I have been having bowel issues for almost a month now.
i USED TO have good solid bowel movements before this past month. I am almost sure its due to low stomach acid. I started supplementing with HCL this past weekend but. like the idiot i am....I WENT OVERBOARD. took way too much (more than the bottle even recommended). so i need to wait for my stomach irritation to calm down before restarting it. i bought some DGL to help with it
I know I have alot of undigested food in me. I just keep getting diarreah and not much of it either. its mostly just gas and a little bit of diarreah/water. (sorry for the details)
this has been going on for a month I need to find a way to get all this undigested crap out of me. im starting to feel crappy and I know its from all the toxins getting re absorbed.
fiber isnt doing anything. I have been taking digestive enzymes with each meal the past few days. Trying to eat soft foods that are easy to digest only. bought a bottle of mag citrate laxative. hope it works...
recommendations are much appreciated!!!!
[ 05-25-2012, 09:04 PM: Message edited by: lymegal23 ]
Posted by AuntyLynn (Member # 35938) on :
OMG do NOT take the whole bottle of Magnesium Citrate .. unless you are preparing for a colonoscopy!!
How about eating some VEGETABLES for a change??!
Try starting every evening meal with a green salad with raw vegetables like cucumber and celery, which has plenty of "fiber" ... add some cooked veggies to your plate next to that meat or fish ... and use things like broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, or green beans, instead of peas or corn - which are both mostly starch!
Stop filling up on potatoes, bread and pasta - and make sure any bread that you DO eat is a "whole grain" variety! Eat fruits for snacks, especially apples or hard green pears, peaches, plums, or eventually, add some NUTS.
The fiber in fruits and vegetables act like a "broom" that comes sweeping through your digestive tract, and will clear that undigested garbage out.
Also, be sure you are getting enough water. Dehydration can contribute to constipation, and some drugs are notorious for causing dehydration.
If your pipes are clogged with flour and sugar, or undigested meat - without any vegetables, there is nothing in our diet to help push this stuff through, so it gets "impacted" in crevices of your intestine. (Sorry for graphic, but its simple physics.) And no glass of "fiber" powder or pills will do the same work that a proper diet can!
If you think you are low on digestive enzymes, try adding some papaya or papain tablets to the end of your meal. The enzymes in papaya and pineapple work just the way a healthy stomach should.
These tablets work REALLY well, and cost just pennies! Even folks who have 'acid reflux' get relief from these natural digestive enzymes.
(And BTW, "acid reflux" is a misdiagnosis, and taking the "purple pill" will only exacerbate the real problem over time, which problem is actually an INSUFFICIENCY of digestive acids!)
You can also add real apple cider vinegar, or fresh lemon juice, to the dressings on those salads - which is much more gentle than taking HCL.
Also add PROBIOTICS to your diet! Yogurt, kefir, kombucha, or commercial probiotic preparatons. This will help infuse the "friendly" bacteria that help to make digestion "happen!"
Try this protocol for a week and then tell us how you feel! m'kay?
Posted by AuntyLynn (Member # 35938) on :
OK, I tried to delete that double post - and was first told I coudn't because ONLY Administrators can delete? (that's new) ...
When I try to edit either of them... I'm told I am a "hack attempt."
OY! Webmistress??
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I guess you figured it out?? Read it again .. only admins or the person who started the thread/post can delete it.
here's the quote:
"Only forum leaders or the person that posted this message may edit or delete this message. Only registered users may edit/delete posts!"
Posted by AuntyLynn (Member # 35938) on :
I DID triple check it TuTu ... THIS time it only said "administrator" - No mention of the person who made the post! (I have used this feature many times!)
Actually it cleared out (finally) while I was composing the third post - wierd! But thanks for gettin' on it right away! Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
ive dranken more than half of the bottle of the mag citrate....
should I stop drinking it?
I figured it would help get things out tho....
Posted by AuntyLynn (Member # 35938) on :
Whoaaa Nelly!
