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Laxatives For Constipation Center - West Des Moines, IA

West Des Moines Gastroenterologist Doctors for Laxatives For Constipation

Type of Physician: Gastroenterologist

What is a Gastroenterologist?

A subspecialty certification by the Board of Internal Medicine; practitioners focus on the stomach, intestines, colon, liver, and gallbladder (digestive organs). The gastroenterologist treats conditions such as abdominal pain, ulcers, diarrhea, cancer, and jaundice and they consult with surgeons when abdominal operations are indicated.

Specialty: Gastroenterology

Common Name: GI Doctor

Gastroenterologist Doctors in West Des Moines *

Central Iowa Gastroenterology
David J Kikoler
1300 37th St
STE 1
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 255-6808

Jeffrey D Stahl MD
Jeffrey D Stahl
1300 37th St
STE 1
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 225-4051

Allen R Kaufman MD
Allen R Kaufman
1370 NW 114th St
STE 203
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 457-7716

Digestive & Liver Disease Consultants
Ellen A Dy
1601 NW 114th St
Mercy West Medical Clinic STE 342
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 223-4823

Digestive & Liver Disease Consultants
Abdullah Fayyad
1601 NW 114th St
Mercy West Medical Clinic STE 342
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 223-4823

Digestive & Liver Disease Consultants
Bernard M Feldman
1601 NW 114th St
Mercy West Medical Clinic STE 342
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 223-4823

Digestive & Liver Disease Consultants
Harvey A Giller
1601 NW 114th St
Mercy West Medical Clinic STE 342
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 223-4823

Digestive & Liver Disease Consultants
Shirley C Pua
1601 NW 114th St
Mercy West Medical Clinic STE 342
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 223-4823

The Iowa Clinic Gastroenterology
Laura Dakovich
5950 University Ave
STE STE 221
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 875-9115

The Iowa Clinic Gastroenterology
Joel E Hade
5950 University Ave
STE STE 221
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 875-9115

The Iowa Clinic Gastroenterology
John D Hines
5950 University Ave
STE STE 221
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 875-9115

The Iowa Clinic Gastroenterology
Charles Larson
5950 University Ave
STE STE 221
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 875-9115

The Iowa Clinic Gastroenterology
Tamas Otrok
5950 University Ave
STE STE 221
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 875-9115

The Iowa Clinic Gastroenterology
James Piros
5950 University Ave
STE STE 221
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 875-9115

The Iowa Clinic Gastroenterology
Ramon S Reyes
5950 University Ave
STE STE 221
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 875-9115

The Iowa Clinic Gastroenterology
Justin Rice
5950 University Ave
STE STE 221
West Des Moines, IA 50266
(515) 875-9115

Iowa Digestive Disease Center
Bernard Leman
1378 NW 124th St
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 288-6097

Iowa Digestive Disease Center
Thomas Martin
1378 NW 124th St
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 288-6097

Iowa Digestive Disease Center
Nagendra Myneni
1378 NW 124th St
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 288-6097

Iowa Digestive Disease Center
Michael D O'Brien
1378 NW 124th St
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 288-6097

Iowa Digestive Disease Center
Stacey S Roberts
1378 NW 124th St
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 288-6097

Iowa Digestive Disease Center
William Semon
1378 NW 124th St
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 288-6097

Iowa Digestive Disease Center
Ravi Vemulapalli
1378 NW 124th St
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 288-6097

Iowa Digestive Disease Center
Archana Verma
1378 NW 124th St
Clive, IA 50325
(515) 288-6097

McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology
Jon L Fleming
1215 Duff Ave
Gastroenterology
Ames, IA 50010
(515) 239-4450

McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology
Bryan Graveline
1215 Duff Ave
Gastroenterology
Ames, IA 50010
(515) 239-4450

McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology
Robert Graveline
1215 Duff Ave
Gastroenterology
Ames, IA 50010
(515) 239-4450

McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology
Ali J Husain
1215 Duff Ave
Gastroenterology
Ames, IA 50010
(515) 239-4450

McFarland Clinic Gastroenterology
Thomas D Johnson
1215 Duff Ave
Gastroenterology
Ames, IA 50010
(515) 239-4450

Drs Adams & Lee
Kenneth W Adams
800 Kenyon Rd
Fort Dodge, IA 50501
(515) 574-6820

West Des Moines, Iowa

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Laxatives For Constipation

What is constipation?

