HELP!!! Flax causing constipation???

I have been struggling with moderate constipation since a couple of weeks after surgery and have been using miralax sporadically to help.

This week, though, I have added 1-1.5 teaspoons of ground flaxseeds to my protein smoothies either once or twice a day.  So, a total of 1.5-3 teaspoons a day for the past week.  A serving of ground flaxseeds is 2 tablespoons (or 6 teaspoons) so I am having, at most, half a serving a day.

Tonight I was so constipated that I honestly thought I was going to have to head to the ER for a bowel impaction.  I have never experienced pain like that in my life. 

I have done some reading and know that eating flaxseeds without drinking enough liquid can cause constipation, but I always drink between 90-100 oz of fluid each day, so I don't think that is it.  Do I need to eat MORE of the flaxseeds, stop eating them, or what???

In the meantime, I am going to take miralax every day!!  I cannot go through that again.

I don't know much about it, but I know I'm having a 1/8th of a cup of ground flaxseed daily (as part of my minute muffin) in addition to one to two servings of miralax and one servin of MOM every other day, plus colace twice a day....all to keep me regular and not constipated..... partly because I'm tanking up on narcotics and I have had surgery dangerously close to my "exit zone" so regularity is a top priority right now.

I keep the flax seed muffin to ONE per day so I won't get constipated, and this was a suggestion on the clean-eating forum (which you should visit!) when I asked about fiber..... you might get more informatino there by reading the older threads and starting your own

Thanks!  Wow....you are really working all the angles!  I hope you keep yourself regular and heal from your most recent surgery quickly and easily!

Hi Lady Lithia, the minute muffin sounds good, do you mind sharing the recipe?

Thank you,

Helen

My minute muffins include

1/8 cup of ground blueberry flax seed (got it at Trader Joes)
1/8 cup of almond meal
1 tsp bakin powder
1 tsp cinammon
1 packet splenda
1 egg
perhaps 1/2 tsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Perhaps 1/2 tsp of Torani SF syrup

I mix that all up nicely in a coffee mug

Lately I've then been dropping in about seven or eight frozen blueberries and a teaspoon full of low fat cream cheese

Microwave for 70 seconds

dump out on a plate and put a little real butter on it, and consume

When I was early out this was WAY too much food to eat for my pouch. Some days it still is. Very dense but very yummy.

Thanks Lady Lithia, this looks great!

I recently started eating my version of the minute muffins daily (4 tablespoons of ground flax seed) and it's helped immensely with my constipation.  I actually "go" a couple of times a day now with softer stools and much less straining than before.  

I also take 2 colace twice a day.

Too much of any fiber may make you constipated. I make sure I use magnesium as a supplement on daily basis.  Miralax will do that also. I add 800-1200 mg of mag oxide daily in addition to what is in my multi.

Miralax will? constipate you? or help you out.

Wasn't clear.

lol... no magnesium works like miralax... oops...