Scott F posted:If Metamucil helps you, why not use it regularly enough to help all the time? I use it every day. It’s not good to strain so hard, but it won’t cause a stroke, heart attack, or liver problems. It can cause hemorrhoids and perhaps pouch prolapse. Is your stool hard or soft (when you are straining)?
I do use Metamucil regularly. Ideally I like to have at least 2-3 glasses per day. But I'm not perfect. Sometimes I forget to take it or I run out before I'm able to get to the store. The straining is much worse when the stool is softer. Then it's like the muscle can't push as efficiently, sort of akin to trying to pick up water with your fingers. So I like it to be as firm as possible. The firmer the better! I feel like when it's firmer, it gives the muscles something to grip onto, so it can work better.
And I was told by my surgeon that I can't get hemorrhoids because he removed the tissue where you get them. I don't know if that's true for everyone. I was operated on by Adrian Greenstein at Mount Sinai. He told me he left almost no rectal cuff. I don't know if other surgeons do that.
I am concerned about the possibility of pouch prolapse because of this, though. I just wanted to know if this is normal and if other people experience this, since I've seen others on this site saying that they don't like Metamucil and they prefer looser stools because that makes it easier to go. I don't understand that at all.