Having problems with BMs and really need advice

I eat mostly chicken. Sometimes I'll have red meat or fish. Honestly, I don't feel like I'm eating any more meat than I was before, just way less carbs. Should I use meat tenderizing powder to help it break down?

I agree with the others you should ditch this diet, however if you are dead set on sticking with it I would increase your fruits & veggies - apples, mangos, pummelos always work for me along with the green leafy veggies others have mentioned. And go to Walmart and buy some Senokot, it is natural & works very well. If it doesn't work alone buy some stool softeners with it. Both are usually taken before bed and will work overnight, but neither should be taken more than 3 or 4 days. Good luck.

Trisha-thank you. Is Senokot a pill, powder, or enema?

You are consuming too much protein that your body cannot process. Drink more water. People say to eat green leafy vegetables but i find, for myself, that it makes it worse.

Meat tenderizer has nothing to do with it. You're not getting any fiber, fiber is a carb and it's what your body uses to digest. If you're not going to eat the foods to help this along, try flax seed or Metamucil.

My son has bm issues and uses Restorolax, it is a mild laxative. It "massages" the bowels to get it out.

I'll have to look into whether or not I can eat flax seed. Thank you for the suggestion, Katie.

You seem to be ignoring the stop the Atkins diet advice. I'm pretty sure the guy who invented it died of a heart attack. Please say what you are writing out loud and see if it makes sense...."even veggies are extremely limited"....what? Please get a different, healthier diet plan.

Other (and probably forbidden) things that help are coffee, spinach, and prune juice. Seriously though, I had problems after a surgery once and it was so painful. I imagine it makes doing cardio more difficult. Yet another way this diet is causing unhealthiness

I don't think you are really getting it, you need to get off Atkins. Doing an enema or taking a laxitive may loosen you up now but you don't want to be doing that every few days. Go for a 10 minute walk every day and go carb free for lunch. You'll lose weight.

Senokot is a pill. I have a lot of stomach issues, and this has been suggested to me by several doctors and nurses. It always seems to work.

Thanks, Trisha!

Ever see the movie "Zack and Miri make a porno"?

I'd do a coffee enema. You can buy an enema kit and just add your own cooled, brewed coffee.

Mrs. Z, i love that movie! Don't think that hasn't crossed my mind. The only problem is that i'm too embarrassed to tell H about my problem and even if i did, he doesn't really like anal. I think I would have to find another "shoulder to lean on," so to speak.

Storm, would you recommend regular or decaf?

Regular, and not just because that's funny. Not to get too personal, have you tried anal sex?

Hi Jackie,

Please be aware that if you are using any laxative for an extended period of time, it forces your bowels to rely on it in order to have a bowel movement. Some are worse than others, and senna/senokot is one of them. It sounds as if you might be on this diet for awhile, which leads me to think that you might come to rely on laxatives for relief. This can have long-term harmful effects on your body.

Please go see your doctor! Before you start any diet program, you really do need to speak to a health professional to get their advice. Have you considered speaking to a registered dietitian?

I agree with many on here that Atkins is a short-term solution, and as soon as you go back to your normal eating pattern, the weight often comes back on with extra. The important thing is to find a diet program that works for you, and that you can sustain for a long period of time. By long term, I mean for the rest of your life.

I have IBS and when I have issues with BMs, I take Miralax. It's over the counter and you mix it into water. I suggest trying that. (Or go with a stool softener, that should help as well)

@Marissa solid advice but OP doesn't want to take any advice that involves not being on the diet.

Seriously a few months ago my dad had a stress issue that had him backed up. He had to defecate into a bucket in a hospital room and refers to that fateful day as "the baguette". Don't end up with a baguette.

Drink lots of water. Reevaluate this Atkins diet. Eat more veggies than anything else. Don't eat anything that comes in a box and/or has a commercial. Take some digestive enzymes and MagO7. Lastly, consider getting an enema and/or a colonic to help w your BM. Good luck.