One patient's remedy for constipation
How to Beat Constipation
Tame those pesky bowels!
So my very first MS patient ever has shared her bowel regimen. I have added in a few tips of my own. For years she struggled to relieve her constipation but now she has it under control. Spinal cord lesions can make it difficult for the bowels to move normally. Here are some of her tips and tricks. I would recommend starting with just one tip at a time and adding in more as needed. Also if you have mobility issues you want to be careful because if you overdo it you could end up with diarrhea, which is never fun. Every patient is different so please discuss with your primary care doctor, your GI doctor or Dr. Anzalone.
Keep a stool by the toilet so you can elevate your feet. Makes it easier for stool to exit.
Exercise as much as possible.
Eat a high fiber/high water diet.
If you own a juicer, drink 16 ounces of straight celery juice on an empty stomach every morning (this can cause diarrhea at first but it's extremely cleansing. Maybe give it a try if you can stomach the taste. You get use to the taste after a while...
Nopalina which is not gluten-free flax seed fiber, every morning that you can mix in your breakfast or smoothies (ingredients are extensive so check them out if you're curious what it contains). Alternative and probably cheaper, grind up 2 teaspoons of flax seed each morning. If you are gluten-free try psyllium husks powder every morning in your breakfast, smoothie, juice etc.
600 mg 2 x per day of Magnesium capsules or just at night (can make you sleepy). Start with 250mg once a day and increase dose as needed.
Dulcolax on top of all of this if none of this works
Suppository on top of all of this if none of this works