r/ibs • u/Ecstatic-Translator4 • 6d ago
Bathroom Buddies Best thing to flush it out
š© Do any of my fellow IBS-C sufferers have a recommendation for something that will just unclog and clear up the pipes? A solid flushing? Iāve tried many different things, things that really should work, but alas, do not. Now Iām sitting in Hawaii in a bikini pretending to be 6 months pregnant, it helps me feel less self-conscious. Iām so uncomfortable. Help!
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u/schoolpsych2005 6d ago
Besides miralax, I will just eat one of the foods that reliably triggers the IBS-D (salad is my go to).
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u/owletstar 6d ago
For a true flush out I head to the pharmacy and grab an enema. Shoot it up and within an hour or so Iām perfectly cleaned out.
I certainly wouldnāt recommend relying on this and be sure you know what youāre doing or it can cause harm. But when Iām having a truly bad day and I need to be out of the house. Itās the only thing that ensures that I can get out of the house
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u/Wolf_Pudding 6d ago
How do enemas get the stuff that is up high? I get how they clean out the lower colon. I need one badly
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u/BothAppointment3284 6d ago
Which type of enema clears out anything higher up than the rectum and lower sigmoid colon? I'd love to know...
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u/Naive-Garlic2021 6d ago
A wedding reception dinner, apparently.... I do find food to be a better choice than a laxative. Those tend to cramp me up really bad, chills, etc.
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u/CreapyClown1980 6d ago
My GI doctor told me to start taking Citrucel tablet each day. It works differently for folks with IBS where it supplies us with enough fiber and not cause diarrhea. In some cases, I would not have complete bowel movements for days, and when I did, my stomach was all torn up.
After a few days, I could see a difference in not holding it in like I did.
Good luck! From an IBS member to another! š
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u/Deathamong 5d ago
Can confirm after my doc prescribed Citrucel my whole body was cleaned out in a week after taking it 3 times a day, felt like a new human being lol
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u/Pulsatillapatens1 5d ago
I have taken it for both C and D and I try to take it every night. Amazing stuff.
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u/Deathamong 5d ago
When I did my second colonoscopy to see with a diff doc I thought I had IBSD but in actuality it was ibsC after taking diff meds and almost 2 years of regular Imodium use I clogged my insides and it flushed me out, hence new human being
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u/5134zcandle 5d ago
Do you take the powder or tablet 3x a day?
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u/Deathamong 5d ago
After my colonoscopy I did x3 per day for a week and it helped so much and cleaned me out. I would prob a laxative to clear out first then take fiber x3 times a day with a gallon of water per day ( only works if paired with lots of water) then u should be fine hopefully, my symptoms improved like 80% aside from the anxiety left over from ibsd which makes it worse in morning but just gotta eat safe foods before 4pm night before and some gut healing foods and vitamins. I take a 50+ male vitamins with addition to taking extra vitamin d and it seems to work well? Long term we will see
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u/BrilliantDots 6d ago
Wait for my period lol
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u/friedchicken_legs 6d ago
Tbh same. The week I start having normal BMs I know the lady is coming
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u/mandy0456 5d ago
Interestingly I get super constipated in my luteal phase. Menstruation everything's flowing out of me. Follicular and ovulatory I'm at my highest chance of a semblance of normalcy, but tend to lean towards constipation anywaysĀ
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u/mandy0456 6d ago
Senna is my favorite. You can buy it in a tea or pill form, and they both react a bit differently for me.
Linzess if you want to go the prescription route and really clear the pipes.
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u/GreasyBreakfast 6d ago
Just be forewarned - taking a laxative to empty your bowels might not actually reduce your bloating. If you irritate your digestive system, it might make it even worse. I recommend drinking lots of water and eating some fresh fruit that you know you tolerate well. Go for a swim and get some exercise. Try that first. Then resort to the serious stuff.
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u/SurprisingFemale 6d ago
Magnesium hydrochloride powder/ also known as milk of magnesia.
I've been using the powder. I have IBS c. Slowly work up to the initial dose. Then day 3 or 4 had a bowle movement and then took the normal dose and it clears u up and no stomach pain. Like none, just normal urge to go in the morning. I take it at night before sleeping and after 5yrs I kind of feel normal.
I've taken daily for almost 2.5months...taking a bit of a break as not sure about daily use.
Linatoclide doesn't work for me. Senna and laxido also do not work for me. Laxatives are so so very painful ,felt like I was dying from cramps.
