So sorry to hear that you have this too, dmplaura! I have experienced not going for over a week, and then having the all a sudden urgency with little warning, sometimes resulting in an accident. I know exactly what you're talking about. Like you, extra fiber has nothing to do with it. It's a horrible and embarassing problem, and I really sympathize.

Lately, at the suggestion of my gastroenterologist, I've been managing it a little better by taking a hefty dose of Miralax (actually the Costco Kirkland store brand) 2X/day. He has assured me that this is safe--but who knows? I haven't noticed any side-effects. Most of the time this regimine keeps me going every day or every other day. If I haven't gone for over two days, I just sit and strain for as long as it takes. I know that is not good, but having an accident at work or elsewhere is pretty bad too, and nobody has offered me any better solution than that.

Thank you for sharing it's a terrible problem. I'm so thankful that I work from home and the washroom's just around the corner.

I think that our Costco has Miralax too (or the Kirkland brand). Right now I'm trying a large dose of magnesium oxide at bedtime (3 x 420 mg) and it seems to be doing the trick. I've been able to go 3 of the last 4 days.

I am still taking x4 stool softeners daily (per doctor advice), but I found the last 2 times I went, I really could have cut back on the SS. A little much. I figure I'll get a good routine going though... but I'll talk to my GP when I see her next month to discuss what she thinks about the magnesium, or if I would be better trying Miralax or something like that.

Right now I'm still very early in my trial run (lol) of the magnesium, but it seems to be doing the trick!

That's exactly it, dmplaura, you have to work at it with trial and error until you get just the right combo. The magnesium worked for me for a time, but I had to keep upping the dose, and started worrying that it was too much. Over the counter supplements may seem pretty safe, but some of them could be dangerous if you take too much. As long as you're taking a safe level of the magnesium, and it's working for you, then great!

I know how awful it is, and how it makes you feel that much less in control of your life. Good luck to you.

As you get used to the magnesium working, you may need a less stringent form of magnesium, perhaps one that is part mag Oxide and part other forms, such as Twinlab.
I'm glad that it's working!
I haven't had to go up much on mag since I started it 28 years ago. I started at 800mg.
and now am at 1000 mg. I don't take it for constipation but it works to keep me free of that. You may get into mild diarrhea with that dose of Mag Ox, but so far so good.

This may sound goofy, but I have found that if I eat the cereal called kashi go-lean for a few days....I go 'kashi GO-CLEAN' if you know what I mean :-)

Good luck

That's what I hear of the Kashi cereals from others too! I've tried them and honestly can't stand the taste of Kashi, but I have tried bran cereals, etc and no dice.

Magnesium is still doing it's trick, though I toned down to 2 instead of 3 tablets at night. Going to see how this amount works out.

A friend recently suggested a tbs of mineral oil each day. She would add to oj, apple sauce, oatmeal, smoothies and she swears by it. Me, thIs just sounds like it would be uncomfortable and potentially messy, imho.

Mineral oil is not something that one should use on a regular basis because it blocks the absorption of nutrients and minerals; as well as water of course, which is how it produces its affect.

With love, Erika

Good to know, thank you for the info! Glad I didn't try the mineral oil....the 'go-clean' cereal seems to do just fine for me thank goodness!

dmplaura

problems with my message system. Either I sent 4 or zero to you.