Magnesium and constipation?
 

Has anyone tried magnesium for constipation, if so what dose do you take. Thanks:):)

i take phillips MOM tablets. I take 2 each night on a regular basis, and up to 4 if I am getting backed up. I also take a stool softener like colace that has a senna laxative in it. Very gentle way to keep the workers moving. its easy for me to get stopped up, as I have a gastro issue where my tummy doesnt want to move, so I like magnesium as my drug of choice.

I haven't tried it but I know many people take magnesium for it's laxative effect. Apparently, magnesium oxide has the most laxative effect.

I try to deal with it naturally. I have found that canned pears help me the most. I am not sure why but it works for me.

I can vouch for both canned pears and magnesium. I have not had the neurological
constipation for a long long time, because I take magnesium, not the laxative form, but
as a supplement. A neurologist told me to take it for spasm and jerks many years ago when I could not tolerate Baclofen or the other usual one. I have to take about 900-1000
to keep spasm and jerks in line, and a side effect is no more constipation.

i read here on the MS forum about pears many years ago, and I gave them daily to my
husband, who was wheelchair bound and likely to get constipated. It worked for him too.
On that rare occasion when I myself get constipated (once a year or so) I use canned pears.

When I was younger and chronically constipated I used the senna tablets. But i don't need them now.

I have dealt with problems of constipation from a very early age --- as an infant. By the time I was 2 years old I had surgery to remove 3 feet of intestines.

Since I have dealt with constipation for most of my life I don't necessarily consider it part of my MS, although it is possible.

Well, this ended up being a roundabout way of saying yes, I use 500mg Magnesium to regulate my bowels along with metamucil and fish oil. For constipation I do feel Magnesium works quite well. I use Magnesium alone, not a Magnesium/Calcium as I have found calcium supplements causes constipation...for me.

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.

Constipation
 

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!

Fiber One Honey Clusters Cereal
 

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.

Severe Constipation & Pain in bowls
 

I suffer from severe pain & limited bowl movements....My GP(general pratitioner) has prescribed me Reglan & Librax...
I am supposed to take both...I am also prescribed Loratabs,flexeril,Gabapentin,Vit B12,Vit D,Heck can't remember them all.

I know the Loratabs can cause constipation. But don't take them everyday either...So that shouldn't bew the complete cause since it has alsways been normal for me to go only 2-3 days....Sometimes only 1 time a week.
I went to the doctor about 2 weeks ago with just severe pain & tears coming to my eyes so bad...My GP thought I might have a twisted colon. But luckily no...
So, any suggestions?

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..:D:p:hug:

reglan is tremendously helpful IF you can take it. I have twitches, tremors and facial grimaces. its horrible! I have been given a med that my MD had to petition the FDA to get into the country, called motillium, and it works very similar to reglan, but without the tardive dyskinesia.

I count heavily on mag to keep me regular. my poor tummy just doesnt understand any more what its supposed to be doing.