Book Review: Constipation Nation
Author: Dr. Carmen Fong, MD, FACS
Book Reviewer: Hannah Eng, OMS-IV
About the Author:
Dr. Carmen Fong, MD, FASCS is a Chinese American writer, artist, double-board certified colorectal and general surgeon and co-director of the Hemorrhoid Centers of America in Georgia. Dr. Fong earned a Doctor of Medicine from Michigan State University College of Human Medicine. She completed a general surgery residency at Mount Sinai Beth Israel, after which she completed a fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at Stony Brook University Hospital/NYU Winthrop. She now lives in Atlanta, GA with her wife, two daughters, and two cats, all of whom keep her very busy running around through the sprinklers and grilling in the backyard.
Book Review:
In my time as a medical student, I’ve come to the conclusion that the more perspectives I gain, the better doctor I can become. I know I am very fortunate to be a ‘generally healthy’ young adult at this point in my life. I recognize that when I encounter a patient with a chronic condition, such as constipation, they most likely are going to educate me more on what their associated symptoms are and what treatments are effective or not. Dr. Carmen Fong’s Constipation Nation is that book for the medical student looking to get the overview of how to diagnose and treat constipation when (not a question of if, given that ⅓-½ of the population will seek help for their constipation) they encounter it in a patient or themselves.
As with many chronic and prevalent conditions, there is a wealth of information about constipation both in scientific literature and in every-person's “bathroom reading.” Dr. Fong acknowledges this, explaining that she knows most of her patient population already has their own thoughts on what might be best to treat their constipation based on own information source. Constipation Nation is a concise, easily digestible (pun intended), yet effective summary of the wide-spanning history and documentation of the problem. Dr. Fong has indeed poured over literature. She has left no stone unturned in overviewing the research that has been done and is yet to be done about an “answer” of how to treat constipation. Each chapter, each subsection, warrants its own designated publication – from the gut-brain-axis and gut biome, to pruritus ani (I eagerly await your next book Dr. Fong!), to the relationship between COVID-19 and constipation, to the comparison of Western and Eastern medical treatment approaches. There is an intriguing chart that maps herbal medicines to brand name drugs with similar mechanisms of actions. I was also interested to learn about applications of a sacral nerve stimulator to treat constipation, or “cyborg pooping” as it is called. You name a constipation-related topic, and I bet that Dr. Fong discusses it in her book.
Additionally, Dr. Fong’s good-natured voice and humor are evident and make Constipation Nation a delightful read. It feels as if you are having an office conversation with Your Friendly Neighborhood Colorectal Surgeon™. She is open in sharing her own constipation stories, or lack thereof outside of pregnancy. Dr. Fong includes her Top 5 recommended recipes to keep her regular, which I am excited to try and elevate my already existing love of broccoli. I also felt seen by her comments on the taboo that can surround one’s personal gut and butt business. My childhood household held those ‘don’t tell’ sentiments about bowel habits. When I started medical school, it was an adjustment period for me to ask an ROS about the genitourinary system. I still have an awkward hesitation asking, “Does it hurt to poop?” After reading her book, I feel more empowered to talk about my bowel movements, and, more importantly, to have the conversation with my future patients. After all, “everyone has a butt and a gut.” I would recommend Constipation Nation to everyone.
About the Reviewer:
Hannah Eng is a fourth-year medical student at Touro University Nevada. She grew up in Chicago before attending undergrad at the University of Toronto where she majored in Mechanical Engineering. Prior to medical school, she spent her two gap years in various roles in industries such as medical start-up, prosthetic fabrication, and medical assistant. As a medical student, Hannah was a 2023 Nth Dimension Summer Intern – completing a clinical and research clerkship with the University of Michigan Orthopedics team. Her experiences led her to be one of the inaugural presenters for AWS's Journal Club and later becoming the 2024-2025 Journal Club Director and 2025-2026 Chief of Chapter Development. Amongst her peers, Hannah is known for her advocacy for mental wellness, her IT tech support, and organizational leadership skills. Hannah enjoys finding balance in her life through kickboxing, photography, singing in her school's a-cappella group, and reading books like Dr. Fong’s.
