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Hi my mom is 87 and has dementia. She does not drink much and does not eat fruits. She has been having serious constipation. Her doctor has recommended giving her milk of magnesia, but this works sometimes and mostly not.
Tom

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I would avoid adding fiber supplements to her diet since she doesn't drink much. That would cause her to have other problems.

Things that I have found useful: Miralax, chocolate candy, hot drinks of any kind, bran cereals or muffins, fried foods.

Really try to get her to drink more, even if it's just a sip now and again, that is key to keeping stool soft. I have found that a small amount in a cup is less intimidating than a big bottle or glass of fluids. Try flavored waters, Gatorade, lemonade, Kool-Aid.

Ice Cream sometimes helps. Try fruit cobblers or canned fruits. They are usually tastier and softer.

This is a problem with the elderly that we all face. The dementia patients do not have the feelings of thirst and don't understand the importance of keeping hydrated. It is an ongoing battle to keep their bowels moving.

You could also try a stool softener pill, and glycerin suppositories. ExLax works too.
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The most helpful thing I have found is Pedia-Lax chewable tablets. Yes they are for children ages 2-11 yes of age. My Mom weighs 130 lbs so I give her 4 chewable tablets and give her two 4 oz cups of juice or Gatorade or Ensure about ten minutes apart. Within 30-45 mins it works. No cramping or stimulants. Works every time! You can also give her daily pedia-lax probiotics to keep the good bacteria to maintain natural digestive balance.
Give these a try, they are inexpensive, work fast, taste good and no rumbling/cramping tummy.
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The most helpful thing I have found is Pedia-Lax chewable tablets. Yes they are for children ages 2-11 yes of age. My Mom weighs 130 lbs so I give her 4 chewable tablets and give her two 4 oz cups of juice or Gatorade or Ensure about ten minutes apart. Within 30-45 mins it works. No cramping or stimulants. Works every time! You can also give her daily pedia-lax probiotics to keep the good bacteria to maintain natural digestive balance.
Give these a try, they are inexpensive, work fast, taste good and no rumbling/cramping tummy.
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Hello Arizona I take care of dementia patient And she drinks coconut water I heard that good for contispation And i know you said she doesn't drink much I have that promblem to get the lady i take care of to get enough fluids Will if she doesn't like fruit apples are supposed to help and apple juice Good Luck I know it hard when they wont drink or eat right Hope this help Carolyn
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Are there any high fiber foods that you can add? If you check some of the 100% whole wheat breads or high fiber crackers, they probably wouldn't give enough fiber to totally solve the problem but a little bit of them might not cause too much gastric distress and might work toward the issue.

Also, here's an article from WebMD that I'd been reading. I don't know how correct or helpful it is, not vouching for it, just saying I was reading it for this type of information, myself:
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You said that she doesn't eat fruits, but how about fruit juices? Also, I know they say that fiber is good for you, but I found that when my mom had this problem, too much fiber blocked her up more. I got her to drink plain cranberry, orange and some pomegranate (apple juice was binding - I remembered the BRAT diet when our kids were small and had diarrhea - bananas, rice, apples, toast). I also gave her a stool softener once in a while to help keep her from having to strain too much. Hope this helps, and good luck.
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I just got off the phone with my mom's doctor's office and they gave me this recipe for what they call Power Pudding. I don't know that you could get your mom to eat it, but I'm passing it along:
1 Cup Applesauce
1 Cup Bran
1 Cup Prune Juice

