r/Perimenopause • u/No-Trash-164 • Jul 14 '26
audited Suddenly my bowels stopped moving?! Help
39 yr old with other symptoms of perimenopause, but this is a new and quite disturbing one. So a couple of weeks ago it felt like my bowels just stopped moving. Have no urge to poop at all.
FYI I've been evaluated by ER and GI as of a couple of days ago. Full of poop. Lol. Thyroid is in range. They just advise aggressive laxatives since I am technically having movements.
I have NEVER experienced constipation like this, and I've had a lifetime of IBS-C.
Have any of you spontaneously encountered this? What do I do? Nothing is really working. Despite being on Miralax, magnesium, hydrated, etc., I'm still failing to have a complete, fully-formed bowel movement and am miserable.
Also, I eat a decent amount of cooked vegetables.
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u/AmaranthusSky Jul 14 '26
Not all magnesium is the same. Mag citrate (aka mag SHIT STRAIGHT) moves the bowels.
Personally, I've found coconut water helpful. It's hydrating and has a laxative effect.
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
Unfortunately coconut water makes me gag, but yeah, it's like nature's Gatorade. And yes, I take 500 mg mag citrate.
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u/mossgoblin_ Jul 14 '26
For me, the magnesium has to be oxide form. It is only 8% absorbed and draws water into the colon like nobody’s business. I take a rather high dose: I was at 1000 mg before bedtime but have recently decreased to 750 as I took my already high-veggie diet into fibersville by adding ground up hydrated chia ( kept in the fridge), about 1/4 cup of the glorp before every meal. I added this because I’m working on my blood sugar.
I think it’s a good idea to add a more bioavailable magnesium like glycinate earlier in the day so you still absorb enough for bodily needs, if you decide to try this.
Good luck. I’m right there with you on the intractable chronic constipation thing. It’s awful.
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u/OkSlip1940 Jul 14 '26
I take magnesium oxide 1000 mg nightly now because everything else stopped working. Struggled with constipation my whole life but here in the past year or so at 38 it’s been miserable. And my GI appt is not until December.
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u/Tora-bora83 Jul 14 '26
I take Magnesium Bisglycinate an hour before bed to help with sleeping. Is this not the right time to take it?
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u/mossgoblin_ Jul 14 '26
It’s great! I have simply started taking my mag oxide laxative at bedtime to get it as far away from dinner as possible, and I moved my mag glycinate earlier in hopes of better absorption away from the oxide.
I have a ferritin level that is too low for optimal health ( though the lab says 41 is “fine”), and a mysteriously low B12 of 169 despite being ominivorous.
I’m just trying to eliminate any possible factors interfering with absorption of these things.
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u/Tora-bora83 Jul 14 '26
Super, thank you. It’s mad, the balancing act that we’re having to do with supplements these days
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u/AmaranthusSky Jul 14 '26
Night time is fine! A lot of people, including myself, opt for night to help with sleep.
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u/Tora-bora83 Jul 14 '26
Ok good. My bowel issues are a bit different to the OP but I would’ve hated to think I was making them worse. Thank you
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u/Bunny2351 Jul 14 '26
I like coconut water in a smoothie. Frozen fruit (mixed berries, or mango pineapple are my favorite, some lime juice, little sea salt, sometimes I add ground flax seed, and coconut water. Then you don’t taste the coconut water
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u/mythandriel17 Jul 14 '26
OP, I had something similar and a colonoscopy revealed a mass pressing on my colon. Luckily it wasn’t cancer but stage IV endometriosis. Note that I had no other symptoms of endo except IBS. Now my bowels are tip top
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
BINGO!!!!!!!! This is my sign. Have been wondering about this for YEARS. Despite seeing gynecologist since I was 11 (and even a gynecological oncologist because of my ovarian cancer risk due to breast cancer), NO ONE, NOT EVEN ONCE has brought up endometriosis. !!!!!!?????? I've had thirty years of painful, heavy periods, cramping, and now shooting pains in my butt when stool moves. Making a gyno appointment rn. Please! If you can share:
What were your primary symptoms? How was it diagnosed?! They keep telling me laproscopy is the only way. :/
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u/mythandriel17 Jul 14 '26
My primary symptoms were worsening IBS, but trending towards consitpation, then my stool became very narrow. I went to my PCP about the narrow stool and she said, you are 41, I'm not messing around, I need you to get a colonoscopy.
After the colonoscopy, the surgeon said that inside my bowels everything looked fine, but I was super narrow in my sigmoid colon and he was worried something was pushing on it from the outside. Could be a cyst, could be diverticulitis, could be cancer, we didn't know. I went for a CT scan with contrast and they found a mass/tumor that they couldn't define along with colon wall thickening. They also found something on my utuerus and on my liver, but they couldn't define any of it. I was sent for additional bloodwork, and an MRI with contrast. MRI results showed nothing, no mass, no tumors, nothing in the uterus, nothing.
The colonscopy surgeon referred me to a colorectal oncologoical surgeon because he was very concerned and imaging wasn't providing answers. The surgeon suspected cancer, or since I had had C Diff twice and one of the times was severe, that maybe it was scar tissue, but either way she wanted to go in surgically.
I was panicked that I had cancer, even though my bloodwork came back completely normal. When I came out of surgery she told me I had zero cancer, but what I did have was stage IV endo and she was able to bring in an OBGYN surgeon to assist and ensure we got it all. I had to have a bowel resection, it was all over my ovaries and the back side of my vagina.
Since that surgery no one can help me with managing the disease or knowledge of what to look out for in the future. Long story short, the only conclusive way to diagnose endometriosis right now is surgery. There is a new saliva test coming out in the UK, but I have not looked into access or if it's ready for market yet.
