I am sorry if this post contains too much information, but I am looking for advice what to do about my particular issue. I have IBS, mixed, but also have a small rectocele.
I try to have a diet which contains sufficient fibre not to get constipated, but I find it hard sometimes to have stools that are firm and bulky enough to pass easily. Often they are soft and I can't fully get rid of it all. It's very messy to wipe, and I can tell there's more that I can't get out even with straining, which, having haemorrhoids also I really don't want to do. It feels very uncomfortable. I've tried things like fybogel and that kind of thing, and all they do is make the stools even softer and hard to get rid of.
I have occasionally out of desperation had a glycerin suppository, but I don't really want to become reliant on these, otherwise my bowel will likely cease to work at all. I have also tried 'splinting' which doesn't help in the slightest.
Any and all advice would be very welcome, no matter how gross or detailed it is. I will try anything.
Written by
iloveglee
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I would look at trigger foods if you haven't already. I was suffering from right flank pain, gas and stools very much like what you have described.
Turned out I'd developed intolerance to tomato.
Cut that out of diet and by end of the week id gone from IBS-D to IBS-C. But find the constipation much easier to manage as I don't suffer with pain or wind.
Some of the issues maybe down to your gut being inflamed, this is what the tomato was doing to me. Just before I identified the trigger I was managing issues with H&B charcoal tablets over night for wind and then fasting from wake up until evening meal. Drink as normal.
The rest my gut got from say 2000 / 2100 at night until 1700 following evening meant it started to tackle the inflammation itself. I can't remember but I think studies found the gut does this around the 12 or 17 hour mark.
Not sure if any of that will help, but that's my story!
Maybe too much fibre in your diet? Could try reducing it . If still an issue maybe ask your GP for something to bulk up your stool, avoid fybogel and other herbal laxatives which make things worse.
I did try reducing fibre. Then got constipated. Then ended up with profuse diarrhoea after getting rid of the sonstipated stool!! My gut seems to be slow slow quick quick slow. Hate the idea of having to put up with this but maybe will have to do.
Not sure what things would bulk up stool, theyd normally give fybogel or recommend psyllium husk.
I sympathise as my bowel movements are much such an issue. Pays to only change diet gradually. I have long-term poor bowel muscles, constipation (hence the suppositories) and tenesmus. I can never tell whether I really do have a need to empty bowels or just getting a wong message due, in my case, to internal haemorrhois/prolapses which have been treated several times with banding or injections. Is necessary to see a colorectal surgeon who can have a look.
I try to live with the "wanting to go feeling" and definately not straining too much. Not easy.
Your issues same pretty much the same as mine. Dysfunctional pelvic floor muscles basically. I have had tests for this and seen a colo rectal surgeon a few times. Had a stapled haemhorroidectomy 22 years ago which was successful or a while, but not now. I was at one time prescribed some kit to clear the bowel out, which involved having to fill a bag of water, hang it up and allow gravity to drain water into the bowel. It was more trouble that the actual problem. Maybe they have better and easier to use kit now, and possibly I ought to ask to go back.
That kit you mention was presumably the equivalent of an enema. Do it yourself enemas are now available . But that would only be a one-off solution not solving ongoing issues. I still think Fybogel should be avoided. i have a good book on the bowel which helped me as regards diet. I've had that stapling done, lasted a while.
I had been advised that soluble fibre is the way to go. Hence I eat oat cereals, wheat is a trigger food so avoid that. I have added fybogel, and psyllium husk which definitely bulks the stool but makes it so soft that even when the main bowel movement has done, some is left behind which is almost impossible to get out. And that's really the crux of my problems.
fybogel as part of my fibre intake diet. Worked fine for a while but probably overdid it by taking two. Found stools , although not hard, hard to get started and pass. Switched to one laxido a day which softens then up and easier to pass. Will see how it goes but if too soft, runny will stop
Have you tried sitting on the toilet with a step for your feet, so your knees are higher than your hips, this is meant to be the correct way for everything to fully open to allow it to pass. Have a look online and it will show diagrams of ideally how we should be sitting on the toilet. Hope this helps x
I was told all this when I was under the hospital and always use a small step to put my feet on. Lately, it hasn't been helping at all. I feel that something else is going on here, I had a bowel fit test not very long ago and that was fine.
Hi, I have all the same problems as you are describing and have tried most of the known remedies too. My problem is basically years of IBS and now a rectocile which leaves me unable to completely empty my bowels. I do find psyllium husk helpful added to my breakfast cereal, but too much can have a negative affect so it’s only about half a teaspoon. In desperation I have bought a small bulb enema which you use with warm water as a douche after bowel movements. This makes sure everything in the lower bowel is cleared out and it works very well. It sounds horrible and I was a bit hesitant to use it as unsure of its safety but my sister was given an almost identical piece of kit to use at home by the colorectal clinic so guess it’s ok! After lots of research I went ahead and found that it certainly does the job and is very easy to use as long as you use some lube and stay sitting on the toilet. Amazon have plenty to choose from and they are cheap and should be made of surgical grade silicone. Hope this is useful! 🤞🏻
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