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Cause of your symptoms

Your change in bowel habit and abdominal pain or discomfort could be the after-effects of a gut infection.

Advice

Try the treatments outlined below for four weeks but if your symptoms do not settle quickly or stop you sleeping or working see your GP

Treatments

Eat less roughage and if necessary take a bowel sedative to reduce the number of times you go to the toilet and take antispasmodic tablets to ease your pain or discomfort. A pharmacist can advise on suitable treatments.

What now?

If you get better nothing else needs to be done. However, if your symptoms persist for four more weeks or recur after stopping treatment see your GP.

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You are less than 50 years old and have a change in bowel habit to going more often to pass looser stools and abdominal pain which is associated with weight loss and or loss of appetite but no rectal bleeding.

Additional information if you see your GP

People who persistently eat less to avoid their abdominal pain or discomfort and or lose a significant amount of weight may have a partial bowel blockage which requires prompt investigation in hospital.