Constipation and Chelation

[Guest guest]

For the  last 4 years  I have been trying to control My son Constipation which

was cause  by our fist try to chelate w/t Oral DMSA . Sense then his GUT is a

complete mess and No matter what I try ( I am pretty sure I have try most  supps

)  The constipation and disbiosis is on all the time . He has chronic bacterial

and Yeast Issue . Recently he had UTI and end up on antibiotics  . The

Antibiotic helped w/t his bacteria issue ,his poop is usually dark green and

stinks like a swamp . For a  month and some he had regular looking poop and had

BM if not every day ,every other day . So I decided to start ALA chelation . I

have been waiting to start for a loooong time . I did his first round last

weekend  and I had all supportive supps on board w/t a lot of C and Mg which act

as laxatives for my son  . Sense the second day of our first round HE Hasn't;t

have a normal BM and the little that he did is back to the old smell which means

that bacteria is

back .I am terrified that he reabsorbed the metals back ,because  he looks very

unhealthy and stimming has increased .HE is 8 soon to be 9 and I have tried many

thing and all types of chelation ,not for long and we no real results . I have

to stick w/t AC protocol ,because this is the only way we can chelate ,but how

can I do it if he has constipation .? I was supposed to start the second round

tomorrow morning, but will wait 1 more day and try to get him to have a BM .  He

takes so many things , i don't know how I am going to force him to take any more

supps or How I will manage to give it to him.If anyone have any thoughts about

this situation and what I am to do  I 'll appreciated it greatly .

TIA

Nora Bunis -Stuart 

[Guest guest]

is psyllium husk recommended..and chia seeds in drinks..up the fluid and fibre

From: nvbshb@...

Date: Thu, 6 Jan 2011 20:11:45 -0800

Subject: [ ] Constipation and Chelation

For the last 4 years I have been trying to control My son Constipation which

was cause by our fist try to chelate w/t Oral DMSA . Sense then his GUT is a

complete mess and No matter what I try ( I am pretty sure I have try most supps

) The constipation and disbiosis is on all the time . He has chronic bacterial

and Yeast Issue . Recently he had UTI and end up on antibiotics . The

Antibiotic helped w/t his bacteria issue ,his poop is usually dark green and

stinks like a swamp . For a month and some he had regular looking poop and had

BM if not every day ,every other day . So I decided to start ALA chelation . I

have been waiting to start for a loooong time . I did his first round last

weekend and I had all supportive supps on board w/t a lot of C and Mg which act

as laxatives for my son . Sense the second day of our first round HE Hasn't;t

have a normal BM and the little that he did is back to the old smell which means

that bacteria is

back .I am terrified that he reabsorbed the metals back ,because he looks very

unhealthy and stimming has increased .HE is 8 soon to be 9 and I have tried many

thing and all types of chelation ,not for long and we no real results . I have

to stick w/t AC protocol ,because this is the only way we can chelate ,but how

can I do it if he has constipation .? I was supposed to start the second round

tomorrow morning, but will wait 1 more day and try to get him to have a BM . He

takes so many things , i don't know how I am going to force him to take any more

supps or How I will manage to give it to him.If anyone have any thoughts about

this situation and what I am to do I 'll appreciated it greatly .

TIA

Nora Bunis -Stuart

[Guest guest]

What are you using for a yeast protocol? Have you considered using Culturelle?

It's great for bacterial issues. Is he on a probiotics?

I'm sorry you're having such a heck of a time. Has a stool panel been done to

see what germ he's got causing so many issues in his gut?

Any parasite cleanses tried?

Just throwing some ideas out there that come to mind based on what you report

happening.

