Results

Cause of your symptoms

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

Advice

Try the treatments outlined below for four more weeks.

Treatments

Eat less roughage and if necessary take bowel sedatives to reduce the number of times you go to the toilet. Try an antispasmodic tablet for your abdominal pain or discomfort. A pharmacist could advise on suitable treatments.

What now?

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

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You are over 50 years old and have a change in bowel habit to going more often to pass looser stools and abdominal pain without weight loss or reduction in appetite but no rectal bleeding.

Additional information if you see your GP

Patients over 60 years old with a persistent and unremitting change in bowel habit to going more frequently to pass looser stools merit referral to a 2-week clinic.
Patients below 60 years old with these symptoms and normal examinations of their tummy and back passage and a normal blood test are likely to be referred to a routine hospital clinic for further investigation and advice on how to manage your symptoms.