# Having trouble with bowel movements, and getting worried



## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Hey guys,

So I am having an awkward experience with bowel movements. Ever since I can remember, I've always had rather large stools, so large that I couldn't believe they came out of my bum. I typically had one BM a day, if not then one every 2 days (which wasn't that often). In May, I started having some health complications that basically severely heightened my stress and I noticed I began having some serious trouble with my bowel movements. At the end of May, I discovered I am allergic to all dairy, gluten, oats, hazelnut, peanuts, and a few other things that two different doctors confirmed with different tests.

Fast forward and I've had a few bouts where a few days went by where I wouldn't have a BM at all. My stools since starting this diet have varied, sometimes the pellets of constipation and sometimes as big as a hot dog. On rare occasion, I'd have a large stool but nowhere near what I used to produce.

At the beginning of September, I started feeling (or at least noticing) a heavy amount of pressure in my lower back area, most of which was in my rectum. When I make my muscles strain or push as if I was trying to force a stool out, it feels like all that pressure centralizes and is being pushed into my back from the inside. But, it also feels like a stool wants to come out, but can't. I had my gf help me with a suppository and I couldn't even let it sit for more than 30 seconds.

I had to go on a week long business trip, and the entire time I felt miserable and stressed on it a lot. I couldn't really pass gas and the times I did, I cherished it every time. I had one bowel movement where it literally looked like a cone and was a paste-like stool, as if it was basically glued together. I had a couple of smaller BM's after that, basically like the leftovers, but nothing relieved the feeling of still needing to go.

When I got back, I had a BM every morning for about 5 days. They were consistently sausage shaped and length, with a couple or so coming out. The day I arrived home, I felt an ungodly need to go and there was quite a bit of stool in the toilet, but I hadn't fully relieved that feeling yet.

Anyway, for the last few days, I've had no BMs at all, except for yesterday. At 2am before going to bed Sunday night going into Monday, I had a BM that didn't feel relieving at all and it was 2 of the sausage stools. Monday morning when I awoke, I had another just like that and this time I tried using my finger to break some of the stool up. I had a lot of stool on my gloved finger, as if I basically just poked it, but I couldn't get down how to "dig it out" as I've read. Throughout the remainder of the day, every hour or so, I released stool as if I was constipated; pellets, small chunks in groups, etc. And eventually, the second last of the day, was ball-like chunks mixed with some mucus and a bit of water. When I tried to see if I could break up any more stool, there was a thick. mucus like substance on the glove and it looked almost like snot. I started to get concerned, and my rectum was starting to feel irritated so I stopped trying. All throughout the later half of the day, though, I passed gas quite consistently--as in, every 10 - 20 seconds or so, until it spread out to every few minutes, every half hour, every hour, etc. until it disappeared.

Today, my gf helped me by putting some Vaseline on a glove and trying to lubricate around my butthole and inside of it, seeing if I can maybe lube myself enough to pass it. She wound up putting her whole finger in (  ), and claims she felt absolutely nothing. However, I on the other hand, felt like she was shoving a turd back inside me! Sorry for the description lol. But, when she removed her finger, there was no stool of any kind on her finger. She tried again, and I "pushed", and still nothing. This pressure is agonizing, and even though I don't feel the "urge to go" so to say, I swear up and down that I have a stool I need to release.

Does anyone have any ideas on, is it possible I don't actually have a stool and maybe just have gas that is trapped? Or, could it be an internal hemorrhoid? Am I possibly dealing with an impacted stool that is just too "high up" to be able to feel or do anything about from the rectum?

I've always had problems with pooping in some fashion or another, and was even prescribed vitamin E to take along with stool softeners by my PCP when I was 13. I've never been diagnosed with IBS, but I don't have any doctors who are interested in checking me out for it


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

sorry you're having problems.

i suppose it could possibly be an internal hemorrhoid that is causing this feeling or maybe an internal rectal prolapse. your doctor can check you out/test you for this.

there is also something called tenesmus--the feeling that you need to pass stool even though your bowel is already empty. we have a lot of posts here on the board about this.

if you have stool in the rectum that you can't get out, often elevating your feet on something like an overturned waste bin, step stool, shoe box or squatty potty will help. elevating the feet helps straighten out the anorectal angle and allows a more complete evacuation.

if you consistently have stool in the rectum that you can't get out, it could be that you have pelvic floor dysfunction. this is a condition where the pelvic floor muscles don't coordinate and relax properly to allow easy passage of stool. a defecography will dx this and biofeedback can help to treat it.

it's best to make an appointment with a doctor--preferable a good gastroenterologist--to get checked out and evaluated.

good luck. hope you feel better soon.


