Let's Talk About Poop

Sep 11, 2009

I have never talked about poop as much in my life as I have since having WLS.  OMG!  It's so true, isn't it?  It's like the favorite topic of all WLS patients.  Constipation plagues us.  Is there a solution?

 I've battled chronic constipation for 20 years.  It got worse with WLS.  Here's what worked for me:

64oz water
25-35g fiber (sometimes as high as 40g - I count fiber as religiously as I count protein)
25% of calories from fat
2 fish oil capsules
2 colace
1 tablespoon cod liver oil every other day or so
Magnesium 

NOTE:  Magnesium helps calcium absorption when taken as a dose of 2:1.  So 2000mg calcium needs 1000mg magnesium.  BUT - don't start that high.  Start very low, like 100mg (check your multi-vit and include that in the calculation).  Then slowly add more magnesium until you find the right dose.  Too much and you end up with diarreha so be careful.

PROBIOTICS -- once you get the above routine down and things are working fairly well.  Probiotics might be that last boost over the hump.  It was for me.  It will help with the balance of good vs. bad bacteria in your digestive tract and help digest food more properly.  Study shows it also helps early post-op patients lose more weight on average. For some people the relief of constipation is almost immediate (1-2 weeks) -- for others it takes longer (took me 5 weeks).  But now that I'm on a routine, I have a happy bathroom visit every morning like clockwork. 

Ok, poop talk is over for now...
~Pam

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