Questions in the Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum have been answered by Dr. Kevin Pho who is board certified in Internal Medicine and by doctors from Henry Ford Health System.

Question Title: laxative abuse

Forum: The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum
Topic: Constipation


I am a 24 yo female that was dx with endometriosis in March of this year. I started taking stimulant laxatives after I had a laposcopy done since it was very painful to have a bowel movement. Needless to say I lost some weight afterwords and I continued to take them once I was healed to loss weight. Well eventully my weight plateaued and I wanted to stop taking them. (I had been taking them at my worst 3x a week and now am down 1x a week). Well, I can't go without them, which is not a surprise. I will go on my own if I wait about 6 days, but by then it becomes painful and I feel so full so I take a laxative. Anyway I have been weening myself off of them by taking one only once a week. Since that has not been working, I started taking Citrucel.
My question is this. Will my bowels ever return to normal on their own. Am I not just transferring the need to use one laxative with another even though it's natural? And my gynecologist said it was possible I could have endometriosis on my intestines. Could you expand on that a little in as far as what the symptopms are? Thanks so much.

_
Dear Amy,
Your bowel function may return to normal. I suggest that you increase the amount of fiber in your diet by eating salads, whole grain breads etc. Citrucel use is often a reflewction of insufficient dietary fiber and should not be considerd the same as using as a laxative.

This information is presented for educational purposes. Always consult your physician for specific medical questions.

HFHSM.D.-rf
*keywords: constipation, laxatives
0.1


 

[The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum]      [The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum Archives]