constipation--I don't get it

Submitted by upnorth on July 5, 2012 - 12:03am
Body: 

Altering my lifestyle to be a sissy because of POP (limited lifting makes me feel like an invalid) is hard enough, but the constipation thing is almost unbearable. I'm 49, extremely fit and atheletic, and have a decent diet; I've always had a tendency towards constipation in the second half of my cycle (along with wicked PMS), but now that things are getting all-out menopause-flaky, I'm starting the constipation thing just a five days or so into each new cycle. The constipation lasts all the way until a new cycle starts when all things flow again, but that's a long, long time to be toxic up to my eyeballs. The hormonal component of the situation aside, I suspect that the symptoms of the constipation are so much worse and so much more uncomfortable lately somehow because of POP, but I don't understand why POP exacerbates (causes?) constipation. I also don't know what to do to reclaim my life.

Forum:

fab

July 5, 2012 - 4:31am

Dear Upnorth

49, menopausal and with uterine prolapse, I experienced much the same as you are describing. Being now 66 and post menopausal, I would say you are right on the money when you talk of the hormonal component. From my point of view the hormonal change certainly causes severe constipation and POP exacerbates to the extent that the pelvic organs: uterus, rectum, bladder whatever your prolapse (as well as bowel) are all pushing each other and cramping each others style.

There's a lot that has been discussed on constipation in this forum and you should check the search box.

Relieving the effect of prolapse is also a good first step and you have come to the right place for that. Whole Woman posture is the first thing to get on top of. Have a look in FAQ and Whole Woman Videos and you will get an idea what it is about. Christine's book 'Saving the whole woman" is an invaluable guide to your journey.

Cheers Fab

MsNightingale

July 5, 2012 - 6:15am

Does your diet now include plenty of water and fruits and veggies? There is a lot on this site about foods for constipation. I think the most important thing for me is drinking "lots" of water and the wonderful morning fruit smoothie with organic bananas, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, whatever. It is hard to have to think about constipation and plans for preventing it, but the POP is so much better when we can get that under control. As for your fitness and lifting and all......I know that it is hard. I was doing lots of yoga and walking and lifting. Now I am on a mission to see "YOGA AND LIFTING FOR WOMEN". You will be able to be strong....most likely even stronger, but a different strong. One that honors your body. Have you read Christine's book? Do you walk or run and utilize the posture? If you do, are you aware that you can lift in proper seated position? I haven't done that yet since I am still trying to get the posture and all. I also think the walks will help enormously the constipation and probably the PMS. Sending you my best wishes!

upnorth

July 5, 2012 - 10:41am

Hello fab and MsNightingale,

Thank you for the responses, the support feels nice. All this POP and constipation stuff is not tea-talk, so it’s been lonely. I have read the book and I have searched the forum, but I haven’t participated due to a strong measure of denial. I guess days upon weeks of constipation have gotten to me; I’m frustrated at having an inadequate body that is inherently weak just by virtue of being female. No one told me that if I weren’t careful, I’d damage my body beyond its capacity to heal and I’m feeling resentful that my cycle foists so many life-limiting symptoms upon me month after month. Then the cycle stops and we die a slow death of hormone-depletion. Looks like I’ve got a few issues to work through, huh? I don’t mean to be a downer, but on the other hand, maybe being candid can play a useful role.

Fab, did your constipation mitigate once you made it through menopause?

MsNightingale, although my diet is pretty good, I could always eat more veggies and drink more water, so I’ll keep that in mind. I do consume a tablespoon of chia seeds every day for fiber and omegas. I have been aware of the wholewoman posture for quite a while and do pretty good in maintaining it. I have a picture of the goat girl on the desktop of my computer that I can open up and look at for inspiration—I love that picture. The battle with modern chairs, couches, and especially vehicle seats is never-ending, but I do okay a majority of the time. I definitely do not run, but I love my elliptical trainer (my training time is a joy because I get to watch movies), and I hike, bike and do lots of other outdoor activities. I wasn’t aware that you can lift in proper seated position, but that wouldn’t help me when I’m in the backcountry and want to carry a heavy pack or wrestle around a loaded dogsled.

Here is a question for the general group—if I were to do firebreathing twice a day, would my POP improve? That is, would it “heal” any?

Thank you again for the input,

upnorth

fab

July 5, 2012 - 7:28pm

Dear Upnorth

My constipation did mitigate to a certain extent, but I messed up. I became vegetarian, doubled my insoluble fibre intake, drank gallons of water, got fat (nobody needs fat pelvic organs), was constantly troubled by bloated stomach and frequent urination. Duh!

Then I started replacing the water with multi cups of caffeinated tea to help the pain and the mental fog. Double Duh!

