Constipation (Funny)

If you know Yoga, do Sitting Cat & Cow with a twist. That helps!

Luckygirl3

Do not strain till your eyes pop!
You will give yourself piles or burst a blood vessel ... seriously. Raising your intracranial pressure like that is not good for anyone, let alone older people.
The reason you are having to strain is because your meds have slowed down the movement of your guts and the stool dries out en route and becomes the Rock of Gibralter.
So the aim is to reintroduce water and make the stool softer. Drink, drink, drink .... lots of water.
Also take regular laxido-type stuff to keep the stool soft.
And if you have got to the eye popping stage then stop straining and bung up a glycerin suppository.

Thank you and noted on the straining!

It was just out of desperation to make my bowels move and get some relief - and all the straining doesn't actually seem to work anyway!

The straining does not work! Arm yourself with laxido/movicol (which are the same thing) and some glycerine suppositories. The water you need is free!

A stick of dynamite?
Seriously though, my mum used to have lactulose and was told to drink plenty of water.

It helps if you can raise your knees when on the toilet.
Massaging the transverse colon towards the left can help it on its way. That’s part of the intestine.
All these exercises are online.

Luckygirl3

The straining does not work! Arm yourself with laxido/movicol (which are the same thing) and some glycerine suppositories. The water you need is free!

Yes.

The GP will prescribe them or you can buy them from a pharmacist.

petra

It helps if you can raise your knees when on the toilet.
Massaging the transverse colon towards the left can help it on its way. That’s part of the intestine.
All these exercises are online.

I second this, I had my sigmoid colon removed due to cancer and my bowel needs a helping hand. These are great.
youtu.be/3WUoFuIX2VA?si=wrIWUpPKeI4H5k1X