You can add dried figs or dates. Avoid Metamucil or other forms of psyllium since in the slow gut, this tends to become hard and make constipation worse in Parkinson disease.
Drink plenty of fluids, enough so that your urine is light yellow or clear like water. Get some exercise every day, if possible. Take a fiber supplement, such as Citrucel or Metamucil, every day if needed.
Some, such as Miralax (polyethylene glycol), pull water into the colon to ease constipation. These are fairly gentle and very popular. "Stimulant" laxatives, such as Dulcolax (bisacodyl) or Senokot (senna), promote muscle contractions in the digestive tract.
Eating to Ease Symptoms
For some Parkinson's symptoms, the first step in treatment is to adjust your diet. Constipation: Drinking more fluids and eating more fiber can help maintain regularity. Aim to drink six to eight 8-ounce glasses of water per day.
Insoluble fiber plays a role in helping prevent constipation, and therefore, a person with Parkinson's disease may want to add more insoluble fiber to their diet. Foods that contain insoluble fiber include: whole-wheat flour. wheat bran.
Medications. Bulk producing: Metamucil, Fibercom or Citrucel. Mix 1-2 Tablespoons in juice or water and take by mouth 1 to 2 times daily. This adds consistency or bulk to the stool and facilitates water retention in stool – must take adequate fluids by mouth to avoid causing constipation.
There are many supplemental forms of Magnesium, which can all have great health benefits on Parkinson's symptoms, but what makes Magnesium L-Threonate unique is that research has shown that this form in particular can improve brain magnesium levels and support memory / overall cognitive function.
To take Metamucil for occasional constipation, put one serving into an empty glass. Add at least 8 ounces (a full glass) of cool water. Stir briskly and drink promptly. If the drink is thicker than you prefer, add more water and stir, this also offers a lighter flavor profile.
In general, bulk-forming laxatives, also referred to as fiber supplements, are the gentlest on your body and safest to use long term. Metamucil and Citrucel fall into this category.
Add Benefibre™ or Metamucil® and blend. Pour into a large glass and enjoy. Mix equal amounts of apple sauce, prune juice and All Bran or Raisin Bran.
Berries, green leafy vegetables, eggs, fish and oil have neuroprotective properties which can reduce cognitive decline and improve memory function. Yogurt, kefir and raw sauerkraut, natural probiotics, can also increase natural dopamine production.
Contraindicated in people with fecal impaction or gastrointestinal obstruction (bowel blockage). Some people are allergic to psyllium, and Metamucil should be stopped and emergency treatment sought if hives, difficulty breathing, or facial swelling occurs. Not suitable for children younger than six.
Common Metamucil side effects include gas, bloating, and nausea. It's best to take Metamucil as directed to help prevent potentially dangerous side effects, such as blockages in the intestines. Speak with your healthcare provider before adding Metamucil to your daily routine.
The main therapy for Parkinson's is levodopa. Nerve cells use levodopa to make dopamine to replenish the brain's dwindling supply. Usually, people take levodopa along with another medication called carbidopa.
Carbidopa-levodopa.
(Rytary, Sinemet, Duopa, others), Levodopa, the most effective Parkinson's disease medication, is a natural chemical that passes into your brain and is converted to dopamine. Levodopa is combined with carbidopa (Lodosyn), which protects levodopa from early conversion to dopamine outside your brain.
If you have Parkinson's, you may be more likely to have problems with your bladder or bowels than people of a similar age without the condition. Some of these problems are common in men and women of all ages, whether they have Parkinson's or not. Bowel problems are very common in the general public.
Constipation and the Gut in Parkinson's
One of the effects Parkinson's has on the autonomic nervous system seems to be the slowing of food through the gastrointestinal tract, which can result in constipation (fewer than three bowel movements per week). As many as 80% of people with PD have constipaiton.
Effect of melatonin vs. placebo on sleep disorders in Parkinson's disease. Melatonin supplementation significantly reduced the PSQI scores compared with the placebo.
Healthy Eating and Regular Exercise: A Powerful Combo
Studies show targeted nutrition may slow Parkinson's advancement. Eating a whole-food, plant-based, Mediterranean-style diet — including fresh vegetables, fruit and berries, nuts, seeds, fish, olive and coconut oils and more — may be linked to slower PD progression.
Avoid contraindicated drugs
If the patient is taking selegiline or rasagiline, other medications must also be avoided, for example, meperidine, traMADol, methadone, mirtazapine, St. John's wort, cyclobenzaprine, dextromethorphan, pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine, and ePHEDrine.