# bowels not fully emptying whether constipated or runny



## lincslad (Jan 21, 2010)

hi everyonei have been suffering a while now but most of the time i am able to control my problem.when all is fine, with the help of a fibre supplement my movements are regular (about once a day on average), firm and very clean. this will often last for several weeks being ok. since using the fibra i found this gave better consistency stools, more regular and cleaner movement.however, every so often i will get what i think is an attack of ibs where sometimes my stools will be very soft/runny and sometimes they will be fairly firm, but no matter what, they never fully empty and so therefore is a very messy experience! i therefore think the messy problem isnt due to the texture so much, more the fact that it is only half emptying.i am fairly careful with my diet, avoiding pork, have regular fruit and vegetables, avoid alcohol and caffeine where possible and try to have a good fibre intake. i have a good liquid/water intake.unfortunately i am still trying to identify why it suddenly starts off again for a period of time like this as once it starts i seem to have no way or getting "back to normal" easily and this can last for up to a couple of weeks. I am yet to identify if there is a trigger food causing it.Any ideas?Thanks


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## Diana63 (Oct 20, 2009)

My bowels never fully empty,have not done so for quite a number of years now,it does not matter what the BM is like,i always have the feeling of incomplete evacuation!Not pleasant at all.I am always careful with my diet and fluid intake also.I saw a Dietician last year and went through exclusion diets with her.My ibs symptoms never leave me,so i do not have a time when i feel i am getting a bit of a rest from them,if only!There is so much that can set ibs of,so the experts say.They always say stress/anxiety etc a big factor in it.It can be difficult at times to identify what causes it.I have no idea why i suffer all the time and the Doctors cant answer that for me either,so i try to live with it best i can.


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## jmc09 (Oct 5, 2009)

This seems to be one of the most common symptoms of IBS so you are not alone.It really is a very very inconvenient symptom of the condition.


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## lincslad (Jan 21, 2010)

thanks for all the replies.since the original post things have been very up and down. i went from january to may using just a daily fibre supplement and had virtually no problems at all - nice solid stools and fairly regular.however since then i am back to inconsistency, and the last 3 to 4 weeks have been the worst i have ever had. i am still regular, once a day and sometimes twice in each case however my stools are very much around a type 6 at best and still not fully emptying. this is despite eating healthier than ever and doing more exercise! i also have a food intolerance test in may of which cheese, mushrooms and yeast showed up. i have since then cut cheese and mushrooms out of my diet totally and cut right down on yeast. fibre supplements also stopped helping and i have recently cut down on these too as i have been told that it can actually make you worse as they bulk up the stools.so with such a messy stool type of 6 which one would say is diarrhea-like, but the fact i am not fully emptying which is technically constipation, what type ibs would anyone think that i have?i am unsure whether to take any more fibre as this may bulk up but at the same time im unsure about taking anything to relieve muscles to soothe constipation when my stools are already diarrhea-like soft!any thoughts or advice?thanks


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Feeling incomplete isn't a stool type or stool consistency, it can happen with all of them, so you can be IBS-D with incomplete evacuation, doesn't mean you are constipated.Medications that calm down the inappropriate signals may help as it tends to be more of a sensation issue. Your colon shouldn't be completely empty even if the last part will empty for awhile.


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## lincslad (Jan 21, 2010)

Thanks for the replyAt the minute a big issue I would like to do is to bulk up my stools as at the minute as at the minute they seem very soft and runny no matter what i do, i drink quite a lot of water too.As for medication, is there any that you recommend or am I best to visit my gp for that?Thanks


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Two ways to look at it.Either add fiber for more mass to bulk it up (and can absorb some excess water)Or try Calcium Carbonate (take with vitamin D) to bind up the stool and firm it up a bit.See the Calcium thread pinned in the diarrhea forum for a lot of information on that.The doctor can prescribe either an antispasmodic or a low dose antidepressant to try to change the signals, but they are much about changing stool consistency (although some are a bit constipating so can firm things up for some people).


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## SarahLund (Aug 16, 2010)

Hi








How confusing hey? Maybe try about seven mouthfuls of fibre, as opposed to a full bowl of it. Then see if there's any improvement. Try having a drink while sat on the toilet, it helps aleviate stool pains. A hot water bottle is good for pains.


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## SarahLund (Aug 16, 2010)

I bet you're feeling quite nauses by now. I.B.S is such a farce. lol.


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