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Severely constipated; need help

I  am 65 years old and chronically and severely constipated; i have taken magnesium for 20 years and it works but  in the past year Magnesium is making me feel awful. it seems to affect my equilibrium.  I do have my kidney function and mag level checked every year and they are normal. I have an annusal physical exam and it is normal as well.   I want to get off of magnesium or try and take less of it.  . I try and not take magnesium 2-3 x per week and on those days I don't take it,  I go very little. I thought I would try Miralax; i tried it several years ago on one occasion but all it did was give me the urge and   stool kind of oozed out and that was it. Do you have any suggestions. i am concerned because I feel so lousy taking the magnesium ;
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Avatar universal
Hi,
I'm not using flax oil but when I had the compacted stool I saw a colon surgeon.  Luckily I just needed a procedure not surgery but she mentioned they do treat constipation with flax oil.  Also she mentioned miralax to me for constipation.  If you can find a good colon surgeon/specialist, they can tell you your options and amounts of supplements or drugs.  Mine was one of the best doctors I ever had and I never needed any surgery and she still saw me for months after my procedure.  Good luck and take care.
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Avatar universal
I take Flax Oil capsules- would taking the actual oil make a difference ? do you take flax oil? how much and do you take it with food?
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Avatar universal
Some people use flax oil.  After gallbladder surgery I went from having a compaction from the pain meds to bile salt diarreah and now I have constipation usually, and diarreah once in a long while.  I drink lots water and use Acacia fiber every day which helps me.  Take care, Carol
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. Believe me when I tell you a high fibre diet won't be the answer for me; the problem, is, well, delicately put, the problem is that when the stool gets to the anus, it sits there. it won't come out; i have to dynamite it out of  there. That is the main problem; it could be a pelvic floor issue, i don't know;  I do know that right now surgery is not on my list of options; that could happen in the future who knows. but not right now. I keep thinking there is something out there, maybe a herbal or homeopathic treatment that would act as a laxative so i could stop taking magnesium.
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Avatar universal

As a last resort I would suggest a very high fibre diet to include dishes such as pulverised fresh fruit to which organic bran has been added.  Likewise pulverised fresh vegetables + bran.  Also drink two litres of water per day.  No white bread, no junk food, no colas etc etc!!

There have been questions on Medhelp whereby a total colectomy has been mentioned as a treatment of last resort for chronic constipation - obviously you would need to discuss this with your G.I. specialist.

I underwent this operation about seven years ago - not for constipation but for torrential diverticular bleeding.  In response to a question from another Medhelp patient's posting I shared my experience of this operation on:-

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/523166

and you may like to read through this prior to a discussion with your G.I. specialist.

regards
Morecambe
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