# What could this be?



## Bill Z (Feb 22, 2009)

For about a year straight I have, quite frequently in fact, noticed something strange with my bowel movements. I'm severe IBS-C and 27/male in case you need to know. *WARNING*, this might be a bit unpleasant, but I need to find out what it is.When I get rid of the "initial" part of the stool, I notice it has yellow and sometimes whitish strands on it, which have sort of a "stringy" look to them. Some other things worth mentioning is that this only became noticeable when my constipation started to get REALLY bad (about 1.5 years ago now.) Also, *around that time*, I started noticing--additionally--small bits of undigested food in the stool.. but these yellow strands don't look like undigested food, not to my uneducated eyes anyway. Now in recent weeks my constipation is *the worst its ever been*, and this is becoming even more noticeable. Also, I notice this phenomenon is only with the "initial" part of the stool.. but the rest of my stool (broken up bits, ribbon shaped stuff) doesn't have it. Any clue?Some other updates for those who read my other threads: I basically can't have a bowel movement without an enema anymore, and I have been using them for about 1 1/2 weeks, once every 3-4 days. Before that, I tried taking magnesium citrate pills (2 per day at 400mg total, or 100% of magnesium RDI to be on the safe side) and this dosage seems to be either doing very little, or absolutely nothing. I stopped taking 3 stool softener pills per day because they can deplete magnesium/potassium and can ruin natural peristalsis after longterm use, or at least that's what some people online told me. I'm only taking 1 stool softener pill a day now.*What should I do at this point? What else can I try? The mag citrate failed.* I'm relying on enemas for bowel movements twice a week, is this safe. How else would I be able to go? If I try it the natural way, I end up straining so hard to get a little out, and if I don't strain, NOTHING comes out. I'm really stuck. I wanted to ask if I can keep the empty Fleet enema bottle (that's the only brand I use, the isotonic saline kind) and fill it up myself so I don't have to keep paying for them.. *but I hear that tap water enemas can cause electrolyte imbalances. * Perhaps this is the problem: I notice, even with enemas, I can get rid of stuff to a point but then it's like I hit a BRICK WALL.. I *know* there's a lot more, but I can't pass it, not with the hardest straining, or with little straining, I just hit a brick wall and my bowel movement--at that point on--is over. It's like my bowels "close up" once I hit that point, seriously. When I hit that point all I can pass is mucus.Any insight, on ANY of my questions, would be helpful. I know this is a lot to take in, so please don't be overwhelmed by it.Please help,Bill


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Have you been evaluated to see if the pelvic floor is working properly? Sometimes it can tighten up when it should relax leading to a lot of straining and difficulty passing stool even when it is a consistency that should be passable.All people have undigested bits of food in their stool. There are things that are only broken apart with grinding and chewing, so if they go down in bits they come out in bits. The strands might be mucus. It can pick up some color from the stool. Everyone always makes mucus, but sometimes if you are constipated or have diarrhea or the bowel is just uncomfortable for any reason it will make more to either lubricate the stool or protect the lining.The USRDA of 400mgs is the minumum you need every day the recommended maximum is 1000mgs a day.


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## Kitty G (Jun 27, 2006)

Bill, Have you heard of the go study? You can log into thegostudy.com and check it out. It is a new study they are doing for people with constipation. You may or may not qualify, but it may be worth it for you to check out. It looks like if you qualify they pay for all the testing and such and also may pay you to participate. I don't qualify, but it is available in my area.


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## Bill Z (Feb 22, 2009)

Kathleen M. said:


> Have you been evaluated to see if the pelvic floor is working properly? Sometimes it can tighten up when it should relax leading to a lot of straining and difficulty passing stool even when it is a consistency that should be passable.All people have undigested bits of food in their stool. There are things that are only broken apart with grinding and chewing, so if they go down in bits they come out in bits. The strands might be mucus. It can pick up some color from the stool. Everyone always makes mucus, but sometimes if you are constipated or have diarrhea or the bowel is just uncomfortable for any reason it will make more to either lubricate the stool or protect the lining.The USRDA of 400mgs is the minumum you need every day the recommended maximum is 1000mgs a day.


Kathleen, thanks for your response. I was kinda anxious that the yellow strands could mean some sort of liver dysfunction or something, I guess it's amazing the things an anxiety disorder can make you think of. It could be mucus: as said in the OP, once I hit a certain point it's like I hit a "brick wall" and my bowels close up, from then on all I pass is mucus.I haven't had the pelvic floor evaluated yet. What else goes with PVD: does trouble initiating, and stopping, the urine flow go with that? I've been having that, and also urinary frequency lately.About the magnesium, I'm a bit leery of going up to 1000mgs because I actually have some concerns about my kidneys, e.g. there is a small chance that I may have an undiagnosed kidney problem, so I want to play it safe for now.I wanted to ask about tap water enemas: is there a safe way to do these? I've read that you can get an electrolyte imbalance if you don't use an isotonic solution. Not to mention there may be impurities in tap water that one doesn't want in their body.Lemme know,Bill


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I don't know much about enemas, but generally they seem pretty safe. If you are really concerned add a bit of salt (about the taste of tears) to some distilled water.There isn't much that comes out of the liver that ends up in the GI tract that would be obvious. You do get bile, but it isn't stringy. People may not absorb enough of the bile released for various reasons but that tends to cause diarrhea. The yellow and brown color in stool comes from the bile. It starts out yellow, or greenish and that is turned brown as the stool is stored by the bacteria in the colon. If you can't release bile the stools are an off-white clay type of color. Mucus can be stringy and it can pick up the yellow or brown colors from the stool.The pelvic floor issues may also effect urination as those muscles are involved with that as well.


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## Sean (Feb 8, 1999)

Bill,The Fleet enemas are more than just isotonic saline solution. The contain monobasic and dibasic sodium phosphate solution, which is an osmostic laxative. That is why such a small amount of solution works. It is basically a rectal laxative. If you want to take a tap water enema, you will likely need significantly more volume than the 4 ounce Fleet bottle. You will need to get an enema bag from a pharmacy. The kits that are sold are a hot water bottle with an adapter for a long flexible hose. The hose has a tip for insertion into the rectum. You fill the water bottle with body temperature tap water and hang it above you so that the water flows into the bowel by gravity. I, unfortunately, have a lot of experience with these. They do work and work very well.I don't think a couple of tap water enemas a week will hurt you as long as you are otherwise healthy. My doctor told me a few years back that I could safely use up to three a week. However, if you want to be on the safe side, you can make an isotonic saline solution by adding two level teaspoons of table salt to each quart of water. The bag holds 2 quarts. You should take in at least a quart, but if you can get the whole bag in, it works even better. Send me a message if through this website if you need more information.Sean


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