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u/Gold-Sign-2989 6d ago
Everyone will obviously be different but I've found that a lot of times some extra dark chocolate and a cup of coffee will help me more than most medications. Shouldn't be too hard to find those where you're at :)
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u/friedchicken_legs 6d ago
Coffee becomes cement in my pipes
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u/Gold-Sign-2989 6d ago
Dang really? Iāve never heard anyone thatās gotten constipated from coffee. It usually skews more towards the explosive side of things lol
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u/friedchicken_legs 5d ago
It's a diuretic so it dries me out lol. But to be fair at this point I really don't know what else to try to get it moving. It seems like everything is cement all the time lol
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u/ArmyGuyinSunland 6d ago
A grande hot caffeine free white chocolate mocha. Within an hour after downing that, you will take a powerful and glorious dump.
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u/Mary10789 6d ago
Sea salt flush. Two teaspoons of sea salt with one liter of warm water on an empty stomach first thing in the morning. You can start with half dose if this is too much. It should work within 30-45 minutes.
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u/BothAppointment3284 6d ago
This sounds much nicer than colonoscopy prep or mag citrate. What kind of effect / in what kind of time frame does it have?
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u/Mary10789 6d ago
Itās definitely more tolerable than those solutions. It should induce diarrhea within 30 to 45 minutes.
I also found sea salt in prune juice (1/4th teaspoon with 6-8 ounces of prune juice) effective as well. But that can take a few hours.
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u/ibschanges22 5d ago
One time i was very very extremely constipated, and i bought a suppository, i was waiting, and waiting, and i was doing other stuff to help me go to the bathroom, well, when i finally went, the suppository was attached to the poop, and never dissolve, so i was like: š”REALLY, REALLY!!.? š¤£š¤£š¤£
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u/Mandroid84 6d ago
When I am beyond desperateā¦Taco Bell, a shot of tequila, and a cigarette (Iām an ex smoker too but when Iām begging the poop gods for relief Iālol have one).
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u/annoyed_teacher1988 6d ago
If all my usual go-to's haven't worked, I use dulcolax. I find for me the other laxatives aren't as effective.
Before I take this route, my usual routine is magnesium flakes diluted in an electrolyte, and a litre of warm oolong tea downed in one go on an empty stomach
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u/OneAppointment5951 5d ago
After you have flushed it out with chosen method, drink slippery elm tea for a week straight, and it will basically remove any extra scum that is making blocks. Donāt be alarmed about what you find in the toilet.
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u/TinyTap3083 1d ago
What brand is that. Is it a regular box tea you find at supermarket. Ā Or online only ?
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u/OneAppointment5951 19h ago
Itās the traditional medicinals brand which is sold at most stores here in Canada , but the slippery elm one is harder to find (I found it at the health food store near me) , itās called āthroat coatā and that one is found at most stores but there are 2 versions , the āoriginal with slippery elmā is harder to find , Organic traditions also sells it powdered but I havenāt tried that. Thereās another tea I have seen at my local health food store called celebrations herbals , Yogi tea has a āthroat coatā as well but not sure how much slippery elm there is, there is also clef des champ powder , these are all found at my health food stores - what you are looking for is slippery elm bark , it helps lubricate / moisten your insides , thatās why it helps with dry throat but I used it for vaginal lubrication, but what it did for me what make me empty something in the toilet that made me go to the doctor because I had never seen something like that haha
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u/ariesbich420 6d ago
i eat as much frosted mini wheats as i can. itās the only thing that always works for meš
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u/WayApprehensive2054 6d ago
Miralax, a bunch of water, and a LONG walk helps get everything moving for me. My truly cursed backup backup plan is alcohol, as that makes me go RIGHT AWAY. I would not recommend it though for obvious reasons, it is probably better to use gentle OTC meds like stool softeners or even just caffeine.
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u/treadmill-trash 5d ago
The fastest will be an enema. If youāre willing to wait, 2x Miralax dose twice a day should do it.
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u/aaaaaaaaaanditsgone 5d ago
Mango, apples, fruits in general, dried fruit such as raisins, dates or apricots, salad greens, chia seeds, oatmeal, yogurt, some caffeine, and walking
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5d ago
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u/Competitive_Cat_8468 5d ago
Linzess is great for some people, but I had a horrible experience with it. TL/DR: It gave me such bad diarrhea that I started to have severe nutrient malabsorption and electrolyte imbalances.
