Totally Embarassing but I Am Gonna Ask....

If this makes you feel any better about Miralax - it used to be a prescription called Glycolax. About maybe 5 years ago they made it an over-the-counter. At the time it was a prescription, my daughter's pediatric gastro doctor told me it has been around FOREVER and has ZERO side effects. He said it is the one and only prescription that he will give out freely just because someone calls and asks for it - otherwise he wants you to come in for an appointment. He said don't hesitate to take when you need it, or every day. So no worries!
Also - I'm no doctor, but I think that there is only a problem if YOU think there is a problem. If you're feeling fine, and that's the way you are - why worry?

My sister has the same issue. She likes the herbal tea called smooth move. She says it is great and very gentle but reliable.

Hi Amy -

Yes, Miralax is safe to take once in a while. As an infant, my son used it everyday by the doctors orders until he was off of formula (from 1 month to 1 year)

I also have the same issue and use it regularly (once a week or so)

L.

While constipation is usually taken care of with a change in diet ie drinking more water and adding things with roughage like veggis and things high in fiber. If you can't get it with food you should see someone whom is experienced in natural supplements. Magnesium was given to me by my accupuncturist to help with increasing bathroom frequency, because she said to not go daily isn't good for toxicity reasons. I started taking magnesium I believe with citrate and i had to decrease because I was going multiple times a day. It definately works. Again talk with someone who is experienced in natural supplements, but try diet first.

Best of luck to you.

i could be wrong but i think it works best if taken daily.
how is your diet? try to eat high fiber foods and lots of fruits and veggies. i know for me if i go on a high carb binge then i get trouble.
also - colace works great you take it daily. my OB/GYN recommended it when i was pregnant.

Hi, I too am someone who goes only every few days, and never thought anything about it. I was told (by a friend) that I should go more often, even every day, but I can't imagine that. I don't eat as much fiber as this friend, but have added more, as well as exercise and water, but I feel fine and my doctors (ob and reg) were fine with it, as their feeling was each person is different and unless you are having discomfort, don't worry. Being constipated can make you tired though, so watch that as a symptom. I think taking a 'helper' every once in a while (once a week?) should be fine. Consult your physician - they've heard it all so don't be shy! good luck.

The vitamins I take have been know for helping with people with the same issues. I too do not go everyday, they seem to be helping. Fiber helps too, I use this all all natural fiber too. If you want to try the vitamins let me know, I will help you out! I actually work with a wellness company, they have a lot of info and products that help!

M. - SAHM and WAHM and love it!

Don't be embarrassed about asking this. Totally normal! :-)

It's more normal to "go" every day or every other day. Every day is the best. Some people do it more than once a day. So every five days isn't good for you.

Make sure you drink at least 1.5 liters of water a day; increase vegetable intake to 5 fruits and veggies a day;
have whole-grain pastas and bread;
have yogurt - like Activa or something like that designed to aid in GI activity;
avoid too much caffeine (sodas/coffees/caffeinated teas).

If all these measures don't help (but they should) ask your MD.

Good luck. In our family pooing is a regular (pardon the pun) conversation. You should make it one in yours too! You should know how often your kids go too...

Everyone has already given you some great nutritional advice and I hope it helps to hear that there are alot of us are right there with you. Just to ease your mind, I would ask your primary care doctor for a referral with a gastroenterologist to rule out any medical causes.

Amy
Having a bowel movement everyday helps your body not reabsorb the toxins that your colon is holding for elimination. There are several reasons that a body holds these products. One is are you drinking enough water. The normal amount to drink is ...... half of your body weight in ounces.....so if you weighed a 100 pounds you would drink 50 ounces of water.
The second reason is that your system does not have enough of the good bacteria to break down the toxins to eliminate them. This easily helped by eating yogurt at lease 1 time a day.
Hope these 2 things help you

C.

As with the above answer, I would suggest seeing your MD if the bloating continues after you are regular. Miralax is safe for long term use. So every once in a while is not a bad thing. it does not work the same way that Laxatives do. Laxatives can be dangerous if taken too long because they make it so that the muscles in the intestines dont work as well. Miralax wont do that and can be used every day or every other day safely. Some people take it every or every other day for long periods of time once they find a good measure that helps them go on a regular basis.

When you go infrequently your colon actually stretches to hold the amount of waste. That in turn means that you will not get the feeling to "go" until that large colon is full. In order to shrink the colon back I would use Miralax for a month or 2 until you go daily or every other day. After that it is OK to use for occasional constipation. The smaller colon will be full sooner and give you that feeling to "go". Just a warning: the dose advised on the Miralax bottle was WAY too large for my daughter, so I would start maybe the first day with the full capfull, but after that we did 1 teaspoon daily and that seemed to keep a 50-60 pound girl regular. For adults the dosing may be more accurate. Milk of Magnesia (M.O.M.) has similar effects and is a lot cheaper but does have a taste whereas Miralax is tasteless. Our doctor said M.O.M. daily was OK for a month or so and then for occasional use. Good luck.

it's great actually that you are taking steps to fix this problem. miralax is safe as far as i know. i mean if your daughter can take it then you can. but if you want more natural ways you can drink 2 glasses of warm water with a little lemon and salt first thing in the morning. this is also generally a healthy habit. depending on your system you might have to increase the water to 4 glasses (space it out a bit if it's too much) or bring it down to 1 once things get regular for you.
all the best.

