# soft, ribbon-like stools?



## Guest (Feb 29, 2000)

Hi, Does anyone here go through something similar as this... It seems cyclical to me now...For about 2-3 days in a row I will experience loose extremely unformed stools that just dump out. Then for another 3-4 days I will experience a few soft ribbon-like stools. When I say ribbon-like, I mean they are kind of flat and about 3/4" to 1" wide and can be long. They are thin and soft enough to fold over when landing on the bottom of the toilet. Then for another couple days I might experience a bowel movement which consists of 3-4 very small formed stools (but i hesitate to say "pellets" coz they are not round) which seem to sink slowly down to the bottom. It might take a few minutes of sitting there before anything comes out. QUESTION: Does the fact taht I have to sit there for a while mean this is the Constipation-type of movement? Do stools during constipation necessarily have to sink fast or can they slow slowly as well? And this cycle has been repeating itself for a while. Does this fit the cycle of alternating IBS-D and IBS-C? For those with alternating Diarrhea and Constipation, is the timing always the same for u or is it random alternations? How long do you usually go with one type before alternating to the other? Thanks,Joe


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## SteveE (Jan 7, 1999)

Check it out gijoejoe! You just described my life!Yup...this is a fairly common pattern for us alternators. I have noticed however that some of the cyclical changes switch around over the long haul, though. For example, there was a period of several months where I'd have the ribbon stools on Tuesday, D to the max on Weds, and one or the other Thurs-Sat. Then on Sunday I don't go and Monday pellets! Now I follow a slightly different version of this routine with basically no more pellets.Anyway, I recommend to you as I do to EVERYONE on this list that you read IBS Relief: A Doctor, Dietician, and a Psychologist provide a team approach to managing the irritable bowel. If you follow the recommendations closely, I think you'll find that you can even things out a bit as I have.Trust me...it ain't a perfect solution, but it has made me more of a participant in life and less of a spectator and I'm VERY thankful for that!


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## Guest (Feb 29, 2000)

Thank you Steve!Silly me, being a newbie here, I posted right away without looking through the "archives" so i searched on "ribbon" and was glad (sad?) to see that there are others who experience these ribbon stools which seem to fit me to a T!Allow me to introduce myself. My name is gijoejoe, I'm 25, and I've been suffering from predominant IBS-D since october 1998. It all began after an extremely stressful event in my life. I had normal BMs till then and now I'm stuck with what i described in my post above.I can't believe I haven't looked through the bulletin board here before! I was using the deja news (www.deja.com) newsgroup but this place seems a lot more helpful!Anyhow, I wish you all the best of luck in dealing with this dreadful IBS!Joe


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## Guest (Feb 29, 2000)

Glad to have you aboard. No, you are not alone. Wish you well and look forward to hearing from you again.


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## JeanG (Oct 20, 1999)

Welcome to the Board Joe. Yes, you do sound like many of us, so you're in the right place. I'm just wondering what tests you have had done? I have IBS and diverticulosis, and sometimes when the diverticulosis acts up it mimics the IBS. But at 25 you're not likely to have what I have!JeanG------------------Member of "The Advance Guard for the Ozone Rangers".May the "farce" be with you. JeanG


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## NancyCat (Jul 16, 1999)

Welcome to the BB Joe







I can relate to the thin stools (wish I couldn't), I am both D and C or on a "good day" I just go alot. For me there is no particular pattern to the D or C or whatever but sometimes my D flareups last around 3 days, though this can vary. I find that I can keep things somewhat under control and moving along by taking 2 fibercon daily (it helps both D and C) as well as eating some whole wheat bread, cheerios, eating smaller meals and trying to stay on a schedule where I go to sleep and get up at the same time-it seems easier to get the bowels into a routine this way, at least for me. You have come to the right place, there are (unfortunately) many of us. You'll find this board to be informative, educational, healing and comforting





















------------------Nancy


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## Guest (Mar 9, 2000)

Hello everyone. I'm new here and wonder if anyone could help me. I recently developed I guess internal hemorroids in the past 2 weeks. When I go to the bathroom these gray looking little bumps (about 3) protrude...then go back in when I'm done. Are these hemm's? Also I've been having pain in my lower quadrant area that also feels like twisting or knifing. Is this Divertucular disease? Does anybody know the symptoms of this? I'd appreciate any help. thanks so much. Sadie


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## JeanG (Oct 20, 1999)

Hi Sadie, and welcome to the Board. I don't know anything about hemmies, but I know a lot of people on this Board have talked about them. Why don't you start a separate thread on them and you're sure to get a lot of responses?Re diverticulosis, I have been diagnosed with both diverticulosis and ibs. My doc said that both mimic the other, and the pain you discribe could certainly be one or the other. Have you been tested yet? They discovered mine with a barium enema.If you have it you must keep an eye on things so they don't gete inflamed. I asked my doc how I'm supposed to tell it's inflamed and she said if the pain is steady and in the one spot, or if I get a fever. It's kind of hard to tell that kind of stuff. So, when I start feeling pain a little more than normal I just go straight in. They take it pretty seriously. So far I've been ok.My advise to you would be to get tested, if you haven't already. It's not something you want to fool around with, although they do say most people don't have complications with it.JeanG------------------Member of "The Advance Guard for the Ozone Rangers".May the "farce" be with you. JeanG


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