Was wondering if anybody knows about the mechanics of the body relating to bowel movements.
Every time my body gets ready for a bowel movement I start to feel really spaced out, shaky, sweaty, I even have shortness of breath and tachycardia (I have been put on propanolol for this). TMI ahead sorry...I then have soft sticky bowel movement, feel really ill for about half an hour and then feel ok again. Taking into account that I have 3-4 bm on average a day it makes for a very miserable existance.
Doctors don't have any idea what it can be. Anyone here have any suggestions?
Thank you! X
Written by
Sasical
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
Hi sorry to hear you're having a rough time, I feel like this but its when it comes to the cramping pain due to the IBS I put it down to anxiety. How is the propranolol helping? hope you gwt an answer or a solution soon.
The propanolol has really helped with the tachy. My heart rate would go up to 165 bpm during a bowel movement. Since taking it, it has gone up to 110bpm max. But I still have all the other symptoms. Thanks for your reply x
Hi Sasical: I have very similar symptoms when I have a bowel movement after a bout of constipation. When I'm not careful and go without a bowel movement for four days or more I'm so sick. Terrible pain, sweating, shaky, a feeling of faintness until I move my bowels and I slowly return to normal. My IBS is related to anxiety. Are your anxious? 🌧️
Thank you very much Maureen. I had looked into this but there are a couple of things that point away from it. One is that I feel bad before the bowel movement, not during, and the other is that whenever I read about vagal symptoms it mentions low blood pressure and slow heart rate and I'm the opposite.One doctor said it could another said no way...so don't know, do you reckon it could be this?
I don't know to tell you the truth. I have high blood pressure and take medication for it. Betablockers! But perhaps my blood pressure could drop at that moment, I don't know, I just wish I could work it all out and feel better. After 35 years of fighting this thing, I am so tired. Sometimes I just want to go to sleep and not wake up.
PS For anyone reading this, don't worry, I am not suicidal, I just want a life.
So sorry Maureen1958 you mention "fighting this thing" and I do the same, sometimes I think that if I surrendered instead of fighting it might get better, but when I feel so bad I can't seem to surrender. It might be time to pick up my Claire Weekes book again xx
That's just it Sassical, you need to surrender and accept it. It can't affect you as much then. You know I have this from past messages, and us being anxious does make it worse because we fear it.Have I said to you to check out anxietycentre.com and read about Hyperstimulation? You might find it a little helpful.
Hi. Vaso vagal would definetly go with low blood pressure, feeling sweaty and faint. I have experienced this few times due to severe cramps. When I do have a flare up it always hapoening in the middle of the night and the cranos are waking me up. My BP went down to 70/50 which is quite low.
Yes, I've had IBS for many years. If I eat something I shouldn't my entire body feels weird, dizzy,listless until I get cramp then that urge for the loo. It takes an hour or so to get back to normal after my body has expelled the culprit. I've done lots of research on this and I have come to the conclusion that it is caused by leaky gut syndrome. Tiny, undigested particles of food pass through the gut wall which has gaps in the cell lining and gets into the blood stream causing a kind of toxic poisoning. Its this that causes the weird symptoms. Dpctors dont really know much about it. The cure is to get the bowel healthy again but to do that you have to be able to eat all the things that you can't eat because of the IBS. Its a vicious circle. The other cure is faecal transplant. That is very quick but you can't get that done in the UK. I believe it cures IBS too. Look up 'leaky gut'.
It is possible. Any over proliferation of a bad bacteria or fungal infection can cause leaky gut but there are other causes. On the other hand you can have Candida for years and not get leaky gut. Not enough research being done.
Firstly, the number of your bowel movements per day is actually at the extreme end of the normal range (between 3/day and once every 3 days) so that, in itself, is not a worry, and doctors are very unlikely to be concerned about it. Also, the consistency is common for IBS sufferers, and occurs more with people who eat meat. I would suggest that the real concern is the way your body seems to over-react to the bowel stimulation.
It’s good that your tachycardia is more under control now (I take propranolol for anxiety), but I’m not sure what is responsible for the other effects. It might be because your body is diverting too much blood to the bowel to operate the smooth muscle, and this can lead to faintness; also, any straining can exacerbate this effect and leave you feeling exhausted afterwards.
I wonder if an acceptance that this is not an unusual or dangerous complaint (though no fun, as I can testify myself!) might reduce some of your other symptoms.
Thank you very much for your detailed reply and you are probably right that acceptance would help because I am finding it very difficult to accept that I can feel so ill without it being something nasty, so I presume these thought don't help x
Hi, I have the same thing, then because I feel so bad my anxiety kicks in and I feel even worse! I end up in tears on a regular basis. I am sorry I don't have an answer to it, I just live with it. It is horrible.
Hi Scinder so sorry you are going through the same. I also end up in tears regularly and I think I'm starting with depression because after almost 3 years of this I'm feeling really down as it is limiting my life x
Yeah I know, I get so worried that I am going to feel or be ill I don't want to go out! We haven't been abroad on holiday for years now I get so worried and nervous about traveling it's not worth it. IBS has so many symptoms it's crazy.
Hi Hidden yes, it could be, but I don't know why or what I can do about it. I have tried meditation, yoga, diet, breathing exercises and gurgling and chanting to calm the vagus nerve but to no avail.I bave discovered it has to do with the texture of my poo, when it's firm it rarely happens but when it's soft and sticky it always happens.
Hi Sasical, Sorry to hear about your problems. Do you take magnesium by any chance? If so, which form(s)? oxide/citrate/glycinate etc. how much and for how long? I’m asking since a lot of people with anxiety use magnesium and it could explain your soft stools, since magnesium is a laxative. Combined with an already sensitive gut and anxiety it might just create the perfect storm.
Hello inahurry_Thank you for your reply, I don't take it often now, maybe once every few days, but I had been taking it for a long time. I take one that in Spanish is called "bisglicinato" so that might be glycinate.
How very interesting, I will stop it completely. I did have 2 or 3 good weeks because I practically wasn't pooping but yesterday and today has been hell again.
Okay too bad you aren’t getting the chat messages! Wanted to exchange e-mail addresses because I don’t fee like sharing a bunch of personal medical info on here.But basically I’m having similar issues you are having, no pain, however I’m in my 30s and male, so that might rule out peri for you.
I have identical and I hate it I have IBS and it’s a constant problem I start to feel faint and Ill until I’ve been to the bathroom then everything returns to normal. I even have to lie on the floor sometimes as not to do so would see me pass out and I could hurt myself .. have spoke to my doctor in it she gave me Buscopsn which are a god send and added Meberverine after a really bad attack last year .. good luck with looking into it I wish I knew what would cure this as it’s a nightmare xx
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
ongoing bowel issues please help
Cannot have a bowel movement today.
Long tapered/tail-like end of bowel movement normal? 
Ongoing stomach bowel issues
Bowel aches
