OK, I know this may be gross but I really need your help.
I have been eating really good lately but I am now constipated and bloated . My doctor said I should cleanse my colon and recommended I purchase some over the counter. What products do you all recommend for a cleanser? I want to go out and get some today just because it's been 4 days without a normal bowel movement . Sorry if this being being to upfront, lol. It's just so uncomfortable and annoying.
Thank you so much!
Last edited by BlueEyes83; 10-06-2010 at 02:40 PM.
I am very surprised your physician would recommend a colon cleanser. Are you sure he didn't just mean a laxative? Colon "cleanses" tend to be products or sets of products that are both laxative and diuretic, and you could buy one of those as well (any of them will do, really, they're all just laxatives), but a generic laxative (ask your pharmacist if you can't find one) is much cheaper and will do the same thing.
I would try an over the counter laxative first to see if it resolves your situation.
I was taking laxatives at least once a week for almost a year now, I want to become more regular and not have rely on laxatives (which can be pretty painful and I always feel sick to my stomach). I tried a stimulant lax which is really hard on my stomach and no non stimulant lax that just does not work for me.
I will go to the pharmacy tonight and see what they recommend for a daily cleanser. I'm actually pretty interested in the Phillips colon health pills. I wouldn't mind taking these everyday if it means to be regular. OOO to be regular again haha.
I'm surprised you doctor would suggest that too. I've never been a big fan of laxatives. It's all going to come out eventually. My body is better at judging when it should happen than I am.
btw, I'm always constipated when I start a diet. Takes a week or two for my body to adjust.
Phillips pills aren't a colon cleanse - they're a probiotic...basically, they're the bacteria your stomach needs for digestion in pill form and high doses. These can definitely be helpful in resolving long-term issues if you take them over time, but they don't cleanse anything, they just populate your stomach with the good bacteria so your body can take care of itself...might be a great idea for you!
Are you getting plenty of water and fiber?
If this is a long term chronic problem and you don't do well with stimulant laxatives, a "colon cleanse" in the traditional sense of the word is a really bad idea for you, since a) they're laxatives and b) often the "rebound" from using such a product ends up with the same problem, only worse.
I'm not a doctor, but I would think they would want you to try first by upping your fiber intake. Fiber1 products (cereal, cereal bars.. etc) are amazing! They taste great and really do the trick.. and aren't like a laxative, you dont get sick or have an unnatural BM. I googled high fiber foods, and there are a couple really great links, that list the foods high in fiber and how much each one contains.
Fiber is a much healthier option. Laxatives/colon cleanses aren't good on the body.
Also-- some foods that cause constipation are milk based products, milk, cheese, some breads etc.
I'm not a doctor either, but you might want to consider taking magnesium. It's sometimes a mineral we don't get enough and it's good for making you go regularly.
I normally just use a suppository when I need some help... Or get an at home enema. That'll clean you out. When I'm REALLY not regular I just up my fiber intake. I really like the suppositories since they don't hurt your stomach or give you the hershey squirts.
I'm in my last few days of a low-iodine diet (thyroid cancer test) and have experienced some constipation in the last couple weeks. I'd been starting to get pretty regular before I had to go on the diet because I was eating greek yogurt and some bread regularly as well as more veggies. I started taking Benefiber the last few days and it's getting better for now. I'd definitely recommend you checking your fiber intake (grains, veggies, fruits) and see if adding more fiber helps you.
As for a colon cleanse, I haven't done it, yet, but I did just buy DrFloras 15-day cleanse. It was pricey but I got the extras (probiotics, etc.) with it and it was on sale so I said hey why not. My mom used to do home colonics all the time when I was younger so I couldn't bring myself to do that (stirs up those childhood memories). I started eating healthier a few months ago and just thought it was time to get all the garbage out of my system. And I have some of the signs that you need a colon cleanse (like sensitivity to smells).
A colon cleanse is a natural process that takes a week or 2 while a laxative is a pill you take and it's immediate and can be painful. They're 2 different processes.
If you haven't had a bowel movement in 4 days, I think you need a laxative for immediate help and then check your fiber intake.
I have issues with being constipated as well, What has helped me the most is etiher miralax, or psyllium husks. The only "colon cleanse" I did do was one right before a colonoscopy, and I don't reccomend those just for a matter of fact cleanse, only if you are having a medical procedure.
colon cleansers
. My doctor said I should cleanse my colon and recommended I purchase some over the counter. What products do you all recommend for a cleanser? I want to go out and get some today just because it's been 4 days without a normal bowel movement 
. Sorry if this being being to upfront, lol. It's just so uncomfortable and annoying.
haha.
