I am on pain meds due to spinal problems and also have problems with constipation. I am taking Miralax but still feel that my bowels are not emptying completely. I have tried many of the remedies mentioned here and they all help some but not enough _ so tired of the discomfort. I have just discovered something called Amitizia and see that jakmak52 is taking it. I wonder jak if you would be so kind as to tell me what your thoughts are on it and how it is working for you? Thanks so much!

Agnes is right. Get immediate medical help. Normal bowel movements should be from 2 to 3 a day. You need to add fibre to your diet. Buy organic flax seeds in your local health food store. Do not buy the pre-ground seeds as they are usually rancid. Get yourself a small coffee grinder and grind it fresh daily. It gets rancid if left out more than 24 hours. Take 2-3 tablespoons a day with meals. I sprinkle it over cereal, fruits, applesauce etc. It has a nutty flavor and is not at all unpleasant. This is far better than the wafers and liquids sold over the counter. This is natural and it works. I take 1 tablespoon daily and I have 3 bowel movements daily. Do nothing until you have been examined by a doctor as you could have a blockage which has nothing to do with fibre intake. Good luck. Robin

Hi woodnymph, You know....my IBS started up after I had a horrible flu and pneumonia in l995. But in retrospect, I was on antibiotics for 2 months, and now I wonder if they damaged my GI tract. I really dread being on antibiotics now because I seem to lose more and more of my GI function. I think antibiotics are more injurious to our intestines than we know. I've been tempted to have a stool test run by one of those places (Smokey Mountain labs??) to see if I didn't develop some sort of overgrowth back then, but haven't done it yet. I keep hearing that those places are sort of unreliable. And it seems like conventional docs don't believe in them. (But they don't always know everything, right?) But it sounds like you might have developed your problems from the antibiotics, just like I did. How much calcium are you on? What kind do you take? For many years, before the diarrhea got too bad, most of my symptoms were just rumbling and feeling like I had a small animal living in my chest. I hate it. It seems to come and go and come and go, and I can't always know what sets it off. Fortunately, the calcium has helped me alot. If I miss 1 or 2 doses, I get the diarrhea back. And it seems to happen at the most inopportune times! I got one of those "Magic Bullet" small blenders. Its really great for slushie-type drinks. Several mornings a week I make one for breakfast. I usually put in rice milk or almond milk, part of a banana, blueberries, and a tablespoon or 2 of ground flax seed. I coudln't believe how much this drink slows me down (with my diarrhea). Maybe you could try it a few days and see what happens? Try to find organic flaxseed. I forgot to do that and wished I had gotten it. I got mine at the grocery store where they have all those "Bob's" fresh ground flours, etc. Another interesting thing with me......the doc finally talked me into having a colonoscopy last June. I had it and was relieved that all was normal in there.......but it made me feel awful for months afterwards. I think the clean out really messed up the balance of good bacteria in there. I was nauseous and dizzy for 2 months. Finally, after a couple months on probiotics, I began to feel better. I think some of us just live with marginal GI function. There are several interesting books out there on the digestive system....like "The second brain", and "Digestive Wellness". The second one has alot of good suggestions. I use pepto bismol sometimes and it helps get me through the day sometimes. Good luck woodnymph!

I was fighting this the last few days. The only thing that helped was Epson salts with warm water. But works really really good, but i was in such pain I would rather be jumping up to go, rather than not going at all. I also read that 2 tablespoons of honey a day can help. Heating pads or a hot bath can help with the cramps before the medicine works. Stacie