Good luck Christeen, You wil probably find that the dried fruit now comes on 12 oz bags instead of 16, Just through an extra bag of whatever one you like the most. I aded a bag of figs, but realized Figs have lots of seeds the processor won't get which could be a problem with folks that have stomach problems, particlarly dio-verticulitis. "Pits in the bowels" for seeds to fester in. So to be graphic, but it's something DV patients have to avoid. But the suggested stuff works, If you like apricots add an extra bag.

It is very thick when you cook it down. 10 miutes seems long and requires lots of stiriing. I guess IF had sqeezed a little more out of the bags I would have had more liquid to work with. But it's like bringing mincemeat to a good simmer.

It pretty much lasts forever with the amount of preservatives in the fruit and the lemon juice and the acidity of the fruit.

I still use Kristaloose a couple times a month and it was a god send but the paste is better.

There are 3 basics with coonstipation from opiates. The biggest is all opiates stop or limit normal bowel contractions. It's the effect it has on smooth muscle, just like urinary retention can become a problem. But constipation is bad and you do have to stay on top. The senna in the tea causes the bowels to move and contract along with the fruit "Fiber" realy works but something like kritaloose or a softner works by bringing extra water into the bowels.

Which is the second aproach to managing the problem. Certainly drink more and stool softeneers work by acting as a diuretic and bringing fluid to the bowels, Phos soda is the most potent OTC and extremely harsh on your body and shouldn't be used as a maint product. It pulls so much water from your system and you loose so much it can cause deydration, electrolyte imbalance, it's harsh on your system "BP and Kidneys" with repeated use and you may just be flushing water past a dry impaction that's not moving even with the gallon of water that comes out. It's really not a good alternative except for preps for procedures and in an emergency where the choice is the ER and being "Unimpacted manually" or surgery. :yikes: Slower hydration from milder meds like peri clocace or Pectin work better in the long run.


I've even met folks that drastically reduce their dose to cause the oposite effect of opiate constipation, but that can't be good for ya either. There has to be a better way than throwing yourself into mini wthdrawal. Whatever works and is safe for each person.

The 3rd is to increase fiber, we all know where to get fiber, but be sure to drink plenty of water as not to create a fiber blockage. I'm definitely speakin from experince, I've tried them all, researched them all and been to the point where I thought I would die like Elvis on the thrown, have a stroke or my back would just snap. 600 mgs of Kadian will certainly do it and so will the pump. So you have to become an expert on it.

The bowel cleanser was something I recently saw on TV, It actually did work and I used very little else that month. I started out using the max dose but after 2 weeks I was using the minimum. I was impresssed but it's a racket where they want you to sign up for 50 bucks auto billed and shiped every 60 days untill you tell them to stop. IT's like a record club but for constipated people. LMAO :bouncing: :bouncing:

Anyway, it's alot of work but it does work and last a long time for the initiuial 40 buck investment in dried fruit. Once you get working it's easier to maintain. I kept it in the freezer in those glad storage containers. It does have a tang but it's really not bad with a peanut butter cracker, use it as jelly or even by the spoonful. If that's doing the trick alone, I can kick start it with something OTC or prescribed "Kristaloose", the OTC stuff just seems so harsh in comparison.
Good luck, Dave