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Posted 4/20/2012 11:50 PM (GMT 0)
What meds can you take to help while taking pain killers?
Posted 4/21/2012 1:23 AM (GMT 0)
Lax a day, metrumucil, drink lots of water. I am sure there are more, you could eat prunes they work, don't know why you would want more meds, I certainly am not a doctor, how long since you had a bm?
Posted 4/21/2012 2:02 AM (GMT 0)
Start with all the natural things first as mentioned...More fiber....Senekot....Magnesium.....prunes....etc...And yes...it's VERY important to drink water all day long (barring any other medical issues to prevent this) as opiates are very dehydrating....I drink up to 15 glasses a day.

If after trying all of those (not at once! LOL)....Miralax works extremely well for me when needed....

Contact your Dr. if it's been more than 4 or more days with nothing working...
Posted 4/21/2012 3:14 AM (GMT 0)
They have seemed to cover all the basics.

Plenty of water and fiber in your diet which will help minimize if not avoid the problem all together.

A laxative as needed to get things moving. Everyone has their favorite. Mine is "MOM" Milk of Magnesia. Then you can also take or add a stool softener such as Colace if things are very hard and painful while going.

As far as the fiber goes I have nothing against the fiber supplements, but you will be better off eating foods that are high in natural fiber. Just do a Google search on High Fiber Foods to see which are the best. Generally speaking though you are talking about fresh fruits and veggies, and certain whole grain foods.
Posted 4/21/2012 3:18 AM (GMT 0)
OH yeah. If you have not gone in a few days you might also want to get yourself a home enema kit and do 2 treatments to get yourself somewhat cleaned out and give the other stuff a chance to work from a "fresh" slate.

If none of this works then call your doctor. I can tell you right now that he will do one or both of 2 things first. Order you a heavy duty laxative like they give before certain tests or have you go to the hospital to get several enemas possibly after an x-ray to see just how backed up you are.
Posted 4/21/2012 3:39 AM (GMT 0)
For fiber I eat a lot of Nuts, Prunes, Apricots, Hi Fiber Cereals and Oatmeal. No way I want to take any more meds than I have to. Definitely true about drinking a lot of water also. Good luck
Posted 4/21/2012 4:41 AM (GMT 0)
i have started drinking about 2 - 3 litres of water a day for about the last 2 months and it did not help my bowels.2 weeks ago i started having fibre breakfast cereal and my bowels are actually going on there own and so far it has not been a nightmare.i lived on any medication to help my bowels go.when they would go,it was painful and awful.i was always led to believe that extra fibre with ibs was a no no.i take painkillers every day for chronic migraines and headaches and they can cause bad constipation.i have suffer constipation for over 25 years and it does have a huge impact on your life.you can go from one extreme of your bowels to the other(normal to diareara).i agree that increasing fibre is a very good step. yeah
Posted 4/21/2012 8:44 PM (GMT 0)
I have very little constipation, even with my recent increase to 30mg of hydrocodone daily (plus Ultram ER 300mg) and BT meds.

I may miss my morning defecation once every few weeks, but that's it. Perhaps a few times per year, I'll go two days without defecating and have hard stools.

As others noted, I drink a lot of water -- 3 litres or so daily. I also have a strong cup of coffee when I first wake up, and I think it is a major factor in why I am so regular.

I also eat a lot of nuts (pistachios and almonds). I keep them beside the bed and snack through the evening. Also, I eat high-fiber granola bars. They are very tasty and one bar has 30% of the daily fiber requirements.

On the rare occasions I am constipated, I'll take Citricil, which is just a fiber supplement. A friend of mine uses Miralax, which is now OTC.
Posted 4/22/2012 6:27 AM (GMT 0)
1 Bowl (about 2 servings) of Post Raisin Bran a day. you cannot miss a day. I have been using this for many yr's after trying many OTC drugs and having really bad problems with my bowel....Hope you feel better..
Posted 4/22/2012 1:41 PM (GMT 0)
To help relieve constipation I have found that this works:

1. fiber, Fiber, FIBER - get a basic fiber supplement to add to your breakfast every morning
2. H2O - at least as many ounces of water as 1/2 your body weight every day
3. Listen to your body... and obey when you feel "pressure", don't delay!
4. Give Your Bowels a Break with a Colon Cleanse
Posted 4/23/2012 11:06 PM (GMT 0)
I find drinking peppermint tea helps a lot.
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