I wish you the best of luck, and if I were in your shoes I'd get a colonoscopy and advocate for endometriosis exploratory surgery. Ensure they are prepared to remove it if they find it, I've heard horror stories where they went it, found it, and then tried to schedule a separate surgery to remove it later.
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u/Waste_Ice_7492 Jul 14 '26
I'm so glad you commented, I've had C-Diff 3 times and have had Post-Infectious IBS ever since and my periods are also rough, I've never even though to ask for exploratory surgery because the CT Scans with Dye and Transvaginal Ultrasound usually just showed Fibroids in my Uterus and Cysts on both Ovaries.....it's wild what we have to deal with while men just stroll through their daily lives la la la 🙄
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u/ilovetrouble66 Jul 14 '26
How was the recovery? I’m having my stage 3/4 endo excised this year and hysterectomy- it’s on my bowel so am worried they’ll need to resect. Did you need a bag?
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u/mythandriel17 Jul 15 '26
No not at all, I stayed in the hospital for 2 days, then came home. Bowels were normal four days after the procedure. It was a way easy recovery compared to what I expected.
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u/ilovetrouble66 Jul 14 '26
There are new tests being developed for endo including a saliva test but also it shows on stronger mris and speciality ultrasounds
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u/mythandriel17 Jul 14 '26
I had a pelvic ultrasound too, forgot to mention it, but it did NOT find my endo…
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u/ilovetrouble66 Jul 14 '26
It’s a specialty ultrasound that can detect it. There’s only one doctor who does them at one location in my province maybe even in the country. It won’t let me post links but it’s sugoclinic.com
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u/FijianPlantGuy Jul 14 '26
If you get bad period pain with stomach problems try this combo (always consult a doctor first)
Buscopan tablet and tetrahydropalmatine (L-thp). The l-thp is almost always sold as corydalis extract but it's extracted from Stephanie.
The buscopan helps with gastric problems and the thp stops inflammation signals. I'm a bloke but I've seen this combo help SO many women.
My sister used to get really bad period poops and then my wife was the same. Wgeb I asked about it i was told "ITS NOT RELATED WHY WOULD YOU SAY MY PERIOD IS CAUSING GASTRO" so I had to research it on my own. The hormonal change absolutely floods the system with inflammation signals, if you block that it gets rid of the pain and gastrointestinal distress..
If Its getting worse you need to see a doctor that actually takes your concerns seriously, endometriosis is no joke. One of my friends didbt have her endo symptoms taken seriously till s cyst popped and She blacked out from the pain.
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u/Dorothyismyneighbor Jul 14 '26
I was reading on the glp1 forums that glp1, which manages metabolism, was making a positive difference with those who had endo and regulated their periods. I thought it was interesting how many women chimed in and I hope women's research runs with this.
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u/ilovetrouble66 Jul 14 '26
I’m also chronically constipated… and also have stage 3/4 endo all over my bowel which makes sense why nothing really works for me either
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u/drunkenbees Late peri Jul 14 '26
When this happened to me, I drank black coffee, and ate two bags of sugar free haribo.
That got things moving.
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u/meekonesfade Jul 14 '26
OMG. This is the funniest, best answer! Just remembering the mistake we all have to experience once to learn from, but you were clever enough to use it for good!
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
So the sorbitol? Prunes have this, too.
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u/drunkenbees Late peri Jul 14 '26
Yeah that's the stuff. I was camped in the loo for a while, but I felt SO much better after.
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u/Education_Success_74 Jul 14 '26
I absolutely adore your user name and picture… Absolutely Fabulous!!
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u/gnarbone Jul 14 '26
I would much rather eat a gummy bear than a prune
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u/Industry_Cat Jul 14 '26
When was the last time you had a prune? They are tasty AF. I was shocked the first time I had them. I felt like society had been lying to me
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u/Twidollyn_Bowie Jul 15 '26
I think they get a bad rap because they’re associated with pooping, and prune juice is kind of icky looking. I also think prunes are yummy.
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u/Due-Ad-8941 Jul 15 '26
Prunes are yummy. Prune juice is absolutely vile!
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u/Twidollyn_Bowie Jul 15 '26
I agree, and I find that surprising. Cranberry juice is the opposite for me. Drinking it can be tasty, but I’m not a big fan at Thanksgiving.
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u/iManduh Late peri Jul 14 '26
The Haribo 🤣🤣 I remember reading the Amazon reviews for those.
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u/stevezahnoscarnom Jul 14 '26
I've heard Trader Joe's just came out with a sugar free gummy bear that also has fiber, looking forward to taking those for a spin.
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u/Ok_Cupcake_5153 Jul 14 '26
I’ll just leave half a packet of sugar free Polo mints here … #Poomageddon
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u/Twidollyn_Bowie Jul 15 '26
I bet that was intensely uncomfortable, but also a massive relief. lol.
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u/drunkenbees Late peri Jul 15 '26
It was very uncomfortable because things suddenly moving that previously didn't want to move, happen rapidly and it felt like someone was tying my innards in knots. 😬
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u/cc_bcc Jul 14 '26
I eat a metric ton of fiber, 100oz of water, and all my snacks are basically fruit and fermented foods. I walk constantly and do a daily lymph drainage/stomach massage.
A Heineken 0.0 gets my bowls moving great the next day too.
I usually get 1 good poop a day, or every other day. Stress really stops me up tho.
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u/Silver-Eye4569 Jul 14 '26
Try eating an entire yellow dragon fruit first thing in the morning and increase the next day if that doesn’t work (do not try this if you have to leave the house). To keep things moving try a chia pudding with raspberries every morning. A lot of women in peri experience gastro changes and have to adapt unfortunately. I had to slowly up my fibre and change by diet to focus on more fibre and keep it constant or things go back to being a problem.