Yes, I would stop until you see what happens in the next 24-48 hours.
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
Do you think I should stop my antibiotics for now until i gets better?..
i was supposed to see my LLMD next week but for financial issues i cant see her till mid next month,
I feel like im getting overly toxic because i cant get this crap out of me and its just getting reabsorbed. if i keep killing stuff and its not getting out im going to continue feeling worse and worse.
do you think its wise to stop my antibiotics until i start to get stuff out???
Posted by AuntyLynn (Member # 35938) on :
I am not your doctor, and I would never advise you to stop taking antibiotics.
Take a closer look at your diet! Write down everything that you eat or drink over the next few days - which might help you to see why you are having this problem. You can start today if you can remember what you ate last night, or at yesterday's lunch and breakfast.
And you are the only one who knows what you "like" to eat as a norm. Be sure you are getting enough fluids - and by this I DON'T mean sodas or coffee! WATER is best! After that, green tea. If you don't like the stuff from the tap (as I don't) buy some Poland Springs, and keep it in the fridge.
If you start relying upon "artificial" help, after a time, your body will need it ALL the time.
Also, if you are not big on fruits and vegetables, you are missing some of the important vitamins and minerals that your body will need, in order to heal.
Good Luck!
Posted by Maryland Mom (Member # 2043) on :
From what you describe, it sounds likely that you've developed a fecal impaction: some dry, hardened stool in the colon or rectum that causes a partial blockage.
If a fecal impaction is present, laxatives may not be effective in getting things "moving" again. Sometimes a warm mineral oil enema works in these cases. It softens and lubricates the stool that has become impacted, making it easier to pass.
If you do that and you STILL can't go...it may be necessary for a doctor or nurse to manually break up the impaction by carefully inserting a gloved finger in the rectum. (Hope I'm not grossing people out, now--I actually had to learn how to do this in nursing school!)
As AuntyLynn said, if you rely on "artificial" help, such as laxatives and enemas, regularly, you'll end up needing it all the time. For this reason, I don't normally recommend using either, but at this moment, fiber and fluids may no longer be enough.
Once you do manage to go, to keep things regular, eat lots of fiber, as others said. LOTS of vegetables, preferable fresh raw ones such as in salads. Whole grain breads and cereals are another good source. Fresh fruits too, but they are higher in sugar. AuntyLynn gave great dietary advice...try to stay away from soft low fiber foods--eat veggies instead.
You may get a little gassy after first increasing your fiber, but it should get better as your body adjusts.
Try to drink 3000ml of caffeine free beverages each day--plain water is best.
It is also helpful to get your body on a schedule. Try to go to the bathroom to have a BM around the same time each day.
Posted by Maryland Mom (Member # 2043) on :
Just to clarify, I think the small amounts of watery stool described in this thread are different from the large, watery amounts of diarrhea that may be experienced from harsh laxatives or antibiotic use.
Sometimes with chronic constipation, fecal impactions develop. When this happens, any solid stool formed after it cannot be passed, but it is common to experience small amounts of watery diarrhea as water passes around the impaction.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Well, it's been four hours since you took the mag citrate.
Are you drinking lots of water? How are you feeling? Any results?
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
youre really sweet checking up on me Carol! thanks alot
i actually have barely gone to the bathroom
ive only had water pass a few times and very very little amounts of diarreah. its mostly just water coming out. and not too much of that either.
CRAZY!!! i drank almost the whole bottle in like two and a half hours
i guess its time to do a mineral oil enema? if that doesnt work i dont know what else to do. is it safe to do two enemas back to back to break up the impaction?
oh goodness......
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
i am drinking TONS of water!!! I always drink alot of water!
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
my urine output is very normal
ive been on antibiotics since november 2010
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
although i seem to feel a it of cramping around my bladder here and there
how long should I give the mag citrate before I go and try to do a mineral oil enema?
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Normal urine output. Okay, that's good.
