Hi Rosie, I wonder if the screening revealed that you have diverticular disease (also known as diverticulosis) rather than diverticulitis? Diverticular disease is where you develop small pouches in the walls of your intestines. It's fairly common in older people and can also be hereditary. Many peop...

Hi SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth), as the name suggests, is where there is an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. SIBO can cause similar symptoms to IBS - including diarrhoea, bloating, gas, abdominal cramps and nausea. In fact it's thought that SIBO may be the cause of some...

Hi, It sounds like you may have been suffering from faecal impaction - another name for chronic constipation. This is where you have a large amount of dry, hard poo stuck in your back passage (rectum). Next time it happens it would be advisable to see your GP, who will probably treat the impaction b...

Hi, It sounds as though the laxative your GP has prescribed for you doesn't suit you. There are several different types of laxative available, so if you tell your GP about the problem you're having with your current treatment, I'm sure they'll be able to offer you a more suitable alternative. It'd a...

Hi, I'm sorry to hear about your problems with chronic diarrhoea. You say you have a number of other health conditions, so I'm wondering if any of these could be linked to your bowel issues? For example conditions like diabetes, hyperthyroidism and Addison's disease can cause diarrhoea. Also, are yo...

Hi,

It sounds as though your friend may have haemorrhoids - but he really needs to go and see his GP to make sure he gets the correct diagnosis and treatment. No-one should ignore any changes in the gut or back passage - it's always best to get unusual symptoms checked out.

Best wishes

Hi Melissa, You mention you've had medical tests - I'm guessing to rule out inflammatory bowel conditions like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. However, your symptoms - foul-smelling diarrhoea, tummy pain, wind and bloating, could indicate coeliac disease. This condition is caused by the body...

Hi, Apparently it's rare to experience pain when having a colonography - hence the lack of sedation. Unfortunately it sounds as though you were one of the unlucky ones. I recently had a sigmoidoscopy for which I was offered sedation and turned down in favour of gas & air, as I didn't expect the ...

Hi Kat, As well as Metformin there are various alternative drugs that can be taken to treat type 2 diabetes, including sulfonylurea, pioglitazone, canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, and empagliflozin. As you're still suffering unacceptable side effects 2 years on from starting on Metformin, I suggest you...

Regular gentle exercise such as walking, swimming and yoga, can often help with sciatica. However, if you try these activities but gain no relief it would be worth asking your GP for a referral to an NHS physiotherapist, who will be able to advise you on the best exercises for your condition. I hope...