Jan

>

> For the  last 4 years  I have been trying to control My son Constipation which

was cause  by our fist try to chelate w/t Oral DMSA . Sense then his GUT is a

complete mess and No matter what I try ( I am pretty sure I have try most  supps

)  The constipation and disbiosis is on all the time . He has chronic bacterial

and Yeast Issue . Recently he had UTI and end up on antibiotics  . The

Antibiotic helped w/t his bacteria issue ,his poop is usually dark green and

stinks like a swamp . For a  month and some he had regular looking poop and had

BM if not every day ,every other day . So I decided to start ALA chelation . I

have been waiting to start for a loooong time . I did his first round last

weekend  and I had all supportive supps on board w/t a lot of C and Mg which act

as laxatives for my son  . Sense the second day of our first round HE Hasn't;t

have a normal BM and the little that he did is back to the old smell which means

that bacteria is

> back .I am terrified that he reabsorbed the metals back ,because  he looks

very unhealthy and stimming has increased .HE is 8 soon to be 9 and I have tried

many thing and all types of chelation ,not for long and we no real results . I

have to stick w/t AC protocol ,because this is the only way we can chelate ,but

how can I do it if he has constipation .? I was supposed to start the second

round tomorrow morning, but will wait 1 more day and try to get him to have a BM

..  He takes so many things , i don't know how I am going to force him to take

any more supps or How I will manage to give it to him.If anyone have any

thoughts about this situation and what I am to do  I 'll appreciated it greatly

..

> TIA

> Nora Bunis -Stuart 

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Maybe something in here will help.....

This file was put together in an effort to save parents time. I've tried to

provide as much information as possible to help parents understand their child's

constipation but do know that I'm not an expert, only a mom. I've tried to

address what might cause constipation, what might address constipation, what

parents might want to avoid, and where parents might go for more information. I

have organized the bulk of the information by possible solutions, and, when I

was able to find the information, the specific problems they might address. The

solutions are in no particular order. I have used the male pronoun when

referring to children. This is not accidental—constipation problems are far

more common among boys than girls, although this may hold true in the autistic

community.

If you have comments, see misinformation in this file, or have some information

you'd like to see added, please contact Anita by email

(mysuperteach@...)

Background information

Constipation is defined as the condition in which bowel movements happen less

frequently than is normal for the particular individual, or the stool is small,

hard, and difficult or painful to pass. Please do not focus only the " small,

hard " stool part of this definition. Many of our kids are constipated and pass

liquid stools (diarrhea) or soft stools. These kids can still be constipated.

It has become increasingly clear to me in my reading of the listserves, that

many of our ASD children are impacted. A bowel impaction can only be reliably

diagnosed by an x-ray looking specifically for that problem. It can NOT always

or even often be felt because contrary to popular belief, the impacted stool is

not always hardened. Some kids who have been shown to be impacted on an x-ray

had flat bellies and formed bm's each day. If a parent has any suspicions at

all, it is my opinion that they should demand an x-ray for their child, if only

to rule out impaction.

The elusive trophy poop: A normal bowel movement should be formed, some shade of

brown, shaped like a sausage or banana, and relatively soft. It should be

smooth in texture and sink gently down into the water of the toilet.

Good Resources

A good resource is Dana's site http://www.danasview.net/constip.htm

Another place to learn about bm's and related topics is 's site

http://www.enzymestuff.com/rtstools.htm where you can learn how to interpret the

appearance of a bm.

The site below covers a lot of the basics of constipation and possibilities for

treatment, although some treatments they recommend are certainly not what many

parents would recommend (Miralax for example)

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/pediatrics/patients/tutorials/cons\

tipation/treatcon.cfm This site also provides a very helpful list of signs of

chronic constipation and encopresis that all ASD parents should be aware of:

http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/pediatrics/patients/tutorials/cons\

tipation/symptoms.cfm

The following is an interesting and detailed look at the digestive system,

written by Enig of the Weston A Price Foundation (WAPF) that is both

informative yet easy to read

http://www.westonaprice.org/moderndiseases/digestion_primer.html

One possible solution offered by doctors that parents on the boards often learn

to avoid is Miralax (or Glycolax). There is a group that talks about the

possible complications of this product and offers safer alternatives and lot of

very good information miralax/

Possible Solutions to Constipation

* Deal with the thyroid problem It is well-accepted that a malfunctioning

thyroid, specifically hypothyroidism, can cause constipation. Many doctors do

not know how to test properly for thyroid function, if they test at all. You

need to have free t3, free t4 and TSH and then you need to interpret the results

against the right pediatric ranges for your child. Thyroid problems are not

uncommon in children with metal toxicity and are not always apparent just from

observing a child.

* Get more exercise If a child exercises more, particularly high energy

activities such as bouncing on a trampoline, this may improve gut motility and

help to resolve constipation. See here for a good explanation of gut motility

http://www.aboutgimotility.org/normal.html

* Drink more water This is a commonly offered solution to constipation

but would only be pertinent if your child was dehydrated. A well hydrated child

will not stop being constipated with the addition of more water. Do note that

some people recommend against drinking water with a meal as that can lower

stomach acid and some of our children may already suffer from decreased stomach

acid.

