Slow Peristalis page 2

[Timthetaco]

You're just now seeing a GI doctor? Were those prior 8 years of medical help from GPs? I can understand how that could be frustrating. My GP saw my B-12 sitting at the very bottom of the range and declared it "in range" rather than "low". I can't relate entirely, but I've had a frustrating and vague GI problem that still causes pretty severe constipation and gnarly stools.

I hate recommending something like this because I tend to favor getting an actual diagnosis over loading up on supplements and hoping you feel better, but you might want to look into Chris Kresser's Paleologix supplements. I'm not sure when they're coming out and couldn't find anything on his site, but here's him and Robb Wolf discussing them.

PaleoLogix Launch - Paleo Solution Podcast

Good luck. Sorry I can't give any solid advice, but I hope all turns out well.

[YogaBare]

What was your diet like before? Why did you decide to try Primal? Is it purely to fix your digestive issues?

One of the women here wrote a fantastic thread about how she healed her gut and cured her IBS. She did it by eating in line with the Perfect Health Diet, which is like Primal but higher in starches. I don't know if this is your issue but it may be worth reading: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/forum/thread62278.html

[lissee]

Try adding some small amount of cultured veggis to your diet everyday. While I was in Austria I ate a fresh fermented cabbage salad or fermented beets. Here in the States, I've just found some Kimchi, and I've been making my own yogurt so it's full of live probiotics.

Good luck!

[aussielady954]

Hello - I have had slow/sluggish bowel issues since childhood. By all means, try what the other people are suggesting.
If your blood type is B, then some natural unsweetened yoghurt may help. You can add some berries, banana and sweetener if needed. If your blood type is O, then I would take a probiotic capsue or make some cultured vegetables; according to Peter D'adamo (Eat Right For Your Blood Type :: The Official Blood Type Diet ® Site), people who are type O's don't digest dairy products that well (it varies as there are different catagories of type O people, see D'adamo's other site, genotype.com - genotype Resources and Information. You can benefit from knowledge / wisdom from different people, keep an open mind!
I also suggest you have a regular routine each day, get up same time, eat breaky same time, to bed same time, this regulates digestion, hormonal balance etc, and is well written about in Ayurvedic and TCM texts/books.
Have ghee each day, esp with your green vegetables; I like mine cooked with spices such as fennel/aniseeds, cumin seeds, fresh ginger, fresh or ground tumeric, sea or mountain salt.
Eat some steamed or baked sweet potato, pumpkin, parsnip, turnip every day.
try and get up about 6am, or earlier, depending on your constituional type (see ayurvedic sites); and drink warm water with lemon juice, or unsweetened pure cranberry juice, then go for walk/exercise in sattvic time of day when sun is coming up. also, relax - meditation or breathing exercises; your system should respond easily in time. chew food well and slowly; do some abdominal massage or better still, a whole body massage according to Ayurvedic guidelines; this strengthens immunity and digestion. Determination and patience brings results! Best of luck!

I switched my diet to Primal 7 weeks ago. Lots of vegies. Active cultures yogurt dialy. I've tried the medical bulking agents and they do NOT work - rather I get sick. Also, after 8 years of MD help I've been getting steadily worse, and I' rather against MD help right now.

I haven't pooped naturally for 5 years. I use milk of Magnesia. Now that I'm kind of used to this diet, I take it once every 3 days. In between the occasional fingers that come out are yellow-brown and sometimes float, sometimes not. (I used to have to take the Milk of Magnesia daily because of the large amount of gas and bloating.) Once, on this diet, what came out was very cloudy. I hadn't seen that before, and not since.

Also, before starting the diet, during the night mucus would drain from my mouth and make a wet spot on my pillow. That has stopped.

I drink about 4-5 glasses of water or tea a day, not more because of bloating. Ive been taking 500 mg Magnesium for 3 weeks now. It doesn't seem to have any effect. I'm taking it to balance 600 mg Calcium (is that good)?

Coconut Oil sounded really good. I used 1 tsp to cook an egg. I felt bad the rest of the day and for 3 days I leaked Coconut Oil. I
don't think my body processes it.