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Thank you for the prompt reply!

I will definitely find one in my area that is willing to help with such an issue lol.

We had to run some errands, and when we got back a few hours later, I had a BM (it was about as round as a dime  ), and about 7 or so inches long. I used my toddler's potty as a way to elevate my feet and tried to push (not too hard) and couldn't really get anything, but when I tried the glove thing myself, I was able to reach what I truly felt was the hard stool. I used a few gloves (with Vaseline) to try and lube things up, and each time I touched what felt like immense BM pressure as soon as I touched it, I had brown glue-like stool on my finger. Each time. I couldn't break anything up, though 

I felt something kind of like a bump inside, though, pretty far up that was on my right side. I didn't mess with it too much, but it almost felt like I could slightly push it in, almost like a glob of goo. Is that normal? I'm scared it was some kind of bowel obstruction  Would it be really hard if it was an obstruction? I wanted to scrape it out but felt extremely nervous.

I got some Miralax and Phillips Colon Health Probiotics from the store and plan on starting each of those today, plus taking the cheap walmart branded stool softeners (docusate I believe) I already have, one now and one tonight. Is this overkill? I also had a tablespoon of olive oil in my coffee this morning (roughly 6 hrs ago)


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

you should be able to go to your regular doctor and have him/her examine you and diagnose the bump. they can look at it with an anoscope. it sounds like it could be an internal hemorrhoid but i'm no doctor... i do not think it would be wise to try to scrape it out.

if you think you have an obstruction, go to a doctor or a walk-in clinic etc. they can diagnose this with tests--x ray, CT scan.

using stool softener and miralax together might be a bit redundant. docusate softens stools. miralax does that too and depending on how much of it you take it can even liquefy stools. if your stools are very hard, miralax would probably be the best choice. start with a low dose and work up from that.

when you push while trying to have a BM don't strain and push from the rectum. that is counterproductive and just locks up your pelvic floor muscles so that not much if any stool can get out. straining can also cause hemorrhoids. here is a good u tube video on how to have a bowel movement without straining. do as the PT in the video says and "make your waist wide" and push from there--not your rectum:


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Oh darn! I didn't take any of the Miralax yesterday, but did take the Probiotic. I just took a docusate stool softener about 20 mins ago. Should I skip miralax for today? The one I got recommends filling the cap, which would be 17g.

Thinking about it a little more, I wonder if I suffer from a magnesium deficiency . I've noticed, when I take my multivitamins, and have for a good amount of consecutive days in a row, my bowel habits improve. My multivitamin I use has 140mg of magnesium. I've found a lot of info online suggesting that taking 250-400mg of magnesium daily really helps with BM's in a way like stool softeners but also relaxes the muscles. I was thinking about getting some so that I can give that a shot. Would that be a good idea?

Thank you for the info, I'll get in touch with my doc and see if she can at least check out my bump. If it is an internal hemorrhoid, what is normally used to treat those? Can an internal hemorrhoid cause problems with passing stool?

I'll definitely try the tips from that video! Thank you! I've always gotten to a point where I've strained while pushing these past few days. I push and push, and wind up getting lightneaded rarely but find myself simply just straining.

Something I've also been reading about is impacted stool. I don't think I would have this, but I'm not sure. Would I be able to have any BM's at all if I had impacted stool?


