Questions about upcoming fasting attempt
I'm going to attempt my first fast in many years. I don't remember ever successfully completing anything more than a 24-hour fast and I definitely struggled with that.
At the time however, I knew nothing of supplementing with electrolytes or anything like that. Thanks to the info. section/info. bots in the fasting subreddit I feel that this will be my most successful fast ever. Truthfully, my main reason to do this is to give my anus a break since I've had a bad bleeding hemorrhoid flare up for about 7 days. I've been dealing with them for at least 3 years now, so I'm not necessarily "scared", I just want to get this particular episode under control.
I'm a rather skinny male 5'9.5, and weigh between 150-160lbs. I don't want to look even thinner, so I can't fast for too long. I think that for this first attempt in a long time, 48-72 hours-ish is a good number to aim for.
A few questions that may be a little less common:
1. Since I'm currently taking Nexium once per day, should I keep taking it during the fast, or should I stop because Nexium is supposed to suppress acid, but there won't be any food coming in for the acid to work on? I don't mind stopping it, but the rebound effect could be horrible, and force me to quit the fast early.
2.) In the past, I've got through a majority of a 24 hour fast by just lying down or sleeping (that might be kind of a cheating way to do it, but I may have to employ that strategy again). Is there anything inherently wrong, or unhealthy about this method?
3.) If I try to stay up and awake for at least 16 hours of the 24 hour day, is there a particular time of day that it will be best to take in electrolytes?
4.) Until about March 21st, I actually have space and time to get this done properly with no sorts of distracting factors (work, kids, or any sort of responsibility). Should I work my way up (or down depending on how you look at it) to the fast? For example, do 2MAD for 2-3 days, then 1MAD for 2-3 days, and then do a fast, or is it better to do it "cold turkey"? Will the weaning off of food, and therefore off of fiber, mess with my poop habits even more? I tend to have 1 bowel movement per day, and when I mistakenly consume too much food, then it's more bowel movements.
BTW, I tried to post on the fasting subreddit, but it was removed as soon as I hit "post"