydrated and are not able to work as well as they could. If you want to introduce more fiber I like the idea of " live " fiber -- it's wet already and won't absorb more much needed moisture from a too dry system. I don;t know if there is such a thing as " wet " fiber -- I just made it up -- but those " dry " fibers like flax seeds and psyllium and bran are just too drastic on my system even under ideal circumstances. I suppose I would consider them for a very limited period of time I felt I needed to undergo a big Cleanse that also included colon hydrotherapy. But for the most part, I imagine them just cutting, scratching and irritating things down there. But, of course, that's just me. There is Plenty of fiber in vegetables and fruits especially if you include the stewed prunes etc. I'm happy to hear that this business of adding isolated grain or seed type fiber helps a lot of people but, for me, it's like eating sand -- too harsh. ~Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 12, 2005 Report Share Posted March 12, 2005 >The wonderful thing about stewed prunes and other dried fruits like the figs >and dates are that they contain so much " wet " fiber. Part of the >constipation problem is, I think, that the walls of the colon become >dehydrated and are not able to work as well as they could. I agree ... the thing about prunes is the fiber attracts water. They don't cause problems at any dose (unlike the old wives tales ... or, well, they shouldn't, they might for some folks). Also, you can add pureed prunes to most baked goods and they goods will taste better, be moister and tastier. Good in hamburger too, amazingly enough. Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 13, 2005 Report Share Posted March 13, 2005 > > > >> http://www.fruit-eze.com/ It's simply a big jar of prunes, dates > >and figs > >> mashed up. Nothing else. No preservatives. I have no idea how or > >why it > >There is also the old standby, stewed prunes! My family LOVES them >just for fun, me too. Prunes, figs etc. may work for people with reasonably normal bowel function, but are unlikely to work for someone with a long-term laxative dependency, unless taken with very large quantities of water. Unless taken with very large quantities of water the prunes etc. will just absorb any available fluid and add to the mass that is not passing through the colon. It is better just to take the water alone, in very large quantities, because what is needed is to soften up and move along the hardened matter sitting in the colon. If you take the prunes etc and the water, the prunes will use water that ideally is needed to soften the hardened matter. The mushy prunes will be sitting there, last in line, behind the dried-out matter that is causing the constipation in the first place. Again, if you have reasonably normal bowel function, then the prunes are fine if taken with fluid, although large amounts of water should also do the trick and save you spending lots of money on organic prunes, figs, etc. However, someone with a long-term laxative dependency, who has not passed anything for a number of days, will have a lot of dried-out matter sitting there, and does not have the muscle tone in the bowel to move it along with just a bit of extra help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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