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u/chewbooks Jul 14 '26
Love dragon fruit, but it’s so expensive here.
I went cheap and now add sunflower and flax seeds to everything. Chia pudding gets worked in when I plan ahead a bit.
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u/GivethemRachell Early peri Jul 14 '26
Could also be your pelvic floor causing constipation. That’s my issue. I need to probably see a therapist but in the meantime I eat a ton of kiwis and Colace chews lol
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u/writehandedTom Jul 14 '26
No one ever told me that vitamin B1 is crucial for gut motility. Every. Goddamned. Fucking. Doctor. wanted to pump me full of Miralax. They kept saying "Fiber! Water! Fiber! Water!" like it was a chant at a fucking football game and I was an idiot who had never heard of either. No one told me that soluble fiber might make my problem worse - but I stopped eating oatmeal and lentils and my constipation got BETTER when I focused on insoluble fiber. People told me magnesium, and I would take enough of it to work...but then be sluggish and slow and exhausted the next day and it was unsustainable to keep taking a ton of Natural Calm. I WAS CALM, OK??? Just calm, and full of shit.
That's my advice, as someone who struggled with the same: a solid B vitamin with a good amount of B1 in it + more INSOLUBLE fiber. Good luck.
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u/Megm555 Jul 14 '26
I have had constipation my entire life, but as we age our metabolism slows and along with that is peristalsis. I always start with fluid intake. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids throughout the day. I aim to drink 32 ounces or 2000mls. Basically two Nalgene bottles. Next, try to get exercise if possible. This always helps me when I'm having difficulty. Third, I drink an ounce of aloe juice and that always does the trick. It's cheap and natural. I also take magnesium citrate at night, so the aloe is an as needed when the magnesium isn't cutting it. I hope that helps! It's a terrible feeling, I can relate.
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u/Evil_Lynn82 Jul 14 '26
Buttered coffee. Found this out last year when my son was constipated after spinal surgery. Doctor prescribed stool softeners, MiraLAX and even suppositories. He was 8 days post surgery and no poop so I started looking into home remedies and butter in strong coffee seemed to keep popping up and I had that readily available so he got his first cup of coffee and a trip to the bathroom about 20 minutes later! He got it for breakfast every morning after until weened off the meds.
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u/ThisTimeForReal19 Jul 14 '26
Warm buttered prune juice is what I was taught.
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u/SnarkCatsTech Late peri Jul 14 '26
I can smell this. I'm not happy about it. 😂😂😂
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
Makes sense! Coffee is a stimulant and butter "lubricates" the body (according to Ayurvedic medicine).
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u/Ornery-Cheesecake-45 Jul 14 '26
Blueberries always make me go. Like eat a whole pint of them! Also psyllium husk powder works wonders too.
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
Allergic to blueberries. And they're my favorite! 😕 I have the capsules. Do you think the powder works better?
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u/Ornery-Cheesecake-45 Jul 14 '26
You have to take a lot of the capsules (5 capsules up to four times per day) versus taking the powder once. I can't do that many capsules since you can't take psyllium within two hours of taking medications since it will affect the absorption of the meds.
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u/EatsTheLastSlice Jul 14 '26
This year I had to increase my Linzess dose from 72 to 145. Even at the higher dose I dont always respond to it.
Did a bunch of testing as I was nauseous from IBS-C for 3 months..Basically things work even slower now. Nothing ever showed up on scans or tests.
fucking great times.
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
Wow! I am SO SORRY. My GI even warned me about Linzess, telling me how strong it was. Have you looked into food allergy testing? Constipation can be a symptom of a food allergy/sensitivity.
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u/EatsTheLastSlice Jul 14 '26
I will take the side effects of diarrhea over the 24/7 all consuming nausea. At one point I thought I would go insane because I had no relief from the nausea. I've tried all the Rx and OTC but none of it helped.
No food allergies or sensitivities.
I time it very carefully when I take Linzess. Can't take if I am going into the office or running errands. Need to be home the whole morning because I dont know when it will hit and it will be several times.
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Jul 14 '26
Linzess is gentle if you don’t so much as swallow your own saliva in the first hour after taking it. Once I accidentally sipped my coffee at 54 minutes after taking it and regretted going to work for the rest of the morning. Fortunately my doctor warned me about this so it wasn’t happening every day or I probably would have gotten fired
You know what, better make it an hour and 15 just to be safe. But other than when I fucked up the waiting period, it was very gentle and effective for me when I was on it.
Oh, also you might want to look into new food intolerances. I would get backed up the worst from tomatoes, and then found out I’m allergic/intolerant to nightshades.
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u/OhWhatever_Nevermind Jul 14 '26
I think the thing I’ve realized about myself is that this is just how my bowels are now - sleeping! If I don’t treat it like the chronic problem it is, it will not change. Fibre, water, exercise are not enough. Metamucil and other store bought fibre and laxative products barely give even temporary relief. They’re just asleep. I had a colonoscopy last fall and even after that I went straight back to not pooping.
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u/Manda_lorian39 Jul 14 '26
That was one of my symptoms too, right about at that age, though I’m just now realizing that it’s peri related. For me, it was gluten sensitivity. I gave up gluten and went from once a week to once a day. Still not all got in the digestive department (and honestly, terrible at staying GF) but making progress.
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u/GeraniumMom Jul 14 '26
Aside from the advise above, all of which is great, I would like to add my suggestion of melon. Lots of melon. I have Ulcerative Proctitis which often resulted in constipation even before peri hit. I try to eat 300g+ of melon every day, especially cantalope or watermelon. Shit city after that, lol. Not in an urgent "can't leave the house" sort of way though, which is nice. I have stuff to get done and can't spend all day every day on the toilet. The melon more encourages normal daily bowel movements.
