# Questions about mucous



## evawes1 (Nov 24, 2008)

Hey guys, I've got a couple questions about mucous in my stool. I know its kind've a symptom of IBS, and when I saw my doctor this was the thing he focused most on - and he tested to see if it wasn't puss from infections or something. What would people consider to be a lot of mucous? Or even significant? Usually my BMs these days always seem to have these little white specks in them, which can be bigger like a few sesame seeds put together. But occasionally (like tonight, which is why I bring this) I have a lot. Like seriously, I have these white globs the size of peanuts in my stool (the nuts inside the shell, no the whole shell bit sized), and even a more decent sized bit which was actually flat and like the size of a piece of pineapple or something, but flattened out. Does this sound like a lot of mucous? Can it be reasonable for an IBS sufferer?Its not always like that, but typically when I feel like I'm having a day of loose BMs and perhaps a bit more abdominal aches I will see more white globby stuff in my stool. I'm asking this because I hear about visible mucous in stool for IBS sufferers, but I always imagined soft gluey stuff, and although I sometimes have that, usually it is globs like peanut sized. I've never really had a BM with all this mucous throughout it, like a long string. Its mostly been in glob form. Do other people have this?My second question, and more of a problem that I'm having, is that typically these mucous globs are actually hard. I know because when I'm more curious I will get a toothpick and poke around a bit. I'm gotta be a bit more graphic for a second... but I can actually pierce these mucous globs, but they are almost hard. I might be able to press down on them and they will squish, but nothing like what I would expect from a gluey substance. My doctor suggested that they might possibly be just drying up a bit, because my symptoms have been constipation. The best way I can describe them are like peanuts, but a little more soft.And no I havent been eating any nuts recently


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

The mucus in the GI track is like the mucus in your nose.Various food parts could be the hard bits, or sometimes it is how things interact in the GI tract that can form things (often what comes out of your body from some of the recipes for a "gall bladder flush" or "liver flush" is from what you swallow not what is released from the body).I would stop trying to analyze your stool so closely. That kind of detective work tends to just increase anxiety and never usually tells you much of anything. There will be undigested bits in every human's stool. I'm pretty sure something you eat has some undigestible bit in it.There is no hard fast rule to how much mucus is excessive mucus, nor is there some measure where 5.5 ml per volume of stool is normal and 6.5 ml per volume stool is abnormal for disease one and 7.5 ml per volume of stool is abnormal for something lethal.Mucus is an extremely non specific colon response and all humans have some mucus because it is normal to release it to protect the lining and lubricate the stool. Generally anytime any human actually has enough to see it they call it excessive, but that isn't a medically defined term, just if people can see it they think it is too much.I suppose it can harden over time, but usually that is with exposure to air (like in the nose) rather than in someplace that is mostly wet all the time.You will not find the answers you want by dissecting your stool. I'd just ignore it if you can.


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## Guest (Dec 15, 2008)

Well hiya again Eva - you panicking again - I'd go along with Kath - if you've had all the usual tests done - and forgive me, cos I can't remember if you have had - I'd be inclined to leave well alone - as we've talked about before - you get all sorts in your stools - the one to worry about is tarry, blackish poos with blood IN the stool - not along with it. Its probably nowt more than some sort of undigested food - what have you been eating?????Sue


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## baz22p (Dec 1, 2008)

Hi evawes, I, too, would go along with what Kathleen and Sue have said. The only thing I would add is about mucus passed but NOT in the stool; i.e. the passing of 'just mucus', or mucus that deposits onto the toilet paper when wiping. Sorry, I'm trying not to be unnecessarily/unpleasantly graphic. I think it fair to say that ALL stools would be coated with a layer of mucus anyway because of the lubricant qualites - as per Kathleen's comments. The 2 ways that I have mentioned for you to possibly see evidence of mucus may give you, and your doctor, more of an indication of quantity values. But saying this, I would again advise you not to worry unduly should you see it because mucus seems to be a bye-product of excessive stool production (diarrhoea). I've had diarrhoea for the past 2 days and I have noticed mucus on the toilet paper when wiping. I view the situation as being an INDICATION and not a WARNING. A lack of mucus would possibly be more worrying as this would lead to very painful friction when evacuating!


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