Live Well Be Well with Sarah Ann Macklin | Health, Lifestyle, Nutrition

The Gut & Poo Doctor: You Have A Gut Problem And Don’t Know It | Dr Will Bulsiewicz

Mar 18, 2026
Dr Will Bulsiewicz, gastroenterologist, gut microbiome researcher and author, shares big ideas on unseen gut problems. He talks about how common damaged guts are, why stool and history matter more than pricey tests, fiber’s role in longevity, rising colorectal cancer in young people, alcohol’s impact, and how relationships and stress influence gut healing.
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ANECDOTE

Sarah Ann's Personal Polyposis And Healing Journey

  • Sarah Ann reveals she hid her polyposis syndrome and bowel obstruction history while writing her book Healthy Shouldn't Be This Hard.
  • She changed her diet and later learned emotional healing (fixing father relationship) catalyzed recovery, as Will also experienced.
INSIGHT

Constipation Can Create Visceral Hypersensitivity And Severe Pain

  • Chronic constipation causes visceral hypersensitivity and intense pain because the gut has ~500 million nerves and can become oversensitive.
  • That hypersensitivity explains disproportionate pain and why low-dose SSRIs or tricyclics may help modulate gut pain.
ADVICE

Use Low Dose Psychotropic Drugs To Calm Gut Sensitivity

  • For gut pain and hypersensitivity, clinicians may use low-dose SSRIs, tricyclics for diarrhea, or SNRIs like Cymbalta to target pain—used as adjuncts, not primary constipation fixes.
  • These drugs modulate serotonin/norepinephrine signaling to calm gut nerves.
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