I have chronic ibs, everyday, as well as health anxiety. Apart from the usual stomach cramps, I also get bad lower backache and usually clear, but also orange coloured mucus on toilet paper, after a bowel movement. I can find information on clear and yellow mucus online, but very little on this colour.
Naturally I am in a panic, my anxiety has been triggered and I am reading all sorts of damming stuff. Is this usual?
I also have gallstones, diverticular disease and a hiatal hernia and constantly suffer with discomfort every day. To be honest, I am tired and exhausted with it all and at my whitts end.
I have had lots of tests, all negative and am told not to worry, but I can't help it. I just need some help getting through this.
I am 49 years old and have only had ibs for about three years, although I'm sure it's much longer, but I just didn't know it.
Please help, this new mucus symptom has me worried and because we are in a pandemic it is impossible to get the answers I need!
Thanks
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Light1971
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20 Replies
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I’ve had this to and I’m a similar age. It’s mucus with a tinge of yellow, orange, brown ish. It normally passes and you can get more of it if your constipated
Try not to read doctor google. Your only 3 clicks away from something horrible to ruin your weekend lol. If you’hae a gut trauma like pylori it can take months to start to get normal.Then you have the anxiety which adds to the stress and so it goes round
Google . Just for tummies. Good website with advice from Linda booth
Hi Light1971 I've got IBS and diverticular and it does get you down I know but try not to worry to much its quite normal to have this mucus I have it too and it can come in all different colours xx
That's reassuring to know. I've just started taking digestive enzymes and I am amazed at how much better I feel... Yes it really does get me down; I can have some terrible days! X
I have orange mucus most of the time, and of a similar age.
I find IBS generally frightening because it's a condition with no obvious triggers, and we are told it's not life threatening, but whilst going through it it feels like, or you think it would be better to not be alive at all. Then you feel guilty for thinking it, and all the people would leave behind, and then you feel even worse.
I have been like this since I was 19, so after 28 years, still breathing and going through the same thing week and week out, I would be use to it. But I am not use to it, it still floors me. I keep getting up, writing it down, and hope I can find the balance which will bring about as close as a normal life as possible.
Safe spaces like this where others can understand, is so important. I have hidden my condition for so long, never had any real friends, or family, to talk to, it's actually refreshing. It's good to know you're not alone :).
Thanks for being so honest. I really don't know how long I've had it. I've had gastro issues all my life, but after trauma three years ago everything just went wrong as such.
I read and Google too much, it ties my head up in knots and by the end of each evening I am exhausted from pain and worry. I literally give up sometimes.
From the moment I get up, I have severe back pain, which actually all but disappears when my stomach feels good. My Doctors dismiss this and I am seeing a physio, but I know my back is really OK.
The digestive enzymes I've started to take has imoroved my symptoms dramatically. Stools are darker, firmer pain in abdomen significantly less and stress has gone down. I know it won't last though.
The mental health implications are the worst though. My partner is stuck in Australia unable to get home because of the pandemic and this just makes my symptoms worse.
Thanks for the reply, sorry for your pain but it is good to know we aren't alone!
I think because my stools are so light in colour, it just makes me worry about more sinister conditions. I mean can gallstones really cause so much pain across the whole abdomen?
Usually yes... I get a lot of left sided pain. My GP thinks it's a combination of gastritis and gallstones causing blockage in pancreatic ducts. It's difficult because of the hiatal hernia as well and the ibs of course.... X
Doctors prob right if you have a upper digestive problem if will cause problems further down and vice versa the. Light coloured stool could def be a gallbladder problem I hope you get sorted soon x
Whenever I wipe I get the orange colour that you are getting. I just see this as part of cleaning myself up after a BM and nothing to be concerned about.
In terms of your IBS, have you been getting any help with your it? Here is some information about IBS that I have shared with others in this group in case any of these tips are of interest to you:
IBS can be due to a number or combination of factors - these can be stress (including stress from early life experiences) which impacts the communication between the brain and the digestive system. There are lots of free webinars online at the moment regarding mindfulness meditation which might help. Plus you can ask to be referred for CBT or something similar to reduce anxiety - I would have thought online appointments are available. Exercise can play a major role in IBS in terms of reducing stress, helping your gut microbiome and regulating bowel movements.
