hello to all and hopefully Harry...

i had many many bowel troubles there for a while and they finally subsided. (thanks in part to Harry) i am 28, mother of a one year old and i had a miscarriage in March, however i am pregnant again. my question is this to anyone that can help. i am only about 7-8 weeks and i am sooooooo constipated. i know this is "normal" but when i am able to go, a very little bit comes and there seems to be some mucus with it, kinda mixed in with the stool. i realize that a pregnant womans body produces a lot of mucus, but i was just wondering what you all thought of this. thanks for any advice.

Hi Nyxin,
Glad to hear you are pregnant!!
As you know I am a believer in taking water soluble fiber daily and eating the food that contains fiber-- fruits, veggies and grains--- I think that is OK if you are pregnant!! If you do all the right things the mucus should take care of it's self because you'll be regular w/o straining.

I wish you well---Harry

hello harry and thanks for your reply. the ducolax made me cramp too bad so i will not be taking that again. the doctor recommended some fiber stuff for prego's and she is also calling in some stuff for nausea. i really do thank you for your time as always. i have been eating really well, and as far as the mucus goes it is probably form the large amount of dairy over the last few days, of which i was told to cut down on if not totally for a while. thanks again.

nyxin,
Yogurt does not cause mucus and is good for you. Try to find a brand I use ---Stonyfield Farm --- it contain some very good active cultures for your GI tract.
What kind of fiber are you taking?
Also, make sure you get some GOOD Pre-natal vitamins and minerals.
And -- stop rideing them horses.

God bless---Harry

i am on metamucil for now and the prenatals are rx with extra B6 for the nausea. i like yogurt, but primal defense seems to work better. i also snack on veggies durring the day. my problem has been correcting itself naturally, so i hope to continue down this good path.

ok ok, so now i need more advise.

i have been having horrible gas, bloating and constipation. i am newly pregnant and this kinda comes with the territory. i have been eating fruit and veggies like they are going outta style as well as juice and a ton of water. i was having some mucus in my stool, but that has seemed to pass. i have still been backed up, until today. i ate breakfast out with my son after his 1 year check up and i had 2 cups of coffee. i felt the urge to go, so i finished up as quick as i could and just made it to my bathroom before i thought i was going to loose it. (sorry for TMI) i had a rather large movement, soft and tube like, but then it was followed by narrower stool that kinda coiled around in the toilet. when i flushed it broke up and went away. however, about 30 mins later i had another large movement (thank god) but it was again the more narrow looking stool. i don't have blood, no more mucus. i also had some discomfort, but i expect anyone would if they were as backed up as i was. i know that narrow stools isn't a good thing, but they were not flat and i had a normal size right before. any ideas?

nyxin,
Most fruits and veggies are insoluble--- do not absorb water or not very much including bananas, apples, pears, etc and most veggies don't absorb water like green beans, cauliflower, asparagus or greens and also nuts. Wheat bran. They sorta pass through w/o much change and by themselves tend to produce a small diameter stool.

Soluble fiber BULKS up your stool and makes it larger. This includes most grains like oatmeal, rice, corn but not on cob but ground like corn bread or grits, --- root veggies like potatoes, carrots, beets, turnips--- beans and peas like limas, kidney, red, black eye, green peas and of course psyllium that is in Metamucil.
A combination of both types of fiber produces a stool that is noormal-- about a quarter in diameter and tubular.

Take Care-- Always good to hear from you-- Harry

thanks so much harry. the metamucil makes me wanna puke, s it is hard to get down latley. i will do my best though. do you know why that would have happened? my DH says that he has has poo like that in the past and it goes away. i just think it was very odd. thanks for everything as always.

Nikkie,
You can buy psyllium in capsule form from Metamucil as well as others. The powder bloats my wife so she takes it in capsule form -- just take enough to equal a dose.