Ideal transit time from mouth to elimination is approx. 18 hours. A system that is in perfect working order would result in elimination about 1 hour after every meal. The problem with waste sitting in the colon too long is that toxins can be reabsorbed back into the blood stream.

Are you drinking enough (non-municipal) water and consuming enough fiber? You may also want to consider adding probiotics to your daily regimen and eliminate sugar and white flour from your diet. For bloating, it may also help to massage your belly to get things moving. Go from left to right, as this is the direction the large intestine flows. Ultimately, bloating is caused by food fermenting in the gut, and this is happening because it is sitting too long in your system. Addressing the flora imbalance (activia is a good start) should eventually correct things for you.

Sorry, can't give actual advice on miralax. I would suggest keeping a food journal for a while and look for food triggers that are causing your loose stools, or exceptionally long transit times.

There is a reason why an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apples, when eaten at night (or during the day) will almost guarantee a regular BM in the morning. Probably because they contain both water and fiber - both really important factors in maintaining bowel regularity.

Don't be embarrassed! Everyone goes poop!! Some more than others. I get constipated a lot, but if I eat Fiber One honey clusters I go every day. It is a night and day difference. I would highly recommend a high fiber diet. Fiber One cereal works wonders and delivers 50% of your daily fiber. I also take benefiber at times, which helps a little, but not like the cereal. Best of luck to you!!

HI Amy- I'm no doctor, but my kids have had experience with Miralax and I've had lots of conversations with doctors about their poop routine, etc.
Some people are very firm believers that people must poop at least once per day-if not, you're constipated! Others, including some doctors, believe that everyone has different schedules for their bodies, and as long as there are no problems caused by not going daily (e.g. soiling, pressure, bloating, loss of appetite) then don't worry about it. I agree with the latter group.
One of my daughters, now 10, has had issues with withholding her poop. We started to give her Miralax, at the advice of her pediatrician to make the poop softer, and harder for her to hold in. (She'd been having accidents. X-rays showed she was full of poop. Her belly was distended, and she couldn't eat much because there was no where for the food to go-literally that full of poop!). She did start going more frequently, but still having accidents. So we were referred to a gastroenterologist. They were obsessed with "getting her cleaned out", and if she wasn't going every day, then she MUST be constipated!!!!. So, we gave her more Miralax. She had more accidents because her poop was sooo loose she just couldn't hold it in. A rather embarrassing problem for a 10 year to have.
My daughter kept telling me that her body just wasn't giving her a signal when she had to go, and that's why she kept having accidents. She asked to have the amount of Miralax reduced, but I was sure the gastro. doctors were right. They're doctors after all, right? Well, I finally listened to my daughter, and gave her less Miralax. The accidents have nearly disappeared. She typically poops every other day, and that seems to be just the way it is.
So, long story short, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". I wouldn't worry about your pooping habits. Yes, Miralax now and then should be fine. That's what it's for. Too much, and you'll be sitting on the toilet all day, so don't overdue it to try to make your body do something it doesn't naturally want to do.

I'm not sure what other responses you have gotten, but this is not normal. The body is meant to eliminate regularly. You shouldn't need Miralax at all. I would recommend getting some probiotics at the health food store (these are the healthy stuff that is in Activia but more concentrated) - I take daily. I struggled with chronic constipation my whole life until I started taking them, and also went off gluten - gluten is a major factor in bowel problems for many people. Could be your daughter's problem too, as it can be hereditary. I would research gluten intolerance and possibly dairy intolerance as well.

I was chronically constipated my entire adult like (looked three months pregnant by Friday-only went on weekends)
and thought this was normal.
Now I take Reliv nutritional shakes daily-and go daily without dietary changes or any effort. This is better for my body since the colon holds toxicity and this has been shown to be the cause of many illnesses.
It may not be for you-but it has been a godsend for me.
J. H

Hi Amy, You are sooooo brave to step out of your comfort zone and ask for help with this -- I am very proud of you! My sincere recommendation is to see Dr. Ellen Blomerth who is located at the corner of Lowell Street and Rt. 1 in Peabody. Her office number is ###-###-####. Her office is on the lower level beside the gym. She is more than willing to speak with you over the phone before you even make your appointment, if that makes you more comfortable. She is the only chiropractor on the east coast who has been trained in a particular "gentle method", and she specializes in women and children. She is amazing - very gentle and quiet but incredibly knowledgable. She is the first female president of the Massachusetts Chiropractic Association! Dr. Ellen has helped so many babies with colic and various bowel issues. I can't tell you how many parents sing her praises, because they finally can sleep through the night because their baby now sleeps through the night. I urge you to make an appointment with her. It's a non-invasive quiet appointment that could change your life. She is very easy to talk with. Please call her and tell her that I referred you. I wish you peace and relief from your issues. Take care. Oh, be sure to ask for Dr. Ellen, as her husband, Dr. Steve, is also in the business with her but was not schooled in this "gentle method". E. Taft

Amy,

Colace works great! No tummy ache when you take it either. I have had this problem for years!!! But now I just take one or two per day. Drink lots of water, real important. Just go over your diet also, squeeze some fruits and veggie in there. You will be good to GO!!

