Q:

I’m 21 and I’m able to move my bowel only once a month. I was prescribed some medicine by a doctor, but it did not help.—Joy B

Rx:

You are suffering from chronic constipation. Unfortunately you did not indicate in your letter when this problem started.

Problems like this could be due to mechanical blockade, which mean there’s something on your colon that is causing partial obstruction during bowel movement. It could from a must. Or if your condition started from childhood. It could be from bowel or intestinal constriction. This is usually associated with abdominal pain or enlargement.

The problem could be due to physiological causes, which means your intestine do not contract normally. There is no urge for you to move your bowels. The intestine normally move (gastro-colic reflex) after each meal, the strongest movement usually in the morning.

Your symptom is due to obstruction with the accumulation of fetal materials. This is not normal. I suggest that you have a complete work-up. Proctoscopy (rectum and large intestine will be visualized by a scope) and X-rays of the intestines should help locate and identify the type of obstruction you have. If all finding are normal, you can be prescribed with medicine that will help regulate your bowel movement.