TMI - clogging toilet a lot (again TMI)

[Anonymous]

I'm on an iron supplement in addition to the prenatal vit. per doc., so I've been eating a lot of Mini Wheats, FiberOne bars, and apples for the fiber. Otherrwise the constipation is horrible, just horrible. So my problem is no longer going to the bathroom - I'm back to my daily poop - but they're so big and dense that it clogs the toilet. Every single time. We're talking I gotta run and get the plunger again. And a few close calls before calling a professional.

It's so embarassing, but also wondering if this is normal. Is there something wrong with my GI tract and the way it's absorbing stuff? If I cut back on the fiber than it's constipation. Even just eliminating the apples. Almost like it's all or nothing.

Do the prenatals cause this?

I'm only 11 weeks preg. so I've only been to the doc. 1x so far and will be going back next week, but figured I would ask here - thank goodness for an anonymous board.

[Anonymous]

I feel for you, and ditto on the thankfulness for an anonymous forum here. I used to have the same problem and just shuddered anytime I'd be visiting my family's house for weekend getaway trips. I think you're doing the right thing by eating fiber-rich food, and your OB may have some recommendations for other laxatives that are preggo-safe. Drink lots of water and juices as well. Finally, and this is most definitely extreme, but we ended up installing new toilets in our house (the old ones were almost 30 years old anyways). You remember that commercial where they could flush 15 golf balls? That's what we got, and not a problem since. GL!

[Anonymous]

Second the idea to get new plumbing -- that will help A LOT at home.

As for reducing the problem at "the source" (ahem), try increasing your water intake a lot. That will hopefully help things not get so "solid" (ahem ahem) on their way out.

I feel for you, though I have the opposite problem (pregnant and loose stool runs in my family during pregnancy). Just hold on and make a few changes...good luck!

[Anonymous]

So funny. I had this problem, too. My DH had a blast making fun of me...actually, I shouldn't use past-tense...I'm 10 months postpartum and it is still happening. Didn't happen before I got pregnant. I don't have ay wisdom, but it never occurred to me it could be a medical problem. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I had this problem during my second pregnancy, and I actually posted a PSA on this forum right after because I had a terrible thing happen to me at 38 weeks -- one day it was so big and dense that it wouldn't come out. I had to go in manually with a glove after having been in the bathroom for 4 hours already. I had to wear an ice pack in my pants for the next few days because I got so swollen in the front from all the pressure. It was horrifically painful and truly far more traumatic than the birth (which was at home, so no meds, and still the poop thing was worse). I highly recommend stool softeners -- they are safe to take during pregnancy and can help make things come out more often and less dense. I should have been taking them when I had the above happen to me, but had been careless ... then I had pizza a couple days in a row (cheese and white bread...) and that was what caused the impaction. Fortunately I am not having any constipation issues this time around but at the first sign of it I will be downing those stool softeners because I never want that horrible experience to be repeated!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had this problem during my second pregnancy, and I actually posted a PSA on this forum right after because I had a terrible thing happen to me at 38 weeks -- one day it was so big and dense that it wouldn't come out. I had to go in manually with a glove after having been in the bathroom for 4 hours already. I had to wear an ice pack in my pants for the next few days because I got so swollen in the front from all the pressure. It was horrifically painful and truly far more traumatic than the birth (which was at home, so no meds, and still the poop thing was worse). I highly recommend stool softeners -- they are safe to take during pregnancy and can help make things come out more often and less dense. I should have been taking them when I had the above happen to me, but had been careless ... then I had pizza a couple days in a row (cheese and white bread...) and that was what caused the impaction. Fortunately I am not having any constipation issues this time around but at the first sign of it I will be downing those stool softeners because I never want that horrible experience to be repeated!

OMG

[Anonymous]

I had an epesiotomy (4th degree) with the birth of my first child. After delivery, I couldn't poop for 8 days. I tried EVERYTHING. It was horrible. I had to manually extract the poop myself. Worse feeling in the world.

Now, pregnant again and on Zofran. I can't poop without an enema or milk of magnesia. All that extra water intake, stool softeners and extra fiber don't do a DAMN thing for it. I finally had to lower my Zofran dose to be able to poop without an enema every few days. And still, it feels like I am pushing out a baby every time I poop. And yes, they are huge, hard, dense poops that have clogged the toilet. 27 weeks later and I am off the medication...hurray!!

Isn't pregnancy wonderful?

[Anonymous]

17:45 again ... forgot to mention that when I talked to my midwife about it she said she has had a number of clients who've had similar issues. She even said that she's seen the poop be "almost as big as the baby." So do not mess around with constipation!! I never thought such a thing could happen to me but apparently it's not uncommon.

[Anonymous]

This is really disgusting but.... I clogged the toilet so much that I started keeping a stash of plastic knives and ziplock baggies in the bathroom. I just (yuck yuck) cut the sucker up with the plastic knife, put the knife in the ziplock and threw it out. Gross, but still better than a clogged toilet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is really disgusting but.... I clogged the toilet so much that I started keeping a stash of plastic knives and ziplock baggies in the bathroom. I just (yuck yuck) cut the sucker up with the plastic knife, put the knife in the ziplock and threw it out. Gross, but still better than a clogged toilet.

You somehow retieved your poop from the toilet and cut it up into small peices???? How does that work? What, exactly, do you do?

[Anonymous]

I've clogged our toilet twice so far. Just to add to the TMI, I have vaginal cysts that swell/pop out of my vagina after I strain to poop. UGH!!!

[Anonymous]

Oh god. Husband here. I don't know why I opened this thread, but I guess I got what I deserved. The title did warn me. Jesus.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is really disgusting but.... I clogged the toilet so much that I started keeping a stash of plastic knives and ziplock baggies in the bathroom. I just (yuck yuck) cut the sucker up with the plastic knife, put the knife in the ziplock and threw it out. Gross, but still better than a clogged toilet.

O-my-fucking-god.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is really disgusting but.... I clogged the toilet so much that I started keeping a stash of plastic knives and ziplock baggies in the bathroom. I just (yuck yuck) cut the sucker up with the plastic knife, put the knife in the ziplock and threw it out. Gross, but still better than a clogged toilet.

You somehow retieved your poop from the toilet and cut it up into small peices???? How does that work? What, exactly, do you do?

I just stuck the bottom half of the plastic knife in the toilet and swished it around to break it up, making sure to always keep the top half/handle of the knife above the water, and then I just put the dirty knife in the baggie and threw it out. I never touched anything directly or got my hands dirty. I never told anyone this before since it is so gross and embarrassing but since OP is having such a hard time I thought I would just put it out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is really disgusting but.... I clogged the toilet so much that I started keeping a stash of plastic knives and ziplock baggies in the bathroom. I just (yuck yuck) cut the sucker up with the plastic knife, put the knife in the ziplock and threw it out. Gross, but still better than a clogged toilet.

You somehow retieved your poop from the toilet and cut it up into small peices???? How does that work? What, exactly, do you do?

I just stuck the bottom half of the plastic knife in the toilet and swished it around to break it up, making sure to always keep the top half/handle of the knife above the water, and then I just put the dirty knife in the baggie and threw it out. I never touched anything directly or got my hands dirty. I never told anyone this before since it is so gross and embarrassing but since OP is having such a hard time I thought I would just put it out there.

OMG, invest in a sword!