Poo, constipation, and all that crap.

[AntiM]

We all do it, but sometimes shit can be problematic. Tummy troubles, runs, what plagues you and what helps?

I tend to get constipated when I travel, even when I stay hydrated and eat on schedule. Staying hydrated really helps. I also am missing a chunk of small intestine, so Benefiber in my coffee and snacking on dried fruit works wonders for me. Those little flavored creamers which are mostly oil? Guaranteed to give me the runs.

Ginger and full sugar coke for upset tummy. More ginger for gas. Immodium for serious whoopsies.

[Token]

Habanero, Manzano, Rocoto, Cayenne, Serrano etc.

Liberal application of said peppers daily result in no chance whatsoever of any form of impacted bowel.

The endorphin rush is awesome, and lots of times it burns you twice. Bonus!

[geekster]

MiraLAX is an EXTREMELY gentle laxative generally used for kids, dissolves completely in juice and has no flavor. It won't give you the whole Mt. St. Helens effect but it takes a day or two to work. FiberOne works well for me, too.

[junglesmacks]

The best stuff that I've ever seen is this:



100% natural herbs, and whoa.. stand back. Take two before you go to bed and by morning you'll be "fine". If you dare, take another pair in the morning but I hope you don't have any plans for the day.

Again.. 100% natural.. don't put PEG (Miralax, etc..) in your body, come on now. Petrochemicals have no place in there.

[Sham]

....or you can do what the constipated mathematicians do---work it out with a pencil!

(where is a moderator when you need one?)

[Ke'Chara]

Ugh! Shambala, seriously? Yer killin' me, smalls...

All there is to do is eat as normally as possible and pray.

[oneeyeddick]

I take generic anti-diarrheal pills all week long, it is better to be constipated for 2 weeks than to have the shits once during the event, IMO.

Less time in the JOTS for me, even if some of my shorts end up tight because of it.

[Elorrum]

I tend to be better hydrated than average at Burning Man because I am so conscious about it. No problems, and I don't worry about it. But I am prepared. I like TJ's fiber bars. I bring the more-go and the less-go otc stuff, and haven't had to take them. Pepto (generic equivalent) tablets as a prophylactic for big pot luck dinners sometimes. Kind of got in a habit of that when I lived in a place where refrigeration was mainly absent, and they lightly referred to diarrhea as "runny stomach" a condition they didn't really equate with refrigeration or food prep hygiene for that matter. Ginger tea, candied ginger, tums.

[geekster]

Petroleum is a 100% natural organic substance. I don't have a problem with it. Also, just because something is "organic" doesn't mean it is any better for you than something that isn't.

[dragonpilot]

One word...prunes! In moderation. One of life's old sayings:

"Never eat prunes when you're famished."

[junglesmacks]

Petroleum is a 100% natural organic substance. I don't have a problem with it. Also, just because something is "organic" doesn't mean it is any better for you than something that isn't.

So is cyanide. It doesn't mean that it belongs in your bloodstream.

I wasn't referring to the "organic" nature of it.. I was referring to the "natural" part of it. Ok, petroleum is natural. Come on.. I mean that the ingredients are herbs, not dinosaur juice.

[oneeyeddick]

I have always found organic cyanide to be far more effective than that damned synthetic stuff.

[Bling]

Petroleum is a 100% natural organic substance. I don't have a problem with it. Also, just because something is "organic" doesn't mean it is any better for you than something that isn't.

So is cyanide. It doesn't mean that it belongs in your bloodstream.

Miralax is not absorbed--it doesn't get into your bloodstream.

[Trishntek]

Dried fruits, mixed nuts throughout the day. Each day starts with a hearty, greasy, salty breakfast.

[ygmir]

Petroleum is a 100% natural organic substance. I don't have a problem with it. Also, just because something is "organic" doesn't mean it is any better for you than something that isn't.

So is cyanide. It doesn't mean that it belongs in your bloodstream.

I wasn't referring to the "organic" nature of it.. I was referring to the "natural" part of it. Ok, petroleum is natural. Come on.. I mean that the ingredients are herbs, not dinosaur juice.

