posted May-23-2005 05:42 PM               

Portapotty-Sheila does use gummi's

Sandi- I had been using Starburst, but since I had some jellybeans in the house, I thought I would try them. They are not as chewy as the Starburst, so it doesn't take long to eat them. Anything with sugar will work, I think.

Yogini-I run much better and longer in the mornings at about 7:30 on the weekends. During the week, I run at 4:30 in the afternoons. I live in SW Fl, so it is still very hot at that time of day, so I can only go 3 or 4 miles.

[This message has been edited by ShelleyM (edited May-23-2005).]

[This message has been edited by ShelleyM (edited May-23-2005).]

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posted May-24-2005 09:25 AM            

Thank you for talking so openly about this issue. I have been in a PANIC for the last month, worrying if I am going to die! I have been running all my life (off and on through the years, but daily for the last three). I ran a 7 mile race while on vacation without any training and lots of margaritas in the days before and had my first episode with this problem. It was scary (blood &mucous),etc. but I chalked it up to pushing myself too hard without prep, the heat and the tequila. But then shortly after I decided to start training for my first marathon and after my first long run (10 mi.) it happened again! I am amazed at how dedicated you all are to running and am trying to decide whether to keep training for this marathon or just go back to running 3-6 miles a day for fun and stress relief. I am looking for a doc to see about the problem and to rule out any serious issues, but it helps knowing there are others out there. I am 42 and have 3 children and I also feel this may be related to childbirth, as my first delivery was brutal and my pelvic floor hasn't been the same since. BTW, NONE of us are freaks, we are dedicated people deserving of respect and dignity. I am worried the doctor I see won't understand the running thing, so I am going to print out this thread and take it with me. Thanks you all for being so brave - you've given me the strength to be brave too!

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posted May-24-2005 04:13 PM               

I'm heading out for a 3 or 4 miler. Not sure how the stomach will hold, since I didn't have lunch until 1:PM today. Guess I'll find out in a few!

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posted May-24-2005 07:11 PM               

shelley,
how'd the run go?

I did the same 31 mile bike loop, but counter-clockwise today.
HOLY MACKERAL, the 'killer hills' from Saturday were twice as tough going this direction.
My colon never bothers me on the bike, but today I was a little uneasy and gassy because I was guzzling a gatorade-water mix while riding, and I think my belly wasn't too happy.

I've planned on a 3-4 mile run tomorrow, and it'll have to be slooooowwww for sure! LOL

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posted May-24-2005 08:39 PM            

(Post work runs seem to cause the most issues. Balancing fueling needs and activity is tricky..)

Can get through about 8 in the early am without further assistance. Would hesitate to do more gu on an empty stomach, or that many more miles before work.

If dinner contained a 'trigger' food or two, I can be guaranteed of pitstops or a quick trip to the john upon return.

I've found trigger foods like spinach, unblanched almonds, red wine, beer, milk, peanuts or pistachios, whole grains, brown rice syrup should all be avoided within about 12 hours of running.

Barbara's honey rice puffins seem to be a safe pre-race/long run food.

Curious to know if anyone else has kept a food diary to try and pinpoint offending foods. I wish it were as easy as just avoiding these things. My body doesn't like to follow rules.

I'm so glad the leaves are getting thicker on the trees these days!

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posted May-26-2005 09:41 AM            

A friend suggested this slight alteration to my diet, and it has done wonders. Add more fiber, bran, and potassium. I eat yogurt with All Bran (fortified with extra fiber - though milk yogurt may not work if you have dairy issues), at least one fiber rich veggie, and a half a banana every day.

The condition improved even more when I added in a multi-vitamin and the blessed Immodium AD in the morning.

I have fibromyalgia, which can cause incontinence issues because of the lack of muscle control, and things are just much better now. Good luck to all, I definitely can sympathize.

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posted May-26-2005 12:25 PM               

i am going to join up on this thread if you don't mind. i've read almost all of the pages on this thread and i have very similar problems. in fact this morning was an 8 mile run for me and i ran it just fine, but afterwards and all morning thereafter i've felt sick to my stomach, crampy and i've used the bathroom i don't even know how many times yet. i was thinking about leaving work sick but it is going in spurts...one second im fine the next im racing to the bathroom!

here's my story...i am 23/F, not overweight or anything, not currently dieting, just eating healthy balanced meals for the most part, and I am an AM runner. gradually i am waking up earlier and earlier with the hot weather. currently i wake up at 5 am, drink a cup of coffee and have 1 piece of toast with PB (i run something like:T 6 mi, W 5 mi, Th 8 mi, Sat 6 mi, Sun long run (currently at ten, going for 12...). Anyhow, so on the days i run 5 or 6 miles no problems. i regularly have BM (most of the time) and most often it is before I leave in the morning-so that's swell. But yes, on anything over 6 or 8 miles I am usually cramping all day and have some sort of diarreha or feel like I am going to puke (although that has not happened yet-thatnk goodness!). I never though anything of this until I saw this posted in another discussion forum then I read this! So i always assumed it must be b/c of heat or something I ate...I drink tons of water so I don't know if dehydration is an issue? Also, just read in a magazine that it could possibly be because of too much calcium? I found that odd considering most of us need lots. I've never been lactose intolerant, had any problems of the sort, etc, until these longer runs. I am definately going to try immodium AD this weekend!

