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Constipation

A

AshrafUM920

Well-Known Member
Messages
943
Type of diabetes
Type 2
Treatment type
Tablets (oral)
Hi,

I have been diabetic 5 years now.
I have been on number of drugs since being diagnosed. I have had constipation for a long time. Doctors told me to eat more fibre, I have and I eat more veggies too, I've been on laxido too and it works but when I come off it, the constipation starts over. I have gone 2 weeks or more without any bowel movement I'm now only on metformin sr and wanted to know if anyone has experienced constipation due to metformin sr.

Thanks all.
 
You should really go see your doctor about that asap - 2 weeks is a very long time, and from what I've read metformin generally causes the opposite to constipation
 
When I get bunged up I use Metamucil that gets me going again.

I never had problems with Metformin with my guts...
 
Rokaab said:
You should really go see your doctor about that asap - 2 weeks is a very long time, and from what I've read metformin generally causes the opposite to constipation
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I have already spoken to my doctor and was advised to eat more fibre, drink more fluids, and he also prescribed me laxido. Laxido worked for me but when I went off it my constipation came back.
 
Tipetoo said:
When I get bunged up I use Metamucil that gets me going again.

I never had problems with Metformin with my guts...
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Do you use it everyday? I shall definitely give that a try.
 
UsmanMo96 said:
Do you use it everyday? I shall definitely give that a try.
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Only when I have gone for a day or so then I start using it, but think it is ok to take it every day to stay regular.
 
There's quite a bit of debate about whether fibre is good for constipation or just adds more bulk to the already existing problem. Like adding more cars to a traffic jam.
Personally I found with any "not going" feeling a teaspoon of magnesium citrate in a glass of warm salty water sorts it out pretty fast.. 12 hours later and you turbo charge the evacuation. ..beware its powerful stuff!
 
I have to have a swig of Lactulose each night before bed and then I usually go twice a day, if I stop the lactulose inevitably have to take a Picolax.
 
Never suffered from this until I started taking mega doses of pain killers for a frozen shoulder (wish it was frozen but it is just painful..) .
The classic advice is to eat fibrous foods however for chronic constipation this is akin to solving a traffic jam by sending more cars down the road so I'd go back and get some meds to soften things up a bit and drink plenty of water whilst trying to work out what is causing it. The med might be a good place to start though classically the metformin should be unblocking you.
 
This'll probably get a lot of people rolling their eyes, but yeah, I'm going to mention it yet again: do you use artificial sweeteners? In tea, coffee, or things like diet coke? They can kill gut bacteria, which'll clog up the works too. If you do, stop consuming it for a few days, take some probiotics to get the gut bacteria back to good, also add in some sauerkraut... If that's the problem, that'll help. Dunno if it is, but I was pretty desperate by the time this bit of information fell into my lap (right here on the forum), and as diabetics we're quite likely to use sugar alternatives. Sadly, they do come at a price. If that's not the case, some senna might help get things moving too.

Good luck!!!
Jo
 

@JoKalsbeek I dont drink coffee, or coke, I only drink herbal tea and water. I have been using laxido for years and when I stopped the bowel movement stopped too, I do go once a week or so but even that is not normal. It's a mystery for me.
 
 
UsmanMo96 said:
@JoKalsbeek I dont drink coffee, or coke, I only drink herbal tea and water. I have been using laxido for years and when I stopped the bowel movement stopped too, I do go once a week or so but even that is not normal. It's a mystery for me.
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Do you remember a course of antibiotics or something, back when it started? Probiotics might still help if you haven't tried them, worth a shot. (Capsules or yakult or something). Just hope you'll feel better soon....!
 
JoKalsbeek said:
Do you remember a course of antibiotics or something, back when it started? Probiotics might still help if you haven't tried them, worth a shot. (Capsules or yakult or something). Just hope you'll feel better soon....!
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@JoKalsbeek no I haven't tried any probiotic I will try yakult anything else you recommend?
 
It may be that after such a protracted period manual decompaction may be necessary I hope not but you should consult with your doctor about this.
 
UsmanMo96 said:
@JoKalsbeek no I haven't tried any probiotic I will try yakult anything else you recommend?
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https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/s...cy-acidophilus-capsules-60001540?skuid=001540 is the one I use, when my old brand got discontinued. Works just as well. And eating anything fermented, like sauerkraut or kimchi will give it a food to flourish in. Which may result in rather explosive runs, but it'll really declog the pipes in an emergency! Again, if that is the problem you're having, it should help. If it's not though, senna is an option. (H&B has it mainly as a tea).
 
JohnEGreen said:
It may be that after such a protracted period manual decompaction may be necessary I hope not but you should consult with your doctor about this.
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I have told my doctor several times and they've only told me to eat more fibre and drink more water and exercise. I drink 3litre a day of water I eat lots of almonds, and I exercise 4 times a week. I don't know anymore.
 

I shall try, exercising 4 times a week and drinking 3 litres of water a day hasn't worked.
 
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