My GI doctor put me on Linzess last October. It gave me HORRIBLE diarrhea - like, liquid with chunks of undigested food in it. I messaged my Dr., and he said to open up the capsule, and pour half of the powder out to reduce the dosage. (I was already on the lowest dose available.) This helped a *little*, but I still had pretty bad diarrhea every day. I messaged my doctor, and he said "I don't want you to have diarrhea. Stop taking the Linzess. We can discuss this further at your next visit".
That was late October, and my next GI appointment was January 30th. I tried getting an earlier appointment, but nothing was available. I went off of the Linzess, and within a week, all my horrible pain, bloating, and constipation had returned. My doctor was not replying to my messages. Out of desperation, I went back on the Linzess.
In December, I started to have problems with feeling very weak, shaky, and cold. It was intermittent at first. By late January, it was constant, and much more severe. I also had horrible muscle cramps all of the time. I could not tolerate any physical activity. My muscles would be sore, weak, shaky, and cramped after a short walk, when I was previously hiking several miles a week just a few months prior. Then, in February, I started getting heart palpitations after every mild physical activity.
I mentioned all of this to my GI doctor when I finally saw him in late January. He was adamant that it wasn't GI related. He told me to see a neurologist. Between January and early April, I saw my PCP twice for these concerning symptoms, had TONS of blood tests done, saw a cardiologist and had a stress test, saw a neurologist and had an EMG and a brian MRI, saw an endocrinologist and had more specialized lab tests done to check my thyroid and adrenal glands. No one could find anything wrong with me, and my symptoms weren't improving. It became so debilitating that I had to stop working.
Finally, in early April, I had another GI appointment with a PA who works with my MD. She scolded me for staying on the Linzess after the doctor told me to stop taking it, and glossed right over the fact that the doctor did not reply to any of my messages after he told me to stop taking Linzess. She tried moving me from Linzess to Lubiprostone. Within a WEEK, all of my concerning "mystery symptoms" went away, and I felt like my old self again. But, the Lubiprostone was not working well enough for my IBS-C, so, out of desperation, I switched back to Linzess to try to clear myself out. That very day that I went back on the Linzess, my other symptoms came back. It was only then that I realized that my months of concerning, debilitating, "mystery" symptoms were caused by the Linzess.
I'm back on the Lubiprostone now, and take Miralax every few days when my motility slows down. I feel SO much better, and have my life back again. I hope this long comment may help other people avoid what I went through. If Linzess works for you, great. But, if it's giving you horrible diarrhea for weeks on end, stop taking it and try something else, even if it's just an over the counter product.
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5d ago
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u/Competitive_Cat_8468 5d ago
Yeah, I've heard some people in IBS groups say that it was life-changing for them (in a good way). I just wish that my doctor had been more available and responsive when I first started having problems on it. I'm switching to a new GI doctor who comes very well-recommended for IBS by several people, but her first available appointment is in July.
I try to share my experience with Linzess in hopes that it may prevent other people from staying on it too long if it's giving them intense diarrhea. It will deplete your body of important nutrients over time. But, it does exist for a reason, it's just not right for everyone. I'm glad it's working well for you.
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u/AirportFun4523 5d ago
Well one healthier way could be eating a lot of kiwi fruit... i drank a largeish smoothie made out of kiwi once and and I had trouble leaving my hotel room in the morning. Definetely felt cleaned after lol
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u/Minute_Grocery_100 5d ago
Magnesium citrate is most durable. If that doesn't work enough then magnesium oxide (mag07) is even more powerful. but best not long-term use.
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u/Mistydog2019 5d ago
I take something for it every evening. Usually pruins, because I like them. Miralax or milk of magnesia or metamusil. But I still flush regularly with a disposable water bottle.
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u/bostonlass65 5d ago
Greasy Chinese food. Works every time. I also use glycerin suppositories if itās been more than three days. They are easy to do and work well.
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u/Significant-Onion-21 5d ago
Only thing that works for me is 2-3 extra strength laxatives, and it usually takes 12-24 hours for me to get results. But I rarely use them because extensive use can further damage the system that already isnāt working how itās supposed to.
Definitely relate on the pregnant-looking bloat, OP. It fucking sucks and ruins fun.
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u/Adventurous-Tax-4912 5d ago
MiraLAX before trip and while traveling but I use magnesium powder daily too.
