Possible Connection

[Wiped Out]

easy child/difficult child's depression and anxiety is so continuous and then it seems we get a small break from it. It never lasts long but during those times she seems somewhat more rational.

easy child/difficult child also deals with extreme constipation. Her doctors and we have given her ideas on how to combat the problem from over the counter medications to more water, fiber, etc...

Now where is the connection? Well last night we had a little bit of a break from her extreme depression (still depressed but more communicative and she actually spoke and laughed a bit). Yesterday when we came home from work she had also had a bm (as difficult child put it she passed a big a** boulder and he was right).

Both husband and I started wondering if there was a connection there somehow. This morning I googled it and there are some connections. It was all about how the blockage prevents toxins from being released and certain good things (I'm not good at the technical) don't get to the brain.

I'm not sure what this info does to help us. She is so resistant to help of any kind for her constipation that even when she finds out there is a connection I'm not sure she'll be willing to do anything about it.

Even so, I know she has lots of issues but I'm wondering if the constipation issue was resolved how much it would help.

 

[HaoZi]

Can you sneak some Fibersure or something like it into her food/drink?

 

[DaisyFace]

I was going to suggest that, too - but Haozi beat me to it!

(So many of those products are clear and tasteless - she'd never know it was there!)

 

[JJJ]

Has she been evaluated for gluten and caesin intolerance?

 

[Wiped Out]

She hasn't ever been evaluated for gluten and caesin intolerance so that is something we will check into. It would be hard to sneak something into her food (I've thought about it) because she insists on getting her own food and drink. Guess I could try it when we pick her up something from a fast food restaurant but it wouldn't be on a regular basis.

 

[HaoZi]

If you make pitchers of tea, kool-aid, sauces, etc, you could easily mix some in those. It doesn't add too much fiber, but it might help. It tends to make things a little sweeter. If she doesn't have a gluten allergy/intolerance you could look into whole wheat pastas, too. Mine (like me) won't eat veggies or a lot of fiber-rich foods, so I've spent a lot of time reading labels for snacks (even ice cream) that have fiber in them for us.

 

[Jena]

hi

great point and i just learned that in portland about difficult child. i think it's the other way around though, her dealing with-the depression first will allow the body to flow more freely. sounds goofy and stuff yet it's true. mental stuff can screw up your body like nothing else same as stress.

did you ever try yoga for her or a gym? i'm taking easy child today to see if we can get a cheap gym/yoga membership for her and i both. it's good releases endorphins and should also help her body heal and things function better. id def slip some fiber junk into something of her's or better yet tell her this is what you need to do to feel better. she has to take responsiblity too to some extent.

it's soo hard i know we have our difficult child's that totally wipe us out and than our easy child's start to slide. i'm soo there with you. your a good mom you are always searching for answers.

see if she'd do the yoga thing though i think it would help her across the board. also if you cant' swing a class the library has some great dvd's you can normally rent out.

either way good luck!

 

[susiestar]

It is NOT a good idea to mix benefiber or the other fiber products into a pitcher of liquid. If it sits wtih the fiber in it, the liquid will thicken a LOT and the texture gets really strange. Jess tried it once and it was really strange after a couple of hours. You CAN mix benefiber into pasta sauce, etc... as you are ready to serve it though.

You may have to push her or constantly remind her for a few weeks - she won't like it at all, but if it is what she needs to be healthy, it is what she needs.

Sorry this is such a tough issue to handle.

 

[DDD]

For the life of me I can't think of the product name but difficult child is much better (and feels better) when he takes the pills that increase fluids in the body. Rats...still can't think of it. Anyway he does not drink enough water and due to his mh issues delays his bm's to the point that they are extremely painful etc. When he lived with me he'd take a couple a day and we no longer needed the plumber.
Now, of course, he is "in charge" and I'm positive he is not taking them daily. It's easy. DDD

 

[Josie]

I can only imagine trying to get a teen difficult child on the girlfriend/CF diet. LOL My daughter knows it works for her and she isn't always compliant. Still, if she would try it, it might solve several problems at once.

I don't think the testing is very accurate for gluten. My younger daughter was tested several times with negative results for her stomach problems. Once we eliminated it strictly anyway, the stomach problems went away.

In our family, we have had the best luck solving mental health problems by accident, when we were trying to address physical issues.

You might be on to something with this.

 

[HaoZi]

It is NOT a good idea to mix benefiber or the other fiber products into a pitcher of liquid.

Not sure on the benefiber, I always used Fibersure when I added in the sweetener and never had a problem with our pitchers of tea at all.

 

[Wiped Out]

Haozi-easy child/difficult child actually does eat a lot of fiber and we buy the high fiber pasta. She even used to eat Fiber 1 Bars and they did nothing. Don't really get why that doesn't seem to help her.

Jena-We've been trying to get her physically active on a regular basis for years. We have a free membership to a great health club (husband works there very part time) and she refuses. I remember when we first bought the Wii Fit Plus and she used it a ton. She was in the best moods of her life and even told me that I was right about how much exercise helps. However, she stopped and absolutely refuses to do anything to help herself.

Susie-We have tried to get her to take it and so has the dr. We may have to try it in the sauce. I don't understand her not wanting to take the steps to help herself.

DDD-If you come up with the name let me know. I might have better luck getting her to swallow a pill.

Hope-I really do think diet comes into play in a lot of ways with-mental health problems. When difficult child was little we were told not to fight the food battle with him because he was so violent. The doctors. didn't seem to think it was that big of a deal but looking back I wish we had. He still has issues around food; it's still one of the things he explodes over.

 

[JJJ]

In our family, we have had the best luck solving mental health problems by accident, when we were trying to address physical issues.

That is so true here too!

 

[Josie]

Wiped Out, I have tried every way possible to get A to eat better. I've tried not paying attention, not having anything else to eat, bribes, getting rid of all treats in the house, etc.

She is 15 now and is still extremely picky and eats almost nothing except junk food.

Looking back, I wish I could have found an answer for her, but I'm not sure what else I could have tried.

So even if you had fought the food battle back then, you might still be dealing with it now anyway.

 

[DaisyFace]

She even used to eat Fiber 1 Bars and they did nothing. Don't really get why that doesn't seem to help her.

Wow! Really? My whole family finds those Fiber One bars a little *too* effective, if you know what I mean.

If her fiber intake is good - I wonder if it's not a dietary issue (or at least, not a typical one, such as lack of fiber or not enough liquids) ?

 

[Frazzledmom]

Miralax literally SAVED my son. It is not fiber but a stool softener. It is colorless and tasteless and although it used to be perscription it is now over the counter. It was a miracle drug for us. Once he used it and it really worked he was very compliant. I know I'm depressed and anxious when things aren't working right!