What Is The Treatment For Severe Cramps And Diarrhea Caused Due To Irregular Bowel Movements?

Posted on Mon, 27 Jan 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 27 Jan 2014 Answered on

Mon, 17 Feb 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : My mother is 89 yrs old. She has irregularity problems. She may not move her bowels for days, even nearly a week. Then she gets severe cramps and diarrhea. She eats fairly well and takes different medications for other problems like fibromyalgia, diabetes and blood pressure. She gets very upset not being able to control this problem. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thank you

Answered by Dr. Dr. Klerida Shehu (56 minutes later)

Brief Answer: Sugg.diet changes&further tests... Detailed Answer: Hi, You are saying that your mother is a diabetic as she is taking medications for that. She might be also following strict diet to avoid spikes in high blood sugar levels. I'd suggest to get her - eat more foods high in fiber like plums, kiwi,; - drink more water - eat small portions and frequently, never skip her meals - take otc probiotics, lactulose, senna supplements to ease constipation and soften the stool Walking or keeping in movement according to her age, can also help The changes in the bowel movements might be related to the medications she is taking; so, I'd kindly ask for the names of the drugs she is currently taking. If after changes in diet, she won't get improvement, should go for further tests to exclude other intestinal problems : candida/intestinal parasites like - examination of stool for ova/parasites - abdominal ultrasound - culture of stool for candida to get proper treatment. Hope it was of help! Dr.Klerida

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T