The following is a list of questions to consider when trying to determine what is causing digestive problems. The list may not be exhaustive, but it does cover a lot of ground. Our researcher, Stephanie Sugars, compiled this list and posted it on the support group elist.
Print this page and check off each point that may apply in your situation. When you visit your doctor, bring it along to discuss. This will help both of you. It is so easy to forget what you meant to discuss during an appointment. Having it on paper will make it a lot easier and quicker.
What surgery have you had?
Major surgery can lead to adhesions (www.adhesions.com). Or to short bowel syndrome (www.nogutscountryclub.com) which can include vitamin deficiencies like B12. It is possible you've had an ileostomy, colostomy or internal shunt which impacts digestion. A shortened colon can lead to diarrhea. Ask your doctor what surgery you've had and how it could affect your digestion.
Where are your remaining polyps?
They could be blocking your common bile duct and preventing bile and enzymes from entering your GI tract. Many of us have carpets or pebble beaches of polyps which we think affects digestion. Larger polyps that haven't been removed can cause intussusception or telescoping when high roughage foods pass through. Many people with large polyps can experience nausea and/or vomiting and need smaller meals. Again, find out what's inside you that might be causing your symptoms.
Does your doctor think you need supplementation?
Are you losing weight, experiencing extreme pain, diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, anemia? Have symptoms of enzyme or B12 deficiency?
You can become sensitive to or intolerant of certain foods you used to be okay with.
Some examples I'm familiar with are milk products, wheat, coffee and alcohol. You might try eliminating them from your diet for a couple weeks and see if your digestion improves. My friend stopped eating peanut butter and her bloating and diarrhea was cured. It can be hard to find trigger foods and harder to avoid them, but at least you'd have the information to make a choice. You might try reading about IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome, which is a catchall diagnosis for digestive problems that don't seem to be caused by a disease or deformity.
Another thing to explore is whether you're more likely to have digestive problems at certain times like under high stress, around your period or with the
change of season.
If your health insurance pays for alternative practitioners and you are open to them, you might consider traditional Chinese medicine or a naturopath.
I've found that complementary medical practitioners are more focussed on health than disease and are better at helping me to feel well than doctors are. On the other hand, I want the doctors for surgery and other medical tests and treatments.
Were you recently hospitalized or had surgery?
It's probable that you had antibiotics in your IV line which can kill off the good flora in the small intestine and lead to bloating and nausea. Many people supplement with plain yogurt with active cultures and avoid sugar in food while recovering. You can also buy OTC probiotics at the pharmacy. Doctors don't often mention this to patients, though there's plenty of literature about it.
Another lead might be to check for a hospital borne infection, one that's resistant to antibiotics. They'll usually make someone really sick, but it's possible you picked one up. You'd need a stool test to check for it.
A stool analysis is another route.
My physician ordered a test from GSDL because she was looking for parasites. I didn't have them, but the second doctor, a gastroenterologist, saw pancreatic insufficiency and prescribed pancreatic enzymes which improved my life. My insurance paid for the test, because I'd been having so much GI trouble.
If you are interested in cholestyramine, you can read about it at Medline Plus.
Also, they have good resources for digestion problems at the following sites: Medline Plus
The other topic we've explored here is food and eating to prevent/reduce polyps and PJS-related cancers.
There are no hard and fast rules, but a diet high in fiber with lots of fresh fruits and veggies and low in high fat and highly processed foods seems to be helpful for both. Also, smoking and high alcohol consumption contribute to colon polyps and many cancers.
