magnesium

Hi Kiki,

I am suffering from a very stuck bowel these last few days. Just a cement like little poo now and again. Have drunk loads of water and herb tea and feel very distended (More and more in and very little out!!). Doctor told me I had small rectocele last week and possibly IBS. (Better than what i was fearing before the visit!) I'm not convinced about the IBS but we shall see.
Anyway, I have taken andrews liver salts today ingredients: "Effervescent powder containing magnesium sulphate (dihydrate) 17.4% w/w, Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate 22.6 % w/w and Citric Acid (anhydrous) 19.5% w/w" an over the counter product which I remembered from my mum's med cabinet long ago. It was the magnesium which attracted me but several hours later and no result!
I've done a bit of research on the web today and there are a few products centred around magnesium which make great claims.
I am trying Louise's animal posture in the loo now too. Am feeling concerned that I need a colon cleanse (preferably with food and herbs) to help me cope with the rectocele and other ailments or fears .
Will appreciate any feedback on the magnesium from anyone else too.
cousinann

you can take mag as much as you like
some people get a bit foggy headed at large doses- so watch out for that
there are some that are better than others of course
and with any supplement, check your source- what they are getting the mag from what they package it with (combos of cal mag are great).
you can build up a bowl tolerance to it- but the good news is that it's one of those things that you have to start out really slow with so the dose is not very high- and you build up to the dose that is the most beneficial (does that make any sense?).
and if you go off it you will lose the tolerance (for example my son was on a tbs a day of calm and did not have any loose bowel movements- then we missed for a few weeks because we were out- and when I got a new container and gave him his normal tbs he had very loose poo).
So glad it's helping you!!

Hi cousinann,

I struggle with constipation and IBS so I get how uncomfortable this can be. What I've found is that I need a lot of fiber, perhaps more than the general population. (If you aren't already doing that be sure to build up slowly to avoid that bloated gassy feeling!) I find that magnesium does help me so I take it daily divided into two doses (200 mg. ea), one in the morning, and one before bed. However, I take magnesium glycinate (KAL brand) and it's little different. I had started taking it for my back pain at first, but it's been so helpful in the bowel department that I've kept it up for over a year now. From what I read here (http://www.nutrichem.com/Ask-The-Expert/Magnesium-Glycinate-Frequently-A... ), the glycinate version really shouldn't work for me as well as it does for bowel movements, but perhaps because of it's gentleness and the fact that I can take it daily like I do is why it's so helpful.

My non-food fiber of choice is in the brand, Citrucel, only because it's the one that works best with the least side effects. I have been taking it all at night for a morning BM, but have decided to divide the dose because I experience having to pass some small hard pieces of stool at night, and they also seem to form during night and move into my rectum and they bulge my rectum through the vaginal wall. I'm hoping that dividing it up will help with that. Once I pass that in the morning, have my morning hot beverage, and relax a bit I generally pass a nice large stool that Dr. Oz would be proud of...LOL! Sometimes in the morning I also drink a green smoothie. I blend leaf lettuce (it makes the mildest smoothie), spinach, or kale leaves with organic cherries, blueberries, half a banana (the fruit is all frozen), about 1/4 C. of plain Greek yogurt, a dash of raw organic agave nectar, water, and a carrot. It's quite tasty with the lettuce in particular and starting my day with two fruit servings, a serving of leafy greens, and a vegetable is a great start to my daily fiber intake. A piece of whole grain toast along with it and I'm on my way!

Hope you feel better soon!

Finding_me

My GI doctor told me that I have an aged colon which is longer and wider than most people have. He said I need to take Milk of Magnesia daily. I have been doing this and it works, but swallowing a pill would be a lot easier. There are so many different types of Magnesium on the market. Which one is best?

Interesting how the soluable forms of magnesium seem to be helping a few of you. I was under the impression that for constipation, insoluable forms (oxide) were more effective but not quite as beneficial to the body. So thats great that help is found in the chelated or citrate forms, which I have always understood to be best absorbed and assimilated in the body.

Constipation in prolapse is not good. Everymoring I wake up my heart races and I begin to panic wondering if it will be an ordeal to evacuate. I do milk of mag off and on but think I will try the tablets. I eat a lot of fiber but the gas and bloating can really trigger the bowel with gas and cramping. Love reading this site. It is like a second job to work the bowels. Still trying to get the right combination. Thanks for your input.

I did some research. I really rely on 600 to 800 mg of chelated magnesium from Carlsons. I read though that too much can damage kidneys or cause irregular heartbeats. Does anyone have any info?