Hello,
Thank you for your query at DoctorSpring.com
So currently you're having irregular bowel movements.
Can you briefly mention about your routine diet, so that i have an idea about the diet composition. Also do you have hypertension/ diabetes?
The most common cause of bowel irregularity is lack af adequate fiber. Sometimes even if fiber is sufficient, excessive intake of carbohydrates can make it difficult for digestion to occur, and slows down the bowel movement. Hence a dietary history will be useful.
Patients with T2DM though have neuropathy related issues and are prone to constipation. Hence medical history will also be useful.
Is it a recent onset difficulty? How's your stool consistency otherwise? Do you feel bloated after you eat? What is your current height and weight?
Kindly get back to me with the answers,
Regards.
Patient replied :
well for breakfast I have a bagel and lately a banana and some coffee it is not much but not much on breakfast. For lunch I have 2 bologna and cheese and an apple or soup and an apple. The apple is now for the season during the summer it is some type of fruit available then. I will have the sandwhiches 2 days and soup 2 days usually alternate between each. Dinner varies from hotdogs and baked beans to a noodle type pasta and maybe hamburger or hotdog. A salad is had a couple times a week also. Then I might have soup and a salad for a lighter meal. I have cold tea to drink or soda which I alternate on having. Another thing is at work I am drinking quite a lot of water as far as I think and maybe this is having an affect on my digestion.
The symptom seems to have been for awhile atleast maybe 2 years it seems it sort of became more noticeble. About 3 plus years ago I was out of work for 6 months and it seems I put on some weight but not sure if it was all during that time. I am 5'-6" and about 152 lbs which is a little less from about 156. I do not seem to be bloated so much as a full feeling without eating a whole lot it seems. I do get belching or burping not sure which way to describe it that I think is unusual for me and flatulance quite a bit. I am not sure how the stool consistency othher than it might be a little hard but not always.
I recently got some B-6 which I understand might help with digestion and I think this might be helping some. But any way it seems I might be getting the problem in check what ever it is. I am wondering about the metabolism and if it changes with age? I think my was a high metabolism if that is correct when I was younger much younger. Almost forgot I do not know about hypertension and as far as I know I do not have diabetes or need treatment for it. I do not know if is relative or not but I think my mothers mother had diabetes.
Hello,
Yes metabolism is affected with aging. Especially liver is involved in the digestion process, and with increasing age, the efficiency of liver goes down, and there are lot more issues with digestion.
It is a great thing that you do not have DM. That rules out serious causes of bowel irregularities.
Your diet also seems good and is not prone to constipation. Since B6 is helping, you can continue with the vitamin b6 supplementation, and I will advise you to start having oats at least once a day. It is an amazing natural supplement, as you know, it regularises your metabolism, reduces hunger cravings, reduces cholesterol levels and also keeps BP under check. So add oats to your diet and also have banana regularly, at least once a day. This simple measures will be helpful in the longer run.
Regards.