Need help becoming "regular" - Fiber?

[Kntrylady]

OK everyone, I'm at the point I need some ideas and advice.

It's been just a touch over 1 month since I've been back to Atkins. I've lost 13.5 pounds and feel great (mostly). In addition to the fiber from veggies, I've been adding fiber. I've added 2 Tablespoon psyllium in the morning, 1 Tablespoon Beni-fiber at lunch, and a minute muffin with 3 Tablespoon Flax Meal at night. I'm walking about 4 miles a day, plus at least 100 oz of water + other beverages. And still, my system is at a snails pace, about once a week if I'm lucky (and that part makes me feel miserable). Twice that has been achieved with the help of a laxative. I even tried adding a couple of cups of caffeinated coffee a day this week to see if that would help....Nope.

Any ideas that might help will be eagerly reviewed. I never have been overly regular on a high carb lifestyle, but at least 2-3 times a week. This is getting uncomfortably frustrating .

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Need help becoming "regular" - Fiber?

Wow ... that's a lot of fiber in one day ... are you sure it's not having the opposite effect (it can, you know!)?

What are you eating in the vegetable department?

How much plain water are you drinking?

Have you tried a magnesium supplement?

[Suzanne_H]

Re: Need help becoming "regular" - Fiber?

This is interesting. I had no idea adding too much fiber could have the opposite effect? wow...

I have heard that taking a vitamin supplement high in iron and doing Atkins don't mix well for the very reason that it can cause constipation.

I'm curious, because I've been suffering similar issues. I find that adding flaxmeal as much as possible does help and is much more effective than the psyllium husk treatment, or at least for me it does.

[Ohbehave007]

Re: Need help becoming "regular" - Fiber?

I have been to the doctor twice because I had become obstructed pretty high up in my colon. Due to this I have been trying to get as much fiber as possible without getting to much. I have figured out that 30-35g of fiber is enough to get me going at least 1 a day.

You might want to track your fiber and see if you are getting to much, this can cause you to block up.

Good luck, I know it is really uncomfortable and in my cause very painful.

[Kntrylady]

Re: Need help becoming "regular" - Fiber?

Wow ... that's a lot of fiber in one day ... are you sure it's
 not having the opposite effect (it can, you know!)?

I hadn't considered the fiber being the cause, since I have been adding it bit by bit in the last month trying to resolve this issue

What are you eating in the vegetable department?

I typically eat asparagus, avocado, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, green beans, romaine lettuce, spinach. Since I started Rung 1, added some Pumpkin and tomatoes to help up my carbs

How much plain water are you drinking?

100 - 120 oz a day

Have you tried a magnesium supplement?

??? Haven't tried this in specific. Being post menopausal, I take a 1000mg Calcium/400 mg Magnesium/15 mg Zinc/1mg copper supplement. But thinking about it, magnesium is what they use for colonoscopies isn't it? So smaller doses just might work.

Thanks, I'll give it a try after I make the long.... drive to town to get some.

[atkinsgal08]

Re: Need help becoming "regular" - Fiber?

>>I typically eat asparagus, avocado, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, green beans, romaine lettuce, spinach. Since I started Rung 1, added some Pumpkin and tomatoes to help up my carbs >>

What's the net carb count of that ... and what's the fiber count?

Other than the fiber supplements, how much fiber do you get per day from your food?

>>100 - 120 oz a day >>

That might not be enough considering how much fiber supplements you're having.

For your body weight alone, 140 ounces might be a good amount of water ... and then an extra 8 ounces for each serving of fiber supplement. So what you're currently drinking might not be enough water. Not enough water will cause the fiber in the supplements to draw it out of your body ... and ... well, I think you can get the idea!

[sallyseachange]

Re: Need help becoming "regular" - Fiber?

Make sure you drink lots of water at the same time as taking your flax meal... it really can have the opposite effect if not "wet" enough.

A nice big portion of spinach is my veggie of choice when things get a bit "stuck". For me, works every time!

[ognum]

Re: Need help becoming "regular" - Fiber?

I am interested in this topic as I truly believe that we can become over obsessed with having our bowels opened every day. For most people bowel movements will sort themselves out, you can go for a week or more without having a bowel movement and it is really not unhealthy.
The lack of bowel movement has happened to me on Atkins, just wait and it will happen eventually. Providing you are occasionally passing wind you will know you are not obstructed, drink water and exercise and wait.
We really do not need to go every day!

[barrnone]

Re: Need help becoming "regular" - Fiber?

just my 2cents...when I started, I had problems also. I find that I just have to 'sit' longer it eventually happens...every day. I just get comfortable and work on sudoko puzzles and drink coffee - I feel silly, but it works.

ps I used to laugh at my mother because she used to take a tv tray into the bathroom and play solitaire - guess it all comes 'round eventually.

[Ohbehave007]

Re: Need help becoming "regular" - Fiber?

ps I used to laugh at my mother because she used to take a tv tray into the bathroom and play solitaire - guess it all comes 'round eventually.

Thats a great idea!

[Kntrylady]

Re: Need help becoming "regular" - Fiber?

I'm happy to report that my "system" is finally working right. I've changed things to start my day with a hot flax cereal (3T flax, hot water, 1 T cream, little sweetner), and no extra fiber through the day. I think the main thing, I raised my magnesium intake. It wasn't so much being plugged, it was that my intestines were sleeping.

Thanks for all the suggestions.