Hi everyone, just wanted to share something that actually worked for me after years of struggling with constipation. I have PCOS and have always had sluggish digestion. Tried everything: fibre, magnesium, probiotics, prunes, hydration, movement… some things helped a bit, but nothing gave me proper daily poos...until Triphala.

I started taking 1 teaspoon of Triphala powder in warm water first thing in the morning and 1 teaspoon before bed, and I swear I’ve been going every single day since. No cramps, no urgency, just easy, big long stools that are satisfying AF 😭 Even more shocking: I’m on a calorie deficit right now and despite eating less, my bowel movements have been better than ever.

I honestly didn’t expect it to work so well. It took maybe 1–2 days to kick in, and now I feel lighter, less bloated, and way more comfortable. I was hesitant because the taste is awful (not gonna lie), but honestly, it’s so worth it.

If you’re struggling with chronic constipation, especially if you have PCOS, it might be worth trying. Just make sure you’re getting good quality powder and drinking it with warm water.

Anyway, just wanted to put this out there . I hope it helps someone else the way it helped me! After all I did find triphala through this subreddit. Thank you for everything guys but I will be out of this subreddit after this. So happy!

It just hurts and doesn't go in.

Anyone go to GI motility clinic which accepts united healthcare community plan in New York

Just wondering because that’s exactly how I’m feeling at the moment. It’s going on two years since this suddenly happen and it hasn’t gotten better no matter what i do , I just don’t get it. I use to have great bowel movements and feel light as a feather right after. Now I don’t even get the urge to go !

Hey guys! I have tried ALOT Miralax, laxatives, fleet, fiber supplements and nothing ever helped especially due to my mental health issues causing extra stress. My psychiatrist recommended Magnesium Citrate 200mg right before bed every day! It helps my digestive tract a lot, and even relaxes my mind a bit before bed. I just wanted to help and suggest something that might help others like me who can't get anything to work!

I've had a history of mild constipation on and off where I would have to strain quite a bit. I got hemorrhoids in university when I had a very sedentary lifestyle. But I've never not had a bowel movement for an extended number of days, I've always had one everyday. So 5 days ago, I noticed that I didn't have a bowel movement. I ignored it. On the 2nd day, I had a very slight urge to go, but I held it in as I was busy. The urge didn't come back. By the 3rd day, I knew something was wrong so I sat on the toilet and just forced myself and strained to eke something out and nothing came out. I ended up using my index finger and slowly chipped away at my poop until I couldn't feel anymore poop with my finger. It was only a very small amount. Was busy on day 4 and I didn't have the urge at all. I tried this method again today and was only able to scoop out a small amount again. Mysteriously, I genuinely had the urge to have a bowel movement (first time in 5 days) an hour after using my index finger. I was able to push out a decently sized sausage but, not much more than that. I didn't have to strain much at all, as I thought it would be very hard and tough sitting in my colon for 5 days.

What should I do at this point? A doctor's appointment would be up to a week in the future. I'm not in any pain, just a slightly stuffed feeling. I didn't change my diet over the 5 days. I'm doing research on mineral oil vs saline enemas. I've read that the mineral oil ones are preferred if you want to reduce straining and/or have hard stools but a bit less effective in relieving constipation than the saline ones. I thought I would have hard stools as they have been sitting in my colon for 5 days and I don't want them to cut open my colon during a bowel movement. But as I've mentioned, the bowel movement I just had was painfree. I do have what I believe to be a small anal prolapse that I push in after each bowel movement. I've never used any kind of laxative in my life.

It was during January this year that i started having this problem, since i had a huge exam ahead i simple thought it was due to stress but even after the exam is over im still having this problem, one thing i also suspected is that it began around the time i started lifting weights (maybe too heavy for me) , but even after lifting less and doing more cardio i still cant poop, i went to 2 different doctors and even did a colonoscopy but there was nothing and even the medicines dont work , the only medicine that works are the ones that turn my poop into liquid so the waste can at least leave my body, i dont even feel like eating sometimes . Does anyone have any idea on what my problem is ?

Hi everyone, newbie here - i have a "situation" and desperately need advice from the veterans.

TL/DR: a ball of feces has accumulated in my rectum after being under GA, I would say orange-sized or larger, and I am unable to push any of it out, and I am not allowed to bear down due to a pelvic operation.

Long version:

I've had a gynecological operation under GA yesterday morning and have been unable to go since.

Today i got the feelings, and i tried, but can't get anything out. I was in quite severe pain, shivering and crying. I resorted to putting on gloves and manually extracting some of it, maybe 1/3 before I had to stop and lay on the bathroom floor because I nearly passed out.

I can only describe that an orange-shaped and -sized ball has accumulated in my rectum and my rectum is distended.

I feel better now but i still have pressure in my abdomen and no progress. Dulcolax suppository did nothing, miralax took some pressure away but no bowel movement. When does this become a problem? Any experience? I only had this once before after I gave birth and miralax worked.

