Should I Worry

[wesm]

My wife is a stroke invalid.  She has always had slow bowels--movements about every three days. Because of her stroke she can do little more than sit 24/7.  Her moments have been getting further apart during the last ... four years. now ten days between moments.She has a good appitite, but spits out anything fiberous.Claims no pains or discomfort.She is incontinent and cannot control her bowels when given a laxative {Amatiza.} ANY SUGGESTIONS OR SHOULD  I JUST STOP WORRYING?    Signed  Wes.

[wesm]

Sounds great!  If I can hide the  natural fiber in her or food or drinks, we might have something.  Thanks!

[FurballsMom]

I went to Walgreens to pick up some things and got the fiber supplement I was talking about, but it's the store brand.  Benefiber has gluten in the ingredients.  Walgreens has a Fiber Supplement with a blue label that is the same fiber that I noticed is found in Fiber One.  I had read the ingredients in Benefiber online and read that their formula was just guar gum (plant fiber).  But, when I read the label in the store, I saw that it had wheat in the ingredients.  Must've changed the formula.  Anyway, the Walgreens brand has just the one ingredient, the same ingredient that is in Fiber One--Inulin (100% Natural Vegetable Fiber).  It says you can even cook with the stuff, so it would be easy to sneak this fiber into your wife's food without her noticing.  I've already used it twice today and didn't find the taste objectionable or noticeable in just plain water.  The label says that it dissolves better in room temperature liquids or warmer liquids.  It has helpful directions to "New Users".  I know with any fiber supplement there is a period of adjustment needed to get used to it.  I hope this information is helpful to you.

[FurballsMom]

I would first ask her doctor what he suggests.  I was going to suggest dietary fiber, until I read that your wife rejects these.  There is a fiber supplement that your wife might accept, though, that I'm going to try myself, since I have a similar problem with IBS with constipation.  I don't tolerate Metamucil myself.  I was thinking that your wife might accept something like Benefiber, which you might be able to sneak into her orange juice.  I read information about it online, so I would only suggest the powder that gets mixed into water or juice.  I would definitely ask your wife's doctor, though, because there has to be something that will work.  I think you're right to be concerned about keeping her bowels moving, since toxins build up in the body if they aren't moving.  I'm glad she isn't complaining about being uncomfortable, though.  I hope the Benefiber works.  I think I tried something like it with water before, so I think it's something you can get away with sneaking into her orange juice and she won't notice.  The fiber is made of hydrolized guar gum, which is a plant fiber, of course.  I wouldn't recommend the other forms of Benefiber, though, and your wife would probably reject the other forms of it as well.