Chronic Constipation of the over 65s

Well. You certainly wouldn’t be constipated if you had a colonoscopy.
The liquid you have to drink is vicious and you poo for England.
I won’t have one myself for that reason.

Slow motility not uncommon in older people but good to hear you have consultation with GP tomorrow to identify possibility of undiagnosed or underlying cause.
I use a combination of one or two different types of laxatives regularly:-
Bulk forming laxative
Stimulent laxative
Faecal softeners
Ostmotic laxative
[plus recommended hydration, fruit & veg]
If using linseed/flax seeds, grind it to a powder and take 30g. daily. Best of luck on Tuesday as it can disrupt the quality of life

www.healthline.com/health/ibs-constipation

Greciangirl

Well. You certainly wouldn’t be constipated if you had a colonoscopy.
The liquid you have to drink is vicious and you poo for England.
I won’t have one myself for that reason.

No the stuff they gave me didn't work well at all.

Thank you so much everyone for you wonderful and very informative answers. I went to see my GP today and discussed at length with her my chronic constipation problem. She was very sweet, laughed, and recommended Dulcoease. So, I am to take a couple at night and see how I go. Also, I must walk more, drink up to 2 litres of water a day, and get my fibre going too.

Taking a 350mg tablet of magnesium oxide twice a day does wonders for me.

I have always loved liquorice and I used to buy pontefract cakes on the market. I do eat plenty of fruit and veg but find that liquorice can be helpful and I enjoy it too.

When I was when I was about 7, I developed a love of liquorice. Too much so - greedy little child that I was, I demolished ‘shoe laces’ and a couple of ‘Catherine wheels’ on a trip out. Despite warnings from a concerned Nana, I carried on scoffing and made myself thoroughly sick! Serve me right! I got no sympathy from my Nana and felt ill for ages.
I haven’t touched it since. I’m not greedy now either. A valuable lesson learned, I think!

I agree with others who recommend Dulcoease. It is gently unlike some irritant type laxatives. Nigella Lawson has a recipe for breakfast bars which contain mixed seeds. I add extra flax seeds and have one every day with my breakfast. Lots of fruit for lunch and plenty veg with my evening meal. It all helps.

Sheila4483

I agree with others who recommend Dulcoease. It is gently unlike some irritant type laxatives. Nigella Lawson has a recipe for breakfast bars which contain mixed seeds. I add extra flax seeds and have one every day with my breakfast. Lots of fruit for lunch and plenty veg with my evening meal. It all helps.

I found dulcoease and dulcolax were both very painful for me.

Just to say that I bought a squatty stool and it has been transformational. Really works when you think it won't. Thank you to everyone for your advice.

10 whole almonds skin on and half a glass of water after each meal three times a day. Gives you lots of vitamin E as well.

I find having a cup of hot water on waking helps. And having just bought a tens machine for my knee I’ve read that you can use it for constipation, too ( but not if you have a pacemaker fitted).

GoodAfternoonTea

Good morning. Over the summer I have been suffering with the most chronic constipation having to rely on prune juice first thing in the morning and kiwi fruit to get me through the day. I appear to have slow gut motility and need to visit the throne room up to ten times a day. I do have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday but does anyone else over 65 suffer with this problem and how do you resolve it?

I suggest you take the prune juice at night, so it can do its work while you're asleep. This helps promote the ideal habit of a bowel movement after breakfast.

A nurse friend advised me that pineapple juice works better. Just the sort you buy in a carton in the supermarket. Her advice was "by the time you've drunk the whole carton, constipation will be banished". It worked :-)