I do not have a regular bowel movement. Will laxative help?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have an abnormal bowel routine. I could go days without having a bowel movement. The longest time without having a bowel movement was as least a week and a half. I do not know if this is serious, and I should see a doctor or not. I do not take any medication except laxative. I tried for a week to see if it helped. After that week, I did not touch them, and I could have two or three bowel movements. This has been going on for years (at least three years).

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Do you have abdominal pain? If no, then it is functional constipation. Meaning your bowels are slow. The one strategy is to take plenty of water daily and increase fiber intake in meals like green vegetables and fruits. Ispagol husk (dietary fiber) daily is a good alternative. You can take Movicol (laxative) 17 gm whenever needed. It is an excellent alternative to the above recommendation.

If you want to know why it is happening and the ultimate resolution of the problem, I would need a detailed history about your problem. It is not necessarily bowels per week, but also systemic inquiry that excludes other endocrine problems such as thyroid gland problems. You can use phone or video consultation to discuss in detail the long term management of your functional constipation.

I do not have a regular bowel movement. Will laxative help?

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