Do I need to be taking some sort of stool softener (fibersure, metamucil, etc.) if I am getting enough fiber through the food I eat? I am trying to shoot for around 30 grams a day and have been doing a pretty good job, but my stools are not as soft as I would like them to be. I've been drinking about a gallon of water a day so I am kind of confused by this. Also, I am trying to find a balance of calories/fiber that will give me softer stools while not losing weight, any advise?

i use movicol as its called in the uk in the usa its called miralax

Be sure to get enough liquid during the day--I drink 64 oz daily. I used to take chewable fiber supplements w/o liquid which I do not think was a good plan.

I would second Derryboy's suggestion to give Miralax a try. When my fissure was really kicking my ass hard (it's become more manageable since then), I was sometimes eating 50+ grams of fiber a day and drinking a ton of water and my stools still weren't soft enough to pass comfortably. Also, I think it matters what the source of the fiber is. For instance, for me personally, I don't think fiber from whole grains is as easy to pass as fiber from fruits and veggies. And boiled veggies seem easier to pass than raw veggies. I'm guessing this will vary from person to person though.

jman11 wrote:Do I need to be taking some sort of stool softener (fibersure, metamucil, etc.) if I am getting enough fiber through the food I eat? I am trying to shoot for around 30 grams a day and have been doing a pretty good job, but my stools are not as soft as I would like them to be. I've been drinking about a gallon of water a day so I am kind of confused by this. Also, I am trying to find a balance of calories/fiber that will give me softer stools while not losing weight, any advise?

I'm basically in the same boat as you. It seems like I'm doing the right things, but my stool fluctuates a lot and doesn't seem much better than before I started on this diet. I have yet to find a way to consistently have good stools. Stool softeners help in the short term, but I have no idea if I'm going to need them until it's too late.
Get careful with the Miralax, BTW. I know almost everyone here has had no problem with it, but I sure did. I was using less than the recommended amount and it still caused lots of anal leakage, which led to massive hemorrhoid problems.

This past week has been better in terms of stool softeness, here is what I've been doing:
Breakfast: Oatmeal
Lunch: Turkey/Tuna/PB & banana on whole grain bread, maybe some triscuits or wheat thins taboot
Dinner: BROWN RICE, vegetables
Snack (2-3 times/day): Triscuits/Fruit/Wheat thins
Water: Gallon/day
Pretty fun, I know, but I really don't care about how bland my meals are at this point. I think the key is the brown rice, I just started eating it regularly and have had positive results. I have also been using Metamucil Clear & Natural from time to time and it seems to work. Anyways, hope this helps someone.