How do I wean myself off of Laxatives, retrain the bowl and regain control?

by Tan
(Canada)

This isn't a story so much as it is a plea for help!

I have suffered on and off for 5-7 years with constipation. Starting out with only hardened feces that eventually caused severe anal fissures.

At one point I started using the occasional laxative, then an oral fleet here and there. I got to the point where I too, was addicted to that "empty feeling" and found I was using a stimulant lax or an oral fleet at least once a week.

I know I have abused laxatives and I am completely ashamed of it. I'm 32 yrs old and I've had a colonoscopy and everything is fine, except the lining of my bowel is stained black/brown from the use of Senna! I requested the scope, as I was worried about the condition of my large intestine.

I now go through stages where I'm ok for a week or so, then I get really bunged up and no matter what I was doing as a regime, and no matter what I do I cannot produce a BM. I know that some of this has to do with my 12-hour shift work days and nights.... which will be coming to end soon... thank the lord! I'm hoping this will have a significant impact.

I'm so sick of this, all I want to do is poop like a normal person! Does anyone have any good tips on retraining the bowel?

I'm moderately active (gym 3-4 days/week), I use organic prune juice (as the regular stuff does not work for me), organic black cherry juice daily, I use ground flax seed in as much food as I can, I eat bran daily, I drink 1.5ltrs of water/day. I eat my veggies/fruit (although I could eat more I guess).

Last week I went to the ER because I was so backed up. The ER Doc recommended to take PEG daily until no longer needed (aka Lax-a-Day/Restor-a-lax). I've been taking it for 7 days and little-no BMs have been produced. I've had a few little tiny ones, that are soft, and very thin, indicating that the stool is moving a round a blockage. Last time the blockage was too high, so no suppositories would be helpful. It seems I have problems in the transverse colon and where it turns to descend into my descending colon.

I am at the end of my rope here... I cannot deal with this... I'm trying my hardest to not go the store and buy an oral fleet. I know it'll only take care of business for a few days.

HEEELLP!!!