* Remove foods that are not tolerated This, of course, is easier said than

done because what constipates one child will not constipate another. Common

offenders are pasteurized milk, rice, sugar (because of the yeast connection),

fried foods. But some kids can be constipated by cooked carrots, apples, and

bananas, so it would seem that almost any food can be the culprit. Of course, a

child's diet may need a complete overhaul and parents may want to consider

something like Specific Carbohydrate Diet http://www.pecanbread.com/, the Body

Ecology Diet http://www.bodyecologydiet.com/ or Gluten Free Casein Free diet

http://www.gfcfdiet.com

* Deal with the yeast Many ASD parents believe yeast to be a primary cause

of constipation for lots of our kids. Antifungals are of course important;

however, the main component of treating yeast may be introducing bacteria into

the gut. Sally Fallon of the Weston A Price foundation points out that some

cultures like the Inuit had a traditional diet virtually devoid of fibre but

were not constipated and she attributes part of this to the consumption of

cultured foods. Probiotics and cultured foods like kefir likely play a very

important role in constipation relieving constipation. See the Body Ecology

Diet website for more information or the Weston A Price website

http://www.westonaprice.org/

* Use enzymes Some parents have reported good results with the use of

enzymes to ensure that food is properly digested. 's website offers

information on everything enzymes http://www.enzymestuff.com/

* Raise stomach acid levels Constipation may be a result of food that is

poorly digested because of low levels of stomach acid. A sign that a child may

have low stomach acid is undigested food in the stool. Stomach acid levels can

be raised by using things such as lemon juice, betaine (TMG) or ascorbic acid

(unbuffered vitamin C)

* Check butyric acid levels Constipation can be a result of low butyric

acid. This can be verified by testing the stool. Butyric acid (butyrate) is

found in butter, but can also be supplemented in the form of butyric cal-mag

(here is one product recommended by a parent:

http://www.bioticsresearch.com/butyriccalmag.php)

* Remove/modify certain supplements/medications Some supplements or

medications can be constipating. Common offenders are spirolactonane, which

many parents have found cause constipation. If a child is biotin-deficient,

adding biotin may cause constipation and require larger doses of magnesium than

usual. Olive leaf extract can have an impact on smooth muscle function and

cause a susceptible child to become constipated. Calcium, particularly in the

carbonate form, can be constipating. If your child has become recently

constipated, do consider the most recent supplements or medications you've

added. As with foods, it seems that almost all supplements and medications can

cause some few kids to become constipated.

* Consider adding certain supplements Many constipated children will be

helped by the addition of vitamin C although many ASD kids have such a need for

antioxidants that high doses of C do nothing to bm's. Keep in mind that the

buffered C will not raise stomach acid. Many parents have good luck with

magnesium. Generally DAN! Doctors recommend trying magnesium citrate first, but

if that doesn't work some recommend glycinate, or malate. The oxide form can be

constipating according to some, although you will notice that Oxypowder is made

from oxygenated magnesium oxide—this product works very well and should not be

confused with plain magnesium oxide. Some parents have found that with the

addition of amino acids, particularly l-carnitine, a child's ability to push out

the stool is much improved (in all likelihood, gut motility is being improved).

Other parents have found that using aloe vera is helpful. 's is a brand

that is tasteless. Cat's Claw (Samento) is also considered by naturopaths to be

a good supplement for constipation. There are many lesser known alternative

treatments to constipation which I have not seen mentioned on autism lists.

Some of these are mentioned at this link:

http://www.jigsawhealth.com/nat.aspx? & chunkiid=21590 Some people have found

that adding good fats will help resolve constipation. The WAPF would recommend

a good cod liver oil with natural Vitamin D as opposed to just any fish oil,

believing that the Vitamin D plays an important role. Vitamin A also plays an

important role in healing leaky gut, so choosing a high quality CLO may be best.

Virgin coconut oil is also recommended for different reasons. Some doctors will

prescribe Lactulose, which is a kind of sugar our bodies cannot use and will

soften the stool. This may be useful if your child has learned from experience

that passing a stool hurts and therefore refuses to have a bowel movement.