Continuous antibiotics can cause many problems in the body. It wrecks the bacterial balance in the intestines and causes problems with digestion.
Digesting food properly is so important...it's the ONLY way your body can get the nutrients it needs for the cells to work.
. p.s. I'd say wait until tomorrow for an enema, but you probably won't need one.
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
I really think I have low stomach acid. and I think the low stomach acid is to blame
i took betaine hcl and it didn make my stomac burn until i took 4 capsules at a time. two capsules contain 92 mg of betaine hydrocloride
i think thats a sign my stomach needs it
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
maybe I should try miralax?
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
No miralax....if you have stool impaction, it WILL make it worse. I speak from experience.
Best thing is to keep to a liquid-only diet until you are able to completely pass the stool that is stuck.
Liquid diet = meat and/or vegetable broth, fresh/raw vegetable juices, water, tea, herbal tea, kefir, etc....but no milk. Milk can be constipating, and is hard to digest if you do not have sufficient stomach acid.
Also, take a magnesium tablet (I've used one 250mg tablet) with every "meal" until the blockage is passed. My favorite magnesium for this purpose is Chelated Magnesium from Country Life (no financial connections; just a happy customer).
And taking Vitamin C with meals can help with low stomach acid, and also can help with bowel regularity.
Take care,
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
um... i already took a whole bottle of magnesium citrate....i can still take more magnesium pills?!?!?
isnt there a certain amount of magnesium that you shoudlnt go over
like could i OD on magensium if i took my magnesium pills?
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
I dont really understand why the miralax will make it worse?
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
quote:Originally posted by lymegal23: um... i already took a whole bottle of magnesium citrate....i can still take more magnesium pills?!?!?
No, no.....don't take anything else for right now.
Please WAIT until the mag citrate works.
It may take eight hours to work.
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
i see
i guess i didnt know that mag citrate laxative takes this long to work. i thought it totally worked in its full capacity within a few hours
but then again im really backed up maybe itll take longer.....
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
theyre always really really loose and not much comes out. more gas and water than anything else.
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
You need fiber to move your bowels. Don't eat any meat, potatoes, pasta, dairy or flour. Dr. Oz says apples, cantelope, raspberries and papaya are the best foods to eat for constipation.
Eat a lot of vegetables and fruits. You can get protein from beans and they are full of fiber. Avoid high fat food like nuts, oils etc. When you begin to have regular bowel movements add rice and quinoa. You will feel better too.
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
why do you think you're plugged up? I bet you're Not. I have chronic and severe ibs and diverticulitis And colon polyps. I've also had c diff.
It does not sound like an impaction to me. I'd lay off all laxatives for right now as you could damage your colon
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
I did not read everyone's replies... I imagine you got some great suggestions. Mind would be to go for the prunes. Lots of them to get things moving.
Also do a lot of deep Qi breathing deep into your belly. Do it as frequently as you remember to. Also, rub your abdomen in a clockwise motion (the direction things will exit.). Sometimes simple things can make a world of difference.
Good luck.
Posted by jlf2012 (Member # 36002) on :
I've had so many problems with constipation and have tried EVERYTHING! What has finally helped me is proboulardi by metagenics. It's been WONDERFUL to really GO!!!
Posted by WendyK (Member # 18918) on :
My son gets problems with fecal impactions, extended colon (stretched out so much the muscles can't properly remove the stool) the small amounts of watery diarrhea that leaks around it etc..
As per his pediatrician, we had to 'clean him out' - Big glass of water and miralax, followed by OTC enema, followed by lots and lots of gatorade and water, and miralax to keep things moving until the colon could shrink back down. Worked very well... I can't believe that much came out of one kid... Good luck!
Posted by jazzygirl24 (Member # 30829) on :
Hi Lymegal23,
At this point I really think you should get checked out by a doctor, either your LLMD or someone you can trust. Self treating is not working and can harm you.
When I hear small amounts of watery stools I think obstruction, could be due to fecal impaction, or something higher up in the intestines.
