# Brown mucus on stools - is this IBS?



## CG1

I have been experiencing on-again off-again left abdominal pain under my left ribs since last January, with bouts of constipation mostly. Lately I've noticed this (sorry to be so graphic) light brown jellylike mucus in strands on my stools. I've read mucus is normal with IBS, but has anyone had this, where the mucus is brown tinged?Thanks so much for the feedback.


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## Kathleen M.

Mucus can mix with the stool and be colored by it. You produce mucus all the way along the colon, so it may be mixed in or mixed with the stool.K.


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## eric

Have you been diagnosed by a doctor with IBS?FYI"Some patients see gobs of mucous in the stool and become concerned. Mucous is a normal secretion of the bowel, although most of the time it cannot be seen. IBS patients sometimes produce large amounts of mucous, but this is not a serious problem."http://www.gicare.com/pated/ecdgs03.htm"Excess mucus production, which often occurs in IBS, is not related to mucosal injury. Its cause is unclear but may be related to cholinergic hyperactivity."http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec02/ch008/ch00...=IBS&alt=sh


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## CG1

Thanks for your replies. The MD back in February said he thought it was spastic colon, thought I was getting gas trapped up in the left corner under my ribs. Mostly the pain is there, sometimes it moves across to the other side. Sometimes it hurts to bend over. I had a colonoscopy 3 years ago which was clean, so he didn't think I'd need another.The biggest thing that's freaking me out is the brown mucus. Most cases of IBS I've read about mention a clear or opaque mucus. I'm going to reschedule an appt with him, but if anyone out there has had brown mucus on their stools, I think it'd make me feel a little better to hear I'm not alone!FYI - A few months after the colonoscopy I got a C-diff infection from antibiotics taken for a sinus infection. That took me months of Flagyl and Vanco to get over that. Everything was going okay with the stools for about 1 1/2 years before all of this started. And when I had the C-diff infection, I had pain in the exact same area.Any replies would be much appreciated!


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## eric

Thousand and thousands of IBSers have mucous in their stools and and brown is not abnormal with the mucous and IBS.Its probably good your going back to the doctor, you might want to have him refer you to a gastro doctor. To check make sure the c-diff is not back and to help if you do indeed have IBS or to find out what the problems are you have.Diagnosing IBS.http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=65559I have had brown mucous and many others though. The mucous is cells shed from the bowel wall that help protect the gut from acids for one and get mixed with the bowel contents, but this is not a serious issue with IBS, just concerning at first. Blood or black would be a red flag though, although sometimes bright red is from hemmies or rectum irritation, but bleeding is always a reason to get checked.


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## xclairex

I get mucus quite a lot. I suffer with a mixture of c and d, and sometimes if i'm constipated, i'll have the feeling of going to the loo and i'll only pass mucus. Sometimes its like a clear-brown colour other times its brown, it also happens when i pass tiny stools when i'm constipated. It's normal to have it when you have IBS and is one of the tell tale signs as we seem to pass more than regular people. It's nothing to panic about, I did at first and it just makes your symptoms worse! As for bleeding, I often get small drops but its through irritation more than anything. My doctor said you can tell by the colour, if its bright red then its fresh blood. Hope this helps you! Try not to worry! x


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