My diet for a typical day (I'm 75 do I don't eat as much a I used to, and for exercise I walk about 30 min / day.)
Breakfast - 2 eggs with cheese, onions, tomatoes. 1 strip thick bacon, active-culture yogurt, 1 banana
Lunch - Salami, cheddar cheese, cooked greens, a fruit
Snack - Macadamia nuts, about 2 handsful
Dinner - Meat or fish, a root vegie, once a week a yam.

At the start of this diet I was so weak I could barely stand up. Today I went to the Grocery store alone (I was tired afterwards though - but not terribly.) The bad gas and bloating are 85% gone. At the beginning of the diet I stopped taking Zetia and Niacin (2000 mg). Long tern use of Zetia was eating my muscles, and Niacin can cause stomach problems. I'd rather die from high Cholerterol at this point.

I've asked for a refferal to a Naturopathy doctor in the area, and My GP has set up a consultation with my GI doctor. But I don't have a lot of hope for that.

[Cryptocode]

No, the GI doctor is not the GP doc. The GI doctor does a colenoscopy every 5 years and takes very nice pictures. But other than any conditions shown by the pictures, he has little to say. The GP suggested Milk of Magnesia.
Thank you, I'll look at the PaleoLogix Launch.

Before Priimal I'd lost 40 libs on Jenny Craig, and then pretty much stayed on that kind of diet. And yes, I went on Primal to fix the digestive issues, and have lost another 11 lbs. I've just finished reading "food and the Gut reaction" by Elaine Gottschall, is that the diet you mean? It seems clear (to me anyway) that the lower starches is what has reduced the gas and bloating. Than you for the reference.

I've been eating cultured (I thnk) sauerkraut a bit, and taking a probiotic capsule daily, and i've bought some Kimchi but haven't opened it yet. None of this seems to have had any effect yet. How do you make your own yogurt?

My blood type is B- and I have no problems with dairy of any kind. My schedule is very regular as is exercise. I used to meditate for stress reduction but now that I'm retired there's no more stress.

Thank you all for you advice and help. I really appreciate it. I have another question. What iw wrong with eating dried fruit?

[emmie]

I have had this problem since childhood--and it's a problem regardless of my diet. I've tried almost everything recommended here with no results. My GI has recommended Miralax. It 'works' if I take it daily, but I don't like the 'effects' as I get more 'ooze' than stools. He also says that adding fiber isn't good. I was glad to hear that because I'd found that using psyllium made things worse rather than better.

I think each individual has to fine a personal 'cure,' but I haven't found one yet. I'm currently using Miralax to try to avoid relying on periodic laxatives, but I'm still searching for a better solution to this problem.

[Cryptocode]

I have had this problem since childhood--and it's a problem regardless of my diet. I've tried almost everything recommended here with no results. My GI has recommended Miralax. It 'works' if I take it daily, but I don't like the 'effects' as I get more 'ooze' than stools. He also says that adding fiber isn't good. I was glad to hear that because I'd found that using psyllium made things worse rather than better.

I think each individual has to fine a personal 'cure,' but I haven't found one yet. I'm currently using Miralax to try to avoid relying on periodic laxatives, but I'm still searching for a better solution to this problem.

Thank you. It makes me feel a little better to know that there is at least 1 other person that has this problem. I've tried Miralax but Milk of Magnesia works better for me. Has you doctor said anything about Milk of Magnesia?

[namelesswonder]

My doctor told me to take buffered Vitamin C powder in water every 4 hours while waking. Increase the dose until you achieve loose stools, then back off by 500mg. Keep taking on that schedule and reduce/adjust as needed. Same can be done with magnesium.

But then again, he's done 0 tests or tried to figure out WHY this suddenly started happening to me in August. I go back on the 8th, hopefully can get some testing done.

[Zach]

Personally i think you are taking in too much meat and fat. I would suggest upping your carb intake with fruit and white rice.

[AmyP]

Have had this issue for years also, eased up a little with eating paleo. Dairy makes things worse. The only thing so far that I have had success with is three stool softeners (docusate sodium) each morning. Good luck!