Are you having pain? Bloating? Constipation for more then a few days is not normal!
Grace
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
Wendyk I pmed you!!!!
Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
lymegal.
Has the magnesium done anything yet?
Do you have vitamin c capsules or powder?
If nothing has happened by morning then I would either take 1 or 2 grams of vitamin c every hour or go to an urgent care facility or try the enema. Or if you have a chiropractor or massage therapist then I would go see one of them.
You should not let this problem continue especially since you do not know exactly what is wrong.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Bea Seibert
Posted by Razzle (Member # 30398) on :
quote:Originally posted by lymegal23: I dont really understand why the miralax will make it worse?
Warning - this is graphic!
Miralax is a gel that will absorb water and expand. When stool is impacted, the two big no-no's are eating stuff that expands, and drying out the colon wall.
Absorbing all the moisture out of the colon will dry out the colon wall too much in the setting of stool impaction.
I tried miralax one time when I had a stool impaction. The pain got wayyyyy worse and the stuck stool got harder and was next to impossible to expel. Once it got to my rectum, I had to dig it out one finger-pull at a time.
If I'd stuck to the liquid diet and magnesium pills, the plug would've softened and passed without me having to manually pull it out a painful speck at a time.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Have you ever tried drinking mangosteen juice? That can cause regularity.
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
did anyone say senna or smooth move tea?
Posted by cozynana (Member # 34270) on :
Have you ever heard of Bells Palsey of the gut? I am not saying you have this, but is common in Lyme patients. I have not had a bowel movement on my own for months. I used to be able to use laxatives and smooth move tea. Now it just makes me sick, stomach gurgles, and nothing happens. Out of desperation I do a bucket enema every other day. I have been to bowel specialist (that offered to remove my bowels) and every other Dr I could think of. Noone seems alarmed but me! Just something to check out if you don't get results.
Posted by map1131 (Member # 2022) on :
I had constipation issues for 5-6 years before I found what worked for me. I tried Rx, otc, natural remedies and nothing helped until I started eating natural almonds everday in my diet.
I eat 2 good handfulls in the evening and make sure I grind them up with teeth. In the morning I have great results. If I go more than 2 days without eating almonds, I'm back to being constipated.
I buy them in 1 lb bag, natural, no salt or other additives in the grocery store in the natural foods/produce area.
Gotta have a healthy liver because that is where T4-> T3 if I remember correctly.
And upregulated cells impacting the thyroid:
"autoimmune" T17 cells do a number on the thyroid..."itis"
Not being able to poop can be a very serious situation.
Get in touch with your doctor/go to a "doc in the box". Have him/her simply listen for bowel sounds.
Posted by mick (Member # 37419) on :
Lymegal" A natural way to relieve your problem would be mineral oil or castor oil.And keep having lots of good water.fluid pushes out fluid. If you need help seeing your lyme dr,. let me know thru pm and i'll see that your bill will be paid in advance. In the meanwhile the above oils are natural and should help "move things along"
Posted by tickle (Member # 36441) on :
I'm with Marnie - go to a doctor and see if they hear any bowel sounds. You can even lay down, massage your abdomen and get somebody to put their ear on your tummy and listen for sounds.
No more self medicating! If a bottle of mag citrate laxative isn't moving anything, it's time for professional help! Better safe than sorry.
Posted by Maryland Mom (Member # 2043) on :
I was hoping by the time I checked in today things would be resolved.
If the mag citrate still hasn't done the job, I agree wholeheartedly with those who say it's time to get yourself to the doctor. Continuing to try to treat this by yourself at this point could cause big problems.
Posted by tickled1 (Member # 14257) on :
What's the latest? Please tell us how you are doing!
Hope all is well.
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
I really think I have a fecal impaction or some sort going on here.
