# IBS-C - Really?



## xSaintlyx (Mar 11, 2011)

Hey Folks,After a change in bowel habbit over the course of the past year coupled with the fact that although I now seem to go more regularly, that I always need to strain and am always 'constipated' I went to my GP. After a couple of rectal exams and a sigmoidoscopy, they can find nothing wrong. So I was therefore diagnosed with IBS-C. However, I have been thinking about my symptomns recently, and wondering whether I should go back to my GP for more tests as I am dubious to the IBS-C diagnosis.I was therefore hoping to share my symptomns with the IBS community to see whether they are familiar or completely different to that of other sufferers, which might help me understand the condition better.So, where to begin, well, I always have to strain to goto the toilet, at least 95% of the time, even if the stool is soft after taking laxatives. The only time this is not true is if I have taken enough to make the stool very liquidy, at this stage I would say my bowel behaves normally. However, every other time, I have to strain using my stomach muscles, and I feel no urgency or sense to need to goto the toilet. It is almost like my bowel has forgotten how to do a poo!I often get the feeling that I have wind ready to release, but then I can't pass any wind, it feels like its trapped, but not actually trapped. I strain to pass it, but nothing comes out. Yet other times, I pass wind without problems. I wonder whether the sensation I get is actually wind or something else which feels like wind. I occassionally get bad stomach cramps and pain, but this is not often at all, and my main symptoms are just the fact I basically have to force myself to goto the loo, and as I say, this is even the case when the stool is soft. Which is where my concern comes from, as if the stool is soft, surely I shouldn't be constipated? Anyway, I hope you guys can give me some feedback, and help me decide whether this is IBS-C or whether I should be demanding more tests.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Well you could have some pelvic floor dysfunction.... You could ask them to check for that.


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## xSaintlyx (Mar 11, 2011)

BQ said:


> Well you could have some pelvic floor dysfunction.... You could ask them to check for that.


Thanks for the reply. Would this also apply if I am male? .... I did a quick Google regarding PFD and it makes a lot of reference to passing urine, which I can do without issue.


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## tourist (Feb 19, 2011)

xSaintlyx said:


> Hey Folks,After a change in bowel habbit over the course of the past year coupled with the fact that although I now seem to go more regularly, that I always need to strain and am always 'constipated' I went to my GP. After a couple of rectal exams and a sigmoidoscopy, they can find nothing wrong. So I was therefore diagnosed with IBS-C. However, I have been thinking about my symptomns recently, and wondering whether I should go back to my GP for more tests as I am dubious to the IBS-C diagnosis.I was therefore hoping to share my symptomns with the IBS community to see whether they are familiar or completely different to that of other sufferers, which might help me understand the condition better.So, where to begin, well, I always have to strain to goto the toilet, at least 95% of the time, even if the stool is soft after taking laxatives. The only time this is not true is if I have taken enough to make the stool very liquidy, at this stage I would say my bowel behaves normally. However, every other time, I have to strain using my stomach muscles, and I feel no urgency or sense to need to goto the toilet. It is almost like my bowel has forgotten how to do a poo!I often get the feeling that I have wind ready to release, but then I can't pass any wind, it feels like its trapped, but not actually trapped. I strain to pass it, but nothing comes out. Yet other times, I pass wind without problems. I wonder whether the sensation I get is actually wind or something else which feels like wind. I occassionally get bad stomach cramps and pain, but this is not often at all, and my main symptoms are just the fact I basically have to force myself to goto the loo, and as I say, this is even the case when the stool is soft. Which is where my concern comes from, as if the stool is soft, surely I shouldn't be constipated? Anyway, I hope you guys can give me some feedback, and help me decide whether this is IBS-C or whether I should be demanding more tests.


I will hazard a guess of atonic colon. In some people the peristalsis becomes discoordinated or ineffective. In a normal bowel the contraction moves in waves from the upper part towards the rectum. An atonic colon may be flaccid or may constrict in a random sequence. My GI doctor compares it to the discoordination in the swallowing reflex that a stroke victim often has. This is a neurolgical signal involving involuntary muscle movement. It can be caused by anything from stress to electrolyte balance to nerve damage.


