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Warning - I need to talk about poo

Loobles

Well-Known Member
Thought that would grab your attention . I hate to have to talk about this but...

The reason I was tested for diabetes is because I have a perianal abscess that not only won't heal (because that's common in this type of abscess) but the infection just won't go and has been ongoing for 7 weeks. Now, obviously, things can get a bit tender "down there" and constipation is not good. Normally, I ahve no issues in this department, not with my previous high carb, high fat diet anyway.

I've started drastically lowering my carbs (now down to about 100g a day, from probably 400g+ a day) and am upping my fats with healthy fats. Normally I would have eaten loads of root vegetables but I've swapped these for salad and I now find I'm getting a bit...erm...bunged up

Those of you who low carb, how do you make sure you get anough fibre? The only fibre containing foods I can think of also contain lots of carbs (or more than I'd like).
 
Flaxseed is very high fibre. Why not add a tablespoon on ground flaxseed to yogurt? Stewed rhubarb is also good and is not too high in carbs for a fruit. If you up your fibre, be sure to drink more water.
 
My consultant who stapled my piles (ouch) recommended Lactulose as a stool softener.
Told me it was O.K. for diabetics and for long term use.
It isn't a laxative as such, just helps to stop you getting 'bungo'.

A word of caution - it does take a day or so to work through so if you think it hasn't worked and take a bigger dose the next day you may find it is far too effective!

Cheers

LGC
 
I did wonder about lactulose but I always thought that was sugar based. Will check that out. Would rather solve with diet though as it's a bit more natural - flax seed...hadn't thought of that. Will have a look at getting hold of some. This is new territory for me...low carb and constipation lol.
 
Flaxseed is brilliant. I have just a teaspoon with chia seeds on breakfast in morning. A tablespoon may be too much as they do warn you to start off with a teaspoon a day.

I have a diagnosis of slow colonic transit, but this and extra fat has helped me enormously. Keeps me totally normal.. Yay, hay!!!!


Loving life
 
Flaxseed as mentioned are high fibre, I have a bowl for breakfast most days, H&B sell a ready made blend with cocoa and berries, low carb for a serving.
I just add boiling water and mix it into a 'porridge'.

OR excess cinnamon has a laxative effect………… I unfortunately discovered that when adding cinnamon to plain flaxseed to make it more palatable

exercise is also good for keeping things moving along
 
Will go check out H&B...

Cinnamon, that's a new one - I have some in the house and love it LOL

I do an hour of swimming most days (usually 5 days a week) but it doesn't seem to have helped much. I wonde rif I've been drinking enough though and am making an effort today to drink more (and have more fat).
 
Loobles said:
I did wonder about lactulose but I always thought that was sugar based.
Click to expand...
I think you're right: it's certainly one of the medicines forbidden on a ketogenic diet. I don't often suffer from constipation, but when I do then strong coffee with plenty of double cream usually does the trick. Someone I know on the ketogenic diet who gets a lot of constipation recommends Movicol, which she gets on prescription.

Kate
 
Lactulose is supposed to be a prebiotic (a non-digestible carbohydrate) which alters the osmotic balance in the gut and draws more water in.

As such it should be O.K. for diabetics.

However Google is throwing up non-specific warnings about diabetes without saying why.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactulose

says "Lactulose/ˈlæktjʉloʊz/ is a synthetic, non-digestible sugar used in the treatment of chronic constipation"

and also

"Lactulose is available without prescription in most countries. However, a prescription is required in the United States and Austria mainly over unfounded fears that it could be harmful to diabetics."

and as a warning

"and pungent, noisy flatulence that some people find difficult to control in social situations"

So on balance it seems to be fine for diabetics who don't go out much.

Cheers

LGC
 
I had this problem when I first started low carbing, as I used to eat loads of porridge, brown rice etc., previously.
Got things back on an even keel by having a very large salad for lunch, with a side of nuts. Then whatever my evening meal is I will have a massive portion of veg to replace the pots/rice/pasta. So for example I might with a home made chicken curry with green cabbage. Or I might have a vegetable soup for lunch, very thick with loads of low carb veg added.

The only time I have a problem is when I am on holiday and eating out, unless they have a salad bar or buffet, I need to take some phsyllium husks to avoid being bunged up. This is because if I eat in restaurants I can low carb ok but the portions of veg/salad just aren't big enough to provide the fibre I obviously need!
 
Fybogel can help..also a bowl of Lapsi made into a porridge is high In fibre so will make you go Get Lapsi in Asian supermarket (crushed wheat)
 
I think with all the movicols, fybogels, laxido's etc... There are some slight differences in them. I know for my slow colonic transit that I was told not to have fybogel.. Only laxido or movicol when needed...


Loving life
 
Never had problems with this that couldn't be sorted by coffee and fags in the morning but have been told that coconut oil and fats in general might do the trick.

Personally I find flax seed disgusting but if they do the job, why not?
 
Fybogel is just a softener and doesnt make the bowel lazy. Other laxitives if used regularly, tend to make the bowel muscles not work on their own so could end jp making a person laxative dependant and can also cause the bowel to prolapse
 
I rarely have constipation but I've recently started taking a prebiotic/probitic supplement and it certainly makes things even easier than they were before

Other things that can help are magnesium and/or Vitamin C supplements. Stay really well hydrated. If you are eating lots of vegetables, you should be getting a fair amount of fibre. Nuts also act like a prebiotic as they have quite a lot of resistant starch.

Prior to changing to LCHF, I had IBS issues - all resolved now thankfully. Wheat in particular can really screw up your gut microbiome. I also find supplemental fibre makes things worse, not better.
 
And water, water, water. With any stool softener you will need extra water.

If you up your water intake to 3 - 4 pints every day the problem will resolve itself. That said definitely include raw veg as in salad and lots of
cooked green stuff.
 
Besides enough water (and coconut oil) the best way to keep your tummy going is taking magnesium oxide (usually the cheapest magnesium) app 500-750 mg per day since as it has very low bio-availability it has very low risks.
 
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