Latest / Living with Parkinson’s | Bryce Perry / Parkinson’s and Constipation: The Symptom Nobody Wants to Talk About

Transcript

Parkinson’s and Constipation: The Symptom Nobody Wants to Talk About · Living with Parkinson’s | Bryce Perry

• 0:00
  Ever spent your morning trapped in the bathroom, missing out on
• 0:03
  life thanks to Parkinson's Constipation?
• 0:06
  Well, you're not alone. And today we're going to break
• 0:08
  the silence of one of the most frustrating symptoms of
• 0:11
  Parkinson's and stick with each of the very end.
• 0:14
  Because I've got a Brycism that puts a little humor on this not
• 0:18
  so funny reality. Welcome to Living with
• 0:21
  Parkinson's, the good, the bad, and the reality.
• 0:25
  Real talk, real life, real community.
• 0:29
  Bryce Perry, let's begin. Hey, I'm Bryce and I was
• 0:33
  diagnosed with Parkinson's at the age of 40 and I've been
• 0:36
  living it with it now for over 15 years.
• 0:38
  This isn't just a podcast, this is it's a community.
• 0:41
  It's real talk about Parkinson's.
• 0:43
  If you're new here, hit that subscribe button and let's get
• 0:45
  straight into today's episode. So let's start with the obvious
• 0:48
  question, why does Constipation even happen in Parkinson's?
• 0:53
  Well, Parkinson's slows everything down.
• 0:55
  You're walking, you're thinking, and yes, your gut.
• 0:59
  The nerves that move food through your system don't fire
• 1:01
  the way they used to. And you add in medications and
• 1:04
  less activity, maybe not enough hydration, and suddenly your
• 1:08
  bathroom schedule feels completely unpredictable.
• 1:12
  And here's the thing. This isn't just uncomfortable,
• 1:16
  it can hijack your day. One person in our community told
• 1:19
  me that Constipation is worse than my tremor.
• 1:22
  I can I can shake in public, but being stuck in the bathroom for
• 1:26
  hours makes me miss my whole morning.
• 1:28
  Someone else said they actually landed in the ER from the pain.
• 1:31
  Only be told Yep, it's Parkinson's and Constipation.
• 1:34
  And have you ever had a morning where you cancel plans because
• 1:37
  you're still waiting for things to move?
• 1:40
  Well then you know exactly what I'm talking about.
• 1:43
  And you know what? Say me too in the comments.
• 1:46
  And if it sounds familiar, hit that like button right now so
• 1:49
  people can find this and realize that they're not the only ones
• 1:51
  dealing with it. So what can help?
• 1:54
  Well, let's break it down into some practical solutions, things
• 1:58
  that you can actually try and remember.
• 2:00
  What works for one person might not work for another, but these
• 2:03
  are strategies that have helped people in this community, and so
• 2:06
  they're worth a shot. So here's solution #1 hydration.
• 2:10
  Drinking more water than you think you need.
• 2:13
  Most of us think a couple glasses a day is enough.
• 2:16
  Both Parkinson's. Your body often needs more to
• 2:19
  keep things moving, you know, One community member told me
• 2:21
  that their cheapest medicine was carrying a water bottle
• 2:24
  everywhere. And honestly, not a bad habit
• 2:27
  because dehydration makes Constipation worse.
• 2:31
  You might notice that on days that you forget to drink water,
• 2:34
  everything slows down even more. OK, well now once you've got
• 2:39
  hydration down, the next step makes a lot more sense.
• 2:43
  Here is number 2, fiber. But here's the catch.
• 2:48
  Fiber only works if you pair it with water.
• 2:50
  Otherwise it can actually make things worse.
• 2:53
  Think of fiber like a sponge. Without enough water, that
• 2:56
  sponge just sits there dry and heavy.
• 2:58
  And with water it expands and it moves things along.
• 3:01
  So add foods like beans, lentils, whole grains, fruits
• 3:04
  and veggies. And one of my favorite community
• 3:07
  tips was oatmeal with flaxseed and blueberries in the morning.
• 3:11
  Now, not only is it easy, but it hits fiber, hydration, and
• 3:14
  antioxidants all in one. And that brings us to something
• 3:18
  just as important as food. So here's solution #3 movement.
• 3:23
  Constipation isn't just about what you eat, it's about how
• 3:26
  much you move. Exercise.
• 3:28
  Exercise is already one of the best things you can do for
• 3:30
  Parkinson's, right? And it helps your gut too.
• 3:33
  Even a short walk around the block can get things going.
• 3:36
  Someone in my group told me that their routine is a quick 15
• 3:39
  minute stretch and a walk after breakfast and it made a bigger
• 3:42
  difference than any pill they ever tried.
• 3:46
  Now you might notice the days that you're more active.
• 3:48
  Things are easier, and on days you sit still, your gut sits
• 3:51
  still too. Now, even with hydration, fiber,
• 3:55
  and movement, there's another piece that can make a big
• 3:57
  difference. Here's solution #4 routine your
• 4:01
  gut likes habits. Going at the same time every
• 4:04
  day, even if it doesn't always work, can actually train your
• 4:07
  body over time. For some people, that means
• 4:10
  sitting on the toilet after breakfast, and for others, it's
• 4:13
  giving them 15 quiet minutes before starting the day.
• 4:16
  You know, one person told me they call it their appointment
• 4:19
  with the bathroom, and they stick to it the same way they
• 4:23
  stick to taking meds. And sure, it sounds funny, but
• 4:26
  creating that habit can help your body cooperate more
• 4:29
  consistently. And here's another option that
• 4:33
  you can't ignore. Solution #5 medications and
• 4:37
  supports. Now let's be real, sometimes you
• 4:40
  can do everything right. Drink the water, eat the fiber,
