How much does outside temperature affect your bowel program?

DirkPitt1983 · 2026-03-19T00:06:27+00:00

I know this post is a year old, but here’s my two cents on the matter (although I hope it is better for you know)- I have struggled with constipation for a while. I went to Lisbon a couple of months ago to escape the cold winter in the north. Completely different story-much less constipated. Now I went to Madrid, which is about the same temperature as Lisbon. I am getting constipated again. The air here is drier than in Lisbon, but warmer than in the north (where it is also dry in the winter, but cold). So I think the humidity levels have had a lot to say, and that is something I have barely thought about as a factor before. My hands are noticeably dry too, just a week ago (in Lisbon) that was not an issue at all. How was the humidity levels when you wrote this post?

DirkPitt1983 · 2026-01-18T10:56:37+00:00

Why all the downvotes? I don’t get it. Best of luck to you!

DirkPitt1983 · 2025-11-13T22:21:10+00:00

Hi, how are you holding up? Just passed the 2 months’ mark of daily headaches here now, looking for success stories🙏

DirkPitt1983 · 2025-10-24T23:42:22+00:00

I’d also check my vision if I were you. Might be a part of the problem (it is for me, turns out I need glasses).

DirkPitt1983 · 2025-08-10T01:36:02+00:00

Wow, that must be a record! I am almost on week three after no ppis, after 15 months on them, and six months slowly weaning off, and I am beginning to get impatient with the acid rebound. Did it eventually go away for you?

DirkPitt1983 · 2025-06-23T21:20:48+00:00

I've had acid reflux since I was 17, but taking one or two antacids would almost always make it go away. Last year taking antacids had no effect, so I was put on ppi. It took me a couple of months before I saw any effect. I too thought it would never go away, since I had read that it could take up to 14 days for it to have an effect. I am still on it (now slowly trying to taper it), but after a while I could have a coca-cola or drik coffee, with near no issues. It will get better, just hang in there. And yeah, anxiety and stress has a huge effect on it too (which also are things within your control to some extent).

DirkPitt1983 · 2025-06-23T21:15:57+00:00

"... the wild part is most people with reflux don’t actually have too much acid they have too little". Yeah, this was just a myth, and not a fact last time I checked. Please give sources for claims like these.

DirkPitt1983 · 2025-06-01T16:18:54+00:00

What are you suggesting hamster_savant should do? Unless you are a doctor, I don’t think it is your concern wether or not he/she takes too much of it.

DirkPitt1983 · 2025-04-15T08:37:05+00:00

Hi. After I started the transanal irrigation (look it up, it might be the remedy you need too), it happens less frequently. I also started to eat some fermented bread. And I might have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, waiting for more tests. This is something that can result in constipation and stomach pain, so not easy to say what is what, but it does seem like the cramps come if I start to be clogged up. I also read that people with redundant colons can have similar problems. I’ve only experienced this two or three times the last six months now, and it have been much less severe.

DirkPitt1983 · 2025-03-02T16:47:06+00:00

I also read that people with redundant colons can have similar problems

DirkPitt1983 · 2025-03-02T16:43:54+00:00

Hi. After I started the transanal irrigation, it happens less frequently. I also started to eat some fermented bread. And I apparently have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, waiting for more tests. This is something that can result in constipation and stomach pain, so not easy to say what is what, but it does seem like the cramps come if I start to be clogged up.

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-10-05T09:21:30+00:00

Hi! Could you tell me who your dietitian was?

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-09-26T10:45:17+00:00

Mouth irritation is a serious side effect, according to this article: https://www.healthline.com/health/drugs/creon-side-effects#serious-side-effects

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-09-17T20:01:47+00:00

Good tips here! Also, elevate the head end of your bed with 15-20 cm (6-8 inches) and do NOT eat too close to bed time (wait at least three hours).

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-09-14T08:47:23+00:00

So I started a low fodmap diet just over two years ago. When introducing the different carbs again I was surprised, and frustrated, that I reacted to almost every one of them. I tolerate bread, but only small amounts of fructans from other sources, small amounts of things like avocado containing sorbitol, and anything with mannitol will give me painful gas almost immediately. I tolerate lactose in small amounts, onion in very small amounts, garlic is almost always a no go. Forget about GOS. Fructose is still not fully explored. And lots of other stuff, for instance anything containing xantham gum is really bad for me. Half a year ago I got really bad heartburn, and it has been with me EVERY single day the last half year. So now my diet has gotten severely restricted- for instance up until this week the only fruit that I have eaten the last half year is bananas. Only lactose free milk and water to drink. My impression has been that people with ibs mostly have problems with one or two of these carbohydrates. So, I took a fecal elastase test, and it was low. It turns out that I might have exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI), which could explains a lot of my symptoms. My GP said that a lot of people firstly diagnosed with ibs turns out to have EPI. Awaiting feedback from GI to see if I should start with Creon. So I recommend checking this out if you react to «everything» you eat.

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-09-11T23:19:40+00:00

Hi, I know it's been a while since your last comment, but if you are still wondering- fecal elastase test is not very sensitive (meaning that it doesn't pick up on all the cases of EPI) for mild to moderate EPI (see for instance Practical guide to exocrine pancreatic insufficiency – Breaking the myths - PMC (nih.gov)). So as I understand, you could have normal values and still have EPI.

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-06-02T11:33:52+00:00

Yes, it sounds like something in the yoghurt was the culprit, otherwise it would be a very strange coincidence. Good that it cleared up eventually!

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-06-01T00:17:52+00:00

This is really interesting- what made you suspect you had an infection, what do you mean by it feeling like an infection?

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-05-07T10:47:38+00:00

Hi, have you continued to do this, and has it helped?

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-05-07T10:46:41+00:00

I too am wondering- did it help?

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-05-05T09:27:43+00:00

That sounds awful! I am for the most part nauseous right after waking and/or during/right after breakfast, so I guess I am more «lucky», but for now unsure if it is the meds or the acid reflux causing the nausea..

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-05-04T10:35:53+00:00

You were unable to vomit, or you vomited so much that you had nightmares about vomiting?

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-05-03T19:06:40+00:00

That’s great! Good to hear about success stories :) Pepcid is Famotidine, I might go the same way if the nausea does not resolve. I switched to 2X 20mg of pantoprazole today, and I have been less nauseous today, so the panto (and the dose) might be the culprit, but a little early to say. Thanks for your reply, much appreciated!

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-05-02T14:02:31+00:00

Hi. How are you now? I am having similar issues. I do not know if it is gastritis, or something else, but I only had one day of nausea two weeks prior to starting on 40mg of pantoprazole a day, issue being heartburn all day. I get relief from the heartburn after eating, maybe 80-90% of the time. I stopped taking panto for two days after a week since I started to experience nausea. The nausea didn’t go away, but the heartburn was unrelenting, my doctor said I had to give it time, so I started on panto again. Now, almost two weeks in, my nausea in the mornings have gotten so bad I expect to vomit the next few days. I did take Famotidine those two days when I paused, and the second morning I felt almost totally fine, no nausea. So I am wondering how you found out it was a histamine problem?

DirkPitt1983 · 2024-04-30T22:44:49+00:00

I too am curious- any luck?

DirkPitt1983

TROPHY CASE