I have a tendancy to get constipated and have found the pain killers and anti biotics following 2 lots of surgery in last month have messed me up. To put it delicately I am having a few issues getting things moving comfortably!!! I have read that this is one of the common issues during FEC and wondered what tips you may have so I can get on the right track before I start.
think there are lots of tips in the Top tips for chemotherapy thread that may help!! Worse in the first few days with all the steroids etc!! Good luck L
Hi CoachK. I find that Ortisan cubes from the herablist do the trick very well. They are a bit pricey but well worth it. All natural ingredients. I hope you get sorted it’s awful being constipated.
J xx
Hi CoachK
i had real problems with constipation (then piles 
). I found senna and lactulose helped with the constipation. Good luck!
Della x
Any breakfast cereal with bran in it, bel vita biscuits, apricots, figs, prunes, pickled shallots, soft liquorice, sugar free mints and prune juice worked well for me if you want to go down the ‘food route’…probably not all at the same time though yuk!!! Hope you find a remedy that works…x
Thanks that is alll useful! I will try the food route and keep the rest in reserve.
I have learned a few things from this thread. But, here is what help me-
Prune juice is helpful, esp if your appetite isnt great and you can water/fizzy water and drink with a straw.
Movicol is better than senna and lactulose if you suffer with piles.
Acidipholus to get things back on track (but check with onc) first.
Rattles, xx
Do try lactulose. Its what they give you in the hospital. oh, and watch out for the wind you will get when u start on FEC. I call it ‘pay back time’ to my hubby. Pauline.xxx
I had awful wind with lactulose but it works well as a stool softner. For the real brick constipation of chemo i used movicol. It tastes gross but it moves mountains!
Prunes or prune juice is a good option
As well as lactulose, senna and lots of fruit (pears are also pretty good at getting things moving), the thing that really worked for me was walking briskly. After my first tax, things were bad, so after a few days and lots of wind and bloating (maybe from the senna and lactulose) I walked as quickly as I could the mile to the supermarket. By the time I got there I was more than ready to use the customer facilities!
I had problems at the beginning and have taken Movicol and Laxoberal (sodium picosulfate), which I think is sold as Ducolax in the UK, every day during treatment. I was worried about taking laxatives over such a long time but my BCN said this was ok as they know the cause of the constipation.
I’ve also tried to include as much fruit and veg in my diet as possible, drunk loads of water and tried to walk every day (not possible near the end as feet were and still are too sore. Lots of other stuff has been a problem but glad to say I kept the constipation at bay.
After a week of no-show after my 1st fec cycle, I ate some dried apricots and these worked very well. A bit too well you might say, probably because I ate too many! Also have senokot to hand which I used towards the end of my 2nd week and these also helped, but were a bit gentler 
Xxx
Kiwifruits with the skins on - works for me every time.
That Chinese tea they sell (the ‘slimming’ one) is quite good - its basically just senna but because it’s a tea you can easily change the amount you have. it has it’s effect overnight and is pretty reliable. I should add that senna is not a good long term laxitive because it can Cause low potassium levels (I think)
Mxx
Hi I was told to avoid herbal stuff by my ONC so it was movicol all the way for me. It was prescribed from day one and it’s works very well withinhours of taking it. You can also take loads of it if you get impacted !!!
If you have problems tell your ONCand team straight away
Tip for Movicol if you find it difficult to take with water. I took mine mixed with fresh orange juice. Was much easier to take.
Hi
I suffered terribly to begin with, but a combination of movicol ,senna and prune juice did the trick !!!
Getting there so far - fridge full of prune juice, keeping hydrated and plenty of fibre is working. I will chat with BCN next week when I have the portacath put in so we can be fore armed. I will stock up on all that stuff. Thanks all.
coach k i seem to be having problems since operation like intergestion constipation .so all this will help when do u start coach? xx
Quinny,
Portacath in tomorrow, holiday in Devon fron 14th then start in 24th. I have been having prune juice twice a day, bran for breakfast and plenty of fruit and veg. That and staying hydrated seems to have done the trick. Hoping another general anesthetic tomorrow doesn’t mess me up!!!
K