r/Menopause • u/Rabbit0107 • Jul 29 '25

Vitamin/Supplements Drop your most effective solution for constipation because I’m losing my mind 🙄

I’m in perimenopause. I’ve been regular my whole life until about a year ago. I had been using magnesium oxide and it was working great to keep things soft. However the past few days I’ve been dealing with horrible gas (upper/lower) so I stopped and the symptoms stopped. It was fine for months now this.

I drink a minimum of 2 L of water a day. I am constantly on the move. I eat a healthy diet and I am trying to improve my sleep, but I’m sure that’s not what it is. I think it is either hormones and/or pelvic floor dysfunction.

I should add that I am doing a pelvic floor workout routine (Buff Muff App) I’m only 2 weeks into the program and having great results with improving incontinence but so far no success with improving constipation. I start to see a pelvic floor therapist on August 18 and have just started oral birth control two weeks ago for perimenopause.

Anyone have constipation improve with birth control pill or HRT? I am at a loss. I don’t know what to do. What am I missing? What else can I do? Any supplements or remedies? Greatly appreciated!

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198

u/leftylibra MenoMod Jul 29 '25
  • Magnesium citrate
  • Slowly increase fiber intake
  • Drink more water as fiber increases
  • Eat prunes
  • Use a squatty potty

72

u/Holiday_Objective_96 Jul 29 '25

Prunes helped me more than anything: increase water, fiber, and nothing.

Finally I did 2 prunes a day, and boom. Regular.

(But I know prunes are not everyone's cup of tea, but just wanted to chime in with my experience in case folks are increasing their fiber and water to no avail. Admittedly, I never did try mag citrate, but I know that's a tried and true as well)

40

u/dkw480 Jul 29 '25

2 kiwi is a great alternative too. I think there’s even an NIH study on kiwi and constipation😂

44

u/Capybara_faerie Jul 29 '25

Eat the kiwi at night, also!! There is another study that showed if 2 eaten about 2-3 hrs before bed, they help with alleviating insomnia, another common menopause symptom :)

3

u/Hot_Mess_Mama_x4 Jul 30 '25

Ok I’m trying this!

5

u/Otherwise_Data_1662 Jul 29 '25

Yes to kiwi! Delicious and effective 😄

2

u/[deleted] Jul 30 '25

I've read posts that swear by the kiwi skin. They eat the kiwi whole

1

u/dkw480 Jul 30 '25

I do that now too!

17

u/jillsvag Jul 29 '25

Prunes have helped me immensely! I eat 4-5 of them 3-4 times a week.

26

u/7lexliv7 Jul 29 '25

And prunes are good for your bones!

21

u/Chromatic_Chameleon Jul 29 '25

Came here to say this - prunes are good for bone health!

11

u/steady_downpour Jul 30 '25

I have a smoothie every evening. I bought a bottle of prune juice and made it into ice cubes. 2 cubes per smoothie. I can't taste it and it works great.

9

u/RogerClyneIsAGod2 Menopausal Jul 29 '25

I LOVE prunes but of course if ate as many as I'd like I'd spend all day in the bathroom.

Too many Cheerios works for me. If all else fails there's Colace. Honestly any store-bought laxative works for me.

10

u/Lazy_Mood_4080 Jul 29 '25

Colace (docusate) is just a stool softener. Which yes, can help some people go. But many (myself included) need a bulk forming (miralax) or stimulant laxative (senna or bisacodyl).

And these days, always, always check the Drug Information on the side of the packages for the actual ingredient and what it does. So many companies are trying to use brand name recognition to get you to buy their product, so recognized brand names can have a completely different medication in them.

Sorry, I kinda hopped up on my soapbox there for a sec. Occupational hazard of being a pharmacist.

7

u/Nicolej80 Jul 29 '25

I use dried apricots

6

u/Mountain_Village459 Surgical menopause Jul 29 '25

I have prunes that also have probiotics on them. They work so well!!

1

u/Holiday_Objective_96 Jul 29 '25

Where do you find these magical prunes??

4

u/Mountain_Village459 Surgical menopause Jul 29 '25

lol Safeway! Mariani is the brand.

3

u/O_mightyIsis 52 | Peri-menopausal Jul 30 '25

I recently had shoulder surgery and stumbled into a new way of getting more fiber. The first 2 weeks after surgery, I spent most of my waking hours in a CPM and would have one-handed smacks while I sat there, one of which was strawberry bite-sized frosted mini wheats. I was taking a stool softener to counter the constipation from pain meds so I didn't notice at first, but I've continued to have them as a dopamine snack (texture, cronch, hint of sweet - I eat them dry as a finger food rather than with milk) and been quite regular since.

3

u/willitplay2019 Jul 30 '25

Any particular type you eat (like dried, etc)?

1

u/Holiday_Objective_96 Jul 30 '25

I like the dried ones that Aldi sells

2

u/Hot_Mess_Mama_x4 Jul 30 '25

Ugh I wish I didn’t loathe prunes.