My boyfriend and I have been together for almost three years, and we've lived together for more than one, but I still can't do Number Two when he's in the house. It's not a problem during the week when we both go to our separate jobs, but on the weekends, it's usually just the two of us in the house all day (and night) Saturday and Sunday and if I feel the need to poo, I have to wait until Monday. My question is this — are there any adverse health issues I should be concerned about with waiting to poo? I know that holding your pee can give you bladder infections, but is there a similar issue with Number Two?

What should I eat if I have acid reflux?

I had a miscarriaged pregnancy 8 days ago. And for the past 6 days, I’ve been throwing up everything I eat. It's like morning sickness, but morning, noon, and night. And I can't get out of bed without feeling the need to throw up. What do I do? What is wrong?

What are the long-term side effects of substituting Vivarin for sleep? Last semester, I averaged only about three hours of sleep a day, and it doesn't look like this semester will be terribly different.

Thanks in advance.

After every meal, I get serious gas, bloating, and other yucky stuff. This is with ALL kinds of foods. I'm taking fiber for constipation, which is cool, but I get messed up even long after I take my fiber. What's the story?

I have had terrible stomach problems for a few years now. My doctor says it's due to my love of greasy and oily foods, and that I should concentrate on eating healthier, broiled foods. Do you think if I continue on this unhealthy eating cycle, that I could develop gallbladder problems? Also, do you think my diet contributes to my acne-prone skin? Thanks for your help.

1) I've suffered weird digestive things when I have my period. The way I have heard it explained in my MCAT class is that the same hormone that causes the smooth muscle of the uterus to contract unfortunately works on all of our digestive organs as well, particularly the large intestine. So that's how I've come to grips with the apparent confusion of the digestive processes during my period.

2) Does a person's menstrual cycle regulate her bowels in any way? I have had some problems. The week before I get my period, I have loose bowels and the week afterwards I am quite constipated. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do?

What natural food or herb can help soothe stomach ulcers?

I have had Crohn's disease for 16 years and am in remission right now. Recently my boyfriend and I have been toying with the idea of anal sex, but I'm concerned about it given my health issues. I have a lot of thickening of the terminal ileum walls and worry that the "trauma" of anal sex could set off a flare up and be painful because of the narrowing. Any thoughts? I'm way too embarrassed to discuss this with my male doctor. Thanks!

I enjoy my spicy foods. In fact, the spicier, the better. If I break a sweat when I'm eating, I've made a successful meal. I'm extremely active, physically, and I rarely get sick. I don't use tobacco, but I drink coffee daily. I average about two bowel movements a day, and I've found within the last week or so, blood on my toilet paper when I wipe my arse. Can the blood be caused by my spicy foods? I had my wife check out the area in question, and she says that it doesn't look like my rectum was bleeding (but it sure felt like it for about two minutes). I just wanted to know if the spicy foods can actually cause bleeding around there, and if so, does this mean that the bleeding could be caused in other places within my digestive system?

1) I have asked this question to many sites with no response, but came (sorry:) ) upon your site which seems to be willing to post just about any question and answer them too, so here goes:

Is there a laxative effect of ingested ejaculate, or is it ALL in my head (oh gosh, another one :) )? I have found that when I ingest my own ejaculate, almost invariably within a matter of a few minutes, I have loose bowels.

2) My boyfriend and I have been exploring oral sex for a couple months — but I've only just noticed that when I swallow I seem to experience a bout of diarrhea within a couple hours of doing so. Is it normal to have diarrhea from swallowing ejaculate?

Why is it that when a person vomits, it causes others to vomit — even when they don't have an illness causing it? Is this something triggered by the brain or is it something that happens by reflex (survival instinct) for someone to vomit since, perhaps, what the first person was eating may affect the second who vomits as well?

I've been eating the yogurt Activia and have felt less stomach grumblings since. I switched to just a low-fat yogurt for cost reasons and have had the grumblings come back. Is Activia really better for digestion or is this all in my head?

The few times I have tried anal sex, I get a horrible case of the farts afterwards lasting hours. I do not have the ability to hold it and it's very embarrassing. Is there anything I can do ahead of time or after to stop this?? Thanks

For years now I've been digesting my meals within an hour or less. I am able to see whole food in my bowel movements of meals that I have just eaten. Any idea as to what's wrong?