Yesterday i ate high fiber soft foods (veggies, beans. apples. spinach etc)
and all ive been doing is passing little bits of diarreah. I can see the vegetables in it (not to be too graphic but its the truth)
There must be hard fecal matter standing in the way and the diarreah is just going AROUND the solid mass of fecal matter. This has been happening for weeks. altho all i did up till recently was try to take fiber supplements. I wasn't eating enough fiber this past month.
I bought miralax last night. I took once dose last night and one dose this morning. still nothing
I dont think an enema will do much good considering i dont have any fecal matter near my rectum. its higher up . probably in my colon.
i kno people said I should go to the doctor but they can't access it because its not near the rectum. putting their fingers in there isnt going to do any good
this is seriously stressing me out. I called out of work this morning
what should i do? take more miralax. drink a dose every hour?
HELP HELP HELP!
Posted by tickled1 (Member # 14257) on :
PLEASE go to the doctor! They will X-ray you. That's what they did with my daughter and they were able to tell how backed up she was.
Posted by tickled1 (Member # 14257) on :
That is where you want to start off and do it ASAP. Then, you can do maybe coffee enemas but please go to the doctor first and get X-rayed.
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
...right but after the x ray what will they do?!?!
apart from the x ray what can they do at the hospital?
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
okay tickled thanks alot.
what did they tell your daughter to do. how backed up was she?
i know every case is individual but im just wondering. curious and wanting to see what I could possibly be looking at.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
go for colon hydrotherapy?
Posted by Tammy N. (Member # 26835) on :
Maybe drink a bottle of prune juice. I wouldn't consume a lot of things with fiber... that can bind you up for sure. Lots of liquids should get things going.
Good luck you poor little backed-up thing.
Posted by tickled1 (Member # 14257) on :
I don't remember exactly b/c it was awhile ago and she ended up going on her own but I think they said she was going to need an enema.
If the Magnesium citrate didn't work I'm not sure the Miralax will either but maybe.
Fiber didn't work with my daughter and actually made matters worse b/c I wasn't able to stay on top of her fluid intake while she was at school. If you don't drink water with fiber it will make it worse.
My daughter also developed an allergy to Miralax and now when she has issues we use colace (stool softener) and/or Fleet suppositories.
If you don't want to go to the doctor I would do an enema before taking anything else. Maybe even a Fleet suppository for starters.
Posted by tickled1 (Member # 14257) on :
When's the last time you had a normal BM?
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
a solide good bowel movement.....like in the description of a healthy one..
WEEKS!
Id say like three weeks.
Posted by tickled1 (Member # 14257) on :
Prune juice doesn't work for me. Dunno why.
Posted by tickled1 (Member # 14257) on :
ENEMA!
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
i have been having this diarreah only thing going on for about two weeks. a little slightly over.
three weeks ago I remeber having a pencil thing one
so its kinda been a while!!!
im feeling crappier lately too. i can tell im getting toxic and toxicer by the day.
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
ticlked im going to PM you...
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
oh ok tickled. thanks
i think im just going to go to the hospital
honestly i dont want to keep spending more money on stuff for this. i already spent money on miralax, stool softeners, and buying high fiber veggies etc yesterday
this should be interesting.
Posted by tickled1 (Member # 14257) on :
Your mailbox is full. I tried to reply. Good luck!!!
Posted by WendyK (Member # 18918) on :
I hope you've either did an enema on your own by now, or gone to the hospital - three weeks is WAY too long! Keep us posted and I hope things literally clear out soon!
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Hi - your mailbox is full -
Once again, I suggest try drinking mangosteen juice - it can soften stools to being like a baby's.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
ok so I went to the ER and told them my symptoms. the nurse who took my blood had a hard time taking it. said my vein wouldnt keep the needle or something. weird....anyone else have that problem?
then i told the doc my symptoms and they did a rectal exam by putting a gloved finger in my rectum. they found nothing
so he ordered a cat scan of my abdomen JUST TO BE SURE
when they were putting the IV in me for the contrast the nurse was having such a hard time she had to put it in my hand. WEIRD . what is that caused from. typical lyme thing? I know for SURE i wasn't dehydrated because I drink water like its my full time job!
everything came back fine. he said he did see stool but not a crazy or large amount of it
I still havent had a real bowel movement. im going to try an enema then have more miralax.
if this keeps up i think im going to go to colon hydrotherapy
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Some people have "rolling veins".. they roll when they try to stick the needle in.