IIRC, petroleum was used for many years medicinally.

[capjbadger]

Dried fruits, mixed nuts throughout the day.

You're eating your campmates??

-Badger

[Eric]

Dried fruits, mixed nuts throughout the day.

You're eating your campmates?? ;)

-Badger

This makes Comfort & Joy a buffet.......



......




......




.....






all you can eat......

[bs bob]

granola bars and 100 grape juice all weel long-yup and apricots and other dried fruit

[AntiM]

I don't dare risk constipation, with the internal scar tissue, it becomes painful. Emergency room, lying on the floor in cold sweats painful.

[Bling]

Miralax has been a miracle for me, and I've taken it pretty much every day for 3 years or so now. Dried fruit, juice, and granola bars all contain a lot of sugar, which I can't have. I looked in the published medical literature. PEG-based products are extremely safe unless they are in cosmetics and you apply them to skin sores--then you can absorb some. As Miralax, it's very safe.

[Trishntek]

Dried fruits, mixed nuts throughout the day.

You're eating your campmates??

-Badger

This makes Comfort & Joy a buffet.....

all you can eat......

Guests mostly, but those cream-filled goody bars only get you so far,,,,, especially the little ones.

[Trishntek]

Petroleum is a 100% natural organic substance. I don't have a problem with it. Also, just because something is "organic" doesn't mean it is any better for you than something that isn't.

So is cyanide. It doesn't mean that it belongs in your bloodstream.

I wasn't referring to the "organic" nature of it.. I was referring to the "natural" part of it. Ok, petroleum is natural. Come on.. I mean that the ingredients are herbs, not dinosaur juice.

IIRC, petroleum was used for many years medicinally.

Where do you think mineral oil comes from? An old standard laxative.

[Fire_Moose]

is DPW still offering their sewing services?

[theCryptofishist]

I don't dare risk constipation, with the internal scar tissue, it becomes painful. Emergency room, lying on the floor in cold sweats painful.

And here I was coasting along in the assumption that there weren't a lot of nerve endings inside...

[AntiM]

I don't dare risk constipation, with the internal scar tissue, it becomes painful. Emergency room, lying on the floor in cold sweats painful.

And here I was coasting along in the assumption that there weren't a lot of nerve endings inside...

There's enough...

[theCryptofishist]

I don't dare risk constipation, with the internal scar tissue, it becomes painful. Emergency room, lying on the floor in cold sweats painful.

And here I was coasting along in the assumption that there weren't a lot of nerve endings inside...

There's enough...

Yeah, I stand corrected.
I fear that some evil evening, I'll huddle on the floor corrected...

[LostinReno]

Clif bars worked really well for me last year, I ate one every morning. Clif bar wrapped in bacon....even better!

[C.f.M.]

AntiM, there really is no one solution. One works wonders for some won't do anything for anybody.

A lot of those "fiber" supplements don't actually contain much fiber. And, if you look at the ingredients, they just use bulking agents like psyllium, which you can just buy straight.

Miralax never really did much for me. I can eat over a pound of cherries with no effect, and prunes by the handful with no effect.

The ONLY thing that works for me, once I'm constipated, is epsom salts. I fill up gelatin capsules with the entire 3-4 T recommended amount. Less doesn't work. Magnesium is a common bowel stimulant - you don't really want to take laxatives (senna, etc.) if you can avoid it.

I'm bringing some with me this year, going to take a smaller dose daily if I need to.

Oh, actually, there is one thing that worked very, very well for me: Dr. Natura. You might want to get just the powder, and try it. Hm...maybe I will get some, too.

And there's always that enema camp, no? Or you could pack one of the disposable ones. That works quicker than the epsom salts and is easy to do to yourself.

<--- been accused of having a "colon obsession"

[Ugly Dougly]

It's really common for people and other animals to become constipated when they can't shit in their accustomed hole. Never ignore the psychological component. Love them or not, porta-potties are not a place where you can feel at home.

[Bling]

Very true! I'm bringing my own.