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## xSaintlyx (Mar 11, 2011)

tourist said:


> I will hazard a guess of atonic colon. In some people the peristalsis becomes discoordinated or ineffective. In a normal bowel the contraction moves in waves from the upper part towards the rectum. An atonic colon may be flaccid or may constrict in a random sequence. My GI doctor compares it to the discoordination in the swallowing reflex that a stroke victim often has. This is a neurolgical signal involving involuntary muscle movement. It can be caused by anything from stress to electrolyte balance to nerve damage.


Hi Tourist,Thanks for the reply.I'm now quite worried, as after a few hours of 'Googling' it appears surgery is a common outcome for people with Atonic Colon or Colonic Inertia. Obviously, at 28, this is not an option I would ever really want to consider. I note that I am able to go to the toilet, and seem to have a fairly quick transit time, I know this from eating sweetcorn. It's just when I actually go, my bottom half just seems to not want to evacuate, and I have to force myself using my stomach muscles to actually go. Using this method I can go, and I don't suffer from any pain or discomfort usually.


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## em_t (Jun 8, 2010)

Less likely then since your transit seems quite fast, more likely to be an outlet problem. There are courses of biofeedback which teach you different techniques to evacuate your bowels more efficiently, which could really benefit you. Perhaps you could ask your GP about it. You're unlikely to have colonic inertia unless you don't feel the urge to move your bowels very often, like for a week or longer. If you can force yourself to have bowel movements everyday or every other day you don't have colonic inertia.


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## xSaintlyx (Mar 11, 2011)

em_t said:


> Less likely then since your transit seems quite fast, more likely to be an outlet problem. There are courses of biofeedback which teach you different techniques to evacuate your bowels more efficiently, which could really benefit you. Perhaps you could ask your GP about it. You're unlikely to have colonic inertia unless you don't feel the urge to move your bowels very often, like for a week or longer. If you can force yourself to have bowel movements everyday or every other day you don't have colonic inertia.


Hi em_t,Thanks for the reply.Yeah, one of the symptoms which took me to the GP initially was the fact I felt the urge to go more regularly, and when I do, its still difficult to pass, lots of straining. Although, the bigger stools, which used to be my normal type, as I used to goto the loo every two to three days seem easier to pass as they're bigger, almost like my bowel can grip a hold of them more lol. I'm going to go back to my GP I think this week as I'm not happy with the IBS diagnosis alone.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

HI saintlyyes it does sound like getting tested for pelvic floor dysfunction is a good idea.have you tried resting your feet on a footstool when you're on the toilet? many people--myself included--find that very helpful in facilitating a bm. or you can use a small wastebasket turned on it's side. or even squat on the toilet if you're really agile--google it for more info.also--this post had some helpful advice about pelvic floor exercises. although i'm sure receiving the instructions in person, with a therapist, is the best way. http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=113788also another poster on the board said her physiotherapist taught her this:"use a footstool while sitting on the toilet, bend knees and place toes on it so knees are higher than hips (i use a bin turned sideways)lean forward and rest elbows on thighs, keeping back straight.hold your breath and slowly bulge out your tummy as you have a bm--placing one hand on your tummy helps feel this action. this helps relax your pelvic floor.at end of bm, pull up your pelvic floor to close.to practice training these muscles to relax: lie down on your side on the bed. pull up pelvic floor. do not tighten buttocks or tummy. then hold for three seconds. then slowly let the muscles go and at the same time bulge out lower abdomen. do ten times am and pm."personally i'm not sure about the holding the breath part. the hands on the tummy advice helps though. another poster mentioned blowing (as in blowing out candles) twelve times helps...that's what her therapist said to do. along with the footstool etc.takes some experimenting maybe to find what's right for you.good luck with your appointment this week.