Glad you are OK!
Posted by WendyK (Member # 18918) on :
Glad to hear you are OK!
Posted by fourwinds (Member # 14114) on :
Hi Lymegal... glad you are okay!
There is something else that works great and causes no cramps.... a Vitamin C "flush". Read about it here
Basically you drink Buffered Ascorbate Vit C every 15 minutes until you "flush" works great.
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
still nothing yet
this is one big waiting game....yawn,...
Ive taken miralax, and a bunch of stool softeners nothing yet...
Posted by Maryland Mom (Member # 2043) on :
I am so glad you went to the ER. Better safe than sorry! Even more glad to hear you are OK.
Did the ER doctor have any advice on how to proceed?
Instead of throwing more laxatives at this problem, which haven't been very effective so far, Consider again the mineral oil enema. The stool does not necessarily have to have moved down to the rectum for it to be effective.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
The IV problem may have been a user/equipment failure. Usually ER nurses can get IV's in anyone no matter what. I'm guessing the hospital got new IV's and all the nurses are a bit unfamiliar with them. It happens!
Did the hospital say your bowels looked normal? Like you did not have a back up of stool? Maybe you should stick to normal doses of miralax. If you take too much miralax or magnesium your stool will liquify and you will NOT see a regular BM.
Even if you are backed up/ impacted with abdomen full of stool, regular doses of miralax will eventually and safely get things moving again. It may take longer than a massive clean out dose but it will work.
If you were to get a colonoscopy they would have you drink one bottle of miralax with a bottle of Gatorade the day before. This stuff works. This higher dose will keep you on the toilet all night long with liquid stools (and cramping and nausea) and it is meant to literally wash clean your bowels. So don't take that much.
Another reason not to do a big cleanse like above: Diarrhea washes away your good GI flora including probiotics that you have purchased to protect you from opportunistic infections.
I have vagal neuropathy meaning that the nerves along my GI track are damaged. I used to only have one BM per month with menstrual cramps. So I know what it is like to have irregular BM's like you are struggling with. Now I use magnesium and miralax and keep things moving every couple days. I have to adjust the dose based on how my body is responding daily.
You have to be patient with these things. You can't expect to go from constipated to normal overnight. As others have said, you will need to look at your diet too. High fiber foods will add bulk and help move things along for you. Also, you just need to eat. What goes in comes out. If you are not eating hardly anything, you will not have much in your stomach, your BMs will be small and irregular.
If you keep having problems, don't suffer and try to self treat at home. Ask your LLMD for a referral to a GI doc. They do the tests and help you get whatever treatment you might need to get "normal" again.
I just want you to know that I'm worried for you. I don't want you to get hurt by trying too many things all at once. Please be careful, OK.
Posted by lymegal23 (Member # 28573) on :
Im going to be honest people
I think this is all caused from a low level of stomach acid
over the past month or so ive found i feel full after eating VERY easily and food feels like its just sitting there below my chest
i also took the baking soda test and didnt burp within 5 minutes. in fact i didnt burp AT ALL....even a half hour later
i cant eat anything really except fruits and vegetables. if i have this high in protein (chicken , beef) it causes problems. my stomach hurts and I feel fullness around my chest
last nite i tried eating chicken and boy did i pay for it,
i ended up waking up with a stomach that hurt very badly. i took one tablespoon of APLLE CIDER VINEGAR in a glass of water and it really soothed it. now it feels pretty good
Posted by poppy (Member # 5355) on :
A functioning nervous system is required in order to have normal GI activity. Lyme damages the nervous system.
If I stay off meds for too long, constipation results, along with urine retention.
