# Need advice - Unable to have bowel movements



## Caitlin W (Oct 25, 2011)

I am 24, female, and have had IBS my entire life. I have also been diagnosed with endometriosis in May after a laparoscopy that showed Stage 2 of 4 Endo with most of it in the cul-de-sac area, or Pouch of Douglas. The endo has caused me constant rectal pain for the last year and a half, especially during my periods, to the point that I will cry out in pain if I even move. I have no other pain symptoms other than in my rectum, and I am currently on six months of Lupron for the endo.My colorectal surgeon made me get a defecography done three weeks ago, along with an anal manometry and rectal EMG. I don't know if this has anything to do with it, but around that time, I have been unable to have a bowel movement on my own. I am taking two kinds of fiber, Metamucil and Inulin, and I've even tried Citrucel. I've also starting taking lots of Probiotics, and am currently getting over 30 billion active cultures daily by supplement. I am not technically constipated. My stools are soft, grainy, sticky, hard to wipe when I do manage to have one, and half the time they burn. But even if I can have a bowel movement, it is always incomplete and I never feel like my rectal area is fully emptied. This aggravates my rectal pain and only makes it worse.My doctor has told me to up the fiber. I've done that. She's told me to start taking probiotics. I've done that. My diet isn't the best, because I'm a college student, but it never really seemed to matter what I ate in the past. I never had a bowel movement every day, but one every other day was the norm for me, despite how much fiber I ate. And the only time I've ever experienced burning was with diarrhea, but this isn't even diarrhea. It's soft, but not watery, and will burn my rectal opening each time I manage to go.For the past two weeks, I have been unable to have a bowel movement unless it's been with the help of a laxative or enema. I have to do at least one enema daily. I can feel the stool build at the opening to my rectum, as if my bowels need to empty, but I will push and push and I won't even have the urge to go. Having stool there puts pressure on my rectum, it hurts, so I end up doing an enema.My doctor can't seem to find any reason as to why my bowels aren't moving, other than my endometriosis is causing it. Please, if someone has an idea, what the heck can I do to start having bowel movements again?


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## aaltimas1 (Aug 15, 2010)

I am sorry to hear about all of your difficuties I wish i could help you, I have never had anything like that but maybe try reading a good book on the bathroom and really just trying to relax maybe that might help if you give it enough time?Andrew


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## RYANBOZ7 (Nov 4, 2009)

For some the fiber supplements may be the problem cause you're ibs-c.Try getting off them and just eating chicken,turkey,and fish and get your fiber from vegetables.This has helped me alot so far....


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