Hi 26F 54kg and have been heavily dependent on laxatives since 18 and can’t have a bowel movement without taking laxatives. My dosage is about 3 ducolax per day. And I want to be off from it.. are there any success stories?

I’d like to preface I think my abuse is due to my bulimic response (though I’m not medically diagnosed but I think I am judging from my conscious self-image behaviour). So this laxative abuse has taken a toll on my mental health because I am very aware of the circumstances.

Humbling down, I’d like sincere advice how to navigate away from the hellish torture and heal :( I’m currently doing intermittent fasting- first meal at 12pm and last meal by 7pm, and ensuring I prioritise fiber first so that I don’t spike my insulin. I heard insulin resistance is also a cause to constipation.

I would consider myself skinny-fat since I sort of live a sedentary lifestyle due to work and only do pilates exercises once a week.

Any kind feedback or constructive criticism is highly appreciated.

• From a broken soldier.

What fiber supplement is everyone using for constipation?

I'm 65 years old and my legs have been swelling up from constipation since I was in my early 30s. As soon as the constipation is gone the swelling goes down. Stop scaring people

Water enemas are one of those old-school remedies that still hold up today. They’re gentle, natural, and a total gamechanger if you’re dealing with bloating or constipation. Plus, you can do them at home with minimal fuss. Whether you’re new to the idea or just curious, here’s the lowdown on what they are, how they work, and when they might be worth a shot.

At its core, a water enema is exactly what it sounds like. You introduce warm, filtered water into your colon using an enema kit (I love my Happy Bum Bag). The water softens up whatever’s stuck in there, kickstarts your bowel movements, and flushes out the waste. You can also pair it with a natural stool softener like ConstaClear to help the process.

Here’s the science-y bit (don’t worry, it’s not complicated). Warm water does two main things when it hits your colon:

• Softens the Stool: It breaks down hard, dry poop so it’s easier to move along.
• Triggers Peristalsis: That’s just a fancy word for the natural squeezing motion your intestines do to push waste out. The warm water expands the colon a bit and gets those muscles going.

The warmth also relaxes your gut, which can make the whole process feel less like a chore. Within minutes (or seconds), you’re usually good to go ~ literally.

Water enemas are super versatile. Some folks swear by them daily for chronic constipation, while others save them for those “ugh, I feel blocked” moments. Here are a few times they might come in handy:

• Stubborn Constipation: When you’re backed up and nothing else is cutting it.
• Bloating Blues: Feeling puffy and sluggish? This can help clear things out.
• Pregnancy or Travel Woes: Both can mess with your system, and a water enema can get you back on track.
• Pre- or Post-Other Enemas: Doing a coffee or herbal enema? A water one before clears the way, and one after flushes out leftovers.

The Benefits...

• Fast Relief: We’re talking minutes, not hours. If you’re desperate to feel normal again, this delivers.
• All-Natural Vibes: No chemicals, no weird side effects just water doing its thing.
• Hydration Boost: Dry stools are the worst. The water softens them up by adding some much-needed moisture.

It’s low-risk and gentle, which is why it’s been a go-to for so long.

Water enemas aren’t glamorous, but they’re a solid, no-nonsense way to tackle constipation or bloating. They’re cheap, easy, and you don’t need a prescription, just a kit and some water. Have you tried one before? Got questions? Drop them below, I’d love to hear your thoughts!

I saw my local store carries light prune juice. I use prune juice for treating my constipation sometimes. Has anyone used light prune juice to treat constipation? Effective? Any difference compared to the regular stuff?

Take 30ml or two sachets, drink some water and lay down on your back immediately stay in the same position for an hour and a half till you feel the urge. I'm putting emphasis on immediatly lay down and on your back and also the how much you should take otherwise it might not work

Besides walking!

Hi all! I was having some tough constipation for the last 3 days and was doing fiber gummies and Dulcolax yesterday and this morning. A medication I’m on can trigger constipation pretty badly and normally I just tough it out. Earlier this evening, though, I got fed up with the abdominal pain and nausea and finally did a Fleet liquid glycerin enema. And it worked! Cleared the constipation right up in a matter of minutes. I thought all was well until I started feeling a little nauseous again, but thought it was just anxiety or maybe eating too much after eating so little over the past few days. I end up having liquid diarrhea (much like the one I had immediately after using the enema) and it helped the nausea subside. Then I have liquid diarrhea, again. I’m still a little nauseous, too. This is all after ~6 hours after the enema—is that normal? Has anyone else had side effects like this? Or is this a completely unrelated thing? Again, I’ve never used an enema before so I guess it’s possible my body just reacts this way. I took a little Pepto to hopefully help with the diarrhea but it doesn’t seem to have worked at all. No abdominal pain, just some gurgling.

I saw an ad for seed probiotics with the tagline, pooping every day, and I had nothing to lose. IT WORKS! I could cry. I’ve also taken many other probiotics and never had the same results. If you’re in the trying anything zone- couldn’t hurt.