Just wanted to say hi and thanks for helping with all of the info from previous posts!

i love running and want to continue loving it! BTW...I've been running for about 10-12 years and of course I've experience runners nerves, etc, but nothing like this! I remember my first long run that was suppossed to be 9 miles long ended at 6 miles b/c of some embarressing cramps and leakage!! what is that!! im young and fit! yikes! (those were my thoughts that sunday morning)...but good to know im not alone either

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posted May-27-2005 05:57 AM               

I ran 3 yesterday with no problems. My next run is Saturday. I need to go 8 to get to my weekly goal, so I am hoping that I have no problems. Sunday is always my long run, so I always worry about that run, although this week Monday is a holiday, so I'll be able to run longer in the morning. I'll have 3 days in a row of 8-15 mile runs. Hopefully they will be poop free!

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posted May-27-2005 06:16 AM               

shelly,
sounds like things are back in balance for you. WTG!

I did 4 miles at 4am yesterday and had two pitstops...VERY frustrating. I'm probably going out for 4-5 at noon today, and don't expect anything different. *sigh*

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posted May-27-2005 08:40 AM               

I don't think you are too young. I'm only 3 years older than you, and I have the same issues. I made it out on my run yesterday and sure enough, right at mile 6... I really need to go. Luckily, I was super close to home by that point, since I had only planned on running 6 miles... but I barely made it inside. *sigh* It seems the harder I run, the longer it takes me to recover from my episodes. I ran a 10k *really* hard... and PR'd it on Sunday... and wasn't fully recovered for almost 8 hours. Yesterday I ran a nice and easy 6 miles, and I recovered in about a half hour. I'm not sure if it's the intensity, or the fact that I didn't have much food (other than toast and coffee) the morning of the race, and last night I ran at 6pm... much later. I'm still playing with my diet, to see what works and what doesn't. I eat a ton of fiber as it is, so increasing that I don't think will help matters. I am still working on "emptying" before I go... I will try this on Sunday, and hopefully it will work!

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* Carrie *
www.carrie.cc/running
www.carrie.cc
me@carrie.cc

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posted May-27-2005 10:17 AM               

really it doesnt become a problem until i run longer than 6 miles. for instance, when im only running 6 or less, i dont have any probs. and my running week is something like this-

m: pilates/weights --no running
T: 6 miles
W: 5 miles with pilates/weights
Th: 8 miles
F: complete rest
S:6 miles with pilate/weights or long run of 10-12 miles
S: whatever i did not do on saturday

so it is usually just once or twice a week that this happens. and it has not happened every time...the first time i was running 9 miles was the first time it happened-right at mile 6. i totally had to stop that day. that was a few weeks back so i cant remember if there was something i ate the night before (i run in the morning so it couldn't have been from that day). then another time when i ran 10 miles it did not happen during and i felt ok during the run...it wasn't until a few hours later and for the rest of that day that i felt horrible...and now yesterday after my 8 miles...so i dont know whats going on, but eventually i did get over it and was able to EAT EAT EAT last night the only odd thing about yesterday was wednesday night i had about 2 glasses of wine-not sure if that had an effect? at any rate-carrie im the same way, i know i have plenty of fiber in my diet and im pretty sure im eating balanced meals, etc. my only concern is maybe im eating too much calcium or "milky" products?? also, i usually don't drink water before my run in the morning, jsut a cup of coffee and piece of toast...do i need the water? i drink tons throughout the day and at nighttime...ugh...ill check in later this weekend and let you all know how my long run this weekend turns out. hanks for your comments and support

enjoy mem day!
CC

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posted May-27-2005 10:48 AM            

Cathy, I just happened to catch this because I am a huge coffee drinker myself, and got lambasted by my nutrionist for it. Caffeine can dehydrate you, to the point where you have to drink twice as much water to rehydrate yourself.

It may not affect you so much on your shorter runs cause you are still hydrated enough for the body to get the water it needs. However, on the longer mileage, it needs to pull the water from elsewhere. Hence the cramping and nausea.

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posted May-27-2005 05:57 PM            

I am wondering if drinking coffee is part of the issue too. I haven't been able to i.d. any triggers, but coffee is something I consume a lot of and, in the am, it's the only liquid I have before I run. I do drink water or gatorade during long runs (over 5 miles).

