I had a sigmoidectomy 5 months ago. Once I started on fiber suplements, I have had almost chronic constipation. I drink at least 8 glasses of water daily, but also take blood pressure meds with a diuretic. Could the two be related?
Yes. The diuretic that you are taking to control blood pressure can cause you to become dehydrated if you are taking bulk-forming fiber laxatives such as psyllium at the same time, as a lot more water will be absorbed to replace the excess water that is lost due to the diuretic. This kind of laxative requires a hugh amount of water for it to perform properly. Otherwise it will dry out inside your large intestine to cause constipation. To find out if this is indeed the case, collect your urine every day. If you are voiding at least 6 glasses of urine a day (the remaining water may be lost by evaporation via the skin surface), you will not have enough water to hydrate the fiber laxative even if you drink 8 glasses of water. You will either have to drink much more water, or switch to a chemical laxative instead. http://www.best4health.net
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