Yes, the laxatives and Rx meds do help move things along. I am in a state of diarrhea 95% of the time, possibly due to all of the meds I am on. I keep an aggressive regimen because I am prone to SIBO. Even with diarrhea I have had x-rays that show a moderate to large stool burden. It really is hard to discern what's "going on in there" without imaging, but sometime I can tell by how I feel (bloated, pressure, etc). It gets tiresome and discouraging being so focused on the digestive system , but I am thankful I can be on a regular diet for the most part.