This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Thank you, hlm286. Your post, "Constipation," gave me the perfect place to add this information: as the "official resident The Dr. Oz Show watcher," a segment of his show this week dealt with constipation, hemorrhoids, spasms in the perineum (these last two topics are covered in part two, I believe). People with MS suffer from some of these problems and may find it interesting to view this video:

http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/kick-pain-your-butt-pt-1

I found his mention of Botox for constipation very interesting (about 2:50 in this short three-minute video); at least, it is something new to try. (Remember, I am the insulin girl.) Since I know that excess insulin thickens and stiffens smooth muscles AND since I know that the sphincter muscles are smooth muscles, it makes perfect sense to me that injections of Botox into those smooth muscles of the anus would allow them to relax and ease constipation.

Got to be always thinking!

Eating a bunch of fish oil helps me. I guess it lubes the stuff up lol. Not sure if that is safe while pregnant. If not try olive oil capsules?

Just in case it was not mentioned before-lots and lots of water!

Ooof that pregnancy constipation lark is horrible. Been there, worn the t-shirt.
I did find crushed flaxseeds and ground flaxseeds excellent. I used to soak them in water for a few hours until they got gloopy and then mixed them with a fruit yoghurt. I also drank lots of fruit smoothies. But even then the pregnancy hormones really make the constipation bad - but flaxseeds and water does help a good bit.

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Concussus Resurgo
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RR-MS dx 1998 and Coeliac dx 2003
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Copaxone, Cymbalta. EPO, Fish Oils, Vitamin D3 2000 IU daily, Cal/Mag/Zinc, Multivitamin/mineral, Co-Enzyme Q10, Probiotics, Milk Thistle.

Sorry you are having this problem. I have been battling it for many years. Give this a try - eat six prunes and drink two large glasses of water. This almost always works for me.

Additionally, I drink a lot of water during the day and walk on the treadmill 4-5 nights for 45 minutes! Bananas are NOT my friend although I love them.

Good luck!

I thought mine was all caused by slow motility and the like so I started megadosing water. That sucked as my bladder is worse than my constipation! At any rate, once I started using condom catheters, I became regular as a baby. It was sphincter disynergy the whole time and within an hour of putting one of those one, I shit like the wind.

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http://myhopefuljourneyintoactualmsreco ... ogspot.com

Hey guys,

I posted this topic so long ago, I was suprised to find it back at the top again. Well it's good because it gives me ther chance to share my findings...

As you know from my original post, I had been having problems with constipation, and not just from diagnosis, but my entire life. I stated that eliminating wheat and dairy didn't seem to help, but the truth was, I didn't eliminate them, I just reduced them. Well, I have a cousin who has a milk protien intollerance. She too had suffered with constipation her entire life, then as an adult, spent hundreds of dollars on a naturalist specialist and had to go on a cleansing diet and eliminate all foods and slowly reintroduce them until she finally realized that it was the protien in milk causing her constipation and digestive problems. She eliminated dairy from her diet, and she's been fine ever since. All 3 of her children have the same intollerance as well. She always advised me to try eliminating dairy and I would say "Well I only have a half cup of skim milk a day, no yogurt or cheese... it cant be that." However, after my diagnosis, I started trying the BBD and eliminated dairy entirely. I was amazed to find in little time, I was having normal bowel movements!!! For the first time in my life, I actually felt "normal"! I haven't eaten dairy (other than the few fallings to chocolate or cheese on occasion ) in almost 2 years now, and have been "normal" ever since! However, if I do consume dairy, I do pay for it badly with consitpation.

Just thought I'd share because I've done research and milk protien intollerance (not to be confused with lactose intollerance - totally different) is soo common, but people don't realize it. Even doctors aren't educated on it! My daughter has the same intollerance and I took her to the doctor for her constipation and said to the doctor that I think it's the dairy and she said "no, dairy causes diarrhea..."

So if you're having alot of troubles with constipation, I strongly suggest just trying to eliminate ALL dairy from your diet for just a week or two, just give it a chance, and see if it makes a difference. It's worth a shot! And I've never looked back!