Eat one cup of this mixture. Some people add 1 Cup of Cool Whip. I don't know if that would disguise it enough for some people, but I guess some people find it helps.
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Sugar is very laxative. Let her eat candy or suck on lozenges. Oh yes, the sugar-free cough drops are also laxative -- the artificial sweetener sorbitol.
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Mum gets an impacted boweel periodically and I know what you mean about drinking but if you can get her to drink a glass of LAXIDO ORANGE POWDER FOR ORAL SOLUTION every day then you will find it probably sorts itself. now dont think you can stop the laxative - if you do you will make the condition worse. Laxatives need to be given every day to the elderly -the trick is in getting just the right strength for the individual. Theoretically animals (and we are animals) should pass the same number of motions as we eat meals - so 3 times a day with a soft stool. Laxido is perfect for my mum but if we miss one day then we go back to square one - check with your pharmacist we also have lactulose which works similarly and the beauty of this is that you can increase the dose gradually until you get to the right one. Sometimes we get prescribed movicol but the laxido is mums preferred choice. Hope that helps. if she is a cake lover then you can make the All bran cup cake. It is a cup each of All bran sugar and dried fruit soaked in a cup full of milk. Once soaked add a cup full of self rising flour and mix well turn into a loaf tin and bake in the oven for about an hour at 170C - when Mum isnt in a drinking mode she will always eat this and it seems to work. You can serve it as cake or it is quite nic buttered with a piece of cheese - Im British - we are weird like that!!!!
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Some of the products, however, warn not to use more than a certain amount of time. Miralax, for example, says not to use it for more than seven days. So, when you're looking to buy a product in that section of the store, make sure to check whether it's something to use long-term or short-term.
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I've tried everything you can think of for my mom, starting with prunes and prune juice, chia and ground flax seed, then on to miralax every other day, then daily. I was having to resort to milk of magnesia more often and sometimes even that didn't work so had to move on to suppositories. Sometimes you reach a point where the bowel just doesn't function properly anymore. We have been put on a laxative routine that includes colace twice a day, senokot each evening and milk of magnesia if that doesn't work after three days. The warnings about laxative dependence are valid for you and I but less important at end of life. Speak to your doctor, and try try, try to increase her fluids.
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Arizona1: two words...Activia yogurt. Mother didn't even know it existed, but I got it for her and it seemed to regulate her GI tract.
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Arizona try pineapple juice
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I use Miralax about 3 days every other day every week. About 1/2 capful mixed in tea, applesauce or whatever I'm eating...you can't taste it and it isn't grainy or anything. It works wonderfully without the cramping, diarrhea, etc that some other stuff does. You can double the dose to get things moving and then back off on the dosage. Nice soft consistent stools. Best thing I've ever found.

I know that label warning is to not take consistently, but Ive been taking about a year without issue.
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Tom,
My mom has seen the best of gastrointerologists for aweful constipation. Actually when I took her to the gastrointerologists, I already had her to the ER a couple different times as well as doctors appointments. I thought.....wth are we going to see a professional gastrointerologists? When that doc came back and told me Mom was severely constipated, I didn't believe him. We had seen a kidney specialist, Gul bladder check and other stuff. Mom complained of her back and stomach hurting severely. Everyone said she was fine. I knew better! The Gastrointerologists advised me to give Mom MIRALAX on a daily basis. Said it works wonders. I said ok but I told him he was crazy and that wasn't it! After using the Miralax as he advised, it actually did work! From then on he advised to use MIRALAX, over the counter on a regular basis. You can sprinkle it on or in food, water, coffee or anything. This Miralax is the ONLY thing that works for my mom, along with an occasional dose of Milk of Magnesia. The best place to buy Miralax is at Wal Mart in the largest size available. Now I have her on a regiment of using it at least every other day and sometimes every 2-3 days. It's a trial an error. Try this. It's an amazing product and worth the money if taken on a regular basis. Good luck Tom.
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Kroger has a generic version of Miralax. Double-check with the pharmacist at Kroger that it's identical, though.
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Eat coconut oil on a daily basis. Start out with a small amount daily and increase over time. This oil can be used as you would butter. Be sure to use a high-grade product. You will need to do your own research online.
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Magnesium tablets, not expensive brands from health food shops, just cheap ones from supermarket. They usually contain 300mg of magnesium which is more than in milk of magnesia.
Start with two daily, reducing to one.
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Also.......the generic of Miralax DOES NOT WORK for my mom. The true Miralax works fantastic but check with your mom's pcp for dosage in the beginning, and after the initial constipation is gone. Also she needs to drink a lot of water. That alone will relieve much constipation. Many elders drink a lot of coffe, tea, juices and other products, HOWEVER, NOTHING takes the place of water.
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I sort of agree with Iron Man BUT my docs say that ALL liquid is helpful although water is best purely because it doesnt need to be actioned by our bodies. the problem is that as we get older everything becomes sluggish and especially the movement of food through our system (peristalsis) thast means even more water than usual is absorbed through the colon making th stool dry and hard. When you add on the fact that older people tend to drink less and then bolt on taking tablets that may also add to that especially pain killers and then finally bolt on a significant lowering in exercise then it is clear constipation is going to be a problem for most of us. there are a host of other reasons too but these are the most significant and common reasons for constipation
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Actually, in speaking with my Mom's doctor on this issue, they said that warm liquids sometimes work better than cold. My mom drinks 65 ounces of non-caffeinated, non-carbonated beverages per day (as agreed-on by her various doctors). In her case, with no contributing medications and plenty of liquids, as well as plenty of fruits in her diet, they think it's her inactivity that's causing it. So, my mom drinks decaf coffee and tea, which includes some herbal teas (but only the most simple ones and only one bag of each per day).

