Hi,
I am new to the forum. I got tested positive for lyme in February 2016. Had symptoms 8 months prior to that. I took antibiotics for 4 months and then switched to herbs. I am doing good on the herbs but my main problem is constipation. Does anyone here get constipated? Is it related to the disease(s)?
I eat lots of vegetables and some fruits and drink lots of water. I take 2 stool softeners daily and psyllium husk which makes me have a bowel movement three times a day but the tip of my stool is hard followed by regular soft stools. The hard tip at the beginning of the bowel movement has led me to have an anal fissure which is vey painful. Has anyone experienced anything like this? Do you have any suggestions?
Thanks in advance!!

If it wasn't an issue for you before getting sick, then I imagine it's due to the disease.

It's common for a lot of people, yes. I've suffered with chronic constipation for the past year and a half or more. I've tried a variety of things - different diets, lots of laxatives, fiber supplements, and the common things.

As far as why it's happening to you, I can't really say for sure. It could be due to poor digestion, issues with the muscles in your body that are related to peristalsis (the ones that help form and move the stool through you), etc. There are a lot of reasons, reasons which I'd have to sit and think about to really give you an accurate response. Maybe others will chime in with some more?

Just a thought, the tip of the stool you're describing could possibly be, for lack of better descriptive words, old compared to what comes after.. as in you didn't void it the last time you defecated, so it sat there and dried up a bit.

I've had something like that happen before. I've had a tear to my anus before as well, because of it. There was a lot of blood.

What I would do is keep eating healthily, drink lots of water, and keep using the laxatives as necessary. Though, keep in mind that your bowels can become dependent on them, depending on the type that you use. I believe something like Miralax is the least habit-forming, not counting natural options (which I can't really list for you, sorry, don't remember).

Also, if you're going 3 times a day, you might be overdoing it, man. I would not call that constipation at all. Though, I'm not a doctor.

But, I mean, I have to fight to go 3 times a week.

I use Miralax, lots of magnesium, as healthy a diet as my wallet and chemical sensitivities will afford, and tons of water. If I absolutely can't get it out, I use more of the stuff I mentioned, and enemas, if I feel like there is stuff in my colon that won't move.

Actually, my poopoo's been looking kind of weird lately, I think there's stuff stuck in there, impacting what is moving out. I need to get on that. Thanks for the reminder!

edit: yeah, to second that, it does seem like you're doing enough.. if not, again, too much. lol

Hi and welcome to the forum. You've already been given some great advice already.

Have you researched the herbs that you're taking to ensure that no side effects are constipation? Did you have this when you were on abx?

Thank you all for your replies. I am happy to have posted in this forum. It is great to get replies, support and solutions from the members.

I never had any Constipation problems before I got lyme but it was one of my symptoms from July 2015 when I think I got lyme. I got diagnosed in Feb 2016.

My diet has been very clean: gluten free, dairy free and sugar free . I eat 3 to 4 serving of vegetables and 2 to 3 servings of fruit and drink about 14 8 ounces cups of water everyday.

I take stool softeners once a day and tablespoon of psyllium husk everyday which makes me have a bm 3 times a day but my main issue is the hard plug at the beginning of the first bm.

I have read that if one has lyme there is a high chance that one is magnesium deficient. I hope starting a magnesium supplement will solve the problem.

Thank you all for taking the time to reply . I also read through the New to Lyme thread on the forum and was happy to find a wealth of information contributed by all members.