I know it's an awkward topic to bring up at the doctors, but I just wanted to say that seeing a doctor about this would be a good idea, especially since you mentioned blood. Try not to worry about talking about it or being embarrassed, doctors are used to this sort of thing and know it's a hard thing to openly talk about and they should be understanding.

As for the topic - I personally think there is a link between digestion and acne (and definitely health), but I'm not sure what the actual fact / science is behind the topic is. Having 'waste' sitting it our intestines for a long amount of time can't be good though because toxins can be reabsorbed into the blood stream through the intestines.

Personally I've found when I take ground flaxseed I see improvements in my skin. I don't know whether it's due to more fiber, because I consciously drink more water when I've taken flaxseed, whether flaxseed impacts my hormones or whether it's coincidence - but I do see a difference. So I was going to mention flaxseed / more fiber - but you mentioned you do this already.

Not sure what else to suggest, apart from talking to your doctor (at least for peace of mind to know whether it is or isn't IBS that you're dealing with). Hopefully someone else can help out more!

Actually we talk about it al the time here. And of course it affects your acne. Everything affects everything else.

You need to get more water into your bowels. Magnesium is one thing that helps that, plus relaxes muscles. Eat more greens and/or take a supplement in the evening as it also helps sleep. Try green smoothies.

Thanks for the replies. I'd read some posts about it before, but wasn't too sure whether that could be the case.

I've wanted to try green smoothies for a while, so I'll definitely give them a try. I'll try up my water intake too.

Is there anything that can help my digestion get it balance back (not sure on the technical term), but back to when I never had these problems. There's obviously something not right in my gut right now.

I always had bad digestion, only two or three bowel movements a week, instant stomach upset after eating most foods. I started eating healthier and drinking more water, and avoiding dairy, and that helped a bit. Then I started drinking 2 glasses of water upon waking up in the morning, which caused a bowel movement within 30 minutes, so I was having one every day. But now that I'm doing the above as well as taking 1-3 grams of Vitamin C powder every day, I've been having 2-3 bowel movements a day. My stool is very loose, but I feel healthy, never constipated, and my stomach never gets upset.

Thanks for the replies. I'd read some posts about it before, but wasn't too sure whether that could be the case.

I've wanted to try green smoothies for a while, so I'll definitely give them a try. I'll try up my water intake too.

Is there anything that can help my digestion get it balance back (not sure on the technical term), but back to when I never had these problems. There's obviously something not right in my gut right now.

do you have discomfort after eating? All foods? Some foods? Figure it out. Have you tried avoiding gluten?

I went on the paleo diet for a little while and things improved a lot, but I can't pinpoint the exact food type that could be causing it.

I get stomach cramps if I eat too much heavy foods like bread, so it could be a wheat/gluten intolerance.

I've also cut out caffeine which instantly causes me problems. I can literally take a sip of coffee and feel like I need to go to the toilet.

I plan on resuming that diet. I literally only ate meat and vegetables.

IBS and leaky gut have overlapping symptoms. If you have bad digestion, even supplements may not be digested properly, so first you need to repair the intestinal lining, improve your GI tract, and strengthen the liver and immune system. Some supplements that are easier to absorb in the initial stages of repair are: probiotics (depending on the brand & strands etc), digestive enzymes, prebiotics (I take NutraFlora FOS daily but only a small amount because it's sweet), l-glutathione (a gentle liver detoxifier), and Vitamin C. I would suggest trying the first two initially,and maybe the vitamin C, then add glutatione for a month or so (only use short-term).

I recently added selenium & vitamin E (the dry, yeast-free type), but it's too early to tell if it's working.

Since beginning supplements to clear my skin, and changing up my diet, my bowel movements became less than regular. Regardless of the amounts of water, fiber, magnesium, smooth move tea and all that good stuff, my belly was bloated and backed up for days. I started drinking a big glass of warm water (on the hotter side of warm, but temperate enough for me to drink without burning) first thing in the morning. Drink the warm water slowly, one gulp at a time, within about 4-5 minutes. Even if I don't have to go, even if I am fasting and have no food to move out, even if I've been eating junk food with no fiber, my bowels will move gently and completely within 10 minutes. I drink warm water every single morning, before all vitamins, pills, breakfast and coffee. Be sure to not drink cold water or juice or eat prior to the warm water. It must be immediately after waking that you drink the warm water, to begin moving your sleeping bowels.

Look up peristasis. I gathered this advice from aanabill; she drinks her warm water with fresh lemon. I tried the lemon and found that I had the same bowel movement success with plain warm water. I think the time when you drink the water is the most important part.

My digestive system is shot. I've been taking fybogel for years (not something I would advise, I could not 'go' without taking it)

Since I've been having my fruit and green veg combi smoothie (which I make myself) and 30mg of pumpkin and sunflower seeds each day, I can 'go' without them. hope this helps a bit ? I'm aware everyone is different.

Appreciate the responses! I literally don't have a clue what's going on in my gut. Is there any way to permanently fix GI issues?

I've used probiotics (drinks) before and whilst they helped a little, the minute I stopped it all returned. I don't necessesarily feel any great discomfort during the day (I used to when my diet was awful), but I'm so irregular and what comes out just isn't normal. To be more detailed (sorry), it usually comes out in lots of tiny pieces. Seems like there could be something wrong with the lubrication?

I sometimes don't go because I want to avoid the uncomfort, which makes it inevitably worse in the long-run.

Try a large glass of prune juice at night. Also make sure you drink lots of water during the day.

I have similar issues. Had the worst stomach ache ever last friday, to the point where I'm going to schedule a visit to the clinic tomorrow to see if it's not something worst.

From my experience: good sleep and sunlight = good digestion. Missing sleep does the opposite, and lack of sunlight I think doesn't help. But definitly, lack of sleep always gave me major digestive problems.

I have similar issues. Had the worst stomach ache ever last friday, to the point where I'm going to schedule a visit to the clinic tomorrow to see if it's not something worst.

From my experience: good sleep and sunlight = good digestion. Missing sleep does the opposite, and lack of sunlight I think doesn't help. But definitly, lack of sleep always gave me major digestive problems.

I think it depends on your digestion issue. Sun/bright daylight exposure affects carb/fructose metabolism, but that's all that I know of. Low level physical activity improves fat metabolism. I don't know if there are any habits that affect protein metabolism.