Diagnosis is based on bowel habits, symptoms, and medical history. Rome III, a set of criteria used to diagnose functional GI disorders, describes the diagnosis of chronic constipation as constipation for at least six months as well as specific symptoms for at least three months (eg, straining with at least 25% of bowel movements, details here).
Place the sugar cube in the bottom of an Old Fashioned glass and soak with 4-6 dashes (or drops) of Aromatic Bitters. Add a splash of water and muddle the sugar until it dissolves fully in the water and bitters. Only add enough water to dissolve the sugar. Add bitters and water to sugar.
Contacting an old friend is one of those situations that's only going to be awkward if you believe it's awkward. There's nothing inherently abnormal about dropping an old friend a line. If you do it, don't feel you're being desperate or intrusive. People are often delighted to hear from an old buddy out of the blue. Send them a text saying the same as the above, but in a more concise form. 2  See if you can catch them logged into Facebook and send them a message through the chat system. 3  Give them a call and chat in person, if you don't get too anxious about that kind of thing. 4  Go somewhere where know you'll run into them in person.