The problem with that is that getting someone motivated to get up and around and reminding them can be an issue. My mom got motivated to get up and around, more, but I wonder if she'll get more sedentary, again, until the next time she's blocked-up.
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My Mom takes Miralax every day with prune juice because of all the meds she takes she cannot move her bowels. If she goes too much we give her less, etc. This seems to work. Never had any problems with long term use.
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Spinach.
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You can, on her behalf learn about optimum nutrition by signing up with David Perlmutter MD on his fb page. Meanwhile. Make an easy to shake protein drink for her, l recommend "Skinny Gut" massive Probiotics, fiber, protein, also you can use blender, add Trader Joe's frozen wild blueberries,or Organic raspberries, 2 TBSP organic Ground Flax Seeds. If that's not enough, have her add a TBSP of Psyillium Husks (it gels) have to blend. Rotate the Psyillium with Chia Gel, (add l TBSP) to 1/2 glass water, it gels as well. I had a cleaning lady w/lifetime of constipation heal in a week doing this !!!!!!! feel free to write me.
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We've had very good luck with aloe gel. Used for years, very effective, no side effects. A soft jelly like substance that comes direct from the aloe plant. We buy at a health food store, but I'm sure you can find it online. It has a light citrus taste.
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Arizona l: l forgot to tell you to add liquid, l vary it, almond milk (NO CARRAGEEN, TOXIC), organic RAW goat milk, easier to digest than cows milk, pricy but nutrient dense. If she wants it sweeter, try "POM" pure Pomegranate Juice. My in a hurry fiber food, only by mail, Julian Breads Carb Net Zero, $$7,59, IT IS NOT REALLY BREAD, that you toast, it works with Raw, Organic Almond Butter or Organic Tahini w/Trader Joes Organic Raspberry, no sugar, fruit juice sweetened jam. 9 grams fiber per slice, massive bowel movements like the jolly green giant? must drink a lot of liquid with this bread because of fiber. I use it for sliced chicken/w Avocado for in hurry sandwich. This bread helps me keep my weight down.
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I'll had my 2 cents on magnesium. Works great and doesn't come with warnings on long-term use. I use Magna Calm by Longevity Science. It is a powdered beverage and absorbs better than tablets. Has mild citrus flavor, clear liquid, can add a little juice to flavor it more. Magnesium also has a long list of other benefits to the body, and brain. Good luck.
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Sunsweet (must be that brand) Prune Juice. Just 4 ounces a day may be all that is needed.
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My mom, who is 86 with Alzheimers, also had that same issue. I started giving her Activia yogurt every morning and add a little fruit to it. My mom loves it. Activia keeps the stools regular. It actually solved the problem.
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I third the Activia yogurt suggestion. My mom has one daily and also eats three prunes and takes a Senekot-S pill every day. Her constipation issues are gone.
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