Hi @foundryrat743. Glad you found your way into Mayo Connect in search of friendship and conversation about medical care for those of us with digestive problems. I'm not likely to be a vibrant source of information yet, since my own digestive system treatment is only half-way into effect. After six weeks of reluctant digestion, I'm awaiting results of my stool sample analysis and a request for referral to a gastroenterology specialist. Like you my system is slow, constipated, and bloated with periodic shifts to diarrhea for a few days at a time. I think a specialist is needed to bring the full range of possibilities to the examination room so I can understand what's at work, when it might resolve, and how to get there. Let's keep in touch so we can both learn what we need to know and what our choices should be. Martin