Constipated with Healthy Diet and Exercise

[Huxley932]

Hello,
Quick problem:  I am a healthy 27 yr old male with active exercise, yoga and incredibly healthy, balanced diet but for the past 3 weeks I have been constipated.  Please offer some advice.

Details: About 2 1/2 months ago I got the flu really bad for the first time in my life.  I rarely ever get sick, and to be out of work for 6 days I looked at my health habits and how they had slipped in the last 18 months and determined to change them.  Ever since I recovered from the flu I have been going to the gym about twice a week for running and calisthenics, and yoga twice a week as well.  I also have started eating incredibly healthy.  Fish once a week, red meat once a week, chicken a few times a week, the rest is pretty much all fruits and veggies.  I started consuming green smoothies daily filled with kale, spinach, garlic, organic hemp protein, chia seeds, lemon juice, almond milk and every fruit imaginable.  For the first several weeks I was having excellent and daily bowel movements, however the past 3 weeks I have been constipated, moving my bowels about once every 2-4 days, with discomfort before and after and extreme difficulty while on the toilet.  The stool is hard, small and in pellet form.  What could be causing this!!?  Thanks for you help in advance.

[Huxley932]

Got it all figured out.  Was side effects of 30mg roxicet.  Stopped the drug and removed the plug!

[S. Kaul, MD]

Hi there!

Well, without a detailed clinical evaluation it would be difficult to determine the cause of your symptoms. Possibilities that may need to be considered include dietary causes, inadequate fluid intake, stress, GI infections, inflammations, GI motility issues, hormonal/ endocrine issues, medication side effect etc. I would suggest taking plenty of fluids for a few days and see if it seems to help. For moderate symptoms you could try some OTC laxatives. If you do not notice any improvement of the symptoms worsen, I would suggest consulting a gastroenterologist for a detailed evaluation of the possible causes and suggestion of an appropriate management plan.
Hope this is helpful.

Take care!