Delicately wondering

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

When my mother was in a very nice nursing home for 3 years, it was little wonder to me that most of the residents had constipation as the norm. The meals had almost no roughage or whole grains or fiber in them....white rice, white bread, white cream of wheat, pale iceburg lettuce, rice crispies, white flour pasta....
i kept thinking how odd it was to systematically cause constipation with a cheap over-processed institutional diet, only to have to give stool softeners/laxatives every few days.

[Jolt]

When my mother was in a very nice nursing home for 3 years, it was little wonder to me that most of the residents had constipation as the norm. The meals had almost no roughage or whole grains or fiber in them....white rice, white bread, white cream of wheat, pale iceburg lettuce, rice crispies, white flour pasta....
i kept thinking how odd it was to systematically cause constipation with a cheap over-processed institutional diet, only to have to give stool softeners/laxatives every few days.

Very good point...the inactivity plus that diet is a recipe for constipation! Hospital food can be pretty bad too; I have a hard time understanding how places that are intended to help people get healthy can serve such garbage sometimes.

[grey]

I'm mostly vegan, so I go sometimes 3x a day - especially if my intake is nearly all fruits and veggies. Supposedly this is healthy.

However, even trying to stay vegetarian while caring for my sister in the hospital for a week at a time twice in the past year stopped me right up. It was wildly uncomfortable after all of 2 days. Travel does the same thing. No clue why... but ugh. What a horrid feeling. I can't understand how it can be considered normal to go only 3 times in a week! Oy!

[indysteel]

The Regularity Gods must be angry with me or something. In the course of the last two months, I've gone from being pretty regular to all kinds of messed up. In that time, I moved, which was stressful and messed up my routine. I also had oral surgery to remove some teeth as part of my orthodontics treatment. That led to some dehydration and also required me to eat mostly soft foods (meaning little fiber) for a couple of weeks. That's when I started to get a little worried because I just couldn't seem to right myself. Then my cats both got sick, and I got even more stressed out. In the middle of that, I started to have some eye problems and was told by my doctor to not run or jump for the time being. So, between shorter days, busier weekends and my eye problems, my exercise routine nearly ground to a halt. As did my bowels, apparently.

I've had minor "'roid" issues here and there over the years, but nothing a little bit of witch hazel couldn't fix. Now, I've got a full blown problem and my constipation seems to be getting worse, not better, no matter what I try. I'm trying to get into my doctor, but apparently, if you don't have the flu, it's hard to get an appointment.

Ugh. Something better give soon.

[shootingstar]

In the middle of that, I started to have some eye problems and was told by my doctor to not run or jump for the time being. So, between shorter days, busier weekends and my eye problems, my exercise routine nearly ground to a halt. As did my bowels, apparently.

I've had minor "'roid" issues here and there over the years, but nothing a little bit of witch hazel couldn't fix. Now, I've got a full blown problem and my constipation seems to be getting worse, not better, no matter what I try. I'm trying to get into my doctor, but apparently, if you don't have the flu, it's hard to get an appointment.

Ugh. Something better give soon.

Uncomfortable. As for the 'roid' or hemroids problem, I did get advanced treatment which was prescription drug from doctor. It worked within 5 days...after I tried regular over-the-counter treatment for 3 wks. Too long and potentially not safe to be left untreated. Yes. Maybe you should say you're bleeding from your problem. (Presumably you are..)

Are you sleeping well, and getting up at usual normal times, eating breakfast /other meals at normal times? If not, maybe that's why things are temporarily out of synch. I've noticed this for myself in last few years. Prune juice is supposed to be a good natural laxative. (also it's healthy for other reasons too.)

Hope you get around to some exercise. Even walking at length may help. For certain, if I don't bike, doing stretching exercises (there's simple, slow stuff where you don't bounce around) regularily, helps also.

[indysteel]

Uncomfortable. As for the 'roid' or hemroids problem, I did get advanced treatment which was prescription drug from doctor. It worked within 5 days...after I tried regular over-the-counter treatment for 3 wks. Too long and potentially not safe to be left untreated. Yes. Maybe you should say you're bleeding from your problem. (Presumably you are..)

Are you sleeping well, and getting up at usual normal times, eating breakfast /other meals at normal times? If not, maybe that's why things are temporarily out of synch. I've noticed this for myself in last few years. Prune juice is supposed to be a good natural laxative. (also it's healthy for other reasons too.)

Hope you get around to some exercise. Even walking at length may help. For certain, if I don't bike, doing stretching exercises (there's simple, slow stuff where you don't bounce around) regularily, helps also.

Shootingstar,

Everything has been out of synch. During the move itself, I lost a bit of weight and was eating less than I normally do and at odd times. I also had trouble sleeping at the new house (I'm not a very sound sleeper as it is). That got me off on a bad foot, and things went downhill from there. Sleep, diet, exercise. Everything's been off.

From a diet perspective, I'm consciously upping my fiber and water intake. I'm hoping for a walk tonight and yoga tomorrow. I need to find a new routine at my new gym, but given my exercise restrictions at the moment, I'm finding that really challenging. I used to live five minutes from work and five minutes from my gym. Now, I still live five minutes from a gym, but it takes 45 minutes to get home, and I now have someone to go home to (my fiance), where before I lived alone. All of this life change--much of which is really positive--is harder than I thought it would be. It's a lot to adjust to physically.

The good news is that I had a decent BM (TMI? ) about an hour ago. Who knew that it could make me THAT happy? The bad news is that I still haven't been able to connect with my doctor's nurse to see about getting in for an appointment before next month. I'm just not sure I can hold off that long.

[BikingNurse]

Shootingstar,
Just thought I'd tell you about something I do. May help, I buy a bag of bran and mix it in everything we eat. I can "hide" it bout everything but Icecream. My family never noticed the switch and I've been doing it for a little over a year. and I'm a much happier lady. My daughter's doc had me do this because she had alot of problems I think she inherrited my IBS. but anyway. It's kept me goin like clock work.


Here's to regular days......... and less stress.

[snapdragen]

Indy, jupitern (at that other place ) recommended Miralax when I was having 'issues'. Mine were from the vicodin, but it made all the difference. It's super mild, no cramping etc.

, and I now have someone to go home to (my fiancé.)

Hello? Fiance! Congratulations?!?!