Anyone experiencing chronic, long-lasting episodes of constipation should avoid magnesium citrate. Using magnesium citrate regularly may cause the body to become dependent on it, making it difficult for a person to pass stools without using laxatives.

Magnesium citrate should produce a bowel movement within 30 minutes to 6 hours after you take the medicine. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 7 days of treatment, or if the medicine produces no results.

For Constipation: “DO NOT DRINK THE WHOLE BOTTLE IF YOU DON’T NEED TO!

Drink the entire prep. Liquid stools will usually start within a few hours. Continue drinking clear liquids even after you’ve finished the prep, as tolerated. Extra fluids will continue to clean out your colon and keep you hydrated.

If you can’t finish the bowel prep, let the doctor’s office know. Better to cancel and reschedule the appointment than to have an incomplete colonoscopy because your colon wasn’t empty.

For colonoscopies, no solid food is allowed 24 hours before the procedure. Anything you can see through and has no pulp is OK to drink, including: Jell-O, Gatorade and popsicles, but none that is red, purple or orange. Apple or white grape juice.

People who support a water flush for colon cleansing recommend drinking six to eight glasses of lukewarm water per day. Also try eating plenty of foods high in water content. This includes fruits and vegetables like watermelons, tomatoes, lettuce, and celery.

Limit: Processed Meats These are meats that are smoked, cured, or salted, or preserved with added chemicals. Think hot dogs, bacon, ham, bologna, and packaged lunchmeat. Eating those kinds of meats often can up your chances of both colon and stomach cancer.

Rectal tenesmus, or tenesmus, is a feeling of being unable to empty the large bowel of stool, even if there is nothing left to expel. Several medical conditions can cause tenesmus. These include inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal cancer, and disorders that affect how muscles move food through the gut.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) Stress can also cause bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract to become imbalanced. This condition is called dysbiosis, and it may contribute to IBS-related constipation.

Digging the stool out with your fingers But don’t insert your finger in the rectum. Digging out the stool can damage the soft tissue at the opening of your anus, resulting in anal tears and bleeding. Only a doctor should manually remove poop from the rectum.

Perform stimulation with your finger every day until you start to have a regular pattern of bowel movements. You can also stimulate bowel movements by using a suppository (glycerin or bisacodyl) or a small enema. Some people find it helpful to drink warm prune juice or fruit nectar.

When you start to feel your stomach knot up (or before you even experience the first twinge), the following strategies can help:

1. Take a few minutes to breathe.
2. Take a short, brisk walk.
3. If you can’t get outside, try some indoor stretches, yoga, or meditation.
4. Take a moment for self-compassion.
5. Try a relaxation exercise.