constipation

The best way to alleviate constipation is through dietary measures, drinking plenty of water, and exercise. You just have to get that peristalsis moving the food through your intestines. Cut out as much processed foods as you can; they can really gum up the intestines, also include plenty of fresh fruit and veg.
Everyone's bowels are affected differently by different food, so start paying attention to what you eat and how it affects you. If I eat too much bread, rice, or potatoes, I can end getting constipated.
Some women like to take magnesium to keep things moving, but if you take too much of it, you can end up with diarrhea. Some people like to include stewed prunes on a daily basis, it all just depends on how things affect your individual system.
UTIs can best be avoided by complete emptying of the bladder. Make sure you are leaning forward slight off the toilet to empty. You can also go on all fours in the shower. Most UTIs are caused by stale urine left in the bladder, and complete emptying can help prevent them from occurring.
There are tons of threads on both these subjects here on the forum. Sometimes you have to go back a few pages to find the good stuff.

I'm finally appreciating just how important diet is in resolving this issue. It was really helpful to hear, and I think this was from Surviving, that "pebbles" = constipation. I used to think that going every day meant that I wasn't and this mindset really kept me from addressing the issue.

Eating processed foods is definitely "gumming" for me and although learning techniques like "twist to the right" here at WW have come in handy in a pinch, it's simply no substitute for keeping my diet as free from processed foods as I can and really studying which foods lead to problems for me.

Snap

Yes, that was actually Aging Gracefully responding to our friend Clare about her pebbles, and a very accurate observation it was. Can't accept the credit for that one! - Surviving

If you don't think it is from diet, then you may want to try the magnesium. It does seem to work for some women. Just start it out slowly.

Hi mysterymomof7,

Yes, I suffer from constipation (my problem is quite well known on the forum!)

It takes me *forever* to 'go' sometimes, and it's not helped by the fact that I have major trouble going on a toilet when I am not at home (my bottom locks and I can't go).

How bad is it for you?

If I can help then I will do my best!

Clare

Have you tried any dietary changes as mysterymom has, Clare? If you have all ready, then I would make the same suggestion of the magnesium for you also.

Here is the thread in which she discusses this, and includes a link to a picture.
https://wholewoman.com/forum/node/6192

It is just a gentle sway side to side, rocking your belly. I have tried it, feels pretty good actually.

Really good information in that thread. Maybe your constipation symptoms could have something to do with the prolapse of your bowels.

I used to do a lot of different twisting and rocking on the toilet when I was constipated all the time, but by just practicing whole woman to get the heaviness of my uterus off my rectum and squat hovering over the toilet, and of course, very good dietary changes has helped me so I don't have to put my body through all those configurations just to have a bowel movement.. Because of the surgery you had and other physical limitations from the weight loss, Be careful with firebreathing mysterymom, as it can be very intense.
If you haven't all ready tried it, just do one or two to start, and see how it feels to you inside.

I love to read of your progression from where you started at the beginning, safelyheld. It sounds like you are really using the tools available and it is helping you. That is great! Other readers will definetely gain insight from that.

It can be hard sometimes even for the moderators and regulars to remember if someone has had surgery or has other significant health issues. Furthermore, sometimes those facts do not even surface in early posts. And yet it is so important, as any kind of surgery changes things drastically. So this is just a reminder that we do not offer any kind of medical advice here. Every woman is responsible for determining if something that we suggest here is going to be safe for her. Every woman needs to know what was done to her, and only her doctor can determine what is safe. Our focus here is to keep women from surgery, but many come here who have already had it, and virtually all of them can still be helped by many aspects of this work. But they should be consulting their doctors before starting any kind of exercise program anyway. - Surviving

Good point, surviving. Glad you brought that up. We all need that reminder.

I don't remember if Christine talks about it in the DVD, but she does discuss it in her book. I think you did tell us that you have the book. Page 35, under enterocele. It is not as likely to have a full bowel prolapse while still having your uterus. It is kind in the way. I wouldn't know how the removal of that ovary would come into play. I wonder also if this doesn't have something to do with that extreme weight loss you had. I mean the fat was holding everything in place a certain way, and then the fat wasn't there anymore, suddenly. It might cause some slouching of you intestine? Just a theory on my part.

Hi everyone,

What kind of symptoms are you getting from your constipation? I've marked the ones I get with a star. Feel free to add any others:

Incomplete emptying after a bowel movement(*)
Not being able to start a bowel movement
Straining to go(*)
Stool slipping back up after every push(*)
Problems urinating properly
Frequent trips to the toilet without success

Clare

Clare, we have talked about the symptoms of constipation at length. Now, do tell us what your solutions are, because we would love to have you contribute what you have been doing the last few months and how it has helped you.

I think that hormones do play a part in it, mysterymom, and glad you are coming up with some good solutions that are helping you.