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Patient Instructions

Constipation is when you are passing stools less often than you normally do. Your stool becomes hard and dry, and it is difficult to pass. You might feel bloated and have pain, or you might have to strain when you try to go.

Below are some questions you may want to ask your doctor or nurse to help you take care of your constipation.

How often should I go to the bathroom during the day? How long should I wait? What else can I do to “train” my body to have more regular bowel movements?

How should I change what I eat to help with my constipation?

• What foods will help make my stools less hard?
• How do I get more fiber in my diet?
• What foods can make my problem worse?
• How much fluid or liquids should I drink during the day?

Do any of the medicines, vitamins, herbs, or supplements I am taking cause constipation?

What products can I buy at the store to help with my constipation? What is the best way to take these?

• Which ones can I take every day?
• Which ones should I not take every day?
• Should I take psyllium fiber (Metamucil)?
• Can any of these items make my constipation worse?

If my constipation or hard stools started recently, does this mean I have a more serious medical problem?

When should I call the doctor?

What to ask your doctor about constipation

Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.