Rectocele & Using Slippery Elm

Hi Empty_ Inside35 Just a quick reply as Im tired and its late. I mentioned Slippery Elm awhile ago for constipation and feeling clogged up like one does when travellign, as that's when a friend first gave me some ,and it worked.Another poster tried it and said it worked in reverse as well and helped her stool firm up as she had the opposite problem to me,but sorry I can't remember who...perhaps if you put my name in the search you might find something. I first used it Easter weekend here in NZ , sometime in April I think.Good luck!
PS I dont like the idea of using Metamucil all the time, like another friend does ,I feel the Slippery Elm is more natural, thats just my gut feeling though nothing scientific from any of my views ;-)

Go for it! It's great. Really.
OUrs is slippery elm inner bark from frontier

As far as I can understand it, Slippery Elm is a food. Ours is kinda like a powder- mix it with water and it turns into pottage or something similar anyway.

Hi empty_ inside35, I found that with loose stools Slippery elm didn't work so well but was great with hard stools, then i tried magnezium powder before bed and it works everytime like a charm with hard or soft stools. I also found that in time as my rectocele improved i am now taking a less amount of magnezium and less often. My problem since rectocele, is loose stools which can be just as problematic as hard stools, because when they are too loose, it's difficult to empty completely. I remember one time for some reason my stool was hard and got stuck (very unusual for me) so as tempting as it was to push, i didn't. Instead i walked out to the kitchen and made myself a drink of Slippery Elm and within a few seconds it slipped right on out... huge relief.

Metamucel is not good for me either and makes me bloat. SE is very soothing on the intestines very gentle and natural. I have had no negative effects from it. I was like you and wasn't sure so i phoned the natropath at the health food store and i bought the smallest amount which here is 100grams. I don't think you can go wrong as it will always come in handy while you have rectocele. Good luck!

I used to have to take magnezium every second night but as my rectocele is improving all the time by being in WW posture, i'm having to take it less often and less of it.At present i take it about every 3 or 4 days, just depends on my diet i guess... some times i might go a whole week without having to take it. I only take the SE when needed. My SE is SF Health Foods Australian owned and operated. I am in Australia.
No it doesn't have a bad taste and you can always add some juice to the water. I think you will be just fine as you experiment with this and the magnezium Powder. Yes it's fun to get results.
All the very best.

Hi again, I just mix the powder with a little water to a paste and add a little fruit juice if I have it, not too bad to slide down and then follow that with a little more water.Easier on the tastebuds than apple cider vinegar ! Mine came from the local health shop in a bag.
By the way last week I took a magnesium tablet 2-3 nights for muscle cramps and I had constipation and pop was worse by end of week argh I should have taken more SE Im thinking. I was also on my feet a lot , nearly sank into the dark hole again :-( ok now though had some rest now.

I haven't tried the slippery elm yet for constipation but I think I've heard people say that it needs to be with a LOT of water.

hopefully others will reply with more info.

we can be so individual and occasionally, something that works very well for most will work badly for one person.
many on here have had great benefit and help from using ground flax whereas for me, even 1/16 of a teaspoon, even with many cups of water, causes severe constipation for days.
I won't try metamucil/psyllium for the same reason.

I read in your other reply about not always remembering the magnesium.
what I've been finding works for me is to buy magnesium powder (not pills).
I get the 100% pure magnesium oxide by NOW brand. it has no extra stuff and no bad taste. I just keep a little spoon and the bottle on my bedside table and take it right before bed - I just spoon it onto my hand and lick it off.
i find that this way, having it right by my bed, I remember more.

I hope you find a solution that works for you.

Have you tried a high potency probiotic? For me, I think that has helped the most. I also eat greek yogurt, honey and raw almonds for breakfast. I tried all of the fiber powders, pills, etc. Most of it would kind of work, but then just not right. I take the probiotic every day. No fiber, just regular veggies.

Just remember, Empty, that the stool that appeared this morning did not form overnight. If you have been constipated it would probably have been from a couple of days previous. The soft stool from the slippery elm will come later. Don't overdo the slippery elm. More is not necessarily better. It just has to make its way through your digestive system in its own time.

The ones I take are from Swanson Vitamins, they have 66 billion per capsule. I have found these ones have the exact same ingredients as Mercola's brand. I take one per day. I also take one Valerian Root every day too. I think they help keep everything calm inside my belly.