The hitch is that that meds can also affect GI function, so you have to get the probiotics right too. Never heard anyone else say this, but if I do too much probiotics, can also have constipation.
It is a real balancing act.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
Ask your doctor about that baking soda test. I don't know how reliable a measure it truly is. There is probably a better real way to test your stomach acid levels.
Maybe you will find out that you need just a tiny bit of HCL, a ND may help guide you there. Or maybe you would be helped with some really good digestive enzymes.
I have tried combos of both and currently use NOW brand "Digest Platinum". I have tried far more expensive brands and physician prescribed brands and none have worked better than this.
If you take a good digestive enzyme it will help your body break down foods properly. You will use your body's own HCL naturally, with less stress and burden. You may not need extra HCL. At least that's what I have experienced.
If you eat a heavy meal you may want to take 2 enzyme capsules to help with digestion.
Always chew food well and eat slowly. This helps me too. There are still some foods that are too heavy that my stomach doesn't like. I don't eat beef and I can only eat very small amounts of beans occasionally, these things tend to sits like a brick in my stomach for hours and cause pain.
The sitting like a brick and not digesting is usually a sign of gastroparesis, slow stomach emptying. Not inadequate HCL. There is a test for this. It is called the "gastric emptying scan". There are some RX meds that can help some people. They didn't help me. But what I've told you above does help me.
Always avoid eating large heavy meals. Stick with small lighter more frequent meals to keep your blood sugar up. If you are really sick you may need to switch to liquids (or add some Ensure) for a little while under doctor's guidance.
If you catch what I'm saying this can be a serious issue that you need to talk with your doctor about. You can't get better if you are not able to eat. Your body needs extra nutrients when you are sick to heal.
Again, not saying any of this to harp on you, just because I care.
Posted by tickled1 (Member # 14257) on :
Glad to hear they didn't find anything seriously wrong. Since they didn't, I would back off on taking much.
Maybe just regular doses of Miralax like someone else said. Digestive enzymes may be a good idea too. My doctor recommended Digestzymes by Designs for Health. It may have HCL in it but I'm not positive.
I had that full feeling with indigestion before I treated H. Pylori. My H. Pylori did not show up on regular tests but showed up on a stool test by Metametrix.
I also have a hiatal hernia. That could also cause a feeling of fullness.
Instead of the Miralax maybe take Magnesium glycinate on a regular basis. Going to a LL gastrointerologist would probably be a good idea. Have you had an endoscopy or colonoscopy recently?
Posted by tickled1 (Member # 14257) on :
BTW, by no means am I suggesting doing all the things I mentioned above at once.
Posted by mlg (Member # 35383) on :
Option 1: Try 2 teapoons of coconut oil before going to sleep. (Check with your LLMD...you might be able to substitute.
Then in the morning half a cup of water with fresh squeezed lemon.
Option 2
2 ounces of alove vera first thing in the morning and 2 teaspoons of olive oil.
Take care,
Take care,
Posted by AuntyLynn (Member # 35938) on :
I am glad to hear you got a professional evaluation and that it seems there is nothing life threatening.
But why on EARTH do people keep recommending mineral oil as an emetic - and especially recommending that it is "natural?"
Mineral Oil is made from PETROLEUM, and even sunbathing with it can DRAW valuable Vitamin D from your body - much less introducing it directly into your digestive tract!
Hey maybe its a common medical therapy for a really stubborn issue, but its certainly nothing I would want to encourage on any regular basis.
Lymegal23 - I agree with Sammy. You should take it easy with the multiple "remedies."
Why are you so intent on getting "instant gratification?"
This situation took a while to evolve, and it is not something you can resolve with a snap of the fingers! Or with three successive "snaps!"
Just the fact you said you had to "go out and buy fruits and vegetables" might indicate that these are not foods that you normally have on hand. That speaks volumes to me.
And until you start filling that long, long plumbing system with some "bulk" throughout its entire length, you are not likely to see a lot of "action" at the far end, much less, "regularly."
