I get constipated all the time...say at least 4-5 times a month. Nobody has ever said anything to me about magnesium! I'm going to start this this week. As for the pears, they are loaded with fiber just like apples.

Snoopy, I take my mag separate from Calcium. I take my mag with lunch and dinner,
and calcium between meals, whenever I remember between lunch and dinner, dinner and bedtime, or even breakfast and lunch. I learned that it was best to keep them separate because we need both but they are antagonists in what they do to our nerves and muscles.
I have to have calcium too, to keep from jerks and spasms, which are more pronounced now....but it I get enough of both, I do not jerk and spasm at night. I also take B1 at night.

I've had problems with constipation since MS even before I started taking any of its medications.

Take 2 stool softeners daily
Drink Metamucil daily
If it is still a problem, drink MiraLax daily
Prunes can be added to your diet
Fiber One's cereal or their fiber bar should be eaten daily
Drink plenty of water daily
Exercise daily

Take care.

I can attest to all the above. I find that increasing water intake is HUGE, as is exercising (a simple walk can make a world of difference, if you can't walk, movement involving the gut if possible).

I like the Metamucil clearly fibre stuff, I will mix teaspoons of it with my herbal (caffeine free) tea. Can't even tell the stuff's in the tea.

Fiber (or in Canada, Fibre) One Bars are Amazing!! I love the oats and peanut butter the best. Sooooo yummy, and they do help you to go!

Just wanted to add Fiber One Honey Clusters cereal tastes sooo good and has 51% of your daily fiber.

I take 400 mg. of magnesium citrate a night. It helps my constipation (along with taking probiotics) and it got rid of the minor twitches and tremors.

Natalie, it works for me just that way. Except I have to take twice what you do. If anyone tries it at 400 mg and it doesn't help enough, try twice as much. Some of us seem to use up magnesium at an unusual rate. Of course there's always the danger of diarrhea, and this is made less troublesome by using any form of mag other than citrate. I use Oxide,
and have used Taurate, Asparotate, and several others in combinations. My neuro said to try anything that does not cause diarrhea. If I get diarrhea I eat blackberries. That works so well that I must be careful not to go too far the other way. Feel like a test tube. I AM a test tube.

Hi. I'm visiting here from the Peripheral Neuropathy squadron.


I've been wrestling with severe constipation for the past three months. It's not related to diet or exercise or water intake, and I have been looked over by a gastroenterologist.

Metamusil gives me gas. Miralax works somewhat, on the second day. Philips MOM is not helping much (though I keep the doses modest).

I was worried that the magnesium that I have been taking for my PN symptoms may have given me chronic constipation, but I gather from you all that magnesium is safe in this regard.

I'm going to try a high dose of magnesium oxide (800-1000 mgs) tonight.

Thanks.

Happy we could be of help, nervous..