Hi, Ardith...   
      
   AH> Relax the bowel??  I also have some doubt about this idea   
      
     While I have IBS, diverticulitis, and hemorrhoids (with moderate to severe   
   rectal bleeding...they did blood work to make sure I wasn't becoming anemic),   
   recent colonoscopies have shown no polyps...although they did find some benign   
   ones several years ago. Now that I'm over 50, I have both a colonoscopy and an   
   EGD (upper GI) done 13 months apart (or Medicare won't pay for them...go   
   figure).   
      
     I've got to go in for an IVP in late September, to find out WHY I've been   
   producing kidney stones like mad. My first stone was discovered in April,   
   2010, and removed 2 months later. My second stone was discovered in early   
   July, 2012...but not 10 days after they removed it, they found a second one!!   
      
     However, before the IVP, I have to prep as if I was having a colonoscopy, so   
   there's nothing in the bowel to block the tracking of the dye they'll inject   
   into me, to view the urinary tract from the kidneys, through the ureters, to   
   the bladder, to the urethra, and out the penis. If there is a blockage of some   
   sort, or more stones, I'm going back under the knife, as it were.   
      
     The irritating thing (besides the burning, and a bad case of prostatitis),   
   is that it was originally scheduled for August 31. I should've realized it'd   
   likely be cancelled, as it's the Friday before Labor Day Weekend. Sure enough,   
   it got postponed until the end of September!!   
      
     I had been drinking flavored water daily, but the urologist advised me to   
   switch to Gatorade, because it'll replenish the electrolytes. I've heard of   
   people with "kidney cancer", but I doubt I'm to that point...and hope I never   
   get there. But, drinking 3 liters of liquid a day to keep flushed out keeps me   
   on close contact with the bathroom!!   
      
     On a lighter note, I recently had to switch FIDONet hubs, so it's good to be   
   back in here.   
      
   Daryl   
      
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