I reverted to being an omnivore but still consumed a lot of fibre and water and still the bloating etc. Then later when I was immobile for a while with a broken hip, I took laxatives. After giving the laxatives away, I increased my bran and ha, ha diarrhoea.

That’s the short story.

So now, no sugar, 1-2 portions of fruit, 4-6 portions vegetable (2 raw), at least a serving of each of meat, fish, cheese with each meal, limited wheat products bread/pasta, no grains (white rice only), no processed food, 1 cup of coffee with cream, 2 glasses of water, one in the morning before breakfast, one last thing at night, 1-2 glasses of white wine, a handful of nuts two or three times a week. Anything I know gives me wind in small doses only (2 dessertspoons) and only on occasion. Occasional use of magnesium supplement and probiotic.

Diet is an individual thing. This works for me, (daily, sometimes twice soft stool movements, no bloating, occasional wind which passes.)

Cheers Fab

alemama

July 5, 2012 - 7:48pm

I would love it if you would try to take magnesium ( I recommend *calm*) and then report back after a month or so about how it goes. You can follow the directions on the container and start slow.
and fwiw, you don't sound like a wimp at all!

Brick2012

July 5, 2012 - 8:00pm

Hello All,
I too was suffering on the right mix of food. My doctor keep telling me to eat more fibe but the more I ate the worse my constipAtion got. I have been experimenting with different amounts of food, etc to find a good balance. someone on this site recommend "Calm" I got it at my health food store and it has worked wonders. The magnesium helps some other issues I have too.
thank you so much!

louiseds

July 6, 2012 - 12:51am

Yes, Upnorth, I found that I had premenstrual symptoms for the first time in my life as menopause approached, including constipation, which may have been exacerbated by increasing prolapse. It was worst just before menopause, but now my body has given up on menstruation, and my cycle is no longer detectable by me, I no longer get constipation. There is a silver lining to this menopause business. When it is over, all those problems related to menstruation no longer apply. I would have to say that it took a good two or three years after that last bleed for me to feel that I was no longer being affected by my cycle.

Louise

Surviving60

July 6, 2012 - 7:17am

Hi upnorth – I love your summation of the life cycle of the unsuspecting female. Yes, it is beyond absurd that this secret is so well kept. We’re all here trying to spread the word, yet the denial and secrecy persist. This is why I can’t even stand to watch these female athletes in the Olympic trials. I can imagine what their coaching and physical training consists of (i.e., exactly the same as what a man would subject his body to). These young women have NO idea what lies in store for them.

How well will firebreathing work? Well, it can work quite well if done correctly. The important thing is, that it’s part of the whole big picture. Maintaining posture all the time is the key to all of this. The exercises help to reinforce the posture. Firebreathing assists by helping you suck those organs into the lower belly, especially when you are having a particularly bulgy moment. But ultimately it’s posture that will help keep them there. I love firebreathing, which I found tricky at first until I became accustomed to the breathing sequence. Done correctly, you can really feel the organs move. - Surviving

upnorth

July 7, 2012 - 4:57pm

Hi ladies,

Thanks for your personal story, fab. Glad you found something that works for you!

Yeah, I’m familiar with Calm, been a while since I had any. Guess I’ll get some and give it a go. I’m cynical about supplements, though, from years of trying everything under the sun to help with PMS without getting satisfactory results.

Thank you for relating about your experience around menopause, Louise.

I haven’t read up on this group’s take on bioidentical hormone replacement, but there’s a whole forum category on it, isn’t there? The HRT camp says it’s the only way to have a decent quality of life once we’re of menopause age, but the thought of working closely with a practitioner, doing tests and constantly adjusting this and that is not appealing. (I’ve also grown to be way-cynical of healthcare practitioners.) On the other hand, it makes sense to me that we are not evolved to live past menopause, so the conditions of menopause are not necessarily conductive to a high quality of health.

Surviving60, we of this forum ought to write a little handbook that mothers can give their daughters that gives a few warnings and a few tips for staying undamaged. Something along the lines of: 1) it’s posture that matters, and 2) respect the limits of your structure.

upnorth

August 19, 2012 - 6:23pm

Thought I'd give an update--I'm taking lots of extra fiber and doing better. Each day, I take a tablespoon of chia seeds, which has 4g fiber, 1 to 2 teaspoons of Yerba Prima Daily Fiber Formula, which has 5gs per teaspoon, and a serving of Nature's Bounty Complete Vitamin Shake Mix, Chocolate, which has 5gs plus probiotics. I also take one to two teaspoons of the Raspberry-Lemon Calm, as a hot drink. It keeps me busy fitting all this in during the day (and trying to remember it all), but it definitely helps.

fab

August 19, 2012 - 6:54pm

Dear Upnorth

Doesn't it worry you that you need all of that fiber/laxative? When it doesn't work do you just increase the amount? How is the posture going? Are you walking, exercising etc. I'm thinking of the long haul.
People live much longer than they expect to. The whole management concept of WW works today and builds for the future.

