Information on: Diabetic Gastroparesis and more

Read more about diabetic: esophagus / stomach / bowels

The Diabetic Bowels: Issues and Challenges, Constipation/Diarrhea.

Constipation: Introduction / Diagnosis / Treatments / Surgery / Pelvic floor & bio-feedback

Diarrhea: Introduction, Small bowel Bacterial Overgrowth / Treatments for diarrhea / General Bowel Tips

What treatments are available for constipation?
When pelvic floor dysfunction has been determined as a contributing factor in constipation, simple biofeedback techniques can be utilized to help retrain the pelvic floor muscles.

Alternatively, if the doctor determines that your constipation is caused by a motility problem, (slow transit constipation) then pro-motility drugs are usually prescribed in addition to a combination of laxatives. You may already be on a pro-motility medication for treating upper digestive motility problems such as gastroparesis or more severe problems of acid reflux.

The most common pro-motility drugs are:

• Motilium^® (domperidone)

• Erythromycin

• Reglan^®/Maxeran^® (metoclopramide)

• Propulsid^® (cisapride: still available under a compassionate release program through Jannsen, or as a generic medication through Apotex in Canada)

A new pro-motility drug called Zelnorm^® (tegaserod) is also now commonly used for slow transit constipation. Zelnorm^®  is still readily obtainable in the US under two different special access programs established by the US Food and Drug Administration. Unfortunately, no access program has yet to be established in Canada.

Prucalopride, a drug in the same pharmacological family as Zelnorm^®, is still in the development stages.

Renzapride is another new pro-motility drug currently making its way through drug trials. This drug is being developed for constipation-predominate irritable bowel syndrome, and therefore, may also have application for slow transit constipation.

In cases of more challenging constipation where even pro-motility drugs do not alleviate the problem, surgery may be recommended.