Many conditions, lifestyle choices, medicines, and diseases interfere with your ability to heal or fight infection. You may be at risk for a more serious problem from your symptoms if you have any of the following. Be sure to tell your health professional.

Conditions

• Age older than 60
• Conditions that decrease the ability to communicate, such as autism or Down syndrome
• Eating disorders, such as anorexia
• History of physical or sexual abuse
• Pregnancy
• Previous surgery on the colon, rectum, or anus
• Recent surgery

Lifestyle choices

• Alcohol abuse or withdrawal
• Drug abuse or withdrawal
• Lack of exercise

Medicines

• Antacids with aluminum
• Anticonvulsants
• Antidepressants
• Blood pressure medicines, especially clonidine or calcium channel blockers (for example, verapamil)
• Calcium supplements
• Chemotherapy medications
• Cold medicines (antihistamines)
• Corticosteroids, such as prednisone
• Diuretics, such as Lasix and hydrochlorothiazide
• Iron supplements
• Levodopa
• Lipid-lowering agents, such as cholestyramine
• Medicines for Parkinson's disease
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Opiates, including pain medicines with codeine
• Psychotropics
• Radiation therapy

Diseases

• Arthritis of the hips or spine
• Cancer, especially colon or rectal cancer
• Collagen-vascular diseases, such as scleroderma, amyloidosis, or dermatomyositis
• Depression
• Diabetes
• Hirschsprung's disease
• Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection
• Hypercalcemia
• Hyperparathyroidism
• Hypothyroidism
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Kidney disease
• Nerve damage or nerve loss, such as from a stroke, Parkinson's disease, spinal cord injury, or multiple sclerosis
• Prior radiation therapy to the pelvic area
• Problems with the structure of the pelvic floor, such as vaginal vault prolapse, rectocele, rectal prolapse, or uterine prolapse
• Rectal disorders, such as hemorrhoids or anal fissures
• Spinal cord dysfunction or injury