Brief Answer:
Advises on treatment of constipation and possible needed tests

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thank you for asking at healthcaremagic.

I carefully read your question and understand your concern.

Constipation is very common in females and most of the times it is not any worrying cause of it but in itself constipation can be very distressing.

There are some things that can be done to help with it and you have already started with some of them. I would recommend you to:
1. take fruit and vegetable in diet to help have more fiber in diet (plums and pears are rich in fibers), also try to reduce pasta and bread
2. add fiber supplements daily- metamucil is a good supplement that can be chew-able pieces, capsules or powder
3. laxatives are to be tried if the above do not help enough. Taking lactulose daily, 1-2 table spoons might help stools be softer and if this is not enough than once in a few days can take bisacodyl 1-2 tb but do not use it very often as it might cause bowel dependence and you will need it regularly then.
4. Having some tests to check stools like stools for ova and parasites might be good, ruling out giardia with the stool test for giardia antigen is the best test for it.
5. having blood test to rule out thyroid problems might be good as low thyroid function might also cause constipation among other nontypical symptoms. The preferred first test for thyroid would be TSH.

I hope this is helpful and answers to your question but please feel free to write me in case anymore clarification is needed on this.

Kind regards,

Antoneta Zotaj, MD

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