I was joined by my swim friend and board-certified gastroenterologist, Dr. Robert Elsen. Dr. Elsen has 35 years of clinical experience helping patients with all aspects of digestive health, including colon cancer screening, inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic acid reflux, and liver disease.

We talked about digestive health red flags and when it’s time to talk to your doctor, including:

Chronic acid reflux
Difficulty swallowing
Stomach pain
Chronic diarrhea
Blood in the stool
Unintended weight loss

We also discussed conditions such as celiac disease and SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), plus colon cancer screening guidelines, including when to get a colonoscopy and options for at-home stool tests.

Finally, Dr. Elsen shared a helpful checklist for describing digestive symptoms to your doctor:

Where: point to where you feel the pain or discomfort.
How often: how frequently the symptoms happen.
How long: how long the symptoms last.
Triggers: whether the symptoms are related to anything, such as eating or using the bathroom.
The bigger picture: any other related conditions or changes you’ve noticed.

Looking for more?

Thanks for being here,

~Allison, more about me at allisonmckeany.com

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This information is meant to educate and inspire, but is not medical advice. Please consult your healthcare team to determine what is most appropriate for you.

Insight Into Health

22 — Digestive Health Red Flags