Need Advice re: Constipation Relief

[cba51]

Have struggled throughout tx with borderline constipation. Prune juice has managed to keep me "going" up until recently when it became necessary to take codeine to suppress violent & prolonged daily coughing attacks which would leave me exhausted and in pain from the convulsing.

Since starting the codeine I am geting enough relief from the cough to make it through the remainder of tx,  however constipation has become a real problem.

Prune juice no longer does the trick and if it were not for the fleet enemas administered every other day I don't think I would ever have a BM

Can anyone recommend  a solution in the way of a safe and effective laxative?

Thanks

Big Al

[Forseegood]

HA HA HA! let's hear it for those soft logs!!!! but not too soft! in a perfect coil too! okay anybody....lunch?

[GoofyDad]

What's that forsee? Can't quite hear ya.... bad connection I guess...

Colasce will soften the sliders....
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/hepatitis/messages/47184.html

[Forseegood]

all around, and you know how I love poopy threads! lol...but I used to take psycillium husk in a powder form, and for my money, this Fiber Blend works just as well, and it's in a capsule....so, for me, it's far more pleasant then drinking something with psyllium husk in it, not as gritty, etc with that faint "woodchip" taste, he he.... and this fruit fiber really expands in the gut, it's got a lot of good things in it, you can feel it a little bit, but not have to taste it....but that's just my take, I would be interested to hear if someone else "benefits" as much as I do from it...it is super important to take probiotics though, with or without hep c, but especially with....and yeah, some magnesium per day is really good for the old clean pipes action...

My Own: hey I;ll try those warm juices, etc...would be good in the winter anyway. If anyone can do the aloe vera juice, excellent for this too...nothing I hate more then constipation, I have become a connoisseur of elimination practices for a reason...lol...

Scratchy: that sounds like a place to get it, just as long as you have billions of those lil critters...

Goof: hey, how is it up there? my chillin friend from up north...it's 78 degrees here today, and breezy...he he he...can you hear me now? lol....

[merryBe]

you have to be careful if you need something in addition to high fiber diet with gas as it can really aggravate the situation. For me senecot which is natural, from a tree bark, works, whereas ducolax doubles me up with gas.
Extreme case, even a small dose of milk of magnesia may be better than say lactulose, which works well and is mild, but can also cause gas and disention...it all depends on your bowels and how they handle all these substances.
Prune juice has lots of culfer and can cause aggravation and gas.
If you can eat yogurt/tolerate milk products it will help, but isn't enough for many.
what codience does is slow down the whole system, and supress parastalsis (wave like motion) in the intestines.
try breaking your pills in half, and just getting by on half a dose, spread them out as much as you can and at night less still, or try a sleep aide as opposed to a dose of the opiate.
also, there is a non-codiene cough suppressant OTC that may work part of the time for you, Pertussin, for cough only, is a good one. this will make you drowsy and help you sleep without more opiate as well.
If there are sources of allergens, such as dog/cat dander, excess dust, someone smoking etc. eliminate as much of these as you can, and your coughing may improve.
Even the itchy Riba eyes improve if I do not pet the animals and then accidentally touch my face/eyes. If I do they start itching. So your throat scratchiness may be allergic tickling set off by the immune system responses the treatment causes.
You could also try a benydrl at night, to see if the extra histamine might help settle your throat.
also, I'd do as Foredeegood suggested with extra fiber. But think lots of fluids also.
mary

[scratchinghead]

psyllium husks: $5
probiotic: $12.33
aloe juice: $7
high fiber bread: $3.99
A nice soft log smiling back at you in the toilet bowl: priceless

[scratchinghead]

Yerba Prima (psyllium husks) works well and you can even get it at Whole Foods
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I call that place "Whole Paycheck" :)