Enema vs. Colonic...?

[girl81]

I think I'm impacted. Do you think an enema would be safe to try (my first time using one) or should I go directly to a colonic therapist?

[Tiffany]

Hi girl 81 -- I wouldn't say that an enema would be unsafe and is possible you could benefit from it. But, you could really benefit from a good colon therapist.

I was 100% raw for two years before I went to the colon therapist and she was freaking out at how much I was impacted and how much bulk I removed from my colon - I could see it coming out of the tube there was sooo much just stuck in there. I'd been doing enemas fairly often before that and had done the Arise and Shine colon cleanse and I was also really into eating cassia at the time (like, every night before I went to bed - I don't take any kind of laxatives anymore)

Ask around and see if you can get a recommendation for a good, gentle therapist. My first experience was kind of negative b/c the colon therapist believed in aggressive massaging. It worked, but I never went back to her and found a more gentle practitioner.

[oai]

good question. i haven't done either myself. although they seem unnatural to do, times have changed. we have ate unnatural things which may need unnatural intervention. http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/SHOE_tutorials/current%20emo/confused.gif

let me know how either goes! oh. i've tried an enema before... and didn't poop anything out... just the enema solution. i must've done it wrong. http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/SHOE_tutorials/current%20emo/thlaugh.gif

[RawSinger]

I'd say go to a qualified professional and have a colonic. I'd LOVE to have one! Someday... :rolleyes:

[girl81]

Thank you all so much for replying. I got impatient and tried an enema. I had the same results mentioned below. :(
i've tried an enema before... and didn't poop anything out... just the enema solution. i must've done it wrong. http://i134.photobucket.com/albums/q94/SHOE_tutorials/current%20emo/thlaugh.gif

[TaupeRawMan]

Hi Girl81 -

how did you do the enema?

[girl81]

Hi Girl81 -

how did you do the enema?

On my left side then held it in for like 6 minutes. Never felt the urgent need to go. Not much fluid came out either. :confused: (sorry so blunt)

[TaupeRawMan]

No apology necessary.

I am thinking you didn't have much success because the fluid didn't travel very far. You want to do a full 1.5 - 2qt enema bag (to start...4 quarts later if you can). Begin on your left side. Then roll to your back...then your right side. This allows the water to slowly travel through the different areas of your large intestine. Message as it goes. Hold for 10 minutes or so (more if you can).

Hope this helps!

[girl81]

No apology necessary.

I am thinking you didn't have much success because the fluid didn't travel very far. You want to do a full 1.5 - 2qt enema bag (to start...4 quarts later if you can). Begin on your left side. Then roll to your back...then your right side. This allows the water to slowly travel through the different areas of your large intestine. Message as it goes. Hold for 10 minutes or so (more if you can).

Hope this helps!

No more would go in; it was coming out (pure enema solution) as I was trying to put it in. As if it had hit a blockage. :(
I may resume using cascara sagrada on Monday.

[TaupeRawMan]

Cascara is pretty harsh...I try to stay clear of those types of herbs. Rhubarb is a bit gentler.

Did you try laying on your back and massaging your abdomen from left to right? This can help get the water further in.

Be gentle in the process.....and with yourself...

[girl81]

TRM,
Yes, I massaged. Thank you so much for all your replies. :)

[shooting star]

An enema only clears out the 18 inches of the rectum. I find them useful in an emergency or when funds are tight. A colonic will clean out much more of the colon. A colonic also helps tone the colon muscles as it uses peristalsis to expel the water. My previously sluggish colon iis much improved since I started having colonics. Enemas use mainly gravity to expel the water which is why they don't improve the muscle tone. Occassional use is absolutely fine but don't become reliant on them as persistent overuse may make the colon weaker over time.

I've had several colonics where nothing came out but gas (despite the best efforts of the colonic therapist). I had lots of air pockets which blocked anything more solid coming out. In fact passing an airpocket out is much more unpleasant than passing solids. Sometimes I had so much air in me that the water wouldnt go in very far at all at first. I wonder if that is what happened with your enema. The water may have hit an airpocket and not been able to travel any further up, which is why it started coming out.

You could try sitting in a squat position for a few minutes before your next enema as that can help release wind as it compresses the colon in a more natural way. (seated toilets put us in a far from optimal position to release wind and solids).

If you can get to a colonic therapist then do as it is much more thorough. I would advise that you take a couple of dates with you as I find my blood sugar crashes sometimes during one. One therapist handed me a food-colouring-loaded sugar lolly to prevent the sugar crash. I find sucking on half a date if I get a sugar crash to be much nicer and better for me.

If not then as the others advised try another enema. I also use the method of lying on my left, then my back then my right side and I also find when I am lying on my back if I bend my knees and push my bum in the air whilst balancing on my shoulders and feet that the water is able to travel more easily.

good luck.

failling that a product such as Oxy-Powder or Colonsan will get things moving although be careful! I took the recommended 4 tablets and it made everying far too loose. 2 tablets was much better and a more gentle clearing.

[TaupeRawMan]

An enema only clears out the 18 inches of the rectum.

I used to think this as well, based on written sources. However, based on my experience of feeling the water all the way to the ascending colon, I don't think is accurate for everyone.

[JennaBoBenna]

I have an appointment for tomorrow at 7 to get a colonic! I'm so excited! :eek:

[girl81]

I have an appointment for tomorrow at 7 to get a colonic! I'm so excited! :eek:

Have you been having problems?
How did it go?

[JennaBoBenna]

Have you been having problems?
How did it go?

