*sigh*
So I've been on Colace now for two days, but I don't really see a difference. In fact, the bms have gotten harder. I'm definitely drinking enough water with the Colace, and I drink about 4 litres of water a day. (A glass an hour throughout the day.) I know it's a lot, but it was the only thing that helped me get back on track about a month and a half ago. Plus I'm nursing and I have to drink more water anyway.
And my diet hasn't changed dramatically either. All I've done is add a few more fruits and vegetables throughout the day and cut out cheese, granola bars, etc. I've cut out dairy except for some yogurt once a day. For over two months I've been eating Fibre One cereal in the morning with raisins. I used to eat it with skim milk but switched to soy a couple weeks ago. You know the rest: pears, dried apricots, whole grain bread, tomatoes, fish, whole grain pasta, and so on.
Lately I've been feeling "full" like everything isn't moving along quite as quickly as it should. This is so frustrating because even before the AF I wasn't really prone to constipation. I haven't been sleeping well for a few days so maybe that's causing the issue.
Can anyone relate? Any suggestions? Will the Colace eventually start working???
Thanks,
Merita

I think you are doing everything right there! I might add the fish oil to your diet if you haven't already and maybe add another colace capsule and see if that helps. Because it isn't a stimulant laxative it does take a little bit longer for it to work. Vitamin C can also loosen things up too.
I have times in the month when I feel fuller than usual that things are exiting like they should. I think it is due to hormonal shifts. Not to get to personal but did your cycles resume yet? I know with nursing they can cease.
Sometimes lying on my stomach helps and massaging the tummy in a clockwise motion can stimulate the tract to move a bit.
Do you go to the bathroom every day? If you are you are probably not as backed-up as you feel. When I was nursing I retained some water weight and felt a bit heavy there at times.

Hi Lecia,
I've taken two capsules a day for the past two days (re: Colace), and I've been taking fish oil capsules once a day. I do go to the bathroom every day, and my cycles haven't returned yet. I've tried some massage, and it feels like something is starting, but then stops. I'm beginning to think that stress is playing a part in this. I'm still waiting for that soft consistency. I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens over the next couple of days.
--Merita

Yeah, give it a few days. As long as you are going everyday I wouldn't be concerned. I hate the feeling that I'm not done so I know how you feel. It seems like to me when I pay attention to my bowels (scrutinizing everything) I get nervous and it makes me nervous about using the bathroom and that makes it worse. You just have to try to trust your body.
There are ups and downs with recovery-for example-today I am in more pain from going to the bathroom and it has been awhile since I have had that. I took an extra fish oil capsule this morning and used some extra topical aloe. So even we "oldtimers" have some upsets here and there!

i hate travelling for work because my normal BM schedule goes right down the toilet! (pun intended...hehehehehe)......
i think also sometimes on top of the stress we may have from other things going on, we also place stress on ourselves when things are going right....ie, my BMs are soft like the should be yet, i am not going yet, i am not going enough, i had a setback so that must mean i am screwed!, etc.
it is hard when we add these types of stress on top of the other stress that just come with life. we need to find a way to dig ourselves out from the 'expectancy' ditch and try to just go with the flow.
****
aside from rubbing your tummy, maybe some deep yogic breathing can help you in preparation for elimination.
i hope you can relax a bit and then soon you'll be back on a good BM schedule.

I thought of one other thing I wanted to suggest. I know some people take magnesium and that helps with relaxing the bowels for easier elimination. You might want to consider that!

yeah i did find the magnesium tablets did help but in the long run i ended up with really interesting abdominal discomfort down the road. i didn't like that dull feeling and discontinued the magnesium as i thought it may be contributing to it.
it did go away on its own.
however, i don't want to discourage you from trying it out yet i hope you don't have anything that may be upset or activated by an increase of magnesium in your diet. just be careful.
i kept a daily dosage of 600mg per day. some people do more and some less.

Since you seem to be doing everything right, I just wonder if you're not extra, extra, tight down there, and that is making the stoll passage worse. The BP creams would sure help that situation...

Hey Everyone,
Things are a bit better right now, thanks to some suggestions from Happyass from other threads. I boiled some water and drank two mugs worth--yum!--and it seemed to help get things going again. The squatting made a huge difference too--I was quite surprised! Thanks Happyass!
In terms of Magnesium, I'm really scared to try something I've never tried before so I probably won't go that route, but thanks for the suggestion.
That's it for now!
--Merita

Magnesium is an essential mineral, so a little can never hurt most of us... And it really does assist the bowels, as Lecia indicated, but as a nursing Mom, I know you gotta be careful!!