I quite understand your relief at fixing your constipation. I can certainly relate to that. The rest of your body needs looking after to. Throwing out the baby with the bathwater and all of that.

Concerned Fab

upnorth

August 20, 2012 - 4:22pm

Thank you for your concern, fab.

Worry about needing a lot of fiber? You mean worry, as in something’s wrong and I ought to fix it rather than just do the band-aid thing? I’ve spent over a decade suffering terrible PMS, looking and looking for something that would fix it, or at least, mitigate the symptoms. Nothing ever helped. I’m just incredibly thankful I’ve found something that works to mitigate this new god-awful symptom of terrible constipation. Like I can change what my cycle hands me! (I deduce it comes from my cycle, btw, because the constipation disappears for a few days after a new cycle begins (I’m still bleeding).)

Regarding taking care of the rest of my body, I’m mindful of good posture and do a pretty good job there, I am fit (health-care practitioners who take my pulse always ask if I’m an athlete because my heart rate is so slow), I’m an avid exerciser, I’m not overweight, I get seven to eight hours of sleep a night, and I eat a decent diet.

Lady C

August 20, 2012 - 4:50pm

Hi Upnorth.....Yes, this is the pitts! I have been dealing with rectocele for about 1 1/2 years. I an not on board for the surgery which is too risky and may leave a lady with more problems than she started with. I think that finding the most natural way to help your constipation is a great idea. You may go through a few ideas before you find what really works best for you. If you are like me, when your rectum is full and you can not empty it, you are not feeling great....like carrying a golf ball or baseball in your vagina.....like that feels bad! Keeping a daily diary of what you are doing is a good idea. (You may get mixed up if you do not track what you are doing) I know the heavy lifting thing is hard....I have been a do it myself gal forever....and I guess I did it to myself! I find it hard to ask my husband to help me lift stuff, even though he is very happy to help me......it is not worth it when I overdo the lifting. I have gotten to this daily routine so far and it really helps me.....lots of water each day...48 to 64 oz. ...like just 6 oz. each hour.....Trader Joes Psyllium....no bread or pasta, lots of veggies and fruit. I also drink my breakfast each morning...protein shake kind of thing and I eat way less than I used to eat. The posture is a big help because as far as I can see, if we slump and tuck our butts, it squishes all those organs together and down....this is not helpful. This is not easy and no one talks about it......your friends would not understand anyway unless they have the same thing. Heck, I am 67 and I had NEVER heard of a Rectocele in my life. Best of luck....you will learn to manage it. C.

Surviving60

August 20, 2012 - 5:20pm

There's been enough written on this forum about constipation to fill a book. Obviously the least invasive and most natural dietary solutions are the best, though I guess some of us can solve that problem more easily than others. The bottom line is, any prolapsed woman who is still struggling with constipation and HASN'T adopted Whole Woman posture in every aspect of her life, is not doing everything she can for her prolapse and her overall health and well-being. Nothing wrong with having another constipation thread from time to time, but please, help your body along with WW posture, for goodness sakes. Upnorth, we know you're fit and you exercise quite a bit and you have good posture. We are talking about WW posture, right? Surviving

fab

August 20, 2012 - 7:12pm

Dear Upnorth

I’m less concerned for your “doing the bandaid thing” than for your desperation. Perhaps there is a kinder way for your body. These bulking agents you are taking perhaps could slowly be exchanged for natural fruit, vegs and whole grains if they are compatible to you. I personally tolerate well apple and broccoli.

The bulking agents give you a wider stool as a rule and they push through your narrower intestines, and that is my objection to them, apart from any additives a fiber supplement may include for purposes of taste and shelf life etc. A young healthy thirty years old can tolerate much more than a fifty year old. Also because they are absorbing a lot of fluid in the large intestine you need to be drinking more and more water. Water is addictive just like sugar and chocolate. Is it reasonable to wonder about the possible diluting effect on minerals? I wonder you do not have diarrhoea.

I also wonder how all this activity affects your prolapse.

To put the constipation down to hormonal changes is reasonable, but the problem is the hormonal change does not stop after menopause. When I said my constipation mitigated somewhat after menopause, it was only after trial and error and getting my diet right.

I googled menstrual cycle and constipation. This one was to the point.
http://www.fitsugar.com/What-Causes-Digestive-Issues-During-Menstrual-Pe...

You can google menopause and constipation, and I’m sure you have already. After that how about you concentrate on your POP, do the WW posture and exercises. They are specifically beneficial to prolapse.

Cheers Fab