Know How Our Doctor Suggested the Possible Causes and Treatment for a Patient Suffering From Chronic Constipation

A patient suffering from severe constipation asked our iCliniq doctor to help him get a good bowel movement. He said that he rarely felt the urge to pass stool and had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and was on antipsychotic medications for more than twenty years. He also mentioned that stool softeners had never helped him. However, Miralax had sometimes helped with bowel movements, but he never felt empty and always felt bloated.

Our iCliniq doctor went through the query and said that increase in age and antipsychotic medications could slow the bowel movements and cause constipation. He suggested a complete blood count, TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), fasting lipid profile, urea creatinine electrolytes, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, HbA1c (Glycated Hemoglobin), and complete liver function test to confirm the diagnosis.

The patient reverted after a few days, saying that lipids and liver enzymes were high and blood sugar was slightly elevated. He also mentioned that his general physician suspected him of fatty liver disease but did not send him for tests. So, he asked our doctor what needed to be addressed next.

Our doctor went through the test reports and said that he might have fatty liver disease. He also said that the medication Olanzapine would be very helpful in treating his mental health condition, but it could also relate to constipation and insulin resistance, diabetes, and irregular cholesterol metabolism. The doctor also mentioned that he had uncontrolled hypothyroidism, which could also cause constipation. So our doctor asked him to discuss with his regular doctor to increase the dose of Levothyroxine and prescribe any other medication for Olanzapine. He also asked him to take Miralax to help with bowel movements.

The patient felt relieved after our doctor's explanation, and he thanked our doctor for making him understand his problem with detailed explanations. And the patient also said that he would follow all the instructions suggested by our iCliniq doctor.