There is also not absorbing certain types of carbohydrates called FODMAPs very well, the residue ending up in the colon and bacteria feeding off them causing symptoms. Ordinarily feeding gut bacteria is a really good thing - when you feed good gut bacteria these produce by-products that have great health effects in the gut and throughout the body. However, in some people with IBS bad bugs might have the upper hand over good - these bad bugs may cause symptoms such as excess gas, pain or disordered bowel movements. There is an interesting infographic on this here:
This is why it’s worth trying probiotics such as Alflorex (which has been scientifically studied for IBS) to crowd out the bad bugs and make their numbers die down. If that doesn't work you can try the FODMAP elimination and reintroduction diet. This is normally under the guidance of a nutritionist via GP referral - this may not be possible at the moment so you can read about it online. If you download the Monash University FODMAP app and Kings College fodmap apps, they will tell you which foods contain FODMAPs and in what quantities. You can eliminate all FODMAPs for 2 weeks and then introduce each type of FODMAP one at a time starting in small quantities, increasing over a 3 day period and wait up to 4 days for symptoms. I go much slower than this - only introducing a small amount (1/4 to 1/3 of a normal portion size) of the same food for 3 days and then increase if tolerable or no symptoms and cut back to the previous amount if symptoms for longer and then try to increment again . I've read your microbiome can adapt to handling a new food if introduced very slowly and your bad bugs are under control with a good probiotic. Ideally you want to eat as many FODMAPs as you can since they are good for your health. Many people with IBS don't have diverse gut bacteria - it has been found that people who lack a diverse microbiome are more prone to diseases in general. In the long run, if you can get your symptoms under control, the ideal situation is to have a very varied diet - lots of different coloured fruits and vegetables, a variety of protein and carbohydrate sources including cereal fibres. This may seem a long way off, but with the right treatment all of this is possible. The year before last all I could consume to control my IBS was white rice, protein and limited low fodmap veg. Using the approach above (particularly introducing Alflorex) I am now able to consume far more foods - more than I've ever dreamed of including wholewheat bread which is unheard of for me.
If you are also suffering from pain, you may be suffering from visceral hypersensitivity (functional abdominal pain) - there is info about it here:
It is where the brain interprets the normal activity of the bowel as pain - this is due to a wearing down of neurons in pain control centres of the brain which can be caused by PTSD, neglect or abuse in childhood, extreme stressful events etc. The first line treatment is nerve pain agents such as low dose amitriptyline. There is a theory that being on something like amitriptyline for 6-12 months can help the pain control centre neurons to regenerate. Note that amitriptyline can cause constipation, but this can be helpful in people who are diarrhea dominant. Unfortunately I couldn't tolerate these. Linaclotide (for IBS-C only) & Alflorex have helped me with this intestinal pain.
You may also find assistance with anti-spasmodic medication such as mebeverine (Colofac) or enteric coated peppermint.
If all of the usual IBS remedies fail and you are experiencing diarrhea, it is worth getting tested for BAM (Bile Acid Malabsorption), which can cause constant diarrhea - there is a separate test and treatment for that. Good luck.
I have the same - blood in mucus, orange/red/pink water. Felt poorly earlier today, managed to get private appointment this morning with the same consultant I am seeing next week on the NHS. He felt stomach, and I was very surprised when he gave me a Flexible Sigmoidoscopy. Had so much mucus he did it twice, he said when he first read my notes he was thinking cancer, but now he has examined thinks it may be colitis. Has referred me for a two week CT scan, but a colonoscopy even on an urgent referral on the NHS can be up to six weeks. Decided to have a private one, don't feel I can wait as feel so rough at the moment. Very sore so not looking forward to the prep! I also have a hiatus hernia and anxiety. Try to stay away from Doctor Google, I now that is not easy. Hope this helps - there is a lot of support on here x
Oh bless you, you seem like you've been going through a really hard time. I was also thinking about paying privately but my Doctor reminded me I had a sigmoidoscopy in June 2019, where they discovered Diverticular Disease and done internal hemorrhoids. I'm sure he thinks it's all in my head sometimes, which of course it isn't. I hope it all goes well and please keep me informed. Sending best wishes x
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