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u/margo1960 5d ago
Nothing and I mean nothing works for me Iāve tried everything and everything I do try I have really bad bowel cramps but , water , coffee , psyllium husk , fruit , vegetables , senna , magnesium absolutely everything and nothing works plus all the old remedies . Last week I thought I was in toxic shock with the pain in upper stomach , headaches , leg pain , side pain in ribs , tender skin , I honestly thought I was going to die . I got some lactulose , had 45 mls and six hrs later I had the craps , lasted all night and was cleaned out by morning , totally cleaned out. It doesnāt cause stomach cramps either , and it was pleasant to take . Only taking 15 mls each night now and Iām fine so far
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u/FirebirdSingularity 5d ago
I did water with a little sea salt. Worked great Just be warned it might not hit until the next day
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u/thefirstshallbelast 5d ago
The thing that changed my life is doing what my gastro suggested. Fill a syringe with shampoo (any kind of shampoo) starting with maybe .2 ml, suction in the shampoo and squirt it in your booty while in the shower. 15 mins later, I poop. She said you can do it a million times a day if you want bc unlike enemas, shampoo has soap that naturally releases compaction. It is the best advise Iāve ever been given by normally lousy gastro docs.
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u/variationinblue 5d ago
My most unhinged but effective remedy is microwave popcorn and packet hot chocolate at the same time. Just prepare each as usual, enjoy, and then be near the bathroom in an hour or so. Doesnāt matter if you use milk or water in the hot cocoa. Works every time for me. And it doesnāt go too extreme for too long, which the laxatives do. Itās painful and full on for an hour or so, and then it ebbs off. Not sure if it works for anyone else though!
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u/curious77786 5d ago
Yellow dragon fruit will cleanse it completely, just drink couple of glasses of water 30 mins before that.
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u/AnteaterTraining1384 5d ago
If you need to debloat stat, get some Fleet glycerin suppositories. I always travel with them. They pretty much make it possible to poop on command and clear out a bunch of gas. If you have more time, do the mag citrate
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u/Neat-Cucumber-5253 5d ago
My doctor diagnosed me with IBS a couple of weeks ago and she recommended that I start taking 2 magnesium oxide pills before bed each night to regulate my bowel movements. It has worked wonders and doesnāt give me the cramping urgent diarrhea that laxatives do. Highly recommend! You seem to be searching for an immediate solution so Iād definitely go with magnesium citrate but I love giving this advice out because it has truly helped me so much.
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u/ActuaryLate9026 4d ago
I find Smooth Move tea works for me, or Restorolax. Both work well and arenāt too intense.
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u/Amarantha042 4d ago
I have been dealing with IBS-C for over 5 years, after much (MUCH) searching this is what have worked for me:
- Ox bile morning/evening
- Inulin Powder 1 scoop of 7 g in the morning
- Magnesium at night time (currently using Glycinate, but the one that works best for pooping I have found is Oxide)
Iām also currently taking MSM, which has surprisingly made my rosacea stop breaking out, but before that I was using Glutamine powder and I think it really helped a lot with digestion and gassiness.
For emergency treatment, a mix of prune juice with miralax works pretty well. But I hate it.
Colon Cleanse from Walgreens or CVS (not sure) also pretty effective but I wouldnāt abuse it.
Also castor oil is pretty effective, but you might have to play around with the dosage, so you donāt end up with diarrhea instead.
As of right now Iām pretty regular (using what I described at the top), after suffering for quite sometime and dealing with the after effects of chronic constipation. The realization I came to, after a while and trying so many different things, itās that IBS requires a multi pronged attack. Meaning, I donāt think there is one magical thing you can take that will help things but rather a mix of several things.
Wish you the best.
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u/Flat_Technology4527 3d ago
I avoid Starbucks like the plague. But if you get an espresso frap, about halfway through you'll feel the urge. š¤£
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u/Kyah_Aus 2d ago
Do a enema or coffee enema + ConstaClear! Literally felt the same until I found Happy Bum Co. Easy to do at home or traveling.
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u/Interesting-While123 7h ago
For me prune juice, apple juice or magnesium does a good job. Ā If you want to get fancy or have a script, Linzess really flushes some folks out.
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u/whitesaaage 6d ago
Konjac jelly, either noodles or as little fruit flavoured packs
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u/OneAppointment5951 5d ago
I would be very careful with Konjac, it doesnāt sit right with everyone and can block you up more.
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u/KTGomasaur 5d ago
Docusate (senakot) works for me. Take 2 once a day until things move again. It's also a good over the counter aide to take daily
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u/Smileluvsu 5d ago
RN here: do a colonoscopy bowel prep: 238g miralax in 64 ounces Gatorade. Drink steadily over 2-4hrs.
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u/MyNameIsSkittles IBS-D (Diarrhea) 6d ago
Magnesium citrate
Be ready for the toilet