# pain and hard stools



## sabry (Oct 14, 2001)

hi everybodyI would like to know if somebody shares this pain of mine:sometimes (luckily only sometimes!!!)when I have constipation, and my tools become very hard like little pieces of stone, before going to the toilet i feel so much pain in the lower lower abdomen like stabbing , just when these stones pass by. I cannot even make a pipi since i cannot push from the pain.when these balls go out the pain finish but it's very bad durind the time, it can last also 30 minutes, it's a little better when i take psyllium fiber, but sometimes even if i take psyllium i bacame constipated and with these hard stools.anyone experienced it? I would like to think I'm not the only one....I appreciate your help and supportthanks to you allsabrina


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## webbsusa (Feb 1, 2001)

Yes, I think just about all of us experience this. What you are describing is a classic IBS-C symptom: dry, hard stools. Have you tried taking a stool softener, such as Colace? You want to keep your stool soft, because passing the rocks, as I call them, can lead to a fissure (a tear in the lining of the rectum). The fissures HURT--this may be the source of the pain you feel. I am very susceptible to fissures, so it is a constant battle for me to keep my stool soft and easy to pass. I take two citrucel tabs a day and drink tons of water, in addition to trying to eat fiber rich foods.Have you had any blood when you wipe (bright red)? That would be another indication (aside from pain) of a fissure. I think it would be a good idea to see your dr. for an exam, just to make sure you don't have a tear down there. Trust me when I say that you don't want to let a fissure go.Good luck!


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## amy22 (Mar 6, 2001)

Yeah, I share this experience a lot. Sometimes there are bumps that are especially tough to pass. I hold my breath in pain. I often notice a tinge of bright red blood on the toilet paper after I go. I always thought it was just hemeroids. Could that mean I have a fissure instead? Or in addition to the hemmies?-AmyP.S. to fix the rocks that I pass, I work on drinking more water. This gives your stool more water, making it softer and not so bumpy.


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## sabry (Oct 14, 2001)

thanks for the reply,i don't have any blood coming out-and i also did tests that excluded problems there....My pain is not directly in the rectum but i think more in the sigmoideo colon, that is right over the bladder......and the pain is before passing out not during....did you also have this kind of pain?Bless you all


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## Guest (Oct 16, 2001)

might be gas pain. i get terrible gas pain before i go sometimes.


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## webbsusa (Feb 1, 2001)

Amy, could be a fissure, a hemmie, or both. From what you describe ("I hold my breath"), I think a fissure could be a real possibility. I think it would be a good idea for you to get that checked out by the dr. so you know one way or the other.P.S. Holding your breath when trying to pass a hard stool can worsen any tearing that may be happening! Try to relax and stay as un-tense as possible. I know this is practically impossible, as I tend to hold my breath when it hurts bad, too, but that can make the problem worse. I either read about that at www.mayoclinic.com or www.webmd.com; can't remember which one at the moment, but both sites have good info about IBS.


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## Guest (Oct 19, 2001)

Please tell me for about fissures! I have a lot of blood. I am having surgery in two weeks because strange enough my colon has ended up working it's way into a hole in my diphragm and even worked up farther then that but I am still worried about the blood when everything else if fixed. I haven't heard about fissures before. I always thought it was hemorrhoids or just from my screwed up colon. ------------------


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## webbsusa (Feb 1, 2001)

Patricia, here's what I know about fissures. As I said before, a fissure is a tear in the lining around the anus (or to put it bluntly, a tear in your bum-hole). It's not internal, the way a hemmie can be, but it's obviously not something you yourself can see, either. When my dr. has examined me, she sees the tear right away--in terms of the exam, it's not an "inside job," if you know what I mean.







Fissures tend to be more painful than hemmies (though not always). Hemmies have more of an itching sensation, along with a lot of pressure. Fissures sting and burn--I can actually feel the tearing sometimes (not always, though). Basically, think about a really bad paper cut on your finger, then transfer that feeling to your butt, and that's a fissure.







Here's a link that will tell you a little more about fissures: http://my.webmd.com/content/asset/adam_disease_anal_fissure And here's a paragraph from http://www.mayoclinic.com/home?id=HQ00071: In addition to hemorrhoids, bleeding from the rectum can occur for other reasons, some of which can be serious. Passing hard, dry stools may scrape the anal lining. An infection of the lining of the rectum or tiny cracks or tears in the lining of your anus called anal fissures also can cause rectal bleeding. With these types of problems, you may notice small drops of bright red blood on your stool, on your toilet tissue or in the toilet bowl.I hope this info helps. If you have more questions, just ask. I get both hemmies and fissures and they're not always easy to tell apart, which is why I recommend going to the dr. to get checked out. Yes, it can be a little embarrassing, but luckily I have a wonderful g.p. who really cares. And, some of the things that help with hemmies (like Tucks pads) are really bad for fissures (the witch hazel in a Tucks pad will make a fissure sting like h***--I'm speaking from experience!). So, get checked out so you can know what treatment is best.


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## Ty (Mar 8, 1999)

I hope you guys don't think I'm being a pest about this, but what's helped my hard stools is magnesium supplements. They're not a laxative and you won't become dependent on them. They just soften your stool. This sounds like something you could really benefit from.Let me know if you're interested and I'll give you the low-down. Or check out the other threads on this forum - me and some other members have given more info on the magnesium.Ty


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## Guest (Oct 19, 2001)

I am really scared that once I have the surgery than all of these problems are still going to be there. I have lots of drops of blood so my fissures can't be good. I am probably going to wait and see how everything turns out but I will mention these problems to my surgeon. I swear if it's not one thing it's another!! Thanks for all the information. ------------------


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## Guest (Oct 19, 2001)

Ty,What kind of magnesium supplements, just the vitamins that you can buy? ------------------


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## Ty (Mar 8, 1999)

Yep - just the mag tablets you can purchase at a pharmacy or a Target/Wal-mart. There are different kinds and what works for me is magnesium oxide in the 250mg tablet form. There is also mag citrate that others have found worked for them. I take up to 750mg a day (with docs okay - some people shouldn't take too much mag) with my first big meal of the day. Some people take it in the evening/before the go to bed.Unfortunately, mag isn't the only thing that I have to do to keep things moving. Tons and tons of water. As much as I drink now, I know I should drink more. And trying to balance my diet more - I eat too much pastas and breads. I also try to eat more, but smaller meals throughout the day. I've noticed my stomach does not appreciate not eating for a while then having a big meal.Hope that helped!Ty


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## webbsusa (Feb 1, 2001)

Ty, I definitely find that the size of a meal makes a difference, too. I'm a C/D type, and it seems that if I eat a huge meal I end up with D, which then sets me off for a long C spell. Grr. I really learned this lesson after last Thanksgiving, unfortunately.I am going to give the mag supplements a try, as the C has been bad the past week and tomorrow is the weekly trip to Wal-Mart anyway.


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## Ty (Mar 8, 1999)

webbusa - those meals sure do make a difference, huh? I was surprised at what a difference it made not only with my IBS, but with nausea too.Hope the mag works for you!!Ty


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