<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Constipation is one of the most common symptoms associated with celiac 
disease.  Everytime I post anything about it, I get lots & lots of responses 
from other celiacs who suffer, often silently, with this problem.  Dr. Chris 
Lahrs is a board certified colon surgeon who specializes in the treatment of 
constipation.  He has a non-commercial website (ICAN Foundation) that is 
restricted by password,  but I've found a way to enter through the "back 
door" (see the link below).  His website contains information that can't be 
found anywhere else.  What I learned from Dr. Lahrs changed my life.  I 
recommend anyone with a constipation problem read this.  Below is a short,  
abridged quotation from his sight that I feel is THE most enlightening & 
liberating information I've found on the topic.

Dr. Lahrs has written a great book, "Why Can't I Go?" which is not available 
in stores, but can be ordered directly from his office.  If you search the 
ICAN website you'll find ways to contact his office.  His office staff are 
very nice.

~Valerie in Tacoma  [My comments in brackets.]

http://www.constipation.net/Chapters/1_intro.html?

4. Over-the-Counter Laxatives
     There are a large number of over-the-counter laxatives that are 
effective in treating constipation. Many women are afraid of using laxatives 
because they believe that their constipation will become worse. This is a 
philosophy adhered to by many physicians as well. Although physicians would 
never tell a patient that her heart disease was due to the heart medication 
she was taking, they do not hesitate to tell patients that their 
constipation has become worse because they have taken laxatives to treat it.
     There are many chronic diseases that are progressive. Progressive 
simply means that the disease gets worse with time. ... The same is true for 
constipation. If the colonic nerves are damaged by inflammation or infection 
[as is common in celiac disease], the constipation will get worse. This will 
be the case whether the patient is being treated with laxatives or not.
     There are many illnesses that do not respond indefinitely to the same 
doses of medications, and the colon will not always respond to the same 
doses of the same types of laxatives. Just as combinations of chemotherapy 
agents work better in some cases than do single agents, so combinations of 
laxatives may work better than a single laxative.
     Since laxatives do not cause constipation, I believe that it is 
reasonable for women [and men] to use over-the-counter laxatives to relieve 
their symptoms. You should start with the lowest dose possible to achieve 
relief of your constipation. If one laxative does not work then ... you can 
try combinations of laxatives to obtain the desired effect. ... Senna is a 
natural-occurring vegetable compound that relieves constipation, and is 
often used with other laxatives and with certain fiber additives. [Senna is 
the herb that sennoside laxatives are extracted from.  It's marketed under 
labels such as Kroger, Equate, Ex-Lax, etc.]

PS, I'm sharing information.  I am NOT seeking remedies & suggestions for 
treating constipation.  Thanks, but fruits, popcorn, nuts, massage, 
exercises, fluids, acupuncture, energy therapy, etc.  don't work for me & 
others like me who have chronic, progressive constipation.

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