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Have Swollen Abdomen. Feeling Light Headed, Fatigued And Irritable Bowel Movement. What Could This Be?

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Posted on Thu, 25 Oct 2012
Question: FFor months my upper right abdomen has been swollen like fist under my ribs, now it has spread to the left side, now i have been more lightheaded and fatigued, then normal. Then my bowel habits completely changes for two months now i cannot have a bowel movements so after a week or so I take exlax then i will have dirrhea for two days, then nothing again. the swelling under my ribs started months before the bowel change, what could this be? my liver maybe?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Kulbir Singh (2 hours later)
Hello XXXXXXX and thanks for posting the query
I have read your mail in detail. These type of problems occur due to bad bowels movements and problem with your digestive track. Liver plays a important role in digestion of fat. You must do your sonography and Liver function test. Along with this certain precautions that help you to get back to your normal habits are:
1. Eat fibre-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables like papaya, orange, cabbage, beans, asparagus etc.
2. Chew food properly so that it will be easily digestible.
3. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water regularly. This will prevent dehydration thereby producing softer bowel movements.
4. Eat plenty of leafy vegetables and salads.
5. Develop the habit of bowel evacuation early morning every day.
6. Do regular exercise for at least 30-45 minutes per day. Keep yourself physically active.
7. Avoid smoking and alcoholism and also avoid drinking strong coffee/tea, fried and spicy food.
8. Try to have a tension free and relaxed mind. Stress can increase your problem.

You can take antacids and mild laxatives at starting stage till you find out the cause and cure it. Weakness in the body and feeling of tiredness are due to bad mechanism of digestive system, it will go away as it came back to normal.

Swelling at lower side of rib has to be investigated, in my opinion it may be due to fatty liver rest depends on clinical examination. Consult your doctor and go through the investigation required.
Hope you got answer to all your queries. Write back if you have any other query.
Best Wishes
Dr. Kulbir Singh
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Kulbir Singh (6 hours later)
I have tried the diet change and prescribed miralax everynight with no results. I have even tried a liquid diet. Even when i go myself it every small pencil size and soft it just does not seem like constipation. Should I ask for a colonoscopy? I had a endoscopy and it showed a inflammed gastric antrum and enshopghus, i am waiting on biopsy results what could cause that?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Kulbir Singh (1 hour later)
Hello and thanks again for the query
The common causes of inflammation of gastric antrum and esophagus are infections like bacterial, chemicals, physical stress and different types of medications.
Your biopsy report will clear the picture about the cause of inflammation and accordingly the treatment can be planed.

Inflammation of gastric antrum is the major cause of the bowel disturbance you are facing. This cause indigestion of the food and also affects the process of digestion of food emptied to the intestine. Finally you have symptoms of changing in the stool.

If you get dark or bloody stool than you must go for colonoscopy. In my opinion wait for the biopsy report and know the cause of inflammation and get it treated. Even still your problems persist after a complete course of treatment than you should go for colonoscopy and can be investigated for the other causes. In most of the patient the cause of inflammation of upper and lower digestive is common. So you can wait for the report and further discuss it with your treating doctor.

Hope you got your answer. I will be happy to give reply to your other related query.
Best Wishes and have a speedy recovery.
Dr. Kulbir Singh
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Kulbir Singh

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2010

Answered : 725 Questions

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Have Swollen Abdomen. Feeling Light Headed, Fatigued And Irritable Bowel Movement. What Could This Be?

Hello XXXXXXX and thanks for posting the query
I have read your mail in detail. These type of problems occur due to bad bowels movements and problem with your digestive track. Liver plays a important role in digestion of fat. You must do your sonography and Liver function test. Along with this certain precautions that help you to get back to your normal habits are:
1. Eat fibre-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables like papaya, orange, cabbage, beans, asparagus etc.
2. Chew food properly so that it will be easily digestible.
3. Drink 8 to 10 glasses of water regularly. This will prevent dehydration thereby producing softer bowel movements.
4. Eat plenty of leafy vegetables and salads.
5. Develop the habit of bowel evacuation early morning every day.
6. Do regular exercise for at least 30-45 minutes per day. Keep yourself physically active.
7. Avoid smoking and alcoholism and also avoid drinking strong coffee/tea, fried and spicy food.
8. Try to have a tension free and relaxed mind. Stress can increase your problem.

You can take antacids and mild laxatives at starting stage till you find out the cause and cure it. Weakness in the body and feeling of tiredness are due to bad mechanism of digestive system, it will go away as it came back to normal.

Swelling at lower side of rib has to be investigated, in my opinion it may be due to fatty liver rest depends on clinical examination. Consult your doctor and go through the investigation required.
Hope you got answer to all your queries. Write back if you have any other query.
Best Wishes
Dr. Kulbir Singh