There are some drawbacks to lactulose however, including cramping, possible

dependence, and the fact that it does cross the GI tract. Some people

choose to use mineral oil, which is not digested and therefore acts as a

lubricant; however, it is not recommended at all for children under 6 and I

would encourage anyone to read this information before choosing to use it

http://www.drugs.com/cdi/mineral_oil_liquid.html

* Oxypowder A relatively new product, Oxypowder is a highly recommended by

both doctors and parents for constipation. You can read about it here

http://www.oxypowder.com/ and can order from there too although you may find

better prices if you look around. Some parents have used Oxypowder very

successfully to deal with impactions.

* Enemas can be useful as a kind of last resort, since most children and

parents find them very stressful (in spite of some yogis who will tell you that

enemas are as natural as brushing your teeth!). Some parents do use enemas for

a short period to help deal with impactions.

* Glycerine suppositories can be purchased at any pharmacy and can help if

the child is struggling to pass a hard stool. Some people prefer the glycerine

enemas (Babylax). These are considered quite safe; however, some children may

find them very stressful, they don't address the core issue, and therefore they

don't always work.

* Fiber can be a double-edged sword for people with constipation and it is

important that parents understand how it works. A sudden increase in fibre by

using supplements can cause gas and abdominal pain. Also, diets that have too

much fibre can reduce the absorption of certain minerals including zinc and

calcium, which might be problematic for many of our kids.

There are two types of fiber. Soluble fiber are found mainly in plant cells.

Common sources are oat bran, oatmeal, fruit, vegetables, psyllium and

supplements like Benefibre. Soluble fiber will absorb water and act like a gel.

It is imperative that if you supplement fiber (as opposed to, for example,

eating it in fruit where it comes with its own water supply) you give extra

water. If you do not give extra water, the insoluble fiber will absorb water

from the intestine and your child will become MORE constipated, not less.

Insoluble fibre comes from the structural parts of plant cell walls. Good

sources are wheat bran, the skin of fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole

grain foods. Insoluble fibre adds bulk to stool and therefore can be helpful in

preventing constipation.

Often it is recommended that you have about a 50/50 ratio of soluble to

insoluble fiber. Flax seed (you can grind it yourself to avoid it going rancid)

is about this ratio.

Some parents have found that something as simple as prune juice, which is fairly

easy to introduce and high in fiber (although it also contains a special sugar

that acts as a laxative), is enough to resolve the problem; however, most

parents find that resolving constipation is more complex than simply dealing

with fiber in spite of what most mainstream medical professionals and websites

will tell you.

* Consider chiropractic Some parents have reported good success using a

chiropractor to deal with constipation. Some children seem to have a signaling

problem that chiropractic can deal with. Other children seem to have a lazy

ileocecal valve which can be massaged. This massage, which takes only a minute

or so and can be learned by a parent, can improve the transit of the stool and

prevent it from hardening.

* Improve gut motility Some parents have used Bethanecol to improve gut

motility. Increased exercise may help. Increased fibre may speed up transit

time, but see section on fibre to consider all aspects of this treatment. It

would seem that HBOT's positive effect on many constipated children has

something to do with gut motility. Improvements you may see from HBOT are not

always permanent. Serotonin plays some role in gut motility; in fact, 95% of

our body store of serotonin is found in the gut. However, I was unable to find

any practical treatments that might pertain. Perhaps a DAN! doctor would know

more.

* Use behavioral approaches Try to encourage your child to go to the

toilet as soon as he feels like having a bm. If the child does not feel it, set

aside special times during the day for trying. If the child uses a toilet, a

small bench under his feet may help him feel comfortable. If the child is in

diapers or on the toilet, be sure to give him privacy if they seem to want it.

Try to make having a bm as stress-free as possible. If your child has had an

impaction, there is a good chance that his colon has been stretched and will

take some time to return to normal. It is very important during this period to

have your child try to poop regularly as he may not feel the urge as he should.

It can take up to a year for full function to return.

[Guest guest]

Constipation was a huge problem for my boy for 3 years. We tried all kinds of

Rx and they did not work. Probiotics caused rage, fiber caused rage, Mag

Citrate caused rage.

I finally found something that works. Taurine and L-Glutamine.

Also, it sounds invasive but enemas every day for a week, then once a week, now

hardly ever. The first time I did it I got injured. After that he let me

because he knew it helped him. After that first week things started getting

regular. Adding the Taurine and L-Glutamine every morning and night made him

start going on his own.

