Alright, doing this one anon because … well, let’s be real: constipation is an awkward topic at best. But, for some people, it can be a real problem that can quickly turn into a living hell if it isn’t properly treated.
This is a long take, so if you would LIKE, you can skip over to the suggestions my doctor gave me that I listed below. But please be aware that you may miss out on some important information. As usual, I am not a doctor, I simply followed the advice of a family doctor. Please be wary of taking unlicenced medical information without consulting a professional yourself.
I know it may sound silly to think that not being able to take a crap could possibly be complete hell, but when you go through a bought of chronic constipation, you definitely realize how debilitating and havoc-reaping not being able to pass stool can be. I had never, ever in my life struggled with constipation until a few months ago, where I went through a month and a half endeavor of awkward doctor visits, involuntary weight loss, pain, and discomfort. I felt utterly hopeless as every single doctor gave me the same spiel: Eat fiber, drink more water, and take this laxative. It wasn’t helping. In fact, I came to discover later that their advice had been making things worse.
I didn’t have a family doctor yet as I had moved to the city not long ago, so whenever I had health issues, I settled for the walk-in. I rarely had to go there, as I was (and once again am) a very healthy 22 year old girl who ate right, took her vitamins, and got her exercise. With a passion for health, it wasn’t abnormal for me to try a new cleanse every now and again, and with had a lot of success with most of them. Then, I was recommended a “cleansing tea” by one of my friends. She said it was amazing for controlling bloating and managing water weight, and was completely natural too. I bought it, began drinking it, and realized quickly that its intended purpose was to “cleanse” the body through … well, diarrhea.
This was totally normal I thought however, as there are expensive name-brand teas that do the same thing and promise the same results: de-bloating, assistance in weight loss, and of course a full body cleanse. I later discovered that the cleansing theory is not actually proven, as there isn't enough medical evidence to show that inducing diarrhea is beneficial to the body.
Nonetheless, after I stopped taking the tea, I seemed to all but lose the ability to go to the bathroom on my own.
Doctors recommended more fiber, more water, laxatives and exercise. Here's the thing though, I was already doing all of those things before, so I kicked it into high gear after three visits of being told the same thing. I ate little to no fat and carbs, tons of vegetables, was drinking three to four liters of water a day and I kept up with exercising. I was advised to avoid dense carbs, proteins and fats by the doctors I had seen, and I figured that as long as I could get regular again, that it would be worth it. Besides, I had all but lost my appetite due to my inability to pass a full stool, so my meal portions were pathetic at best and only consisted of fruits, vegetables, and occasionally soup or broth. I was also taking prescribed laxatives. Nothing seemed to be working.
It wasn’t until I went to see my mother’s family doctor after a month and a half. He gave me some really shocking news. Not only were the doctors giving me poor advice, their lack of giving me a physical check up had left me in a poor state of health (not one of them physically checked me over). He gave me a physical examination and determined that I had about four feet of backed up stool stuck in my intestines, and the over-compensating of fiber had actually been making my stool HARDER to pass. My body was flushed of vitamins due to my diet and over-consumption of water, and I was 10 lbs underweight. Alarmed, the doctor took action immediately, and got me on a regimen; my blood tested, and set me up for a specialist appointment.
Here is what I learned and how I got my body back on track. Note that this was the advice of my doctor and you should always consult a professional before taking any medical intervention.
Bye, bye Senna
My doctor determined that the issue had all started when I began using a cleansing tea. He informed me that almost all cleansing teas contain what is known as a stimulant laxative. A stimulant laxative is intended for fast, TEMPORARY relief of constipation, and is recommended only for last-resort use. They work by stimulating the lining of the intestine by acting on the intestinal mucosa or nerve plexus, altering water and electrolyte secretion, thereby accelerating the stool's journey through the colon. Stimulant laxatives also increase a stool's hydration, which is why it often comes out watery. Abuse of these laxatives can lead to dependency, where your bowels will require stimulation to have easy bowel movements. As it turned out, many of my perscribed laxatives were of the stimulant variety and could leave my body addicted to their affects, so my first order of business was to stop taking them immediately.
He also gave me a list of laxative ingredients to avoid, the most common one being Senna – which was the main ingredient in my cleansing tea. Here’s a list of laxative ingredients to avoid:
- Senna
- Castor Oil
- Buckthorn
- Bisacodyl
- Phenolphthalein
- Cascara
The use of these laxative should only be in dire situations and only under the advice of a doctor.
Getting on a regimen
I was put on a 30 day regimen of the product known as Restoralax. Naturally, I was incredibly hesitant about the idea of taking another laxative. However, unlike stimulant laxatives, this product works by softening the stool and drawing water into the bowel, and apparently is non-addictive. I had to take this every single morning in warm water for the entirety of the month to clear out the trapped stool and to get my body used to going daily again. My fear was, of course, that I would still become dependent on the product, but much to my surprise, this wouldn’t turn out to be the case.
Get your daily dose
I was also advised to increase my intake of vitamins, primarily vitamin C; vitamin C apparently is extremely helpful for your bowels, as well as having other benefits of course. I began taking an effervescent vitamin powder twice daily to help with my energy levels, my bowels, and overall health. The brand I personally use is Emergen-C + Immune Boost.
Balancing my diet
The last thing I was recommended was changing my diet to include a healthy amount of fiber, but not too much. I was told to refer to the Canadian Food Guide and to reintroduce fats and carbs into my diet, as my body required these things to thrive. I was also encouraged to eat full meals again (I didn’t eat large or even full meals to avoid discomfort) as eating can actually stimulate bowel movement. It took me a while to get on board with this, but once I finally gave in and gave it a try, I noticed that it really was true.
Regaining trust in your body
Once my regimen was over, it was hard to get back into the rhythm of trusting my body again. I was having about 4 bowel movements a day, but over time I got back into my regular two daily. I still occasionally will have a one-to-two day period where I may not have a bowel movement, but my doctor encouraged me to not intervene until the third day passed, and only if I found myself in discomfort. Much to my surprise, I only had to go back to taking restoralax less than a handful of times, and my body became used to dealing with the problem on its own. Now, if I miss a bowel movement, I don’t stress about it. I can trust my body to deal with the issue on its own.
See a specialist
I was put on a four month waiting period to see my specialist, and I have yet to go. Even though I am going more normally now, I still intend to take the doctor’s advise and get a second opinion. When this happens, I intend to do an update on the topic to share more information with you good people.
I know this was a long take about a really shitty topic (haha poo puns) but I know from experience that there are more people out there that suffer from this than we realize. I want to make sure that any information I share can be used to the benefit of people who suffer from chronic constipation. I hope you found it insightful, have yourselves a nice, regular day!
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