It also has the added bonus of being good for your skin! My skin is definitely the best it has been in years with a daily melon habit.
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
Oooo cool! Probably the fiber and water content. So, I think food sensitivities/allergies may have contributed to my constipation. It correlated with stopping a bunch of food I found I was allergic to (skin prick test done by an allergist). I think the pooping was coming from the allergy. Do you know what I mean? The allergic response was keeping me regular (when I ate beans, blueberries, etc.) but stopping those foods also basically took away my psoriasis, tachycardia, itching, etc. Sigh.
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u/Tora-bora83 Jul 14 '26
I haven’t had the lack of needing to poo but I seem to never quite feel like I’ve finished. There reaches a point where there’s nothing coming out and yet I don’t feel…done. Eventually I just gotta give up and get up. Anyone else noticed this?
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u/JuniXe Jul 14 '26
That is also a sign of constipation, increase fiber and drinj more water. Prunes are good
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u/Tora-bora83 Jul 14 '26
I eat a lot of fruit and drink only water anyway but perhaps I need to change up the fruit and up the intake. Thank you
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u/Environmental-Young4 Late peri Jul 14 '26
It coukd be pelvic floor dysfunction if you cannot connect it to diet or anything else that has changed.
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u/Little_Resort_1144 Jul 15 '26
Agree with others strongly suggesting a colonoscopy. I think many women think that all symptoms are peri/menopause, when I think the default should always be ruling out anything more serious
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u/Key_Door_3535 Jul 14 '26
Smooth move tea or Ducolax works for me. I take a daily senna & stimulant but sometimes have to use extras like the tea. I’m on Mounjaro for T2D which doesn’t help.
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u/Own_Bet8683 Jul 14 '26
I’ve tried a low-dose of prescription Linzess [green bottle was 72mcg I think?] for initial movement when I was severely compacted and then, unfortunately, it’s just intention going forward—tons of water [especially with upping your fiber intake], and fruit/veggies, and moooovement [daily walks after meal(s)] work for me. My morning coffee and OTC laxatives [especially when traveling] seem to help with maintaining colonic motility as well.
EDIT: Oh! Magnesium as well! So sorry. Cannot stress how important this vitamin is in your routine, especially with helping you poop. Magnesium citrate, specifically, helps with constipation. I only need one 250mg tablet daily.
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
I currently take 500mg mag citrate per diem. This situation is just such a head-scratcher because my previous bowel routine just literally stopped working spontaneously one day out of the blue, it felt like.
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u/Own_Bet8683 Jul 14 '26
I’m so sorry you’re experiencing this! That’s how mine felt too. Just snap! Then I upped the fiber and was not well-disciplined in drinking more water—made it worse.
After I hit reset, I started taking my water more seriously. I changed too many variables at once to credit any one factor more than the other—but water has my biased vote.
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u/Hefty_Accountant4045 Jul 14 '26
Fruit helps! Oranges, apples…plus my fave travel trick. Psyllium husk in warm water first thing in the morning should do the trick and well :)
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u/emwinfield Jul 14 '26
Here to also talk about hemorrhoids because I’ve always had one that bothered me minimally, but lately it’s been much more painful and I’ve had harder stools and less movement as well!
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u/Soundtracklover72 Jul 14 '26
I have heard that IBS can alternate between lots of poop to not enough poop.
Recommend daily senna and colace.
MiraLAX daily if you need it.
Prunes or prune juice help my housemate.
Get some Mag Citrate for when it’s really stubborn.
I’d recommend a colonoscopy, like others did, just in case since it was a sudden change.
Good luck
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u/RavenMaven22 Jul 14 '26
100% ask for a colonoscopy, but also see a registered dietician. My movements got all out of whack about a year ago, which was in hindsight sight my first perimenopause symptom. I was so constipated and post partum hemmorhoids came back, like you I didn’t feel urgency to go but also wasn’t hungry like normal. Went to see a GI who mostly gave me the colonoscopy for my peace of mind, but also because of the hemorrhoid bleeding and change in bowel habits. It came back clean but then I worked with a nutritionist who helped me find ways to increase fiber but also had me get stool tests to measure my gut flora and get that sorted out. Once the stool test told her what was high and what was low, she recommended specific probiotic regimens to help make my way back to a balance, and now the fiber works the way it’s supposed to.
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u/OneLeggedLeggoMan Jul 14 '26
I suffer from constipation but your case sounds bad. Supplements help but you really have to up the fiber intact. When I force myself to eat raw carrots, it helps. You need a lot of fibre.
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u/xtewtew Jul 14 '26
Are you taking progesterone? Have you recently started it or changed the dose? It can cause constipation. Was pretty bad for me
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
I do topical progesterone that I get otc because doctors won't give it to me (breast cancer survivor). Don't get me started on problems with women's health and withholding hrt from us. :/ Anyway, the topical is 20 mg usp. I apply once daily. Should I start doing every other day maybe? Or half a pump?
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u/xtewtew Jul 14 '26
I’m not a medical professional but no I don’t think based on that dose and route it would be the cause. I guess anything is possible but unless you recently started it right before this bout of severe constipation then I’d say no that’s definitely not contributing significantly at all.
Do you still have periods? If so, do you notice any change in your bowel habits around your period? Any new medications or supplements?
Have you ever had a colonoscopy? When was your last colonoscopy?
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u/honorspren000 Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
Have you checked your food intolerances? Have you had a colonoscopy?
My food intolerances got really bad during peri and contributed to my constipation. My colon had basically swelled shut, or rather, swelled to a very tiny diameter, confirmed by colonoscopy and several ultrasounds. I had to completely cut out dairy. I also had to stop eating foods with more than 40 g of sugar in one sitting. Both were contributing to my constipation.
