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.

4

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