Digestive symptoms are common, and most have a clear, treatable cause. Still, it can be hard to know when heartburn, bloating or a change in your bowel habits is worth a visit. The pages below explain the conditions Dr. Pimienta, a gastroenterologist (GI doctor) in Los Angeles, sees most often: what each one feels like, what can cause it, which tests may help and how it is treated.
Digestive and liver conditions
- Acid reflux and GERD
- Abdominal pain
- Irritable bowel syndrome
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Bloating
- Colon polyps
- Swallowing difficulties
- Inflammatory bowel disease
- Fatty liver disease
- Rectal bleeding
- Colorectal cancer screening and surveillance
Each page covers the warning signs that need care right away and the questions patients ask most. If your concern is not listed, Dr. Pimienta can still help.
Digestive symptoms that deserve a visit
Many stomach troubles pass on their own in a few days. Make an appointment with a GI doctor if you notice any of these:
- Heartburn or reflux two or more times a week, or heartburn that comes back each time you stop your medicine
- Food that feels stuck on the way down, or pain when you swallow
- Belly pain, bloating or gas that keeps coming back for weeks
- A change in your bowel habits that lasts more than a few weeks: constipation, diarrhea, or both
- Blood in your stool or on the toilet paper, or stools that look black
- Weight loss you cannot explain, or feeling full after only a few bites
- Abnormal liver tests, or being told you have a fatty liver
- You are 45 or older and have not had colorectal cancer screening
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room if you are vomiting blood, have black or bloody stools with dizziness, have severe or worsening belly pain, have food stuck and cannot swallow your own saliva, or have a high fever with belly pain.
Screening and prevention
Some of the most important GI care happens before you have any symptoms. Colorectal cancer screening is recommended for most adults starting at age 45, and a colonoscopy can find and remove polyps before they ever turn into cancer. Our colorectal cancer screening page explains your options, including stool tests, and who may need to start earlier.
Liver health
Liver problems often cause no symptoms until they are advanced. Fatty liver disease, now often called MASLD (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease), is one of the most common liver conditions in the United States. It is often found by chance on a blood test or an ultrasound done for another reason. Dr. Pimienta reviews your liver tests and imaging, looks for other causes, checks for scarring, and helps you take steps that protect your liver over time. Learn more on our fatty liver disease page.
Weight and digestive health
Weight and the digestive system are closely linked. Extra weight, especially around the belly, can make acid reflux worse, and it is one of the main causes of fatty liver. Dr. Pimienta is board-certified in obesity medicine as well as gastroenterology and internal medicine, so he can treat the digestive problem and the weight together. Medical weight management builds a plan around nutrition, activity, sleep and, when it fits, medicines.
How to get seen
Visits are in person at the office on Wilshire Boulevard, just west of the Miracle Mile, or by secure video if you are in California at the time of the visit. Dr. Pimienta sees patients in English and Spanish. Medicare is accepted; for other insurance, visits are self-pay, and the team explains pricing before anything is booked (see insurance and payment). To start, request an appointment online or call (424) 281-7392.
Questions patients ask
Do I need a referral to see Dr. Pimienta?
Original Medicare does not require a referral to see a specialist. If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, call us before booking so we can check your plan. With other insurance, visits are self-pay, and the team explains how that works before anything is booked. Notes from your primary care doctor are always helpful.
My symptom is not listed here. Can Dr. Pimienta still see me?
Yes. The pages above cover the most common reasons people see a GI doctor, not every one. If you are not sure whether your concern is digestive, call the office and the team will help you decide.
Can my first visit be a video visit?
Yes, if you are in California at the time of the visit. New-patient video visits are not same-day. Some concerns are easier to check in person, for example when your belly needs to be examined, and Dr. Pimienta will talk with you about which kind of visit fits.
What should I bring to my first visit?
A list of all your medicines, including over-the-counter medicines and supplements, plus any recent lab results, imaging reports and past colonoscopy, endoscopy or biopsy reports. Before the visit you will get a link to the patient portal to fill out your forms.