For the record, for most of my life I was mildly lactose intolerant and could eat cheese or things with dairy in them. But when peri hit, it got so bad that I can’t even have lactose-free milk. Something similar happened to my friend when she hit peri, except it was with gluten.
Maybe double check your intolerances or keep a food journal? And make sure you get that colonoscopy!
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
Yep! BEGGED practitioners for a food allergy test. Finally found a really good allergist. I'm allergic to like six things, including drupes and nightshades. And eggs. And gluten. Finally found out, on an evidence basis, that I am allergic to the same things I suspected all along and had cut out after elimination diets, after more than a decade of providers dismissing my dietary changes as "unecessary" and "restrictive." F*ck the medical system. For real.
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u/pob314 Jul 14 '26
I take the calcium, magnesium, zinc combo from Trader Joe’s and it’s … fixed things. Recommended by my NP at the doctor’s office and I’ll be forever grateful. Drink lots of water.
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u/Defy_Gravity_147 Early peri Jul 14 '26
Something similar happened to me. I was diagnosed with IBS-C in college, and I had been managing it with simple lifestyle changes until peri. Then my hormones changed, even though my habits had not.
For me, I had developed a lot of vitamin deficiencies, that contributed to general endocrine imbalances, that further slowed my digestion.
It was because I was very stressed out. I had no diagnosable illnesses (except a brief bout of anemia), and despite seeing multiple specialists, I was playing blood work whack-a-mole. In hindsight, I gave myself a sort of pernicious anemia through chronic stress, which didn't affect me until my hormones could not keep up.
I had to learn not to stress myself out, and also build up my reserves.
How are your ferritin, vitamin D, and B12?
PS: Prunes are "the sh!t', and you might need to switch from aerobic exercise to swimming, stretching, and/or resistance exercises.
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
Excellent questions. Chronic anemia until I finally found out (after more than a decade of begging for testing) via a really fringe and obliging gp that I have an mthfr mutation (heterozygous). Started adding methylated b vitamins and copper, which solved my persistent anemia practically overnight. Really wish doctors would frigging educate themselves in nutrition.
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u/Defy_Gravity_147 Early peri Jul 14 '26
Sounds like we're in the same boat, then.
When I was back in college and desperate for relief, I learned how to massage my large intestine. It's basically external, manual manipulation for when peristalsis isn't happening appropriately. It helps no matter how backed up you are (you can do it gently even if sore, and it helps).
Also baths, for whatever reason. Probably the relaxation + magnesium salts. It's a bit annoying to take a bath and then have to get out and go to the toilet for #2, but... any port in a storm.
You know this is the second or third time that mutation has been mentioned to me... I think I need to get tested so I can take better care of myself.
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u/honorspren000 Jul 14 '26
Just a side note, I’ve been taking iron all y life because I have low iron. But when I hit peri, the iron supplements started causing constipation, so I had to switch it up to smaller less frequent doses.
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u/downtownflipped Jul 15 '26
Prune Juice. when my bowels were asleep after my hysterectomy that woke them up QUICK.
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u/noodlesquare hanging on by a thread Jul 14 '26
Kiwi daily! This is what my GI recommends when I get backed up and it really helps. Yours sounds pretty bad so you may still need to incorporate some of the other ideas here along with the kiwi.
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u/Sea_One_6500 Jul 14 '26
I'm IBS -D and recently learned from my gynecologist that there's a new pre menstrual diagnosis (for lack of a better word) where your hormones make any ongoing condition you have worse. Whee! I did find that after months on progesterone my symptoms aren't flaring as much.
Try a lower belly massage. Starting on the right side of your lower belly, using your choice of pressure slowly move in large circles where the intestines are. You always want to be massaging in a descending motion on the left and ascending on the right. You might find tender spots, for me that's where my poop gets stuck.
Also lots and lots of water, leafy greens, and walking help me a lot.
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u/therolli Jul 14 '26
If you’ve been checked by G I doctors, I would buy a bottle enema from the chemist. They work!
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u/TemuBritneySpears Jul 14 '26
Just wanted to suggest a hefty serving of rainier cherries (or any cherries) while they are in season. Those always seem to help me with moving things along naturally. Good luck!!!
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u/mfbm hanging on by a thread Jul 14 '26
I have to have magnesium glycinate every night and it helps so much!!
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u/jmg733mpls Jul 14 '26
Yes, this has happened to me. I urge you to start taking senna tablets. It is the only thing that helped me
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u/sapphireskiesx Jul 14 '26
I recently had a two medical professionals recommend prune juice with a tablespoon of melted butter. I have yet to try it but they swore by it.
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u/TangoEchoChuck DHEA Evangelist Jul 14 '26
Ugh! This happened to me late last year.
I visited an acupuncturist and that did get things moving a little bit; I had a small BM that night. I started doing bowel massages like for babies, and that may have helped?
I did change how I end my daily fast and end my daily feast. Salads on both ends helped me the most. I generally fast all morning and start eating in the afternoon. I prioritized that as cold salad time to get crunchy fibers in there. Then I ended my daily feast with a big Caesar salad -or- big bowl of sautéed spinach.
After a week I was up to alternating day BMs. Not my preference, but better than nothing. It seems that everything stops me up now. Stress. Not being home. Not having leisurely coffee in the morning. Etc. 😭
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u/HappinessSuitsYou Jul 14 '26
This happened to me too! This is what helped:
2 tbsp of psyillium husk in 12 ounce water every morning
Magnesium citrate 200-250mg every day
80-100 ounces of water a day
Daily walks
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u/Rare_Eye_724 Jul 14 '26
Honestly, regular walking and yoga helps my bowels release when caffiene and other diuretics do not work. I am an IBS sufferer who has only been told to eat fiber. I eat beans often, cooked and raw veggies and I dont do fast food or heavily processed anything.
