I am sorry to hear that scleroderma affected your bowel.The scleroderma may affect motility of the small bowel and stomach. It can also lead to the recurrent small intestine bacterial overgrowth. Patients with ... continue reading  about  I have intestinal scarring from scleroderma, which now is in remission. I have trouble digesting food and suffer from diarrhea, constipation, digestive pain and rectal cramps. What foods are best for me and what should I avoid?

A functioning liver is vital to human life. Your liver filters harmful substances out of your blood and converts the food you eat into nutrients your body uses. A liver with too much fat - over 5 to 10 percent ... continue reading  about  I have been diagnosed with a fatty liver. What causes this and can this condition be reversed?

My first thought goes to the possibility of lactose intolerance (the diminished ability to properly breakdown lactose in the intestinal tract). Lactose intolerance can occur when people age and may also occur i... continue reading  about  I'm 56 and in very good health. My eating habits are normal, but I get bloated frequently. Can you give me some information on what may cause this and how to prevent it?

I'm sorry to hear about your issues with diverticulitis.Diverticulosis is a very common problem. Diverticula form at points of weakness within the colon wall. Once you developed diverticula, they are unlikely t... continue reading  about  I have diverticulitis and a few months ago had a serious attack. I was treated with 14 days of antibiotics and I'm okay now. I had a colonoscopy and the report said "severe diverticulitis of entire colon." Is there any way to get rid of these "pockets”?

When we're talking about reactions to food, most people think any reaction must be allergic in origin. Not true. There are many reasons why one may have an adverse reaction to a food. A few examples: coffee may... continue reading  about  How can I know if I have a lagging reaction to a specific food?

Constipation is fairly common affliction affecting an estimated 24-50 percent of older adults. The most common medications that may cause constipation are:Narcotic pain medications (e.g Vicodin)Iron supplements... continue reading  about  What common medications cause constipation? It seems that ibuprofen affects me.

I would need to know more about what symptoms are being described as "bloating". If it is referring to constipation or an expanding abdomen, yes - many pain medications, especially opioids (hydrocodone, oxycodo... continue reading  about  I have severe bloating from taking pain medication. Is this normal?

Constipation means difficult and less frequent bowel movements. The stool becomes hard, dry and sometimes painful to pass. At one time or another, almost everyone gets constipated. In most cases, it lasts a sho... continue reading  about  My boyfriend (44) is constipated. He has taken three or four different kinds of laxatives but they don't seem to be helping him. What will help him?

About 10 million Americans suffer from hemorrhoids, which are veins in the rectum and anus that swell and can itch and bleed. Some hemorrhoids get small blood clots (thromboses) and these are exquisitely painfu... continue reading  about  I have hemorrhoids and banding has been recommended. What is it, what are the benefits, and what is the downside?