Constipation causes head banging for us. It was a HUGE problem in my life. My

boy would run head first into walls. He would get on his hands and knees and

bang his head on the floor due to constipation. At 15 yo he is bigger and

stronger than me and it was nearly impossible to control. The first time I gave

him Taurine after about 20 minutes he went to the bathroom and pooped. HOORAY!

I hope Taurine and L-Glutamine might help you as it has us.

We are also using AC Chelation, Biotin (may also help with constipation due to

helping with yeast, I'm not sure), and lots of enzymes.

Deb

>

> For the  last 4 years  I have been trying to control My son Constipation which

was cause  by our fist try to chelate w/t Oral DMSA . Sense then his GUT is a

complete mess and No matter what I try ( I am pretty sure I have try most  supps

)  The constipation and disbiosis is on all the time . He has chronic bacterial

and Yeast Issue . Recently he had UTI and end up on antibiotics  . The

Antibiotic helped w/t his bacteria issue ,his poop is usually dark green and

stinks like a swamp . For a  month and some he had regular looking poop and had

BM if not every day ,every other day . So I decided to start ALA chelation . I

have been waiting to start for a loooong time . I did his first round last

weekend  and I had all supportive supps on board w/t a lot of C and Mg which act

as laxatives for my son  . Sense the second day of our first round HE Hasn't;t

have a normal BM and the little that he did is back to the old smell which means

that bacteria is

> back .I am terrified that he reabsorbed the metals back ,because  he looks

very unhealthy and stimming has increased .HE is 8 soon to be 9 and I have tried

many thing and all types of chelation ,not for long and we no real results . I

have to stick w/t AC protocol ,because this is the only way we can chelate ,but

how can I do it if he has constipation .? I was supposed to start the second

round tomorrow morning, but will wait 1 more day and try to get him to have a BM

..  He takes so many things , i don't know how I am going to force him to take

any more supps or How I will manage to give it to him.If anyone have any

thoughts about this situation and what I am to do  I 'll appreciated it greatly

..

> TIA

> Nora Bunis -Stuart 

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

There is a simple gut motility exercise that you can try. I have had some

amazing results, some minimal results, and some non-responders but every kid

that has been chronically constipated enjoys it.

Have the child lie on the floor with their knees bent. Start with their knees

down toward their right hip bone. Move their knees in a clockwise motion, up

toward their right shoulder, across the chest/belly, and down toward the left

hip bone and then back across to the right hip bone. You can do this as many

times as the child wants and as many times in a day that the child wants. I

have had parents claim that within minutes their child has had a bowel movement.

Dr. Szanne Fleeson DaSilva

www.fcchiropracticcenter.com

>

> For the  last 4 years  I have been trying to control My son Constipation which

was cause  by our fist try to chelate w/t Oral DMSA . Sense then his GUT is a

complete mess and No matter what I try ( I am pretty sure I have try most  supps

)  The constipation and disbiosis is on all the time . He has chronic bacterial

and Yeast Issue . Recently he had UTI and end up on antibiotics  . The

Antibiotic helped w/t his bacteria issue ,his poop is usually dark green and

stinks like a swamp . For a  month and some he had regular looking poop and had

BM if not every day ,every other day . So I decided to start ALA chelation . I

have been waiting to start for a loooong time . I did his first round last

weekend  and I had all supportive supps on board w/t a lot of C and Mg which act

as laxatives for my son  . Sense the second day of our first round HE Hasn't;t

have a normal BM and the little that he did is back to the old smell which means

that bacteria is

> back .I am terrified that he reabsorbed the metals back ,because  he looks

very unhealthy and stimming has increased .HE is 8 soon to be 9 and I have tried

many thing and all types of chelation ,not for long and we no real results . I

have to stick w/t AC protocol ,because this is the only way we can chelate ,but

how can I do it if he has constipation .? I was supposed to start the second

round tomorrow morning, but will wait 1 more day and try to get him to have a BM

..  He takes so many things , i don't know how I am going to force him to take

any more supps or How I will manage to give it to him.If anyone have any

thoughts about this situation and what I am to do  I 'll appreciated it greatly

..

> TIA

> Nora Bunis -Stuart 

>

>

>

>

>