Constipation is a condition that is characterized by infrequent bowel movements that are painful or difficult, or stools that are hard in consistency. Infrequent bowel movements alone are not a reliable indicator of constipation because bowel frequency can vary between three times a day to once a week among normal individuals. Therefore, hard stools that are difficult to pass or infrequent stools accompanied by abdominal pain, back pain, and abdominal bloating define important constipation.

What are the causes of constipation?

There are many causes of constipation including:

  • Diets low in fiber. Fiber is vegetable material that is resistant to digestion. It promotes soft stools by adding bulk to the stool and causing water to be retained in stool.
  • Side effects of medications such as narcotic pain killers, antidepressants, iron supplements, calcium channel blockers (a class of medications for high blood pressure), and certain types of antacids.
  • Narrowing or blockage of the large intestine (colon) due to colon cancer or advanced diverticulosis.
  • Ineffective contraction or spasm of the colon's muscles due to irritable bowel syndrome or other diseases of the colon's muscles.
  • Hormonal (endocrine) disturbances such as an under- active thyroid gland and diabetes mellitus with nerve damage.
  • Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, and other neurologic conditions.

Examples of common medications that can cause constipation:

  • Narcotic pain medications: codeine (Tylenol #3), oxycodone (Percocet), and guaifenesin/hydromorphone (Dilaudid) and others
  • Antidepressants: amitriptyline (Elavil), fluoxetine (Prozac), and imipramine (Tofranil)
  • Anticonvulsants: phenytoin (Dilantin) and carbamazepine (Tegretol)
  • Iron supplements
  • ...

Recommended Reading Related to Laxatives for Constipation

Melanosis Coli »

What is melanosis coli?

Melanosis coli is a condition usually associated with chronic laxative use in which dark pigment is deposited in the lamina propria (one of the lining layers) of the large intestine (colon). The pigment deposition results in a characteristic dark brown to black discoloration of the lining of the large intestine. This condition is sometimes called pseudomelanosis coli because the pigment deposits consist of a pigment known as lipofuscin and do not contain melanin as implied by the term "melanosis." Lipofuscin is a cellular pigment that forms when cells are destroyed, often called "wear and tear" pigment that can be found throughout the body.

The dark color of the intestinal lining may be uniform or patterned, and the discoloration may be slight or very pronounced. The intensity and pattern of the discoloration may even vary among different sites in the colon of a patient. The condition may also be reversed upon disc...

Emergency Contact for West Des Moines

  • In case of Emergency, call 911

Nearby West Des Moines Hospitals *

Mercy Franklin Center
1818 48th St
Des Moines, IA 50310
(515)271-6000

Blank Children's Hospital
1200 Pleasant St
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515)241-5437

Iowa Methodist Medical Center
1200 Pleasant St
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515)241-6212

VA Central Iowa Health Care Des Moines
3600 30th St
Des Moines, IA 50310
(515)699-5999

Broadlawns Medical Center
1801 Hickman Rd
Des Moines, IA 50314
(515)282-2200

Mercy Medical Center Des Moines
1111 6th Ave
Des Moines, IA 50314
(515)247-3121

Iowa Lutheran Hospital
700 E University Ave
Des Moines, IA 50316
(515)263-5612

Madison County Healthcare System
300 Hutchings St
Winterset, IA 50273
(515)462-2373

Dallas County Hospital
610 Tenth St
Perry, IA 50220
(515)465-3547

Mary Greeley Medical Center
1111 Duff Ave
Ames, IA 50010
(515)239-2011

Boone County Hospital
1015 Union St
Boone, IA 50036
(515)432-3140

Story County Medical Center
630 Sixth St
Nevada, IA 50201
(515)382-2111

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