Hello. You have made yourself laxative dependent and your bowels have become lazy . Your bowels are muscular organs that we need to build back up again. There are some things you can do. Gradually increase the fiber in your diet up to 25 grams. If you increase too quickly you can become gassey . The fiber will add bulk and stimulate peristalsis. With increasing fiber it is essential that adequate water is taken in or stools may become hard and difficult to pass. Drink about 2 liters of noncaffeinated beverages per day. Never ignore the urge to move your bowels even after normal evacuation is achieved. Keep a little prune juice in the house for when you go long stretches without a movement but avoid the laxatives. Gentle abdominal massage can help re-establish peristalsis and loosen up any hardened stool. Eat two servings of fresh fruit per day and plenty of vegetables. Cut down on fatty foods, processed foods. Eat oats for breakfast. If you follow the above guidelines, hopefully you will have luck in retraining your system without relying on laxatives. Best wishes, Kathryn Shattler, MS,RDN