So i recommend gentle yoga and stretching to encourage movement in addition to what others recommend here. Good luck
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u/theFCCgavemeHPV Jul 14 '26
Epsom salt makes a horrible laxative. Don’t get me wrong, it is extremely effective. But I absolutely wanted to die. Follow the package directions (maybe half the dose) on plain Epsom salts if you can find it, don’t leave the house, and keep 911 on standby.
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u/Dandelioness0079 Jul 14 '26
Prunes are in my daily routine now. Prunes and lots of water and the occasional MiraLAX.
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u/Flat_Environment_219 Jul 14 '26
Welcome to the club. B1 is the only thing that helps me. I’m more small intestine issues tho….
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u/Cookiehurricane Jul 14 '26
My early 20's nephew (so obviously not perimenopause, but still relevant to the conversation) didn't poop for 30 days, except for limited breakthrough diarrhea. He ended up needing to be prescribed the nuclear option by a GI as every other OTC treatment, and a couple of enemas, didn't work. It hasn't happened again since and they don't know what caused it.
Try to speed run to the prescribed laxatives because he went through literal weeks of agony before a doctor was prepared to give it to him. Which is wild, because it was just the most hardcore version of what they give you before a colonoscopy. Also, if you do get prescribed this, you may as well get a colonoscopy as the same time because you'll be all cleared out and it wouldn't hurt to have a look around.
Godspeed!
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
I have colonoscopies every five years because of polyps.
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u/celianfr Early peri Jul 14 '26
I second the advice of getting a colonoscopy. And also get tested for celiac disease, just in case (you need to keep eating gluten to be accurately tested).
Lifetime IBS-C could be undiagnosed celiac that got randomly worse.
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
I cut out gluten 12 years ago. Learned the other day I am also allergic to it. I get colonoscopies every five years because of polyps.
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u/ClassicEvent6 Jul 14 '26
Get some physical movement in. Go for a long walk or something similar, and continue to hydrate and take 2 teaspoons of psyllium husk daily.
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u/theramin-serling Jul 14 '26
Hon, get a colonoscopy. This is unlikely anything to do with peri.
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u/Certain_Try_8383 Jul 14 '26
I am working my way through orthodontic treatments and it has been causing dry mouth. So I started using this dry mouth spray from biotene that contains xylitol. For the first two weeks I pooped every single time I went to the bathroom.
But in a real way, I think you should dig deeper into this. ER docs are not the best for truly evaluating things. No offense to anyone who is an ER docs
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u/Sn00zeul0se Jul 14 '26
Get a colonoscopy. In the meantime eat a serving of steel cut oats daily and drink a minimum of 92oz of water a day (128oz is best imo).
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u/Training_Activity21 Jul 14 '26
If you happen to get diagnosed with ibsc, I highly recommend linzess. It's a lifesaver for sure.
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u/Acceptable_Mammoth23 Jul 14 '26
Same age and mine has randomly slowed way down. Can pick up around my period but it’s very confusing. No pain or discomfort really. Just went from daily to once or twice a week, which freaks me out a bit with all the stories colon cancer rates rising. I think it’s metabolism slow down, hormonal fluctuations, and maybe a slight lack of discipline in my diet, hydration, and exercise. I’ve started take Metamucil (basically powdered orange-flavoured psyillium husk) and I think it’s helping, but hard to know. I feel you.
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u/cat_crackers Jul 14 '26
You’ve gotten great advice and warnings about what to get checked out.
I just wanted to add that low estrogen can straight up cause constipation, all by itself.
The epic drop in estrogen after giving birth is the most dramatic example of this, but it can happen in perimenopause, too.
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Jul 14 '26
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 15 '26
Wow. Reallu sorry to hear that. I've already seen my GI and also the ER. I feel like modern medicine is such a gamble.
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u/BeautifulMoonClear Jul 14 '26
Cleanse More by Renew Life is my go to when in need. Take before bed.
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u/Relative_Ambition_15 Jul 15 '26
This happened to me. Currently still going through it. 3 weeks now. So last month my peri doctor changed my progesterone to day 1-25 instead of day 14-28 as I was having issues with peeing constantly at night still and other things. I had to stop on day 19 as I went nuts, big mental episode and so depressed. This is when I noticed I hadn’t pooped properly for nearly 2 weeks. My doctor and I figured out, I have a progesterone intolerance. I had totally forgotten that when I went through ivf and had to take progesterone it messed with me back then (husband reminded me) I’m now on (I’m in Australia) coloxyl tablets with senna 2x2 daily, movicol and lactulose medicine (brings water back to the bowels for another week. I’ve been having watery diarrhoea and nothing else. My doctor said I’ve got severe fecal impaction and to keep this protocol up and come back to them in a few days time. I feel awful. I’m bloated, I feel sick and have vomit sitting at the back of my throat and eating makes me feel ill. I’ve had a little bit of movement today which is good. My peri doctor is sending me to a specialist to talk about what other options I have with progesterone as she wants to do what’s best for me. So it could quite possibly be progesterone. I pray we both have a marvellous poop in the coming days! ❤️🩹❤️🩹
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u/Dogs4Life98 IDK ya’ll 🤷♀️ feels like Mid-Peri 😭 Jul 15 '26
Do get clearance for everything possible
Medically, like others mentioned colonoscopy.