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## lindielou (Jul 11, 2010)

xSaintlyx said:


> Hey Folks,After a change in bowel habbit over the course of the past year coupled with the fact that although I now seem to go more regularly, that I always need to strain and am always 'constipated' I went to my GP. After a couple of rectal exams and a sigmoidoscopy, they can find nothing wrong. So I was therefore diagnosed with IBS-C. However, I have been thinking about my symptomns recently, and wondering whether I should go back to my GP for more tests as I am dubious to the IBS-C diagnosis.I was therefore hoping to share my symptomns with the IBS community to see whether they are familiar or completely different to that of other sufferers, which might help me understand the condition better.So, where to begin, well, I always have to strain to goto the toilet, at least 95% of the time, even if the stool is soft after taking laxatives. The only time this is not true is if I have taken enough to make the stool very liquidy, at this stage I would say my bowel behaves normally. However, every other time, I have to strain using my stomach muscles, and I feel no urgency or sense to need to goto the toilet. It is almost like my bowel has forgotten how to do a poo!I often get the feeling that I have wind ready to release, but then I can't pass any wind, it feels like its trapped, but not actually trapped. I strain to pass it, but nothing comes out. Yet other times, I pass wind without problems. I wonder whether the sensation I get is actually wind or something else which feels like wind. I occassionally get bad stomach cramps and pain, but this is not often at all, and my main symptoms are just the fact I basically have to force myself to goto the loo, and as I say, this is even the case when the stool is soft. Which is where my concern comes from, as if the stool is soft, surely I shouldn't be constipated? Anyway, I hope you guys can give me some feedback, and help me decide whether this is IBS-C or whether I should be demanding more tests.


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## lindielou (Jul 11, 2010)

If you have had numerous tests and they can find nothing wrong, they now call it Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder, which means they don't know the cause. This disorder interferes with one's ability to carry on a normal life. I have had biofeedback training, and learned lower pelvic floor exercises. Both of these things helped, but I am far from being cured, I still have a lot of bloating, and pain.lindielou


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## em_t (Jun 8, 2010)

If you have serious evacuation difficulties (ie: problems getting it out) there is a device called the Peristeen Irrigation system that allows you to wash out the lower part of your bowels. Its usually only provided once biofeedback and other measures have failed and only prescribed by specialist clinics in the UK - however if you are eligible all the supplies are available on prescription:http://www.coloplast.com/products/urologyandcontinencecare/peristeen/whocanuse/pages/whocanuseperisteenanalirrigation.aspxDon't know if its available in the US. Effectively its like a large enema bag but more specially designed and has a regulator to control the amount of water released. If you are having serious difficulties it might be an idea - sure it takes time, up to 30 minutes for most people but a lot of people only have to do it every other day and can reduce the pain and discomfort for a lot of people.


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## achystickygut (Mar 16, 2011)

xSaintlyx said:


> Hi Tourist,Thanks for the reply.I'm now quite worried, as after a few hours of 'Googling' it appears surgery is a common outcome for people with Atonic Colon or Colonic Inertia. Obviously, at 28, this is not an option I would ever really want to consider. I note that I am able to go to the toilet, and seem to have a fairly quick transit time, I know this from eating sweetcorn. It's just when I actually go, my bottom half just seems to not want to evacuate, and I have to force myself using my stomach muscles to actually go. Using this method I can go, and I don't suffer from any pain or discomfort usually.


Hi there,I'm taking a shot in the dark (so please don't take what I suggest too seriously). Another possibility is that you have functional constipation. Basically, this is long term constipation that medical treatment doesn't seem to help much. The way to tell this apart from IBS-C is pain. In functional constipation, you just get stuck but don't feel pain. IBS-C, lots of pain. I would suggest that you take as much note of your symptoms as possible (i.e., when they started, what foods set you off, whether stress affects it, whether changes in sleep affects it, if the stuckness is worse with pain, etc.) and then get a referral to see a gastroenterologist. Present him or her with these details and ask for test options to determine what is actually going on.I hope this helps a littleCheers


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## achystickygut (Mar 16, 2011)

lindielou said:


> If you have had numerous tests and they can find nothing wrong, they now call it Functional Gastrointestinal Disorder, which means they don't know the cause. This disorder interferes with one's ability to carry on a normal life. I have had biofeedback training, and learned lower pelvic floor exercises. Both of these things helped, but I am far from being cured, I still have a lot of bloating, and pain.lindielou


Hello,I've also tried pelvic floor exercises myself but did not help very much (I think I need to select my "interventions" more wisely!). I've recently been doing some self-hypnosis (for about 2 weeks now) in helping me manage mainly the bloating, gas and pain. It works partly (i.e., on milder days when I'm not overwhelmed by the symptoms). This might be worth a try...


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