Possible bowel obstruction? please help. - Bowel Disorders Message Board

09-25-2003, 11:57 PM

I am a 25 year old male, pretty fit. I eat one meal a day, usually fast food. I've noticed some weight gain lately, about 25 pounds, I wasn't sure why since I only eat maybe one meal a day. Anyways this was no big deal, but for the last couple years I seem to constantly go back and forth between diarehha and constipation. Very rarely normal. One day i had a strange bowl movement that had a certain odor. There were dark strips surrounding my excramint. I didnt have a bowel movement for several days after that, so i started taking laxitives, and after a few days it was sort of normal. Ever since that episode I've had this bad taste in my mouth ever since, strangly it is very simular to that one bowel movent (Im sorry that sounds wierd). Some days are worse than others... and somedays I feel like throwing up. Recently after a diarreha episode I again didnt have a bowel movement for a couple days, so i decided to eat a lot of bran and yogurt to see if that would help. I am thoroughly confused as to what may be wrong with me. I've only been once to the doctor in my life outside of a routine physical. I work at a retail store, and have no medical benifits, so I cant aford to go to the hospital or I would. Any suggestions on diet change or something to help fix my problem. Btw my brother has told me several times that my breath smells. I havent had that problem before.

mlgable · 09-26-2003, 12:11 AM

You need to see the doc to get this diarrhea/constipation problem checked out and taken care of. Also you need to eat 3 meals a day with healthy snacks in between. You need plenty of fiber so add metamucil to your daily routine and cut out so much of the fast food. Bring a lunch from home that is more healthy or at least eat at a good restaurant that serves a nutritious meal. You are not healthy and fit when you only eat one meal a day and it is fast food. You also need to be sure you drink plenty of water during the day. See the doc though and get this checked out. You mention that this has been going on for years but my one question would be "what did you say to the doc when he asked about your bowels every year when you go in for your yearly physical?"

09-26-2003, 05:32 AM

sorry I went to physicals in highschool, things were fine then. its afterwards and I simply cant afford to go to the hospital.

mlgable · 09-26-2003, 07:34 AM

You need to put money matters on the back burner as you are talking about your health and your life here. There is no quick fix for these things without a proper diagnosis. Also one of the major warning signs for colorectal cancer is a change in bowel habits which is exactly what you said you have. You need to see the doc and the sooner the better as left untreated many things can take a much longer time to fix than if caught early. This is especially true of things like colorectal cancer. You also need to get you general health back in order and be sure get the routine physical you need every year. Add metamucil to your daily routine, stop the fast food diet and start eating 3 healthy meals a day with snacks and see the doc before this becomes more serious than it already is. Find a doc who offers sliding scale fees if necessary but get this checked out.

bridalwed · 09-26-2003, 04:38 PM

Hi,
You may have a sluggish bowel, but in my experience, not a full obstruction. The ones I had consisted of hours of endless vomiting due to a twisted intestine...which I had fixed surgically.

Try some prune juice, acidophilus and yogurt daily, add lots of water and see an MD...not sure what you meant by "dark" but blood in the stool can be black.
Good Luck!