Medical Questions » Gut (Intestines) Questions » Question No. 439
| Question: | I have unpredictable bowels! One week I' m so bound up that I can' t go without taking laxatives, and the next week or so I have to go four times a day. I eat a good diet, so how can I become regular? |
| Answer: | Irtegular bowel habits need to be investigated thoroughly by a doctor as they may be an early sign of many different bowel diseases. It may be that something simple like stress and anxiety, hormonal changes during the month or different foods may be responsible for the problem.
Unfortunately, diverticulitis, ulcerative colitis and bowel cancer can also first show up as alternating diarrhoea and constipation. You may need to have a colonoscopy, which is a procedure in which a thin, flexible tube is passed through your anus and up into the gut. Through this a doctor can see any disease that may be present and make a definite diagnosis.
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