Digestive Health

I would need to know more about what symptoms are being described as "bloating". If it is referring to constipation or an expanding abdomen, yes - many pain medications, especially opioids (hydrocodone, oxycodo... continue reading  about  I have severe bloating from taking pain medication. Is this normal?

Many women after a hysterectomy can still have "cycles" if their ovaries are in place. They will not bleed since the uterus is no longer present, but they can still have the usual bloating and other PMS symptom... continue reading  about  I had a partial hysterectomy in 2005 but still have my ovaries. A year later, I began to have cramps, gas and bloating every 28 days. Recently these symptoms began to appear every week. How much longer can this go on?

Constipation is fairly common affliction affecting an estimated 24-50 percent of older adults. The most common medications that may cause constipation are:Narcotic pain medications (e.g Vicodin)Iron supplements... continue reading  about  What common medications cause constipation? It seems that ibuprofen affects me.

The gallbladder is a sack about the size of a fig that is attached to the underside of the liver. Its function is to store bile, which is a substance made in the liver that is necessary to digest fat. When you ... continue reading  about  What does gallbladder pain feel like? How do I know if I need medical attention?

In the past, many doctors recommended that people with diverticulitis avoid nuts and seeds. It was thought that these small particles could lodge in the diverticula and cause inflammation (which is diverticulit... continue reading  about  I've been diagnosed with diverticulitis (no longer acute) and have been told to avoid nuts and seeds. Do things like peas, beans, corn count as seeds? What is a good diet to avoid another bout of diverticulitis? (I'm also lactose intolerant.)

It is a myth that spicy foods or a stressful job can cause peptic ulcers. Doctors now know that a bacterial infection or some medications - not stress or diet - cause most peptic ulcers.Your doctor will help in... continue reading  about  I have bleeding stomach ulcers. What foods do I need to avoid? What foods are beneficial?

When we're talking about reactions to food, most people think any reaction must be allergic in origin. Not true. There are many reasons why one may have an adverse reaction to a food. A few examples: coffee may... continue reading  about  How can I know if I have a lagging reaction to a specific food?

That's a great question and one everyone has thought about at some point. Stool color is determined by a combination of bile, what you eat that isn't absorbed, and how fast or slowly the intestinal stream moves... continue reading  about  What does stool color tell me? Aside from bloody or black, are there other colors I should be concerned about?

A functioning liver is vital to human life. Your liver filters harmful substances out of your blood and converts the food you eat into nutrients your body uses. A liver with too much fat - over 5 to 10 percent ... continue reading  about  I have been diagnosed with a fatty liver. What causes this and can this condition be reversed?