# Mucus and exercise - need help



## Jonathan3456 (May 19, 2015)

Hi,

I'm new here so I have I have put this in the right place. I have an issue I haven't been able to deal with, I'm hoping someone on here might have some advice or some answers.

But first, a quick background, I'm a 21y/o male and have had IBS-D for a little over a year now, with fairly typical symptoms (Diarrhea, bloating, abdominal pain etc.). I think my symptoms are mainly triggered by anxiety, which keeps me pretty much housebound most of the time. I do try and do little things outside of the house but I can't manage much before the anxiety and IBS symptoms kick in. I'm fairly dependant on loperamide/Imodium if I want to do anything outside the house.

One of the things I do manage to do each week is play 5-a-side football (soccer) for an hour each week. It's something I've managed to do fairly well even with the IBS. This is where my new issue comes in (it is kinda gross/TMI, just a warning). In the last three months or so, I have started having what I think is mucus leaking from my anus during football. I had never experienced anything like this before 3 months ago, I only ever have it happen during football (that is probably the only serious exercise I get each week, so would guess it is linked to intense exercise), and I don't to my knowledge have any other symptoms that have started within the last 3 months.

I went to the doctors about it around 5 or 6 weeks ago, she said it was likely to be haemorrhoids and told me to do everything to avoid constipation/straining. So I've been trying to eat a high fibre diet and have had to stop taking my loperamide/Imodium. 6 weeks doing this and nothing has changed, I still get the same mucus symptom when I play. Not taking my loperamide/Imodium is forcing me to confine myself to the house even more than usual, which is driving me crazy.

I'm starting to doubt the doctors diagnosis, does anyone have any experience of this, or have any advice for what I could do about it?

Sorry for the long post, thanks for reading!


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## an0chick2 (Jan 27, 2015)

I think managing your anxiety would be the first thing you can start by doing. Recently I started having debilitating anxiety with a week of multiple panic attacks a day. I started Googling vitamins for anxiety and came across b-complex, magnesium, and vitamin C. I've been supplementing along with trying a sugar free diet (only sugar I'm eating are from fruits or honey for my tea). My panic attacks have stopped completely. And my anxiety is no longer all day! I can only hope that it'll get better little by little! I think that'll better your digestion since anxiety makes your digestion work faster! Also probiotics seem to work for some people.

About the mucus thing, honestly the leaking doesn't happen to me but I have passed only mucus. Try to eat healthier and it might help your anxiety which in turn will help your digestion. Obviously, exercising is really good too!

You're young, hopefully things will get better if you're consistent!


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## Jonathan3456 (May 19, 2015)

Hi An0chick2, thank you for your reply and your suggestions.

Well, diet-wise, I am on the low-FODMAP diet, which I think has worked pretty well for me. I would guess I still eat a fair amount of sugar though, so cutting that out might be one to try. I also take the VSL#3 probiotic, which has probably been the best thing I have done for my IBS. Those vitamins you listed are new to me though so I will look into trying those.

I have been planning to start walking and cycling as a way to get myself out of the house and gradually overcome the anxiety. But I don't feel I can do that until I deal with this mucus thing. I'm completely at a loss for what it is or how to deal with it. I'm not totally sure what to do next.


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## an0chick2 (Jan 27, 2015)

I wish I could be of more help with the mucus thing but I don't really have that issue. But maybe it'll go away when you get your digestive issues in check! Feel better! !


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## Jonathan3456 (May 19, 2015)

I certainly hope so! Thanks


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## Audi2015 (May 26, 2015)

Hello an0chick2,

I was just wondering how the honey effects you? Therefore, the texture of honey being thick I thought would result in constipation?


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## Lorelei56 (Apr 7, 2014)

How much? Could wearing a pad help?


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## an0chick2 (Jan 27, 2015)

Audi,
I suffer more from loose stools and I only sweeten my tea with a little bit of honey and I haven't really noticed any bad effects on me.


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## Leo41 (Dec 13, 2010)

Really nothing to help with here... but the very first symptoms I ever noticed with this IBS was basically small mucus leakage. I would be at work, feel something slippery, then go to the restroom and have this clear, mucus... enough to wet the TP. This was not after passing gas or anything. Eventually this pretty much stopped, but of course now if I am having any issues I can have a little or loads of mucus. With this actually I can have no symptoms and feel like I need to go and have mucus. Seems just to be part of this. No leakage though anymore, but of course it can always ride along if passing gas sometimes... a roll of the dice, just as everyday with this is.


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## Jonathan3456 (May 19, 2015)

Thanks for the replies

@Lorelei - I guess a pad might help, but I guess I would still be able to 'feel' it happening which it guess would still worry me. Might be worth a go though.

@Leo - My leakage happens pretty much the same as how you describe yours, except mine only happens when I exercise. That's the part that confuses me, I have tried searching the internet and haven't found anywhere that links mucus leakage to exercise, like my symptoms. it's so frustrating.


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## Leo41 (Dec 13, 2010)

Jonathan...

I don't think it's so much linking exercise to the mucus, as much as you have the mucus, and the exercise causes internal pressure, and gravity (running) makes it come out. I would think the only way to stop it would be to reduce all inflammation and as the doc said be sure you are not at all constipated.

Mucus... Mucus is natural, it is produced by the colon for lubrication, but also increases when the intestines are irritated, swollen, ulcerated, or infected. Also when constipated the production will increase as the body tried to lubricate the hard stool.... add IBS to that, and well... we can get lots.

Of course if you stop taking things that help (to be sure you are not constipated), then that causes more irritation... more mucus.


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## Jonathan3456 (May 19, 2015)

Leo,

I hadn't thought of it in that way. Over-production of mucus is the problem, and exercise just happens to 'show' that problem. So mucus is the thing I should aim to fix.

You mentioned inflammation...a while back I used to take flax seed oil (which I believe is an anti-imflammatory), can't remember why I stopped. Do you think if I started taking that and maybe some other anti-imflammatory supplements with it, it might help stop my mucus issue?

I was also considering trying a change to my diet, perhaps lowering my sugar intake, or cutting it out completely.

Cheers


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## Akn1965 (Jan 13, 2017)

Low Fodmap diet lowers the quantity of mucus in the stool in my case.


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