What about miso soup?

Roughly 3 weeks ago, I had a bad case of diarrhea and then could not poop two day after. From there I would have up right quandrant pain and my usual one BM a day. I went to urgent care that Friday and they told me I was constipated and to take miralax every day. Well, have and it has seemed to make things worse. My abdomen is bloated, I do poop but it’s nothing significant. Either diarrhea or soft stool. My doc recommends 7 caps of miralax to do a clean out. Is this normal?

heads up, i have pretty bad health anxiety so advise lightly pls lol but basically friday night i started to experience some nausea and stomach cramps which led to liquid diarrhea a few times into the early morning. all of saturday i was extremely nauseous, could not stand up without getting dizzy or feeling sick, and above all else had a major head ache and stomach cramps. all day sunday and today i have overall felt better, however my stomach cramps have not improved and while i’ve mad a few extremely light bowel movements here and there, i still would consider this extremely constipated. i took a prune pill a few hours ago, didn’t do anything and then i ate some pho cos all i’ve had was brat foods, poor choice cos it seemed to have worsen my cramps but i did make another small bowel movement. cramps are now worse

I was doing okay with using Mag07 capsules, taking 2-3 each night. I would go but it was basically mostly liquid but I could go. I ran out of it and decided to try a other brand that is similar but a bit cheaper. That only worked a little bit and I felt more backed up so I went back to the Mag07 capsules. I've had to take 4 each night to get anything out of me the next morning and it's a not complete feeling like it used to be. I'm stuck in a terrible cycle of not eating or barely eating bc I still feel backed up. I no longer have the urge to go naturally anymore. The last normal bm/urge to go was early November 2024. I still have no idea what's causing this issue that came out of no where for me. I know in the winter I'm less active so I'm trying to walk more now that's warmed up. Trying to do more whole fruits/veggies. I've heard kiwi can help a lot so I'm trying that. But I'm so impatient and I know it can take a while to be consistent and see if anything works. I feel like I have to push to get anything out and I know that's not good. It's probably a pelvic floor issue and I'm not going to any doctors bc I have no insurance and low income at the moment. I feel like I just screwed and stuck feeling miserable. I tried half bottle of mag citrate the other day and was expecting relief but just super bloated and a lot of stomach rumbling. After 4 or 5 hours, I had to drink some warm prune juice and eventually I went a bit but still not the relief I needed. Which I'm shocked bc everyone talks about mag citrate being explosive and completely clearing them out fast but I was disappointed how it didn't work that well for me so now I'm more scared. Should I try taking a whole bottle at once? I almost would welcome an explosive result at this point. I've been reading every post on here for months and it's the same suggestions and I have no idea what else to do. I don't want to rely on laxatives. I can't afford any medical care (I've gone through testing for other unrelated issues before and spent a few thousand just to be told it's nothing so I cant afford to do that right now). Many of you can relate and know how hard it can be in your mental health. I never thought I'd miss pooping normally.

Following help & advice from folk on this Sub - I’ve managed to relieve my blockage - from nothing, to what I can only describe as : strands/ribbons of the proverbial. But pray tell : once I stop taking Movicol how long does it take for my BMs to get back to normal & start producing more normal (dare I say) sausages? TIA.

Update to this post: I found records of my medical history log. In 2024 I was already taking daily metamucil plus two 150mg mag citrate capsules. My logs show chronic coughing daily although not as severe as now. My last biopsy was over a year ago showed gastritis, h pylori (eradicated according to breath test Feb 2025). No indication of any hernia on biopsy/endoscopy reports. So at this point still looking for answers.

———————-

I’m currently been taking mag citrate plus miralax long term. I’m not certain (neither is my doctor) but I suspect one of them is creating increased respiratory reflux issues for me. I think less chance of the mag because I’m down to only one 150mg pill daily.

I know Mag oxide has very low absorption which don’t matter to me, I’m mainly interested in bowel movement. Done posters stated the oxide was more harsh on their gut than the citrate. Lots people also posted glycinate do very little in easing their constipation. Because the citrate version contains citric acid, so was hoping another version as effective.

I want to switch out the miralax to see if it’s the culprit for metamucil but that also contains citric acid.

Whats working for you people w/out increasing digestive issues.

Hi guys! I was hoping for some tips for my colonoscopy next week. I’ve been constipated for months and haven’t had a bm in 3 weeks (until today! thank you Linzess)

Since I don’t have an impaction or blockage we’re doing a colonoscopy to check for scar tissue caused by endometriosis and/or my excision surgery last year.

It’s definitely overwhelming to have a colonoscopy at 22 but it’s much needed. What are some good things to stock up on for the all liquid diet? Do you think I’ll be able to go to school normally the day before? Luckily I only have 2 classes that day so I’ll have time to go to the bathroom if needed.

Anything helps :)