I try to avoid ALL refined sugars so I'm wondering if anyone eat raisins during a long run or marathon for energy? I'm not sure how it would affect this problem though??!!

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posted May-28-2005 04:57 AM               

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posted May-28-2005 10:04 AM               

I only do 1/2 and 1/2 on the coffee now; and only 2-3cups by 6am/then no more caffeine of ANY kind the rest of the day.

grapes: I recall the pediatrician saying not to give my boys grapes when they had loose stools

sorbitol: I never ingest it knowingly....try hard to keep away from sugarless gum, etc. My GI doc says that sucralose [splenda] doesn't have the same effects on the colon....but she added that too much sugar in any form will loosen up the stools.

I do chew alot of regular gum [bad habit akin to biting nails or smoking] and perhaps that is adding to my distress.
It'll be VERY tough to give up that habit. OY!

did 7 easy ones on the TM yesterday and still had to make two pitstops.

WARNING--> TMI: I don't know about the rest of you, but my pitstops are not itty bitty hershey squirts; these are full blown bowel emptying stops [no, not loose either]...I am amazed at how much CR@P I have in there. HAHAHAHAHA

no running today/did Cathe's Strong Legs and Abs...WOO, I like the feeling that weight training gives me. WOO

off to watch son's soccer
have a sunny weekend!

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posted May-28-2005 04:27 PM              

Sometimes I think it is psychological. I run outside the majority of the time. Occasionally, when it is very cold or snowing and blowing, I will run on the track at our local Y. I can run 3 or 4 on the track and I have no incident. But I can get on the bike path outside and only run half a mile and it happens. And then another half mile land and again it happens. I will not let this situation stop my running. So I am happy I have a community out there who suffer from the same malady. Someone suggested Depends or large baby diapers. That might be my next step. I will overcome!

Thanks for reading.

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posted May-29-2005 05:31 AM               

As for soribitol-I can't have any at all either. It is the absolute worst. Not even 1 piece of sugarless candy. I do eat the sugar free fudgscicles by popsicle. They don't seem to have as much as other things. I always read the sugar alcohol content before I buy anything sugarless. I was very upset when I couldn't find any regular AquaDrops at the stores anymore. The only type they have is sugarless, and I sometimes take them on my run, but I haven't had any in a long time because I'm afraid I'll have a problem while running.

Going for 12 today. Hopefully, everything will be okay in the tummy department!

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posted May-29-2005 06:21 AM               

went once right before heading out at 4:15am...then had to go THREE MORE TIMES during this run. AAAHHHHHHH!!!

I could/should/would have gone 5-6 miles today, but quite honestlly, the colon issues drain me physically as well as mentally. The body energy supply seems to just hit bottom on runs like this.

shelley,
how do you get the energy to do 12 when your body does this to you?
I wonder if I should get up *super* early and have a gu or some powerade or something? Food won't sit well, so I can't do that.
Hell, I'm going to CR@P anyway, so why not fuel myself for these early runs?

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posted May-29-2005 06:32 AM               

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posted May-29-2005 06:35 AM               

A dancing Badger---> On Wisconsin

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posted May-29-2005 09:46 AM               

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posted May-29-2005 09:57 AM               

guess we both need to be guinea pigs and try a variety of foods or drinks to find out how to fuel our runs without haveing colon issues....EEEKK!

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posted May-29-2005 10:06 AM              

quote:

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Originally posted by Desirae:
I'm new at this kind of communication. After reading the information, here are my thoughts.....there probably are a variety of reasons it happens to us as each of us is very unique. I fall into the extremely healthy, no cramping, no blood, only have had one child and am 68 years old. I eat a very healthy diet because that is important and I would rather do that and deal with this colon thing. I wake up at 3:30 a.m, drink orange juice, eat one bowl of cereal (skim milk), no coffee and am running by 4:30 a.m. I am a morning runner. When I do run in the afternoon, there are no occurrences. I have tried Benefiber and it kind of works, but is still not full proof.

Sometimes I think it is psychological. I run outside the majority of the time. Occasionally, when it is very cold or snowing and blowing, I will run on the track at our local Y. I can run 3 or 4 on the track and I have no incident. But I can get on the bike path outside and only run half a mile and it happens. And then another half mile land and again it happens. I will not let this situation stop my running. So I am happy I have a community out there who suffer from the same malady. Someone suggested Depends or large baby diapers. That might be my next step. I will overcome!

Thanks for reading.

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posted May-29-2005 10:18 AM               

I still think it stems from age, hormones, and having had kids [the first delivery having been stressful/large episiodomy/long labor/forceps delivery, etc]

even tho the defecography didn't show any pelvic floor irregularities, I think the internal organs and muscular structure are playing a roll in my situation

*sigh*

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posted May-29-2005 03:30 PM               

[This message has been edited by ShelleyM (edited May-29-2005).]

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