General Chat

Well I'm damned.
I've been taking a multivitamin supplement table with iron for some time

It might be a good idea to read the leaflet supplied with any pills you take, then you'll be fully aware of any potential side effects. Too much vitamin C can give you an upset tummy. If your diet is correct you shouldn't need any additional supplements and should only pill pop sparingly.

Hi David, you can buy fybrogel at the chemist and I tend to take it for a couple of days then leave it for 3 or 4 days then for a couple of days again. hope this helps.

Increasing the amount of water you drink is the easiest, safest and cheapest thing to try!!

That is the first thing I do if I have a problem ........ and it works for me, even though I take codeine.

constipation can be caused by too little water being in the gut.

I use "Benefiber", as recommended by the specialist.

It's a powder, and tasteless.... I sprinkle two teaspoons of it on my morning cereal.... the instructions say it can be added to any food or drink.

I also try to drink at least 6 large glasses of water every day.

I do drink water, but not that much. However I do drink a fair amount of tea.
Is that an acceptable substitute ?

I've no idea about tea, but I do think that if this is a real problem, you'd do far better to discuss it with a professional person, than getting snippets of info which may or may not be applicable to your particular case. It's difficult for anyone on here to advise you as it could be completely the wrong advice in your case. Have a chat with your GP and take it from there.

Tea doesn't count David, just drink lots of water during the day.. keep a bottle handy in the kitchen and if that doesn't work i suggest you get some Laxido sachets , you can buy them over the counter or get them on prescription.

i keep a small bottle of water handy all the time , even at the side of my bed ..

:-)

Constipation can be nothing or it can be something! OH had this problem last winter and in the end a colonoscopy revealed diverticulitis which is now controlled by diet and medication under specalist supervision. This is why I am loathe to advise anybody with any medical problem that doesn't readily resolve itself.

Magpie, i too have diverticular disease and this was the advice given to me... :-)

Yes, but we don't know that this what David's problem is do we?! It could be nothing or perhaps something that needs different attention, or no attention, only a professional can tell you this.

Yes i agree....

David, please get some professional advice.. :-D

Thanks Stella.

magpie and stella ............

that was the first advice to David ....... see a doctor

he doesn't seem to want to.


I might add to your diverticulitis, that constipation may also be a sign of a blockage developing in the intestines, which may be due to rectal and/or colon cancer. I have family members who had that happen.



David ...............

Tea does not count.

Coffee does not count.

Alcoholic drinks do not count

According to all the dieticians, you should be drinking at least 8-10 8oz glasses of water a day IN ADDITION TO clear juices and whatever water you can absorb from your food.

This is it, constipation can be something or nothing, so a professional diagnosis is the only sensible way to go if it's a real problem. Obviously it's up to the individual, but I don't think a lay person can or should give advice except general things like plenty of fluid which would not be harmful in the event of a more serious problem.

Sylvia, I have to disagree about tea and coffee not counting. All the sites I looked at in regard to daily water intake, say that other fluids including tea, coffee, milk and fruit juices do count in the 8 by 8 rule.

Avoid the alcohol though.

Ken ........ opinions do vary

But coffee, and to a lesser extent tea, are diuretics, so you pee more, which doesn't help too much when you want more water going into the intestines not to the kidneys.

That was the main reason that I said on here that they don't count

Yes Sylvia, I agree with that.

O the flatulence :-0

Too much information David! See the doctor if you're worried.