Holy cr@p, I'm constipated!

[Mr Pink]

Bit of an embarrassing situation I have at present, I'm constipated, which is a real bummer! In fact I'm more blocked up than the Monash freeway on a Friday afternoon! I've noticed that this has happened a few times since being on dialysis. My diet is probably the best it's been in years. I've taken some tablets to get things moving along, but it feels like I'm trying to push out concrete. And now I've just resorted to a second visit to the pharmacist who gave me a look that didn't exactly overwhelm me with confidence. Needless to say, I bought what she recommended, and have just done what I consider to be an unnatural act! Can anyone help me get to the seat of the problem, so to speak, as to why this might be happening, given that it's not exactly something that has troubled me throughout my troubled life. Is this just one of the added bonuses about life on dialysis, or is it something else?

[justme15]

Do u take renvela (phosphate binder)? That made me severely constipated. 

[Rerun]

Yes, they call them "Binders" for more than one reason.  There is a natural tea that works called "Smooth Move" (not kidding) put out by Traditional Medicinals. Drink it at night and usually by morning it works.

There is Miralax which is a powder over the counter that I put in my coffee every morning and it keeps me regular.  It says only use 3 to 5 days or something but my doctor says it is safe to use everyday, but what does he know.  check it out with your own doctor. 

It is miserable to be plugged up wheather it is your ear .... or your pooper.

     

[Razman]

Here  are  copies of some email that I had from my  dietitian and pharmacist regarding constipation.   You can sprinkle Benifiber on you food since it has not taste and you do not have to increase your fluid.  I  hope  they  help. 

Hi David, sorry for the late response.  Our main concern with the Benefiber is that the powder needs to be taken with extra fluid and many renal patients are restricted in fluids.  Since you are not restricted in fluids, this would be OK for you to use at this time from my perspective.  Chicory does not seem to be a concern either (see excerpt below from ‘Natural Medicines Database’).  I will forward this message to one of our pharmacists to see if there are any concerns from her perspective.  There are other medications that are routinely used in the renal population which can be prescribed for constipation - the pharmacist could give you the names of these as well.
Regards,;   Diane , RD   


Hi Dave,
We agree with Diane's comments.  The constipation meds we routinely use for our renal patients are docusate sodium up to 1 capsule 2 times a day ("Colace" or "Surfak" are common brand names), sennosides up to 1 to 2 tablets daily ("Senokot") and lactulose syrup up to 30ml daily.   The docusate is not really a laxative, but a stool softener that when used regularly, may minimize the need for laxatives for some people.  All of these can be purchased without a prescription.
 
Hope this helps.,  Aflora, BScPhm, RPh

[thegrammalady]

colace works wonders. my doctor told me i could take up to 4 gel caps at a time. when i first started dialysis i needed them all  the time but as the years have gone by less often. the name brand is rather expensive but both safeway and walmart have a generic at a decent price.

[jeannea]

There are generic versions of colace and pericolace. Benefiber is also available as a (large) tablet. Most docs say Miralax is safe but it needs to be put in liquid. The best thing to do is to take something regularly and keep mental notes or real notes of when you went last. Then you can take extra medicine before things get really bad.

Unfortunately that doesn't help you at this moment. Sounds like the pharmacist gave you useful advice. If that doesn't help, consult your doc tomorrow.

[Joe]

I typically take 2 colace (I use the generic brand) and a MiraLax dose (again generic) every day. So far that has kept me regular with one exception. And that time they hit me with everything including the kitchen sink. We doubled the dosages of my usual stuff as well as lubricating from the 'other end'. Don't know what the catalyst was, but it got things moving again.

[Mr Pink]

Thanks for the advice, folks. I spoke to the dietitian last night and she recommended Metamucil. Regular business has resumed... thank goodness. I feel 5 pounds lighter!

[big777bill]

 I had to take lactulose before I had my liver transplant. It is without a doubt some of the worst stuff on earth. It tastes like karo syrup but maybe a little sweeter. It will make you go but you'll have a hard time controlling when or where. As an added bonus it will give you gas like you've never had before. I'd go with the other alternatives.

[Jean]

I use Metamucil and it works extremely well for me. I wish I could get all the lumps out of it, but at least they dont taste too bad.

[dublin]

Bit of an embarrassing situation I have at present, I'm constipated, which is a real bummer! In fact I'm more blocked up than the Monash freeway on a Friday afternoon! I've noticed that this has happened a few times since being on dialysis. My diet is probably the best it's been in years. I've taken some tablets to get things moving along, but it feels like I'm trying to push out concrete. And now I've just resorted to a second visit to the pharmacist who gave me a look that didn't exactly overwhelm me with confidence. Needless to say, I bought what she recommended, and have just done what I consider to be an unnatural act! Can anyone help me get to the seat of the problem, so to speak, as to why this might be happening, given that it's not exactly something that has troubled me throughout my troubled life. Is this just one of the added bonuses about life on dialysis, or is it something else?

Hi new member edd , when i get constipated my chemist a family chemist . Everybody know them , they say to me if i eat    ( porridge )   yous might call it oats dont take it she says it binds everything together inside of you,  she gave me senokot tablets and also she says to eat a uncooked jelly just the jelly block you buy to melt it , to make jelly yes that one just eat it raw it worked for me and o yes i like the added bonus you get with dialysis  ? very good bye .

[Riki]

I read somewhere that just plain, every day tea has a natural laxative in it.  I drink tea on an almost daily basis, and I haven't had issues with constipation in years.

I've used lactulose before as well.  That stuff, though it tastes like sweetened crap, does an amazing job.  I used it after I had my PD cath taken out.  I actually blew a stitch while on the toilet when I was still in the hospital, which was what drove the decision to give me the lactulose in the first place.  I still took it after I got home for a week or two, and wore adult diapers while I was at home in case of accidents.  Once I was able to go without hurting myself, I stopped taking it.

[jbeany]

Pill-free option - Buy a weighted adult hula hoop in the exercise section of your nearest big box store and hoop for about 10 minutes a day.  (I got one to stretch the scar tissue on my abdomen, and found out a few other useful things as well....)