[CatUK]

My bowels have slowed right down again since last week. Haven't been to the loo since last Tuesday so almost a week. I'm not straining otr can't go, there us just nothing there yet to make me go. Am feeling very gassy, very sick and bloated and getting the usual stomach pains I get when my bowel slows right down. The only thing that usually makes me go is a mild laxative but I don't like taking these too often. I'm supposed to be going shopping tomorrow but doesn't look like that's happening because I feel so rough. I've just read something online about slow bowels and wondering if it's why I feel sick:Constipation is a national pastime and slow bowels are more common today than years previous. For one thing, people not only ate better 100 years ago, they were more active and got out doors more. When the bowels slow down, toxins are not eliminated and are reabsorbed and carried back to the liver for recycling and elimination.If they are reabsorbed to the liver it can't be good can it because that can make you feel sick. Just wish I could get my bowels regular where I go once a day then I'm sure I wouldn't feel so sick or so uncomfortable.

 

[IanRamsay]

HiThis is how it worksWhen teh bowels are slow, they send a message to teh small intestine to slow down teh transit of food to allow the bowels time to move the food out. the small intestines send a message to teh stomach to slow down its emptying to allow teh small intestine time to empty in to teh bowel which as asked teh small intestine for time to move its contents along. while all this is happening, because the bowels are not open, bloating, cramps and nausea happen, because nothing is moving freely.or at least that is how it was explained to me.cheersIan

 

[CatUK]

Thanks Ian.I took a laxative last night (senokot dual relief). I woke at 7am with really bad stomach pains and all down my right side and felt like I was going to be sick any minute. I took an anti nausea and fought the sickness. Finally went to the loo at around 10.30 so the laxative did the job. Just don't get why I got the terrible pain and feeling like I was going to be sick any minute (think I would have been if it wasn't for the anti nausea tablet).

 

[ocelotito]

About a week ago I took senokot and had the same reaction, a lot of pain, severe cramps, nausea and even the feeling that I was going to pass out. After 2 hours of this I started having looser and looser stools until it was all liquid and my bowels emptied. I felt a relief that day but since that day my IBS symptoms increased 10 times.

 

[CatUK]

Silly question and me just worrying for no reason but can you get seriously ill from not going to the loo regularly? Just read this online when trying to find a way to speed up digestion and it worried me a bit:Going to the bathroom once every three days allows waste materials to spend far too much time in your digestive tract. As a result, toxins and antigens have the opportunity to invade your body. Not only do you end up feeling bloated, you're at risk of developing more serious digestive disorders, headaches, insomnia and... even cancer.This was written by a Dr as well so pretty scary. Can you get cancer from having a slow bowel?

 

[Kathleen M.]

It isn't really clear that all the "death starts in the colon" you must go every single day or you are slowly killing yourself stuff has a lot of real science behind it no matter how many people with letters after their name promote you need to be cleaned out all the time (usually by whatever they are selling or whichever method they promote, most of which have very little if any clinical evidence).The body actually is designed to deal with all the normal toxins everyone's body produces every day whether they are constipated or not.Unfortunately a lot of scare tactics are used to sell products or get patients to come in for procedures. It is hard to judge the information when it is just some article on the internet. Some doctors are not good (and a lot of chiropractors and other people who can call themselves doctor do even when they are talking about parts of the body they really aren't trained all that much about).

 

[allyjellybelly]

Although I have posted this a few times already it is worth repeating.I have gained a lot of benefit by upping my water intake. I was originally having D most of the time and that abated when I dumped gluten and most carbs, but then I was getting C instead and couldn't figure out why.I have now realised that I was very dehydrated. Yes I had been drinking (although not as much as I probably should), but the problem was that I just never drank water. You know why? It always made me feel so thirsty! I now realise that was because my body was crying out for it!Most of our common drinks these days are very dehydrating in their own right. Sugar and anything that turns to sugar in the body (carbs) is very dehydrating. Tea and coffee are diuretic. Squash, soft drinks and alcohol all contain chemicals which need water for processing.Without enough water the digestion can't work properly. Without enough water the pancreas can't make enough bicarbonates to neutralise the stomach acid. Without enough water the food can't get through the digestive tract properly.Now I am rehydrating with my approx. 8 glasses of water a day and a two or three pinches of salt (real unrefined sea or rock salt, not the cheap table salt rubbish) taken on my tongue or in my food (to help replace some of the lost electrolytes) things are moving much better.I suspect that I had the D because my body could no longer digest the carbs and sugars and just used what available water it had to get the food through and out as quickly as possible. But although I had dumped the carbs and starchy foods, I still wasn't drinking the water, hence the Constipation.