• 4:43
  take the walk, keep the routine, and you're still stuck.
• 4:47
  Well, that's when it's time to bring in some reinforcements.
• 4:49
  And no, it's not a sign of weakness, it's a sign of being
• 4:52
  smart. You know, there are stool
• 4:55
  softeners that make things gentler and there are over the
• 4:58
  counter laxatives that you can use occasionally.
• 5:01
  And for some people, their doctors prescribe something
• 5:04
  stronger and more regular. Now, the important here is not
• 5:08
  to be embarrassed. Trust me, your doctor's heard
• 5:11
  all before. You won't be the first person to
• 5:14
  say, like, Doc, I am backed up and I need help.
• 5:17
  You really won't, you know. One person in our community told
• 5:20
  me that they avoided talking to about talking.
• 5:22
  It took with the doctor for years because it felt awkward.
• 5:25
  And when they finally did, their doctor described prescribed
• 5:28
  something simple. They gave them back their
• 5:30
  mornings, they said. Like Bryce, I wish I would have
• 5:32
  spoken up sooner. I wasted so much time suffering
• 5:35
  in silence. And that's the lesson here.
• 5:38
  If tip one through 5 aren't enough, don't let pride or
• 5:40
  embarrassment stop you for asking for support.
• 5:44
  And while we're at it here, let me give you a bonus round of
• 5:46
  things that people don't always think about, but can actually
• 5:50
  help. So here's a bonus section #6
• 5:54
  heat and relaxation. Believe it or not, stress and
• 5:56
  tension can make Constipation worse.
• 5:59
  Your body holds on, literally. And some people find that a warm
• 6:03
  shower or heating pad on the stomach or even a hot cup of
• 6:06
  coffee in the morning can help relax the system enough to get
• 6:09
  things moving. You know, one person said that
• 6:11
  my bathroom weapon is a cup of coffee and 10 quiet minutes.
• 6:15
  I call it my morning meeting sometimes.
• 6:17
  You know what? It's those little rituals that
• 6:19
  make the biggest difference. And I think that was great.
• 6:22
  All right, here's another one. Bonus #7 or tip 7 tiny meals
• 6:25
  with your meds. Now, this one's sneaky.
• 6:27
  High protein foods can interfere with love adult, but we know
• 6:29
  that. But they can also slow down
• 6:31
  digestion. So pay attention to when you eat
• 6:33
  certain foods. If you know a heavy steak dinner
• 6:36
  tends to back you up, save it for a time of day where it won't
• 6:39
  collide with both your meds and your digestion.
• 6:42
  And if on the flip side, lighter meals like fruits, vegetables,
• 6:45
  and whole grains earlier the day can help set you up for a better
• 6:49
  success. OK, one more #8 listen to your
• 6:53
  body's cues. I know it sounds obvious with
• 6:55
  Parkinson's, those natural urges don't always shout the way they
• 6:59
  used to, do they? You know?
• 7:00
  And if you get a little signal, don't ignore it.
• 7:03
  Go when you need to go, not when it's convenient.
• 7:06
  Because you might miss that window and it might not come
• 7:08
  back until tomorrow. And that's frustrating.
• 7:12
  You might notice this yourself. By the time you actually feel
• 7:14
  the urge, it's already urgent. Acting early can make a huge
• 7:18
  difference. OK, one more piece before we
• 7:22
  wrap this up. Constipation isn't just about
• 7:25
  comfort, it's about confidence. I've heard from people who've
• 7:28
  stopped travelling, stopped going out to eat and even
• 7:31
  stopped visiting family because they were too worried about
• 7:34
  being stuck or uncomfortable. That's heartbreaking and it's
• 7:39
  why we're talking about this openly.
• 7:41
  It matters so much because the moment you share it, you take
• 7:45
  away some of its power. So let's bring it back around,
• 7:48
  OK? We've talked about hydration,
• 7:50
  fiber movement, routine medications, and those bonus
• 7:54
  tips like heat timing meals and listen to your body.
• 7:57
  Now I want to hear from you. What's one thing that has
• 8:00
  actually helped you manage Constipation with Parkinson's?
• 8:04
  Or what's 1 frustration that you wish people understood more
• 8:07
  about it? Drop it in the comments, because
• 8:10
  your story could be the exact one that makes somebody else
• 8:13
  feel less alone. And as promised, you've made it
• 8:16
  this far. Here is your Brycism of the day
• 8:19
  with Parkinson's. Constant with Parkinson's
• 8:21
  Constipation turns your morning routine into a mystery novel.
• 8:24
  You never know how long the next chapter will take.
• 8:28
  So if you found this helpful, hit that like button.
• 8:30
  Subscribe if you haven't already, and share this with
• 8:32
  somebody who might need to hear it.
• 8:34
  And if you want, if you're looking to go for something a
• 8:36
  little deeper, deeper connection, private support,
• 8:38
  monthly meetups, a safe place to talk about the things that
• 8:41
  nobody else does, check out The Inner Circle.
• 8:44
  The link is in the description below.
• 8:46
  And until next time, keep showing up, keep being real, and
• 8:50
  keep doing life today. Parkinson's may be part of your
• 8:56
  life, but it doesn't get to define it.
• 8:59
  Thanks for listening to Living with Parkinson's, the good, the
• 9:03
  bad, and the Reality. If this episode moved you,
• 9:06
  helped you, or reminded you you're not alone, share it with
• 9:10
  someone who needs to hear it. Want to go deeper?
• 9:13
  The Inner Circle is waiting monthly Zoom calls, 24/7
• 9:17
  community, and a Direct Line to Bryce.
• 9:19
  You'll find the link in the show notes.
• 9:21
  Until next time, keep showing up and keep doing life today.