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My father is 78 years old and has been suffering from constipation for the last 2 years. He has also lost a lot of weight around 10 kgs in this time span. In the last couple of months he has been complaining that his abdominal muscles have torn due to bowel straining and now he says there is loss of muscle in his stomach area. Which is why when he lies down everything is fine but when he sits up and walks around he feels like he is carrying a weight in his stomach. After intake of food it becomes worse and he also gets bloating. We have done all possible tests - colonoscopy, CT scan, ultrasound sometime last year and everything was clear. The doctors gave a verdict of idiopathic constipation and left it at that. His blood work is fine, haemoglobin levels, cholestrol etc. He still suffers from constipation. His prostrate is enlarged but results are fine. What is the solution to his stomach muscle problem ? Is it lack of exercise, lack of protein ? He doesnt have a pot belly and has never had and had always been physically active and fairly slender.

PAST HISTORY : Gall stones removed in 1978.
Bypass surgery in 2005.
2 Hernia operations.
Prostrate gland enlarged.
Started suffering from constipation last 2 years. All tests are fine, including colonoscopy, CT scan and blood work.

1 Answers

Dr. Puneet Madan answered : 12 years ago

Hi,

History told by you favours irritable bowel syndrome ( IBS ). There are two alarming signs in your case :
Firstly, loss of weight and that to10kg approx.
Secondly, sensation of carrying a weight in stomach.
Both of them do occurs in IBS. But to be on safer side,I would suggest you to go for colonoscopy again because it was done 1 yr back and symptoms have aggravated few months back.

Treatments available for IBS -
- Increase the level of physical activity.
- Have regular meals and take time to eat.
- Drink 8 cups of fluid and limit caffeinated drinks to 3 cups a day.
- Reduce fizzy drink intake and alcohol.
- Anti-spasmodics drugs, if prescribed by your doctor, that relaxes muscle contractions reduces cramps or spasms in the stomach, large intestine and bladder.

Feel free to ask any more question.

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My father is 78 years old and has been suffering from constipation for the last 2 years. He has also lost a lot of weight around 10 kgs in this time span. In the last couple of months he has been complaining that his abdominal muscles have torn due to bowel straining and now he says there is loss of muscle in his stomach area. Which is why when he lies down everything is fine but when he sits up and walks around he feels like he is carrying a weight in his stomach. After intake of food it becomes worse and he also gets bloating. We have done all possible tests - colonoscopy, CT scan, ultrasound sometime last year and everything was clear. The doctors gave a verdict of idiopathic constipation and left it at that. His blood work is fine, haemoglobin levels, cholestrol etc. He still suffers from constipation. His prostrate is enlarged but results are fine. What is the solution to his stomach muscle problem ? Is it lack of exercise, lack of protein ? He doesnt have a pot belly and has never had and had always been physically active and fairly slender.

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