Question 1

what foods can you to eat to soften stool?

Accepted Answer

Fiber : Fiber is the key. Try to get in 5 servings of vegetables and 4 servings of fruit per day  & hydrate well with water - at least 8  8 ounce glasses of water per day.  Prunes and prune juice are often used of constipation.

Question 2

i take a prescribed narcotic that im sure is the culprit for my constipation. havent been able to pass stool. but can stool softeners soften stool that are already are hard/stuck?

Accepted Answer

Probably: Not the one impacted. That will require manual evacuation or enema

Question 3

which juices and foods can you use as a stool softener/laxative?

Accepted Answer

Constipation: Pure fruit juices especially prunes, pears, peaches, etc are good stool softeners. Foods rich in fiber include whole grain cereals with added bran, fruits eaten with their skin, vegetables like cooked beans, lentil, etc. And tree nuts. Increased water intake will fulfill the purpose.

Question 4

i have been having hard-to-pass pebble-like stool for my whole life. i eat right and drink lots of water. can stool softeners be taken long term?

Accepted Answer

Yes and no: Your stool reflects your diet. Make a diet diary of what you eat for a week. Foods that cause constipation are the grains such as rice, oats, barley. Also foods that have lots of pectin (bananas) and milk. Stop these for a week and your stool will soon change.

Question 5

food passes though my colon very slowly, strenuous to eliminate. high fiber diet, stool softeners make no difference. how can i speed it up?

Accepted Answer

Water: Transit can be variable.  The "normal" bowel movement frequency ranges from 3 a day to 3 a week.  Try adding water to you regimen, up to 120 ounces each day.

Question 6

2 weeks after piles surgery. haven't had a bm in 5 days. i take stool softeners, fiber, eat fruits, drink 100 plus oz of water! what's wrong ?

Accepted Answer

Laxative: Use a laxative next. May try miralax, (polyethylene glycol) exlax, magnesium citrate. Ask your surgeon.

Question 7

what can i do about infrequent small, hard--and incomplete-- bowel movements? i am a 66 year-old healthy woman who very rarely has a normal bowel movement. i eat a good balanced diet and take extra fiber supplements; i have tried stool softeners which onl

Accepted Answer

On : On the surface this sounds like irritable bowel syndrome (ibs).  This is a benign condition but the unfortunate thing is that ibs can mimic a lot of other bowel problems including diverticular disease and other lesions like colon cancer.  Even without bleeding cancer is always possible in someone that has not been screened.  There are treatments for ibs but before those treatments are tried anyone over age 50 should have colonoscopy as a screen for colon cancer.  You can then embark on other therapies once you know there is nothing wrong in the colon itself.  I recommend you see a gastroenterologist near you.

Question 8

what kinds of food wil soften stool?

Accepted Answer

Fiber: Food with fiber, e.g., vegetables, whole grain, beans, lentils will help. If that does not alleviate the problem try fiber laxative like metamucil.

Question 9

infant constipation. we have tried prune juice oatmeal and soy milk and nothing is working. can we use a stool softener and what foods to avoid.

Accepted Answer

Natural plugs: Apple sauce, bananas & rice cereal are the main constipators in most infants. Peaches, pears, plums & barley cereal are usually helpful in loosening them.Prune or apple juice(regular adult, not dilute baby) given in amounts of 1-2 ounces 1-2 x/day for a minimum of 3 days will usually loosen a kid.Good luck.

Question 10

i eat 2-3 fruits and a big bowl of salad everyday but still have constipation most of the times. 
i have about 2-3 bowel movements each week.
sometimes i use over-the-counter stool softener pills and they can be helpful after maybe 2 days.
do you have any

Accepted Answer

Question unclear but: One with constipation needs to be sure there is no other disease causing it. If constipation is just due to slow movement of the food and poop through the gut, then the things to try are vegetables, water, prune juice, prunes, fiber plus water, Miralax (polyethylene glycol), Senokot or other senna, milk of magnesia, other laxatives... A doctor can evaluate and prescribe helpful meds as needed.

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Doctor answers about:

Foods to eat to soften stool

A member asked:

What foods can you to eat to soften stool?

A member asked:

I take a prescribed narcotic that im sure is the culprit for my constipation. havent been able to pass stool. but can stool softeners soften stool that are already are hard/stuck?

A member asked:

Which juices and foods can you use as a stool softener/laxative?

A member asked:

I have been having hard-to-pass pebble-like stool for my whole life. i eat right and drink lots of water. can stool softeners be taken long term?

A member asked:

Food passes though my colon very slowly, strenuous to eliminate. high fiber diet, stool softeners make no difference. how can i speed it up?

A member asked:

2 weeks after piles surgery. haven't had a bm in 5 days. i take stool softeners, fiber, eat fruits, drink 100 plus oz of water! what's wrong ?

A member asked:

What can i do about infrequent small, hard--and incomplete-- bowel movements? i am a 66 year-old healthy woman who very rarely has a normal bowel movement. i eat a good balanced diet and take extra fiber supplements; i have tried stool softeners which onl

A member asked:

What kinds of food wil soften stool?

A member asked:

Infant constipation. we have tried prune juice oatmeal and soy milk and nothing is working. can we use a stool softener and what foods to avoid.

A member asked:

I eat 2-3 fruits and a big bowl of salad everyday but still have constipation most of the times. i have about 2-3 bowel movements each week. sometimes i use over-the-counter stool softener pills and they can be helpful after maybe 2 days. do you have any

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