Soluble or Insoluble Fiber (Which One)

guy in AU

Probably a mixture is best, because fibre is lie Vitamins, it is many different substances, not one single substance - the human diet normaly contains a mixture if soluable and insoluable, digestible and indigestible.

Soluable fibre is easier to take as a supplement, because it mixes in water and you can drink it, rather than having to eat a bowl of chaff as with wheat bran.

Citrucel is unique in that it is soluable, so it is easy to take, but it isnt digested by the gut bacteria, so it doesnt make you fart, and maintains high bulk in the gut.

I would aim for a high fibre diet (high fibre breakfast cereal, high fibre bread, plenty of fruit and vegetables) and add a soluable fibre supplement such as Metamucil or Citrucel twice a day. Note that when taking opoids, all the fibre in the world may not be enough, you may also need a stimulant like senna to keep things moving

ibake&pray

My DIL mother's a nurse and she works in the VA home. They swear by a glass of (I kid you not) warm prune juice. For some reason warming the prune juise seems to do the trick and she said that it works every time. Don't know if you want to give it a try or not...just a suggestion!

guy in AU

Ewww.... what does prune juice take like?

Often, its better to take a small dose of stimulant every day (say, 2 or 3 Senna tablets) rather than wait until you are badly backed up, and have to resort to some drastic treatment.

Executor

Something is going on here and isn't right. if you've consumed that much fiber, you should be having at least some bowel movement(s).

I'd be willing to bet (not that it's a contest or anything) that I'm on as many, if not more, narcotics than anyone, and two heaping scoops of fiber once a day produces two good BMs for me. Not only do I take a lot of med, but mine are the most powerful out there.

I'd see a Doc about this to make sure you haven't missed anything.

Have you by chance relied on stimulants a lot in the past to go to the bathroom? If so, then there is a whole different issue here and that's one of bowel dependance and it takes a bit of time to re-train your bowels to produce movement on their own without the aid of stimulants. I would try some stool softeners at this point, and see a Doc....Quickly.

Sorry you're experiencing this....

Regards,

Ex

Leo123

Ex,

No, never really took any Stimulants, maybe a total of ten times over the last few years. The fiber was working for the first few days at least I thought it was and then almost nothing.

Friday - Had a couple of small bowel movements

Saturday - had decent bowel movement in the morning, rest of the day nothing.

Sunday - Nothing

Monday - Nothing, until I finally decided to drink a bottle of magnesium citrate late in the evening to clean myself out.

Ex, What do you think we could be missing here?

Executor

Leo....I'm not exactly sure. May be nothing, but I think you should see your family Doc. Maybe he has a better idea than extra fiber. The fiber works for almost everyone. Not having a BM for a couple of days, despite all the fiber, is a bit concerning to me.

Are you taking the fiber religiously...I mean never missing? Even missing just one day will foul you up. If you take the dosage of Metamucil I recommended for 5-7 days straight, and continue from there on, you should be very regular. Granted, some days will be better than others, but you should be regular.

Regards,

Ex

Leo123

Yes I was taking it breakfast, lunch and dinner and one some days even in between breakfast and lunch and dinner.

5 servings spread out over a day, at least three servings minimum.

Jema X

Hey Leo, are you drinking enough water? I found that this was my problem to start with. I also find that after I've had a tablespoon of metamucil a cup of tea or something hot helps to push it through. Then I make sure I remain hydrated. If you only drink the water that you've used to make the metamucil, it's not enough if you're taking over a t spoon - you need a cup (250ml) of water for each tablespoon that you take, after you've taken it.
I find that green tea is great because it's also a stimulant. Liquids like milk and sodas don't really count because they either make you dehydrated (sodas) or use water to be digested (miilk).

Otherwise, I'm with Ex and I'm totally lost here. I have a lazy bowel from being anorexic in the past and also from taking a lot of laxatives (I'm sooo glad I don't have to deal with the agony of cramps anymore) when I started PM but metamucil has fixed this for me.

Oh, the other thing is, are you taking it with food? It is difficult for your body to digest it if it doesn't have anything to bind to. I didn't know this but my doctor told me when I started taking my morning dose without breakfast - now I eat after I've taken it.

If nothing else works then my gastro recommends a teaspoon of epsom salts - it'll clean you out in no time. It is possible that you had a blockage as I did when I first tried metamucil - it really needs a nice clean bowel to work on. Maybe now that you've used the Mag, the metamucil will work for you. I hope so.

Executor

Great information Jema!

Regards,

Ex

Moldova

Dear Leo,
this is a biggest problem for me too. I had never problems with this matter before my spinal fusions and damaged nerves in my bowel and bladder areas + I take very high doses of opioids + very powerful steroids and medication for my other condition, Coumadin included (strong blood thinner). Believe or not I get every day 32 pills and some days more, depends...
I don't feel my colon, the needs of it and have severe constipation.
I had an app with my Gastro., he even gave me Rx meds - nothing works. After my second spinal surgery I did not have bowel movements in 16 days (all of them I was in the hospital) despite all the meds they gave me there.

After I came home I wasn't allowed to push, neither I could after PLIF 360 + ...
I ended up in a surgeon hands, who gave me colonic and also Citricel. It took them 4 hours working on helping me. Mind you this was after major spinal fusion, my stitches still were there.

Anyway, I was told by many of my Doctors to experiment and do whatever helps me since I have nerve damages and no feelings in there. I am on Coumadin and each push causing me such a blood loss!

My every day routine is such:
A.M.
I tsp of RAW honey. Honey is a natural delicious antibiotic and excellent healer used in Europe and Middle East for thousands of years.
I take a dose of Mirolax
One Tbs of Olive oil (helps moving...)
2 Tbs of Metamucil
1/2 glass of prune juice + one plum or couple of prunes (I can eat more, but they high in calories and sugar)
After breakfast I take Phillips stool softeners or Phillis laxatives

Before Lunch I take again 2 Tbs of Metamucil

At night I take a dose of Miralax
2 Tbs of Metamucil + 1 plum or couple of prunes
2 Phillips stool softeners.

During the day I drink tons of water. You must drink a lots of water, otherwise your fiber will cause you more problem than good. Fiber works only if you drink at least big glass of water with your dose and than during the day a lot of water too.

You have to watch what you eating too. For example, nuts, strong tea, hard boil eggs, apples, pears, for me also milk is a big cause of constipation.
I can't say that my colon is working after all I do religiously every day. Nope, I still have problems, but not as severe if I wouldn't do it.

Stay away from Senna and supplements causing cramps. You don't want to use them often, they may cause condition called "lazy colon" when colon stops working on itself, waiting for stimulates only. Also strong stimulants may cause serious problems for your health.

All the best,
Moldova