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Hi I Am A 43 Year Old Female For The

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Posted on Fri, 30 Aug 2019
Question: Hi I am a 43 year old female for the past few weeks my stomach has been feeling a bit off. I alternate between having loose stools and constipation along with urgent need to have a bowel movement at times, lots of gas, bloating... A few years back I was diagnosed as having IBS I have noticed my symptoms are worse when eating grapes onions... mostly fruit could there be a relation
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dr. Antoneta Zotaj (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Very likely your symptoms are due to IBS and sucrose in some fruit may make it worse

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to "Ask a Doctor" service,

I carefully read your query and understand your concern.

A combination of diarrhea and constipation, especially if the patient does not have a fever or bleeding with the stools, is a likely presentation of irritable bowel syndrome.
If blood is present with the stools or if the patient has a fever then other more important conditions should be considered.

To help with the symptoms there are several things to try:
- avoid milk (you may still use yogurt and cheese) as some patients are sensitive to milk and this makes them have gas and loose stools
- avoid the food that makes you worse, some fruit and vegetable can cause patients a lot of gas. The patient may identify which are those that do not go well with him but as general rule beans and lentils, cabbage, broccoli, onions, celery, fructose in some fruit, sugar, etc, may cause a lot of gas.
- to help with gas from fruit and vegetable Beano (over the counter) may be used and for gas in general, Simethicone can be tried.
- Fiber supplements may be helpful in some patients with constipation but may make gas worse. So you will have to try and see if in total it is helpful with your symptoms
- if none of the above measures helps enough, you may try to avoid gluten in your diet for some weeks and see if there is an improvement. There is also a blood test that can rule out gluten intolerance
- if you are not better with these or you get any worse, it is advisable to start investigations such as blood tests (CBC, ERS, TSH for thyroid function, test for gluten intolerance disease, etc), stool tests (stool microscopy, stool for ova and parasites, stool antigen for giardia infection, etc) and in some cases colonoscopy.


I hope this answers your query.
I remain at your disposal in case further medical assistance is needed.

Regards,
Dr. Antoneta Zotaj,
General and Family Physician
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

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

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 4435 Questions

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Hi I Am A 43 Year Old Female For The

Brief Answer: Very likely your symptoms are due to IBS and sucrose in some fruit may make it worse Detailed Answer: Hello and welcome to "Ask a Doctor" service, I carefully read your query and understand your concern. A combination of diarrhea and constipation, especially if the patient does not have a fever or bleeding with the stools, is a likely presentation of irritable bowel syndrome. If blood is present with the stools or if the patient has a fever then other more important conditions should be considered. To help with the symptoms there are several things to try: - avoid milk (you may still use yogurt and cheese) as some patients are sensitive to milk and this makes them have gas and loose stools - avoid the food that makes you worse, some fruit and vegetable can cause patients a lot of gas. The patient may identify which are those that do not go well with him but as general rule beans and lentils, cabbage, broccoli, onions, celery, fructose in some fruit, sugar, etc, may cause a lot of gas. - to help with gas from fruit and vegetable Beano (over the counter) may be used and for gas in general, Simethicone can be tried. - Fiber supplements may be helpful in some patients with constipation but may make gas worse. So you will have to try and see if in total it is helpful with your symptoms - if none of the above measures helps enough, you may try to avoid gluten in your diet for some weeks and see if there is an improvement. There is also a blood test that can rule out gluten intolerance - if you are not better with these or you get any worse, it is advisable to start investigations such as blood tests (CBC, ERS, TSH for thyroid function, test for gluten intolerance disease, etc), stool tests (stool microscopy, stool for ova and parasites, stool antigen for giardia infection, etc) and in some cases colonoscopy. I hope this answers your query. I remain at your disposal in case further medical assistance is needed. Regards, Dr. Antoneta Zotaj, General and Family Physician