Bowel Problems

[Guest Guest]

SSA everyone. ive got an appointment to see the doctor about this. but just wanted toknow i anyone knows anything about bowel problems.

i think i may have a sluggish bowel. which is causing me to get hard stools in the bathroom? i had an injury which caused me to be quite inactive, and i think it may have been caused by this.

[Guest _gupt_]

you may need to drink more water. also, physical activity is necessary.

additionallly, don't hold it in if you have to go. go when you have to go.

try this, buy isabgol / barado seeds (very tiny seeds), mix one heapping tablespoon wiht water, soak for 15 minutes. drink it as last drink of day, eat nothing after, helps movements.

[sahib_bindra]

have sat isabgol

[dalsingh101]

Get some bran in your diet. Maybe have bran flakes for breakfast.

[Jangal Da]

You describe a perception of slow transit and hard stools. If you were my patient I would want to differentiate slow transit from simple constipation. By telling me that you have recently been inactive, then this makes you prone to a slower transit time than usual, and hence increased water absorption from your faeces in the large bowel, making your stools hard (literally!) to pass.

Most of the UK population have functional causes for constipation ie lifestyle (inactivity) or diet (lacking fibre). Other causes are rare (hypothyroidism, hypercalcaemia, lazy bowel syndrome etc...).

If your diet is healthy and you take in enough fruit and vegetable matter, then do not worry about changing that. Avoid bran - it is very poor quality fibre and is sold as a quality dietry aid. Simple experiment - chew some bran flakes and spit them out. Next chew broccoli/raw spinich/lettuce and spit it out. Which would you rather goes through the gut? The idea is that fibre needs to form a good solid bolus to pass through your gut efficiently and scrape off dead gut cells on its way out. Bran transits very slowly and can worsen constipation when slow transit is a factor.

See your doctor (you need a face to face consultantion and possibly examination - note this may include an internal examination, so be prepared!). If the appointment time is a week away, then try senna (available over the counter) at night, as I suspect from what you have said, that it is a simple matter of slower transit due to relative inactivity.