Staying Regular OTR

This is going to be a rather sensitive topic but I needed some input.

Here it goes. Have any of yall experienced bowel irregularity on the road (constipation). I'm eating fiber etc , my water intake is a bit down due to not my not wanting to pee so much and stop etc.

Should I just drink the normal amount i usually do? I'm one of those types if i drink alot i go alot.

I'm just concerned because I feel stopped up and cant really well get it out.

Anyone experienced this and how have you over come it??

This is going to be a rather sensitive topic but I needed some input.

Here it goes. Have any of yall experienced bowel irregularity on the road (constipation). I'm eating fiber etc , my water intake is a bit down due to not my not wanting to pee so much and stop etc.

Should I just drink the normal amount i usually do? I'm one of those types if i drink alot i go alot.

I'm just concerned because I feel stopped up and cant really well get it out.

Anyone experienced this and how have you over come it??

Haya, Moe. I know, sticky subject....but it's life. When my hubby was OTR , (especially when he first started out,) he had the same problem/issue. What we ended up doing, was packing him some Apple Juice (he doesn't like prune juice) in those personal 10 oz bottles, one always in his cooler, and VOILA!

They are actually a tasty and refreshing treat, especially when chilled, but will store well on the shelf, unopened. I'm not sure if he drank one a day, or every other, or whatnot, but it became a definite staple to pack a 12 pack of those in the truck. He didn't care to drink 'too much' water either, for the exact reasons you stated.

I hope this helps; worked for him quite well. He still drinks the occasional apple juice, being local.

Keep drinking that water and take every opportunity you get to pull over and pee. It only takes a few minutes out of your day to pull over and relieve yourself. Try drinking more water and see if that helps. Even if I don’t have to go but know I’m about to go into a long stretch where there’s no place to pee I’ll pull in someplace that’s quick and go. There’s nothing worse than being 30 minutes away from a complicated Shipper or consignee and all you can think about is going to the bathroom. I’ll miss my turn, run a red light, pull out in front of someone. Crazy stuff happens when I got to pee. Hope that helps.

My father in law stopped over last weekend and told me about some medical issues he's having now due to his 40 years spent mainly as an OTR driver. He's a very thin guy and is dealing with an enlarged prostate (pretty normal for older men), kidney and intestinal issues. His doctors attribute it to the job. He also didn't drink much water, hold his bladder as long as possible before ready to explode and would go days without a bowel movement. He said it was even worse back when you could use paper logs. As Rubber Duck mentioned just stop if you need to. The money you're "losing" really is minimal especially when you take your health into consideration. If you're afraid of needing to pee a lot maybe sip water as needed while you're driving then drink more towards the end of your day when you'll be stopping. As far as bowel issues go I can't help ya with that but I'd imagine once the fluid intake goes up you'll become more regular. Heck, for me if I stop and grab fast food on the road I'm usually looking for a place to stop within a couple hours.

Stopping for the restroom is actually a great thing to do. Even on my short runs that I'm only driving 2 hours at a time I'll stop about halfway through to use the restroom and stretch my legs. It makes me feel more alert and it's always good to get the blood flowing. We have 14 hours to drive 11. That leaves you about 2 hours (if you take away pre/post trip and DOT break) for potty breaks and shippers/receivers if you maximize your drive clock everyday which isn't always possible.

Moe, I carry 2 Gold Peak 1/2 gallon iced tea bottles in my truck (they have the screw on orange lids). I drink a lot of water due to medications that I take (about 3 liters per day). I use that bottle on ramps, road sides, or in docks where there are no facilities (became a VERY frequent and annoying Korona issue) while standing behind the curtain in my sleeper. I empty it and rinse it with a bit of dish soap and water when I take my 10. I, unlike so many of our disgusting truckdriving bretheren, refuse to throw it out alongside the road.

My total time for a ramp relief into bottle averages about 2 min, including the stop and start up. Not drinking enough water can lead to significant health issues as RobT indicated with his pop, and the 120 BibBubba cooler mug filled with Mountain Dew isn't going to help due to the caffeine.

As for the other issue, Walmart and several other stores sell beans with poptop lids. I mix a can of green beans (drained), a can of black, cannelini, garbanzo, mayacoba, or just about any other high fiber bean drained and rinsed, a can of poptop chicken, and a dash (or twenty) of hotsauce into a gallon ziplock. Fiber. Protein. Flavor. Not a lot of fat, fairly high in carb, but it is the good carb (type 2 nutritionist approved meal option). It's not pretty, but living in a 640 cuft box isn't pretty either. And best part is nothing requires refrigeration, and you can nuke the product as long as you don't get it too hot and melt the bag.

Good luck!

This has been a huge concern of mine and thanks for you experienced drivers for making me feel less anxious about it. I tend to be able to go maybe four hours, at the most, before needing to urinate, but usually around two hours. I was worried that might cause trouble with the company I will be working for.

Thanks for making me be less concerned with it.

Eat real food, not processed garbage our digestive system was never created to digest.

Eat real food, not processed garbage our digestive system was never created to digest.

This needs to bold and stickied everywhere lol. There is so much junk food around and because it's quick and easy. It is easy to fall into the temptation to eat the quick easy junk, especially in a profession where there is such an emphasis in productivity. We have the mandated 30 min break and a full 10 hrs off, we shouldn't use that as an excuse to eat garbage all the time.

Beleive me I do buddy. I have a with me at all times loaded with prepared meat, veggie snacks, popcorn, yogurt; dried fruits etc with me at all times.

Water has been my main concern mainly getting enough of it. But I'm improving into that area. Like many humans, my body was adjusted to a set normal. Up at a specific time, coffee breakfast at this time , etc. A part of that was my AM regularity. The last three weeks being otr have played hell with my bio clock in concerns of regularity.

I've also incorporates prune juice and Miralax Miralax additional soluble fiber. I'm working on lowering my caffeine intake as well.

The only thing I get at the truck stops is bottled water, my coffee, the occasional popcorn snack and showers n fuel.

The only processed treat I had was a hot dog on the fourth....because ....well it was the fourth lol.

I find myself going #2 in small amounts multiple times a day versus the big evacuation I'd have every morning prior to otr. So I think my body is getting stuff out just differently and I tend to feel bloated and gassy alot.

If this persists I am going to get it checked out in order to make sure other issues arent involved.

I'll keep checking in with yall.

Eat real food, not processed garbage our digestive system was never created to digest.

More, that must make driving very uncomfortable, fortunately I haven't ever had that issue. My issue is pain in the shoulder and pain and tingling in the right arm. If your discomfort level is anywhere close to mine you must be miserable at times. I hope everything comes out for you in the end.