Date:   8/22/2004 9:21:55 AM ( 20 y ago)
Hits:   14,901
URL:   https://www.curezone.org/forums/fm.asp?i=516077

Hello, everyone. I'm a first time poster but I've been visiting CureZone for several weeks now.

I want to give you, Owen, a big and heartfelt thank you. I came across your flax seed post a few weeks ago and it has does wonders for me.

I'll give you all a better idea of my background and my particular reason for needing assistance with constipation. I'm a 25 year old college student who is recovering from Cauda Equina Syndrome. Last year, September of 2003, the disc in between my L4 and L5 segments had ruptured and I required an emergency laminectomy or else face permanent paralyzation from the waist down. Luckily for me, I was living near a city with a very good neuro surgery division at their hospital. I was also very lucky to have an experienced surgeon be available to operate on my back. The operation was a success and my recovery over the past year has been a surprise to my doctors and rehab specialists. I'm now at about 90% of my former physical ability and I'm still improving. One thing that has plagued me, however, is constipation. For the first month or so, since the nerves controlling my lower body were damaged and needed to recover, I had dealt with incontinence. Normal urination came back fairly quickly but bowel movements were a problem. Over time, I had developed hemorrhoids due to the prolonged constipation as well as the low blood circulation from having limited movement and sensation in my lower body, specifically my posterior area. The hemorrhoids contributed to my constipation and I was prescribed a laxative by the doctor seeing over me during my stay at the hospital(not to be confused with the surgeon who operated on me). I was also given a reccomendation of high fiber in the form of prune juice. Well, once I was discharged from the hospital, I took up my recovery with stubborness and nearly everything returned to "normal" except for my calf muscle strength(I can't support my weight on my toes but I can use my calf muscles to a decent degree) and my bowel movements. I used the laxative I was prescribed for a few days with unsatisfactory results. Since my constipation was going to be a long term situation, I knew the laxative wasn't the answer. I then relied on prune juice for several months. It did the trick but it was too...aggressive. I would experience bad gas and bloating as well as unsatisfactory bowel movements. I would have movements but not very regular and not pass that much. If I drank prune juice, I had to make sure I didn't leave home for a couple of hours because I needed a restroom nearby when it kicked in. I planned on returning to school this fall and as the weeks rolled by, I was beginning to worry about how my life would be impacted by my reliance upon prune juice...this is when I came across Owen's flax seed post here at CureZone.

Well, as of 3 weeks ago, I began using ground flax seed and the change from the prune juice is mind boggling. I'm having regular movements, several times a day(average of 5 or so) and for the first time in nearly a year, I'm feeling "clean", like I don't have waste within me. I don't have the urgent feeling that prune juice would induce and I just feel "normal" again. It's great. It only took half a day for the flax seed to take effect for me. Taking Owen's advice, I've purchased golden organic flax seed and a coffee grinder. Every day, I take two ground tablespoons in the morning with some cranberry juice for a mini breakfast and then three more tablespoons at night, a bit before bed. I also drink a lot of water throughout the day(10 glasses at the very least) as that is essential to regular bowel movements as well as good health in general. My diet has also been changed for a more healthy balance. I've found that ground flax seed with just water is bad tasting but when mixed with a fruit juice, it takes on a nutty flavour, which I like very much. Like Owen has said, it's easy and only takes up 20 seconds or so. I know that there are others who deal with constipation from a different background and that my own background isn't that common but I urge anyone with the problem to give this a try. I've given this simple remedy/aid to my uncle who has dealt with constipation for a few years and has had to rely upon prune juice for help. I hope this helps him as much as it has helped me.

So now, a week before I move back to college, I'm extremely excited and happy. Excited to be returning to college and happy that I've regained a sense of normalcy in my life. Once again, thank you, Owen. Words cannot describe how grateful I am to you and all the other helpful people at CureZone. You've truly changed my life and for the better.


DynamiteKid/Ed
 

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