soft stool constipation: hello, is there such a... - IBS Network

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soft stool constipation

GKT1969 profile image
14 Replies

hello, is there such a condition as soft stool constipation? It sums up my symptoms well. I feel constipated all of time and yet I have at least 10 mushy bowel movements a day. A recent CT study showed large amounts of stool throughout the colon so, as expected, I was prescribed laxatives. But this is not putting my condition into context. I cannot stop having bowel movements and the colon is full because it seems to fill up with stool throughout the day. My GI doctors suggest it’s overflow diarrhea but I’m not convinced. There is so much of it and I eat only small amounts of food. Anyone had similar symptoms and possible advice for treatments? Thank you

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GKT1969
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14 Replies
heartmatters1 profile image
heartmatters1

Yep! sums me up. I have had impaction & was told it was just overflow getting round. I have to take laxatives everyday, so this doesn’t happen. Do you get a lot of wind & discomfort with it too?

GKT1969 profile image
GKT1969 in reply toheartmatters1

Thanks for replying. I get severe discomfort from it all throughout the day. May I ask which laxative you use? I find miralax not to work well for me.

Thank you

Shortybum profile image
Shortybum in reply toGKT1969

Yes I get this it use to be once a week now it’s more often it doesn’t seem to matter what I eat sometimes it’s with with horrendous pain sometimes it’s I do the perfect poop and then I know that every thing behind is comin out over a space of sometime 2/3 hours with multiple trips to the bathroom and always with total urgency do you have GERD symptoms as well

heartmatters1 profile image
heartmatters1 in reply toGKT1969

I have tried various over the years. The most recent being what my GP has prescribed Fybogel & Laxido. I have noticed the the Laxido seems to work better for me. He prescribed 2 satchets a day, but I try to manage with the one last thing at night. It’s a lottery I think to find a solution which suits each individual person.

Best wishes

medds profile image
medds

That sums me up! I was told by three gastros that movicol/laxido are the best things

Starfush profile image
Starfush

Well looks as it good is passing too quickly, try improve gut flora/probiotics. Give stomach something to work on vegetables, decent fibre fats/proteins

Dottieeadie profile image
Dottieeadie

What are you taking ??

gussmithy profile image
gussmithy

Hello GKT1969 and others who have similar issues.

I've had chronic constipation for years and have to use (2) suppositories. Stool has usually been very loose, fragmented and sparse - having to go several times a day. Been prescribed high fibre and, over the years, many laxatives.

Recently came acroos "The Bowel Book" by Michael Levitt which I've found enormously interesting. For people like me, he advocates LESS fibre. I've strtaed to cut back on fibre/laxatives and already my stool is better formed. Early days yet but the book may prove useful to others with similar problems.

Stoer profile image
Stoer in reply togussmithy

Over the past few months I've found that when I eat green vegetables or cauliflower I become severely constipated and have to use several sachets of Cosmocol a day for a few days to get moving again. About 30 years ago I went through a period like this and my GP couldn't understand why I was becoming constipated when eating a decent amount of fibre.

Luisa22 profile image
Luisa22

I get something like this, but mine sounds different to yours. I get times when in the morning. I suddenly get no urge at all to pass stools. I go an hour or two, have a hot drink, walk in the garden, but nothing. Then another hour goes by, and I have to get on with jobs that need doing. and believe that I am constipated.

Then late morning I decide to go to the bathroom and relax, and at least try, because I won't feel so great if I don't "go". So then, I find I pas a really soft but only just-formed stool (not diarrhea) Or small amounts of very soft stool.

I can never work out why I get no urge to go when I have those soft stools. Anyway, anything is better than a flare up! I count my lucky stars to just get that alone on those days.

Dollymae06 profile image
Dollymae06

Yes I am exactly the same mushy stools often and then constipation .I also get very anxiuos because of fecal incontinence . Couple of weeks ago the Consultant said he thinks it's constipation and over flow diarrhea . He prescribed me a laxative but it has made the frequent loose stools worse. I'm taking Mebeverine and Loperamide what I've been given previously by my Gp. I do understand where they are coming from but I'm not convinced it is constipation causing my problem. If I didn't take the Loperamide I wouldn't be able to leave the house as I have no quality of life.

GKT1969 profile image
GKT1969

I have close to 15 significant bowel movements a day. Always mushy and always with undigested food. And I eat very little so something is drawing water or creating mucus in my colon. There is so much loose, watery stool every single day. And after all these bowel movements it feels like I haven’t been. I feel full, bloated and in pain every minute of the day. Dollymae06 so sorry you are struggling with similar symptoms. May i ask if the loperamide helps and if it causes constipation? Gosh this is a horrible illness. My sympathy to everyone that is going through this. It’s Beyond tough at times

NewEnglander profile image
NewEnglander

yes it’s more a mobility issue. Things just shut down. That’s why softeners don’t work for me.

Fizix12 profile image
Fizix12

same here. They put me on Linzess, and at least now I have a dependable evacuation every morning. I still feel the urgency to go all day, but there’s nothing there, so at least I’m not sitting on the pot multiple times a day anymore. Frustrating and so miserable.

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