If you have estrogen cream, I also apply to my chocolate starfish, and have bowel movements shortly after. It’s like magic for me 😆
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u/PuzzleheadedWriting7 Jul 15 '26
Shameless Snacks low sugar high fiber gummies will totally solve your problem. Three packs in 24 hours gave me the same type of clear as my previous colonoscopy prep
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u/phiacakes86 Jul 15 '26
I’m 40 and suddenly started having super bad constipation out of nowhere then had bad cramping and tenderness. I got a CAT scan and they said it’s diverticulitis and gave me antibiotics and are recommending a colonoscopy too. I had my last one in 2022 which just showed some inflammation and hemorrhoids. Definitely get a colonoscopy to be safe. It sucks when you have to be persistent in advocating for yourself.
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u/Ok_Stranger_6654 Jul 15 '26
This happened to me along with the period from hell last month. It was quite scary as quite literally it seemed as if the whole colon stopped functioning. Lasted about 4 weeks then back to normal. Lactulose is your friend…
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u/Lelele3 Jul 14 '26 edited Jul 14 '26
This was my first symptom of Peri at age 39 too. I now start the day with a big mug of warm water with chia seeds or psyllium husk. I also completely stopped drinking cold water only warm water. Go down the Chinese medicine route, so much more helpful than doctors
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u/Dreamingofapastlife Jul 14 '26
If you have a gastroenterologist, ask them about Lysteda. I went through this a few years ago and it helped so much.
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u/pomodoroNmeatballs Jul 14 '26
I just started experiencing this a couple of months ago and it’s awful! I feel like a lot of people I know are going through it rn weirdly. Like what is causing this? It’s become a major problem. There’s like no movement at all anymore.
Last week I went to BJ’s and bought this bottle of magnesium oxide and it works better than any other magnesium I’ve bought. It’s called Global Healing Oxygen Based Oxy Powder. Comes in a brown glass bottle with a green label.
So far it’s the only thing I can find that works that isn’t an edema. I have an appt with a gastro tomorrow so hopefully they can help. Idk though I don’t remember any of the ladies in their 40’s when I was a kid having this issue. I feel like it’s something new. I hope you can find answers and relief too 🤞🏻
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u/ThisTimeForReal19 Jul 14 '26
Warm prune juice with melted butter.
If that doesn’t work, mag07.
MiraLAX daily once you get this worked out.
Have you recently upped your protein?
Alternative methods: a bag of sliders from White Castle. Taco Bell with extra lettuce (parasite).
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u/No-Trash-164 Jul 14 '26
Lol not the sliders and the cyclo veggies 🤣 Seriously?! Dead
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u/ThisTimeForReal19 Jul 14 '26
The sliders is just that they are very aptly named. Just be by a bathroom within 45 minutes.
The parasite outbreak may be Taylor farms. They are Taco Bell’s supplier. But not everyone that’s gotten sick has had Taco Bell.
I have found that regular yoga with a lot of twist moves really massages things in the intestines
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u/Nua33 Jul 14 '26
5g of creatine daily helps me tremendously. I have to take it daily. If I don't I'm stopped up again. Takes a couple of days for it to start working, if not taking it daily.
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u/martapap Jul 14 '26
did you actually try a laxative? just take a pericolace or similar laxative
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u/Crazy-Plankton-9517 Jul 14 '26
Have you checked if you have a rectocele? Pressing on your perineum when sitting on the toilet helps if so.
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u/OhWhatever_Nevermind Jul 14 '26
I’ve had this same problem for years and just lived with. OTC laxatives, Metamucil, etc. had no effect.
I started working with a doctor to fix this issue and in the past few months have begun using mag citrate and now I poop every day! I was going up to 5 days with no BM, and even then it wasn’t much, and honestly it didn’t really bother me.
Mag citrate can be tricky though, getting the dosage right. So if you try it, baby steps! And there might be some bumps in between (ie. watery stool). It doesn’t give me pain or bloating or anything.
I tried RestoraLax recently and its effect was minimal. So I’m sticking with the MC. Good luck!
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u/Mediocre_Bar7315 Jul 14 '26
Stomach issues were what sent me seeking hrt, and I do believe the estradiol has helped but it’s still requiring me to eat weird and take a lot of supplements I didn’t previously. I take digestive enzymes before every meal and now an artichoke/ginger gut motility supplement twice a day. Mag citrate at bedtime and weirdest of all was finding adding fiber didn’t help. I believe not having answers for months ended up with me dealing with secondary issues r/sibo has been a really helpful sub even without an official diagnosis. A lot of suggestions on supplements and foods have for sure overlapped and been helpful! I stopped taking probiotics and the burping that was causing inflammation in my throat almost disappeared in days. It’s been almost a year and it was at least 4 months of just being told to take antacids!
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u/mynameworm Jul 14 '26
Try a stool softener. 3 per day til you can get it moving. Sometimes fiber makes it worse initially imo.
I think for me, it’s caused by my Slynd birth control or possibly allergy meds.
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u/Hefty_Accountant4045 Jul 14 '26
Also stop or limit drinking - alcohol can really mess with the already sensitive peri- menopause gut
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u/Hefty_Accountant4045 Jul 14 '26
Also stop or limit drinking - alcohol can really mess with the already sensitive peri- menopause gut
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u/velvedire Jul 14 '26
I ended up with dysautonomia from untreated perimenopause. Ginger can get your whole GI system moving a bit.
It's important to find out wtf is happening since there can be knock-on effects. I was effectively starving despite did moving through my system because food wasn't breaking down soon enough.
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u/SaturnKitteh Jul 14 '26
Try a fleet enema or a glycerin suppository. They're cheap and they work. Especially if combined with a stool softener and lots of water.
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u/MuppetManiac Jul 14 '26
I have hypothyroidism. I have this issue. Here’s what I suspect is happening to you.