But please keep drinking water too.
I do wish you luck. I just think you need find a little more patience.
Posted by AuntyLynn (Member # 35938) on :
jlf2012 mentioned this probiotic:
proboulardi by metagenics
Glad to hear the vinegar helped you last night. So it is highly likely that your gall bladder is not stepping up to the plate fast enough, whenever you need the EXTRA digestive juices that are needed to break down PROTEIN and FAT. (Hence the problem arises with meat!)
My BF has this same problem whenever he goms down any red meat - tells me he feels "too full" and "really tired" and wants to lie down. So I hand him the bottle of Papaya enzyme tablets, and he stops complaining in minutes.
There is ALSO reason to be concerned that you are taking ABX, and likely need a GOOD PROBIOTIC to balance your intestinal flora - probiotics definitely aid proper digestion, and are killed by ABX!
Here is what Lyme Emeritus Doctor "H" recommends for ALL his ABX patients:
saccharomyeces boulardi
Dr. H says this the most EFFECTIVE probiotic for preventing C-DIFF!
So keep up the veggies and the water, and get yourself any probiotic until you can obtain the saccharomyces preparation.
I'm sure you'll get through this thing, if you just give your body a little extra help, and a little time.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
quote:Originally posted by sammy: The sitting like a brick and not digesting is usually a sign of gastroparesis, slow stomach emptying.
. Lymegal, listen to sammy.
Posted by AuntyLynn (Member # 35938) on :
Good point CarolinPA -
Since we haven't heard any reports about that Mag Citrate hitting "big time" yet, this may well be a part of the problem.
Any News Lymegal23?
Posted by springshowers (Member # 19863) on :
Ozonated magnesium oxide is a Miracle For this issue and without it I end up in ER Over the years with impact and infections No doctor has ever seen or believe and I resolved finally ony own saving my life.
Hard to find tablets. Envita clinic sells it And also a product called MagO7
Do not underestimate the power and resolve you will get from a simple product . It's nothing like Taking just magnesium oxide believe me. !!
I believe I could have died if I had not found this as stimulants Of any kind in slow digestion is impossible and extremely painful in nature as it tries to work up in stomach and man it hurts.
[ 05-30-2012, 02:03 PM: Message edited by: springshowers ]
Posted by baileypup (Member # 22824) on :
I swear by Oxy-Powder. It is an oxygenated, ozonated, magnesium product.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I wish those products did not contain citric acid. I can't handle that stuff.
Posted by cozynana (Member # 34270) on :
Lymegal, go to your local drug store and get a enema bucket or large enema bag and do one or two right after each other. You may have to start and stop and void periodocially. It helped me so much.
Posted by cozynana (Member # 34270) on :
Lymegal, go to your local drug store and get a enema bucket or large enema bag and do one or two right after each other. You may have to start and stop and void periodocially. It helped me so much.
Posted by minimonkey (Member # 8693) on :
I had something very similar to this happen a few years ago, after a long period on antibiotics. I had chronic diarrhea, which got progressively worse, and I didn't realize that I had a fecal impaction at the root of it, until I tried fiber and couldn't pass it.
My poor intestines were so, so inflamed, the inflammation had caused the impaction, apparently.
I was without any money or any insurance for health care, so I self treated using enemas (no fun, but they do work) and then a prolonged regimen of bowel healing after I finally got the initial impaction dislodged.
I didn't know about the ozonated magnesium/ oxygen cleanses at the time (mag 07, oxycleanse, oxypowder) -- I think that might have resolved a lot of the problem upfront.
I hope you feel much better soon -- but I second the suggestion for one of the ozone/oxygen cleanses... I use them whenever my gut slows down ( I still get the "bells palsy of the gut" if I have a flareup) and they really can work miracles.
Posted by tickled1 (Member # 14257) on :
minimonkey, can you give us more details on what your regimen for bowel healing involved?
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
m'kay?