Common questions
Digestive questions, answered plainly
This page is general education, not medical advice for your situation. What's right for you depends on your history, medications, and results.
Can thyroid problems cause constipation?
Yes, and it's one of the more commonly missed contributors. Hypothyroidism slows intestinal motility, and constipation is often present before anyone connects it to the thyroid. It's a straightforward thing to check and a treatable cause, which is why thyroid function is part of a standard digestive workup.
Can stress worsen IBS?
Measurably, yes — and that isn't the same as saying symptoms are psychological. Stress alters motility and visceral sensitivity through the gut–brain connection, meaning real physiological changes. It also runs the other direction: chronic digestive symptoms affect sleep and mood.
Can hormones affect digestion?
They do. Motility and bloating shift across the menstrual cycle, and many people notice digestive changes through perimenopause. When gut symptoms track with your cycle, that pattern is worth naming rather than treating as coincidence.
Can digestive problems cause fatigue or brain fog?
They frequently travel together. Impaired absorption affects iron and B12, night-time symptoms disrupt sleep, and chronic symptoms are genuinely exhausting. That's why the evaluation usually looks wider than the gut alone.
Do probiotics really help?
It depends what's being treated. Specific strains have reasonable evidence for specific situations — antibiotic-associated diarrhea, some IBS subtypes — and much weaker evidence as a general daily supplement. Strain and dose matter more than the label claim, and more isn't better.
Should everyone have a GI-MAP?
No. Advanced stool testing isn't part of every evaluation. It's useful when there's a specific question the result would answer, and most people start with history, previous records, and standard labs.
What's the difference between GI-MAP and GI Effects?
GI-MAP is DNA-based and quantitative, strong for identifying specific organisms including H. pylori with virulence factors. GI Effects combines culture and DNA methods with a wider metabolic picture — short-chain fatty acids and markers of digestion and absorption. Which one fits depends on the question.
Can SIBO come back after treatment?
It can, and recurrence is common enough that it's worth planning for. Recurrence usually points to an underlying reason — motility, structural factors, or medication effects — which is why treating the overgrowth without addressing what allowed it tends to buy limited time.
Do you use IgG food sensitivity testing?
No. IgG antibodies to food reflect exposure rather than intolerance, and major allergy organizations advise against using these panels to guide diet. They routinely flag foods you tolerate perfectly well, which leads to unnecessary restriction. Structured, time-limited dietary trials give better information.
Should I try eliminating gluten or dairy?
Possibly, but get tested for celiac disease first if you haven't been. Testing is only accurate while you're still eating gluten, so removing it first closes that door for months.
How long does a functional gut program usually take?
Most run three to six months. The first month is largely ruling things out and getting you some relief, targeted testing usually happens in weeks two to six, and the treatment work takes the remaining time because changing one variable at a time is slower but far more informative.
When do I need a gastroenterologist instead?
Bleeding, unintended weight loss, trouble swallowing, unexplained anemia, a family history of IBD or colon cancer, or new symptoms after age 45 all warrant referral. Those come before functional workup, and I'll make the referral rather than work around it.
