How can irregular bowel movements be managed?

Q: I am a 38 years old male suffering from severe constipation. Every morning, I experience difficulty in passing stools but there is no pain at all. I drink enough amount of water; eat one banana, one chapatti, a little rice with any curry and corn flakes and three slices of bread throughout the day. I am taking a tablespoon of honey in the morning with warm water also. I did not pass stools for past three consecutive days, due to which I got rashes / cuts all over my mouth. How can constipation be treated?

A:I note that your main complaint is of irregular bowel movements with predominately constipation. The cuts in your mouth could be because of apthous ulcers, which is not uncommon in those suffering from bowel symptoms. I suggest that you should have a basic evaluation done, which includes – complete blood count (CBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Sugar (Fasting), liver function test (LFT), rational functional tester (RFT), T3, T4, TSH, Ultrasound abdomen (Whole). For symptomatic relief, you should take Esaphgol powder two tablespoon full at bedtime. Take a high fibre diet & eat lots of fruits & green vegetables, and drink lots of fluids. You should consult a gastroenterologist who can review your reports and guide you further.