# New to Forum and Looking for Advice



## connerlyliam (Feb 8, 2018)

Hey guys,

I'm new to this thread and thought it'd be good to discuss with people that are potentially going through the same thing... I have not been diagnosed with IBS-C (Because doctors think it's "All in my head". Honestly so frustrating to be told that when it affects my day to day life so drastically.) So I'm looking for people to confide in and maybe get some advice from?

Anyways, this is my dealio: I'm pretty gassy usually, but I attempt to eat plenty of fiber to keep things going... I stick to:

(Diet)

Egg whites, PB, powder PB, prunes, bananas, hemp protein powder + fiber, oatmeal (both steel cut and quick), brown rice, quinoa, Couscous (although I just realized it is not gluten-free, so should I still continue to eat it?), cliff builders bars (I'm really trying hard to get back to the weight I used to be before my illness), Greek yogurt (do you guys think this is not a good idea?), almonds (somedays), a scoop of whey protein isolate (I've heard its better because most of the lactose has been removed), chicken, venison, green superfood powders, sweet potatoes... I think that's about it.

This is what I deal with:

1) I know they say not to drink coffee, but I feel like I depend on it sometimes to produce a bowel movement in the mornings (If I don't have a post-coffee poop, my day is shot).

2) I feel like if there is waste in my colon, I can feel it, and it's hard for me to get it out. I don't strain, I just squeeze my abdomen until it slips out or I'll reposition my body (i.e twist my body on the toilet, arch my back a lot, or scrunch my stomach down); this takes roughly 30 mins (This is during the day when I feel the need to go, but with no coffee... With coffee, I don't need to reposition my body or anything like that to produce a bowel movement, simply push.)

3) Sometimes have acid reflux (I take digestive enzymes but I feel like they never help, ever.)

4) I always feel some relief when passing a stool, but it ALWAYS feels like an incomplete evacuation.

Just looking for people to motivate me to keep chugging along, and maybe provide some clarity to my situation?

THANK YOU ALL!


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

hi

so sorry for your problems.

coffee helps a lot of people have a bm--it's the caffeine that does it. my gastro doc told me that it's ok to drink it if it helps.

have you tried elevating your feet on something like an overturned waste bin, step stool, shoe box or squatty potty. elevating the feet straightens out the anorectal angle and allows a more complete evacuation. you might have to experiment to find the right height.

here is a good u tube video on how to have a bowel movement without straining.






if you are having trouble with incomplete bowel movements and keep feeling like you need to go all day, you could have pelvic floor dysfunction. have you been tested for that? with pfd, the pelvic floor muscles do not coordinate and/or relax properly to allow easy passage of stool. ineffective pelvic floor muscle coordination results in inadequate relaxation of the pelvic floor while attempting to have a BM. the puborectalis muscle tightens and contracts when it is supposed to relax to allow passage of stool. so you can't get it all out (incomplete) and keep having that "have to go " feeling all day.

pelvic floor dysfunction is not just a women's problem. men can develop it too.

a defecatory proctogram test will show if you have pfd as well as reveal if you have any other outlet problems. an anal manometry also helps diagnose pelvic floor problems.

biofeedback and physical therapy can be effective in correcting pfd.

i do hope you can find a good gastroenterologist who can help you with all this. often gastro docs who work at university hospitals or motility clinics are more proactive about treating constipation than regular gastros.

good luck with everything.


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## Magster (Apr 6, 2016)

Ill tell you what helped me after 23 yrs of IBS-C. 
It was all about the mornings for me. Still is..... The BOAT breakfast by Dr Oz. Include your coffee. I know I needed a 1/2 cup. Good quality coffee like Toms or Ritual. Couldnt take high acid cheap Starbucks coffee. It made me feel sick and cramp.

Also try Swiss Kriss herbal pills. It saved me in December 2014 when I didnt really go for two weeks. Took one before bed 2-3 times per week. I was normal. Got off of it 2-3 weeks at a time and only used if I didnt go for 3 days.

My normal is a number 4 BM on Bristol scale 4 times per week. Im an every other day person which works best. More than that and it makes me crampy.

But my IBS has turned to D for 2 yrs and I hate it which is why Im back on this site.


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## flossy (Dec 8, 2012)

connerlyliam said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> I'm new to this thread and thought it'd be good to discuss with people that are potentially going through the same thing... I have not been diagnosed with IBS-C (Because doctors think it's "All in my head". Honestly so frustrating to be told that when it affects my day to day life so drastically.) So I'm looking for people to confide in and maybe get some advice from?
> 
> ...


Hi connerlyliam -

Sorry to hear about your intestinal woes.

A few thoughts:

I think coffee is great for IBS-C.

Incomplete evacuation is very common with people with IBS-C.

You could try a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, mixed with water, for your acid reflux. Or a heaping tablespoon of baking soda mixed with water works well too.

For your constipation? My best advice is to take something every day to help you go. This is what I recommend (click on below link to read):

http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/325690-the-abcs-of-chronic-constipation-aka-ibs-c/

Good luck and keep us posted!


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## Magster (Apr 6, 2016)

Ill agree with Flossy on the coffee. However for me it needed to be of high quality or it made me sick with some cramps because of high acid content. Its worth the $$. Look at it like medicine.


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## connerlyliam (Feb 8, 2018)

Thank you all so much for the help... I really do swear by my post-coffee poops to get the day going on the right foot.

Flossy: I'm going to give that Dr. Shulze's formula a go to see if things get improved with the addition! MUCH APPRECIATED

Magster: I feeeeeeel you. Coffee always gives me the best poops... And on that note: Does anyone know how to achieve that level of poop without needing the addition of coffee? Can never get a regular poop to be as easy as a coffee-poop...

annie7: Your insight is super helpful. Thank you for taking the time to provide so much information that I will HAVE to utilize in the future with a GI specialist... If this issue has lingered since about 2015, would ya'll recommend I get a Colonoscopy?

I'm just afraid the Doc won't find anything, and it will just be a waste...


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## Magster (Apr 6, 2016)

Based on your symptoms I do think a colonoscopy is a waste. Are you over 50? Get one. &#128521;. If not, dont fret. They likely will not find anything. The prep in my opinion is like death. Lol.

On the coffee. Nothing really compares but you can try a very strong MINT tea! I like Stash brand. 
Also- peanut butter works almost as well. A good strong PB smoothie will also get me to go


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## cathylackey8 (Apr 13, 2016)

*i am new to this site and cant figure out what to click on to post messages in forums ., etc*


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

cathylackey8 said:


> *i am new to this site and cant figure out what to click on to post messages in forums ., etc*


hi and welcome to the board.

if you want to post a new topic, just click on the forum where you want to post that topic. in the upper right hand corner you will see a black rectangular box that says "post new topic". click on that and you will be able to post a new topic.


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