Q. I’m 14 years old. Because I’m trying to lose some weight, I’m careful about what I eat. When I was young, I had a problem with constipation. Now, when I don’t eat as much as I used to, the problem with constipation has come back. So every night I take a laxative pill. Is taking laxatives like this harmful? Can I become addicted to them? How can I regulate my body without the pill? A. It’s not a good idea to rely on laxatives to regulate your body. I have a few suggestions on how you can get by without them. In trying to lose weight, you’ve cut back on the amount of food you normally eat. If you’ve also cut back on the amount of fluids you normally drink, that could … Read entire article »

Question: Hello, could you explain why a mucus discharge may occur with a bowel movement? The amount of mucus is very small, there is no pain associated with the bowel movement, and this happens very infrequently. Answer: Mucous is produced by certain cells lining the gastrointestinal tract. It has both a lubricating and protective effect. Therefore, the passage of mucous is not in of itself an abnormal finding. The passage of mucous with a bowel movement, in those patients with a change in bowel habits (diarrhea or constipation) is often due to the Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS); in fact this syndrome used to be called “Mucous Colitis”. If persistent mucous constitutes the major portion of a bowel movement or is passed in large amounts, then the possibility of a villous adenoma is considered. … Read entire article »

Question from Ken of Virginia, USA: My mother had surgery to remove colon polyps (about 12-18″ of colon removed). This occurred about 3 weeks ago, and she has recovered as expected from the surgery. However, there has been a continuation of severe gas pains and diarrhea ever since. Is this normal, and how long should you expect it to last. The doctor has only said “these things take time.” Dear Ken It is not unusual for patients who have had a portion of the colon removed to experience diarrhea for a period of time; this is most common when the sigmoid colon is removed, but can occur after loss of any area of the colon. This usually does improve with time, although bulk agents (such as psyllium) are sometimes needed to solidify the … Read entire article »

Questions from Robert: My doctor told me I need a colonoscopy. Can a colonoscopy examination damage my coccyx? Dear Robert Thank you for your question regarding colonoscopy examination. Colonoscopy is a test where by a doctor inserts a long flexible viewing instrument into the rectum to examine the entire large bowel (colon). The examination is performed after over-night cleansing with laxatives. The colonsocopy is usually performed by a doctor in the evaluation of a explained anemia, blood loss in the intestinal tract, unexplained diarrhea, and/or change in bowel habits. Colonoscopy is also used in the diagnosis and evaluation of certain chronic conditions such as chronic ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Finally, colonoscopy can be used to screen for colon polyps and cancer. Some colon polyps are precursors to colon cancer. The majority of … Read entire article »