D.

I don't want to score you but, please see another doctor. You should be going more frequently. I have severe food allergies ( celiac sprue) and one ofthe symptoms is constipation (also , gas, boating, fatigue, possible rashes). Gas and constant bloating are also not normal. I hope this helps.

my two children sometimes have problems with going the bathroom. Their dr. suggested last year to have them drink at least 1 glass of cranberry juice -any flavor combo is fine too. once a day. It has been a god send and my children don't have anymore stomach pains or problems going the bathroom. You might want to try this first as I don't go everyday either and have always been that way and I also drink the cranberry juice and have become a little bit more regular than before. Hope it works for you. good luck

I think more people should talk about poop,if they did there would be less illness and deaths. Going every day is really important because the longer the waste sits in the colon the more toxins you have in your system . I have always had a difficult time but over the years have learned some tricks.Two very important things you can do for yourself and your child is add in probiotics ( not just with yogurt but get a refrigerated capsule or powder that has more concentrated good bacteria in it) You can also take magnesium citrate in powder form ( the best one is natural calm by peter gillhams NATURAL VITALITY) your daughter can take the one they make for children. Another great natural remedy cod liver oil by NORDIC NATURALS ( NO fishy taste ) One last thing is enzymes ( help break down the food you eat) Not going to mention the C word but I will say that if i was you I would get a test for gluten intolerance . That was the issue with both of my children and is very common . If you don't know the details about it you can visit www.glutenfreegoddess . I Hope some of this info is helpful. good luck- L. C

First....Take this serious....get yourself a piece of paper and write down all the good suggestions you get. I'd stick to the natural methods instead of the drug ones. Drugs are only temporary and can be habbit-forming and cause more harm in the long run. Keep this list handy and try any and all of them to find out what works best for "you". Everyone is different. It is Extremely important to eliminate more frequently. Your health will lack in the long run if you don't. "Probiotics: could possible be your missing link here and is sooo important in good colon health. There's no side effects and no worry about taking it. Try the activia for 2 weeks like the commercial says for now. It really does work. I get the organic Stonyfields drinks. I have to drink one everyday for it to really work for me. Make sure you eat a lot of fruits and vegies and fiber. All Bran cereal works great for me too. Drink lots of water too. Psyllium husks are one of the best ways to add fiber to your diet too. Whole foods natural health food store has the probiotics. It's the "good" bacteria that your colon needs to function properly. Be very faithful in taking them when you are supposed to. You can ask someone in that department for advice on taking them. You will also learn that whatever works for you..... you may need to do for the rest of your life. So..."go natural". Some people have to put more effort into it than others. You will always be one of those people. Don't listen to the ones that is not.
I'd google a naturopathic doctor in your area and get his or her advice if this doesn't work. Always go natural. It's sooo much better for you than anything you will buy in the drug store.
Good Luck,
S.

I am sure you're fine but bloating can be a sign of ovarian cancer, I really don't wantt to worry you, but on the slight chance it is something serious, see your doctor.

A more natural approach to this is flax seed oil or pills. Loose isn't neccessarily bad. Especially when first changing something in your diet. Flax seed pills can be taken daily and is very safe. For me I prefer to take the more natural approach to things. So I'm not sure of Mirilax myself but your DR did say it was safe.
If it were me I would get some flax seed and/or visit my local health food store and ask the person working there. They ussually know a tea or something like flax seed that will help and be a more natural approach than chemically made stuff.
But that's just me and I am a to each his own kind of person and will only suggest what I do. My in laws would stick with the over the counter stuff. So...if you take what I suugest with a grain of salt, that's okay with me to...you have to do what is right and feel comfortable for you.

Miralax is perfectly safe to take long term or short term. There are no side effects.

When I was a teenager, my mother took me to the doctor because I did not have regular bowel movements. I never did and I never have. I was told that "this is the way my body is" as long as there were no other symptoms. So, I don't think the lack of regularity is the problem (especially if you are producing loose stools). I do think it is the bloating that is the problem - especially if it something new. That is, you can force your body to become regular, but if you still experience the bloating, then there is something wrong (perhaps a developed lactose intolerance or other allergy). I would explain that to your doc as the problem.
Good luck,
C.

I would recommend seeing a gastroenterologist. It could be Irritable Bowel Syndrome (?)

You're not the only one! i dont go every day but i do go regularly if i drink lots of fruit juice, so whenever i give my daughter juice i try and drink a big glass to! hope its helpful,