It wasn't as successful as i was hoping. An hour before my appointment, I started getting abdominal pains from compacted gas (i'm guessing!). I let the colon hydrotherapist know this and she said the colonic should help.
The feeling of water going in was the weirdest thing ever! A little different from an enema, but basically the same feeling. She massaged my tummy, and a good amount of stuff came out..but it didn't help the gas or anything. I left feeling plugged up still :/ I tried all sorts of different poses to help get the gas out, even massaged myself a LOT. Not sure what else to do, this gas thing has happened to me before...I don't even know what causes it!

[TaupeRawMan]

Hi Jenna -

what did you eat/drink before the colonic and the day before?

[JennaBoBenna]

Hi Jenna -

what did you eat/drink before the colonic and the day before?

Firstly:I do not eat 100% raw. I am generally raw in the morning and then eat vegan foods for lunch and dinner while I slowly add in more raw foods.
The afternoon before the colonic I had a peach and then some soy protein with onions for lunch at a Viet cafe. Thinking back, it probably is the soy(and the onions probably didn't help!). I'm going to completely cut soy from my diet(again :o ) and see if that helps.
The day before I had 2 nectarines and a multigrain pancake plain for lunch. For dinner I had brown rice with broccoli, cauli, onions....
Come to think of it, I've been eating a LOT of cooked onions lately. could this be the culprit??

[TaupeRawMan]

Hey Jenna ~

the day before I do an enema or colonic, I eat watery fruits and greens. I eat light the night before. I usually have mine in the morning and don't eat anything - maybe drink some water, but stop 2 hours ahead of time.

[Coconutcutie]

Can anyone please help explain why colonics/enemas are way more beneficial that just drinking that stuff that cleans you out before a colonoscopy? SHe was telling one of her friends that I am spending a bunch of money on colonics and doing daily enemas and her friend said I could save myself the $$ and trouble by just drinking that crap...I know this is wrong but I'm not sure how to explain why??

If anyone can give me a good explanation, thank you :o

[TaupeRawMan]

Colonics and enemas are using pure water. One way I look at it is like when you have the flu.....you have the option to drink lots of water and take baths and stay in bed, or.....you can take antibiotics, cough suppressants, Nyquil, etc.....I prefer a more natural, non-toxic approach.

[Coconutcutie]

Do those drinks really "clean you out" though? You would think if it were that easy those of us with these issues would just be guzzling that stuff....Or at least we would notice a huge improvement in our health after getting a colonoscopy, assuming we used the drink beforehand?

[girl81]

Firstly:I do not eat 100% raw. I am generally raw in the morning and then eat vegan foods for lunch and dinner while I slowly add in more raw foods.
The afternoon before the colonic I had a peach and then some soy protein with onions for lunch at a Viet cafe. Thinking back, it probably is the soy(and the onions probably didn't help!). I'm going to completely cut soy from my diet(again :o ) and see if that helps.
The day before I had 2 nectarines and a multigrain pancake plain for lunch. For dinner I had brown rice with broccoli, cauli, onions....
Come to think of it, I've been eating a LOT of cooked onions lately. could this be the culprit??

Have you tried fennel? I've read it is quite effective.

[Jenifae]

I swear by Triphala. I have used this for years now to keep myself regular. I have always had a constipation issue. Tripala is mild and works great :).
I would love to do a colonic but $$ is not there for that right now.

[girl81]

I swear by Triphala. I have used this for years now to keep myself regular. I have always had a constipation issue. Tripala is mild and works great :).
I would love to do a colonic but $$ is not there for that right now.

Do you think triphala is better than cascara sagrada?

[Jenifae]

Do you think triphala is better than cascara sagrada?

Absolutely! I used to take cascara sagrada but, it is really rough on the system. Triphala is mild but, effective. :p

[girl81]

thank you. :)
Is there a specific brand/dosage you recommend?

[Jenifae]

I like Planetary Herbals or Himalaya Triphala and I usually take one before bed and one in the morning.

[RawLoveBaby]

Coconutcutie, colonics uses the water to gently rehydrate the colon. This can take several sessions. By rehydrating the colon, you're essentially puffing up the impacted feces so that it will detach from the colon wall and expel it from the bowels.

There are a couple of main reasons why many people have nothing come out for the first few sessions. 1) they're uncomfortable with the idea of colonics and their body contracts and does not release, and 2) They are so constipated and deyhydrated that it takes several sessions to rehydrate the colon before anything will release. Not to worry though! If nothing comes out, it's not a bad thing.. your body needs that water to help it release... so the colonic is still helping.

I've never taken any sort of laxative drug for a colonoscopy, but from my experience with laxatives, I believe only the newer, softer stuff expels. The old hard stuff rarely comes out.

The below book was awesome. All about colon hygiene, written by a colon therapist. Very interesting.

http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Poop-therapist-conventional-well-being/dp/1425902111

[Coconutcutie]

Coconutcutie, colonics uses the water to gently rehydrate the colon. This can take several sessions. By rehydrating the colon, you're essentially puffing up the impacted feces so that it will detach from the colon wall and expel it from the bowels.

There are a couple of main reasons why many people have nothing come out for the first few sessions. 1) they're uncomfortable with the idea of colonics and their body contracts and does not release, and 2) They are so constipated and deyhydrated that it takes several sessions to rehydrate the colon before anything will release. Not to worry though! If nothing comes out, it's not a bad thing.. your body needs that water to help it release... so the colonic is still helping.

I've never taken any sort of laxative drug for a colonoscopy, but from my experience with laxatives, I believe only the newer, softer stuff expels. The old hard stuff rarely comes out.

The below book was awesome. All about colon hygiene, written by a colon therapist. Very interesting.

http://www.amazon.com/Inside-Poop-therapist-conventional-well-being/dp/1425902111


Thanks, this makes sense!