Digestive Enzymes?

[Nstocks]

5+ years with digestive problems, worsened with Paleo diet.

I've tried very strong probiotic, a couple courses of anti biotics, low carb, high carb, low and high fat and always on the lower range of protein due to digestion.

I'm not finding any relief with years of trying and it's really taking a toll on my life. Perhaps related but I've had low back pain for over a decade now and I'm going to see a chiropractor next month for a though assessment.

I find eating lower starch helps but mentally it's not really good. I avoid gluten for 90% of the time.

Taking sips of apple cider vinegar with meals helps a little but it's not ideal.

Bowel movements are 2-3 times per week with my IBS - C. Cascara once a week either has little effect or I'm sat on the toilet all day.

I take a long time to eat my meals but once I'm done I feel completely drained of energy and just want to go to sleep, walking doesn't help (I work in a office)

Perhaps digestive enzymes?

Typical diet (around 2000 a day - any more I physically cannot move)

Greek yogurt (FAGE 0% fat) or Cottage cheese (low fat)
Goat milk (2L per week)
Blueberries
Gelatin (hydrolysate in coffee a few times a week)
oysters twice a week
a little coconut oil for cooking
chicken breast (sometimes with salad)
gummy bears
herbal teas like lemon and ginger
beef once or twice a week
prawns (shrimp) once or twice per week, again with salad which isn't ideal
Red light on thyroid and stomach twice a week for a few minutes

 

[Atman]

How old are you?
2-3 bowel movements per week is very little and already constipation in my definition.
The same goes for the 2k calories.

I would try to increase activity (mental and physical) to increase metabolism.

Diet wise I would try to use more calorie dense foods (or lower water content) and more salt.

 

[Nstocks]

I'm 27, 6' 2" and 12.5 stone.

I go running/sprinting once a week (I'd like to do more) but I feel like I'm putting my back at risk. I also do some bodyweight exercises which can sometimes help constipation. Carrot salad doesn't help at all. (or charcoal)

 

[raypeatclips]

I've read constipation can be caused by a lack of calories, the body holding onto food as long as it can in order to extract maximum nutrition from it, causing constipation. Eating 2000 calories at 6'2 is far, far too low. I am considerably shorter than you and eat much more than that. I know you said you cannot move if you eat over 2000, but I wouldn't say that is the cause of your constipation.

 

[Nstocks]

That make sense to me and I guess it could be partly why I'm holding onto food (and fat).

In terms of eating more of highly digestible foods, with the list above is there much that I can go wrong with that? Breakfast is always painful to eat and I often skip it simply because I'm far too bloated in the morning to eat.

 

[raypeatclips]

That make sense to me and I guess it could be partly why I'm holding onto food (and fat).

In terms of eating more of highly digestible foods, with the list above is there much that I can go wrong with that? Breakfast is always painful to eat and I often skip it simply because I'm far too bloated in the morning to eat.

If those foods are not working for you, be prepared to disregard what you believe in and eat some other foods. I feel much better eating starches compared to not eating starches. Similarly with vegetables.

 

[sweetpeat]

I've suffered with constipation for a good portion of my life so I know the negative impacts it can have on health. I don't think it can hurt to try digestive enzymes. People with low metabolism tend to have less stomach acid which just makes everything move that much slower. You could also try some HCL, especially with a meal with high protein. I find protein generally the hardest thing for me to digest. Getting your bowels to move more often might also increase your appetite since the food isn't clogging everything up as long.

How are you taking the cascara? I find making a "tea" to be more gentle than taking it straight. To do this, I empty a capsule of cascara into a mug of boiling water. Give it a stir and let it cool. The cascara powder will settle to the bottom. I take drink of this every time I eat. Just one mouthful. A mug lasts about a day or so. I don't drink the sediment at the bottom.

 

[Nstocks]

Sugars like candy goes down well, but like you said, protein is always tricky and I need to eat a decent amount of protein for mental state.

I have cascara capsules, I take one once a week, some twice twice per week before bed with water. Up until this past week, cascara produces a good stool fairly soft, however this time around is was painful stomach cramps with diarrhea.

It's just so exhausting, constant bloating, chronic lower back pain it often make me hyperventilate. My face often flushes after eating too which lasts throughout the entire day.

I'm concerned about taking cascara even once a week as it is a laxative although peat does say it has other benefits. The tea could be a much calmer way of making it though.

 

[Orion]

Betaine HCl, wobenzyme(trypsin), Jarrow bile acids, TUDCA, zinc, and free-form taurine histidine should be helpful. Also adequate salt and chloride intake.

 

[Motif]

5+ years with digestive problems, worsened with Paleo diet.

I've tried very strong probiotic, a couple courses of anti biotics, low carb, high carb, low and high fat and always on the lower range of protein due to digestion.

I'm not finding any relief with years of trying and it's really taking a toll on my life. Perhaps related but I've had low back pain for over a decade now and I'm going to see a chiropractor next month for a though assessment.

I find eating lower starch helps but mentally it's not really good. I avoid gluten for 90% of the time.

Taking sips of apple cider vinegar with meals helps a little but it's not ideal.

Bowel movements are 2-3 times per week with my IBS - C. Cascara once a week either has little effect or I'm sat on the toilet all day.

I take a long time to eat my meals but once I'm done I feel completely drained of energy and just want to go to sleep, walking doesn't help (I work in a office)

Perhaps digestive enzymes?

Typical diet (around 2000 a day - any more I physically cannot move)

Greek yogurt (FAGE 0% fat) or Cottage cheese (low fat)
Goat milk (2L per week)
Blueberries
Gelatin (hydrolysate in coffee a few times a week)
oysters twice a week
a little coconut oil for cooking
chicken breast (sometimes with salad)
gummy bears
herbal teas like lemon and ginger
beef once or twice a week
prawns (shrimp) once or twice per week, again with salad which isn't ideal
Red light on thyroid and stomach twice a week for a few minutes

Any update ?

 

[Chad_Catholic]

It's just so exhausting, constant bloating, chronic lower back pain it often make me hyperventilate. My face often flushes after eating too which lasts throughout the entire day.

Do you have any pain in a specific region? The guy in this video says that people with ileocecal pain often also experience back pain:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ws8Agq5OAF0
. Also, your breathing and gut issues are probably related. In this video, Mike Fave talks around the 20 minute mark about one of his clients whose breathing issues were resolved after the gut issues were resolved:
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSwgxDmZAVU&t=1250s
.