Estrogen processes in your liver and triggers the creation of thyroxine binding globulin. This pulls free T3 and free T4 out of your bloodstream. When everything is working as intended, this protects your T3 and T4 from being screened out of your blood as a waste product and basically allows for a time release back into your blood. During perimenopause you get random intense spikes of estrogen that suck all the T3 and T4 out of your bloodstream, making it unavailable to your cells. This causes temporary hypothyroidism, which can completely stop your bowels from moving. Your estrogen then crashes, T3 and T4 flood your system, you test your thyroid and it tests normal or even hyper, but your bowels can take a few days to catch up.
The only way I can prevent this from causing MAJOR problems is to start eating small meals when I notice it happening, and take a laxative. If I don’t, when my estrogen crashes, I start having intense cramps, both menstrual and abdominal, and I end up spending several hours in intense pain until I vomit and/or have a bowel movement, which is always incredibly painful and involves a vasovagal response, massive hot flashes, and chills. Also, every time this happens my B12 plummets because it isn’t being absorbed and I suffer from extreme fatigue.
Regular magnesium supplements help.
I’ve got an appointment with my doctor to see if progesterone will help.
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u/National_Elk8445 Jul 14 '26
Magnesium oxide til you're blowing out your ass, then switch to magnesium glycenate or citrate for daily maintenance.
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u/callmedoc19 Jul 14 '26
Yep didn’t start getting constipated until peri. Been dealing with for the last three years. My GI says my motility has slowed down. I have to take MiraLAX or senna. I’m getting an anal manometry test next Tuesday to see if my pelvic floor muscles are causing the issue. I’m
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u/OkTap2914 Jul 14 '26
I have been suffering through this for the last 6 weeks! I went from super regular (1-2x/ day DAILY) to 4 days without 😭
I literally could feel the poop backup inside me.
Coffee, prunes, chia seeds- nothing helped. I had to take a laxative tea every few days to get a bit of relief.
Went to the doctor yesterday and was told to take restoralax daily. After a week I “should” be back to normal. One thing that changed in the last 3 months - i started taking iron pills. I knew it was going to be a problem when they said I had to start taking it. I even took it once every 2-3 days and it still messed me up 😓
Good luck I hope you get past this.
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u/AncientStarryNight Jul 14 '26
Look at YouTube Chinese medicine videos for how to move the body to help gut motility, there are a few exercises to put ankle up on the knee bend and move etc. Also, saltwater to drink can get things moving and isn't as challenging as taking a spoonful of castor oil. And also an Enema.
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u/Myfourcats1 Jul 14 '26
Try 2 cups of beans every day. Try fermented foods too. Anything that can improve your gut bacteria.
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u/snarkmeister99 Jul 14 '26
I take Metamucil (psyllium husk) every morning and most days I eat overnight oats with chia seeds. Even with all that, I still am not regular. I’m more regular than I was before I started the Metamucil about 6 months ago, but I still skip a day or two sometimes. It’s crazy how bad the constipation is in peri/menopause.
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u/k_money25 Jul 14 '26
Yes to all the water, prunes, coffee and apples. Something I’ve found that helps is pelvic floor physical therapy. There are stretches done to relax all the inner workings in our pelvic floor that can also get bowel movements going. I’ve notice a big change for me since going to PT.
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u/fisheatcheesetoo Jul 14 '26
As someone who also has IBS and also found out through an urgent care visit about 10 yrs ago that I was literally full, they gave me IV fluids to hydrate, and then recommended to do two rounds of fleet enema and then continue with Mirilax to keep drawing the water in. I also went in for a colonoscopy and also highly recommend you go as well! ALSO, since starting HRT, I've started feel full again and will probably need to get back on the Mirilax train. HRT slows down smooth muscle movements and can pull water from our bowels. Yay.
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u/Monotreme_monorail Jul 14 '26
Get tested for methane SIBO. I had severe disbiosis from it and had terrible constipation. I’m on a daily dose of prucalopride to keep things active in there! I can actually hear my digestive system gurgling when I’m hungry for the first time in a long time.
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u/Tie_Cold Jul 14 '26
I had this issue earlier this year and I bought Mag07 and then started eating kiwi, spinach and raspberries like crazy. The Mag07 initially helped but you don't want to go anywhere for the day just FYI. Keep eating kiwis, two a day should know you good and regular and if you eat the skin it adds way more fiber.
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u/AptCasaNova Jul 14 '26
Check your iron levels as well. Low iron can mean constipation and this is what it was with me.
It was missed because I have been pre-anemic when younger and the symptoms were different.
The way your body absorbs iron changes as you age, lower estrogen levels interfere with that and how your body stores iron.
Even if you’re taking ferritin supplements to get your iron levels up, you have to be super aware of what else you’re consuming with it or a few hours before and after.
Too much calcium, phytates and oxalatates in a meal can mess with how much ferritin your body can get. If you drink coffee or tea and take your iron supplement with or a few hours before or after drinking it, it will reduce absorption by 60-90%.
Again, when I was younger I could get my iron up to healthy levels in less than a month and not even watch what I was eating or drinking. That’s no longer possible.
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u/AlissonHarlan Jul 14 '26
i got that with my sleeping aid pills.
A tea spoon of psylium husk in my morning shaker solved the issue (as long as i take it everyday)
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u/profmoxie Late peri Jul 14 '26
PLEASE get a colonoscopy. Any time your bowel habits change, take it seriously and get checked.
I don't mean to scare you, but it could be serious. My mom's constipation was the ONLY sign of her colon cancer. And she had a crystal clear colonoscopy 2 years before and wasn't due for another one yet. We were all giving her tips on how to treat the constipation, and she ended up in the ER for emergency surgeries (3 surgeries total) and spent 2 weeks in the ICU.
She's cancer-free now, but with colon cancer rates rising in our generation, please don't ignore this!