My dh has been on so many different products for moving his bowels. They are generally very temporary and I end up going back to Fleets and digging it out. Please don't tell me about prunes, warm drinks, etc. they don't work for us. Senna Plus makes the stool soft but does not help it out. I was reading some of the coconut oil comments and wondered if that would help the bowels. Does anyone know? When a person cannot "push" the stool out even if it is soft, there must be another answer. Anyone? Thanks.
Hi Brindle, this is a natural remedy but it worked for me every time. I didn't like the idea of giving Gord a suppository. I was afraid I might end up being kicked through a wall. This recipe was given to a PSW by a Chinese doctor. You mix 3-4tsps of flax seed in a cup or so of water. Bring the mixture to a simmer for maybe 5 minutes. Let stand. Then strain it. It is really gloopy. I mixed it with warm water and lemon juice and sugar. I tasted it myself and it was good. Gord had a bowel movement every time after taking that. I told a dietician about it and she was horrified. She said you are taking a good fat and turning it into a bad fat. When I was desperate, I didn't care.
If I understood correctly, there are good fats in the flax seeds themselves. I think cooking them makes them bad. Once we got to 6 days without a bowel movement, I figured that was bad too. I opted for the bad fat over the impacted bowel and increased agitation.
Our doctor wrote a prescription for Polyethylene Glycol Powder. Costs about $35 a month and works great. I give DW a tablespoon twice a day. There are brand names for over the counter that work but cost much more. If DW goes 2 days with no BM we up the dose and "out it comes."
My caregivers had been using suppositories on my DH for about 6 months, and then after his hernia surgery in December (the hernia undoubtedly had contributed to the issue), one of the doctors suggested something called Heather's Tummy Fiber which I order from Amazon. I was skeptical, but ordered it, and guess what, it is working. We mix one one tsp. in yogurt or something similar 3 times a day, and sometimes we have to add miralax every few days, but we have only had to use a suppository once in the past two months, so it is a big improvement.
And jang, totally agree with you---we do not need to be worrying about bad fat at this point!!!! Just find something that works.....
Had a nurse visit yesterday and she suggested Smooth Move tea. Ever heard of it? You can drink it hot or cold. regular tea bags. Said in the beginning only give 1/2 cup to see how he does with it. Flax seed oil does not taste bad as I used to take it but I thought the directions indicated not to heat it.
I gave both myself and lo the Smove Move tea last night and today has been a day of real cleansing. It is not something you would drink every day. If lo does not have a bm in another 4 days, I will try it again so I know it is not a fluke.
i have also used the senna tea but in a very tasty fruit paste. it tastes really good and i spoon it on toast or bagel. smooth move tea has senna leaves as well.
1 lb pitted prunes 1lb raisins 1lb figs 4 oz senna tea steeped and drained/2cups water to make and steep tea 1cup apple juice 1 cup brown sugar
^^^^ you can half the amounts in proportions if you want to make less.
boil all fruit with strained tea for 5min or til tender to fork remove from heat and add brown sugar and apple juice/add more liquid if needed cool place in freezer and use as needed. it stays in paste form but doesnt freeze.
works great. and DH loves it on toast. 1-2 tablespoons per day til results. :) be careful.. grin
a very wise elderly hospice nurse gave me this recipe.
I found the Smooth Move tea at both CVS drugs and Ralph's market. I think it tastes really good and has a licorice aftertaste. I still use a suppository to help get it going in the mornings and then it is a real cleaning. My only problem is that if I give dh something to stop his mucous, it affects the bowels and makes them hard. Otherwise the tea seems to keep the stool soft as well. I saw the tea people (Traditional Medicinals) also make a Smooth Move with chocolate flavor.