GERD and IBS
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| Fri, 03-03-2006 - 3:54pm |
Hello, I'm new to this board. I've been having problems with constipation and I don't know when I should become concerned. I'm 29 and have had issues with GERD since I was a teenager. I've been on Nexium for about five years and I've been on and off Zelnorm (right now I'm off it). I saw a gastroenterologist last year and he said he thinks I have IBS (I remember having issues with this even when I was a kid). I get endoscopies every couple of years because the doctor is concerned about Barrett's Esophogus. The new problem I'm having though, is that I haven't had a bowel movement in a week. I usually have one daily or every other day and haven't ever gone for this long without one before. I've got dull abdominal pain with it and bloating (the bloating has been problematic for a while and the doctor's attributed it to IBS). I'm not sure when I should get concerned about this. I'm uncomfortable, but I don't know if this is a health risk or not. I'm good about eating lots of fiber and drinking a lot of water. I exercise every other day too, so I don't know what else to do. I have GlycoLax that my doctor prescribed and I've been taking it (I usually don't need it so I seldom take it) for the past couple of days and it's made no impact (it used to work when I needed it).
My question is, when do I get concerned about not having bowel movements? I've had some nausea with it and haven't felt like eating as much. Does anyone know if constipation is tied to GERD? I'd really appreciate anyone's advice/opinion. It's an embarrassing problem, so I don't feel comfortable talking about it too much. I've never had this bad of a problem with constipation though.
Thanks!

Hi Emmabee95!
Welcome to the board!
Thank you for your help, Lynn! I do have a Glyco-Lax prescription that I've been taking, often, but it doesn't seem to be doing anything. As for fiber, I eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetable salads (spinach, mushrooms, carrots, kidney beans, chick peas, green peas, raisins, and banana peppers). I also eat whole grain cereal and black beans fairly often and yogurt smoothies with blueberries. I exercise for about 40 minutes 30-40 times a week and I drink a lot of water throughout the day. It seems like I'm doing everything I've heard helps with regularity, but all of a sudden I'm having this problem. I haven't started any new medications either. I had some nausea and feelings like I might vomit this weekend.
Thanks for your help!
Call and talk to your doctor.