Soluble verus Insoluble Fiber for Hard Stools
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hey there all 😃
So for some time, I have been suffering from rectal pain/bright red bleeding during bowel movements that all started months ago with a bout of severe constipation that lead to passing extremely large/hard stools. Visual examination showed cracks/fissures that literally were bleeding in real-time as I watched with a mirror 😦
Over the last few months I have self-treated this with hemm/fissure ointment, stool softeners, 2.5-3 liters of water per day + other liquids, and increased fiber. Nonetheless, even if I seem to heal, inevitably the problem returns the moment I am forced to pass a large/hard stool. So I am planning on doubling down on my fiber/water in-take but I am confused partially about which fiber I should prioritize.
I have read the standard definitions of soluble versus insoluble fiber, but the information I get seems conflicted. Should I avoid insoluble fiber completely? Regularity is not a problem. I have bowel movements daily. If anything, they are TOO regular and TOO big. So should I just focus on soluble fiber to soften stools? I have read that insoluble fiver speeds up the transit time of stool and therefore LESS water is absorbed. But then I have also read that soluble fiber retains water in stool but slows down transit time. What does this all mean lol.
I do eat quite a bit of black beans, broccoli, whole grain bread, dried prunes, bananas, avacados, fiber gummy supplements (soluble), and drink a ton of water. Should I stay way from high fiber cereals that have mostly insoluble fiber in them if my goal is primarily to soften stools?
Thank you all so much for taking the time to read and reply!
0 likes, 4 replies
pippa58442 NC10
Posted
Bananas can bind you up. Maybe try oranges or prune juice which worked for me.
NC10 pippa58442
Posted
Hey 😃
Yes, I have been eating dried prunes all week lol. Very high in calorie but tasty 😃
pippa58442 NC10
Posted
Don't worry about the high calories. You have only been taking them for a week, so I doubt you will suddenly put on lots of weight because of them. The more important thing is to concentrate on treating the constipation. How long it takes to work will depend on how constipated you are. Simply take lots of fruit and or a laxative/stool softener along with plenty of vegetables and don't research too much into it because there is no one size fits all treatment. Everyone responds differently and you can get easily bogged down in detail.
NC10 pippa58442
Posted
Excellent advise, yes. I think I have been trying to micromanage it a bit too much. Thank you!