As millions of Americans have spent the past several days gorging on leftovers, many are feeling the post-Thanksgiving bloat heading back to work. If you're among the ranks feeling some gastrointestinal discomfort from all the rich and fatty foods, a so-called "poop doctor" is here to help.
Dr. Wendi is a California-based board-certified gastroenterologist who goes by socalgastrodoc, or "the poop doctor," on her popular TikTok account. On Sunday, she shared her guide to constipation treatments for those who are having trouble moving things along, so to speak, after too many indulgent Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches.
"If you have not pooped since Thanksgiving, then this video is for you," Wendi detailed at the start of the video. "Let's talk everything you need to know about constipation treatments."
She says she likes to break constipation treatments into two categories: "mush" and "push." Mush, she explains, are treatments that work by "drawing water into the intestines, making the contents of it soft." In turn, that makes your poop soft, "lubricating things and helping them move along the digestive tract." In other words, she says, "it makes your poop mushy."
@socalgastrodoc Happy pooping ???? Share your constipation questions in the comments #constipation #constipationrelief #laxative #miralax #gut #guthealth #guthealthtips #bloating #fiber #greenscreen
♬ original sound - socalgastrodoc
Mush remedies include over-the-counter medications and supplements such as Docusate, Miralax, Metamucil, Lactulose, and magnesium, as well as kiwi fruit, which is high in fiber. Though, these treatments also can take a couple days to work.
So if you need a faster solution, the second category of treatment Wendi outlines is "push." Push treatments, she says, are "medications that work by stimulating your gut and pushing things along your intestines" to cause contractions of the colon. These treatments include Senna, Dulcolax, and coffee.
"So everything in the mush category are used as longterm options," Wendi summarized. "They can be used regularly, even daily, the main issue is that they do take a couple days to work. So, if you're trying to treat your constipation, they may not work immediately, give it 24 to 48 hours at least."
"Everything in the 'push' category, I think of them as 'break the glass in case of emergency' options," she added. "They work quickly, but they also work by stimulating contractions in the colon, so they can be painful when using."
For those suffering, this probably isn't the first and likely will not be the last time Thanksgiving will get the best of them. And while it's true that those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it, at least now you'll be well-prepared when turkey day rolls around next year.