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

oh yes, you can still take miralax today...

and yes, definitely, that is an excellent idea to take magnesium. quite a few people find taking magnesium supplements helps. the amount type of mag supplement varies from individual to individual. you have to experiment to see what works for you. there are many different kinds: magnesium citrate, magnesium oxide, magnesium glycinate, chelated magnesium, liquid magnesium citrate (the supplement--not the stuff in the bottles you buy at the drug store) etc. a lot of people like powdered magnesium supplements like natural calm- you mix in water and drink it . Magnesium relaxes the muscles in the intestines which helps to establish a smoother rhythm and magnesium also helps soften the stool by attracting water to the colon which helps to make stools easier to pass. we've got a ton of magnesium threads on here.

i don't know what is nomally used to treat internal hemorrhoids if they are too far up there for the hemorrhoid creams or suppositories to reach. your doc would know. and yes depending on their size, hemorroids can cause difficulty in passing stool. they can also cause thin or flat stools. we have some threads on that--and from people saying that their C improved once they got their hemmies fixed.

symptoms of impaction include abdominal cramping and bloating, leakage of liquid or sudden episodes of watery D, small, semi formed stools, rectal bleeding, low back pain...an impaction is when you go for a while, like a week or so, with no bm at and then all of a sudden you get watery diarrhea which is the body doing a sort of "self enema" by using the watery D to unblock things...

if you totally stop passing any kind of stool at all and stop passing gas, then you may have develop an obstruction. symptoms of obstruction also can include nausea and vomiting and fever. this is an ER situation. an obstruction means the stool cannot move, has completely filled that part of the colon, nothing can get by, not even gas and eventually you will begin to vomit up stool when it needs to get out but it can't due to the obstruction. the symptoms of an obstruction are unmistakable. i've had one, so believe me , i know.


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Oh wow, this is all very informative, thank you! For impaction, how much rectal bleeding should I expect? I do have the lower back pain (not constant, but it's there and is especially bothersome based on my position), but the only rectal bleeding I have is very small like something is irritated inside my rectum. There's been a few times where I had a BM that was dark water mixed with a little bit of stool, would this just be dhiarrea?

I will look at natural mind! I will also take some Miralax. Thank you!

I feel like I am forcing my body into making a BM lol. I've eaten 2 salads, homemade popcorn w/o butter or salt, and drank prune juice and took a stool softener since I've been up (around 6 hrs). I've also drank 34oz of water. Should I be looking at drinking 64oz / 2 ltrs per day?


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

not everyone gets rectal bleeding with an impaction. the amount of bleeding varies. it's generally not profuse.

yes, sounds like you had diarrhea.

if you're backed up or impacted, it's not a good idea to keep eating lots of fiber. if stool isn't moving properly through you colon, adding more fiber on top of what's already in there will only back things up all the more. until you get things moving again, it's best to stick to a very low fiber diet. eat soft foods and food with a high moisture content. and yes drink lots of water/fluids--at least 64 oz-- to keep things moist in there. you also need to drink lots of water when taking miralax.


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Oh darn







I did a little looking and most of the low fiber diets I'm finding are things I'm allergic to







haha this will be fun!

Thank you for the help! So I will stick with canned fruits when possible. I know apples are high in fiber, but what about cantaloupe, honeydew melon, and watermelon? I know all fruits have varying levels of fiber, but since these all have moisture, would they be okay? Also, when I do have salad, I have a homemade olive oil + vinegar dressing, would this be okay? Usually I have diced carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, and garbanzo beans (uncooked) in my salad. would this be fiber overkill?

Thank you so much!


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

melons are fine. you can peel the skin from other (fresh) fruit to reduce their fiber content.

if you think you're allergic to the food in low fiber diets, then do the best you can---just try not to go overboard on the fiber. for example, eat one salad instead of two, like you mentioned earlier. it's just not a good idea to load up on a lot of fiber when you have an impaction.


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Thank you for the help!

I actually had a decent BM! It was a pasty like BM, is that normal for stool softeners. I've still felt "full" since, and have been able to push a little more out here and there. Right now, I definitely feel more evacuated, but there is still some left. Should I try using a suppository? I haven't actually tried Miralax yet


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

hooray! you got things moving again! pasty is normal for stool softeners.

yes you could try a suppository. or miralax. or a stimulant laxative like senna or dulcolax. good luck..


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Darn I couldnt get much else going  I tried the suppository and could only hold it for about 4 minutes max before I felt myself leaking  lol

Now though, when I'm standing pushing (which is how I've had the most amount of luck today), I push and it feels like something is coming out, but it's just thick mucus. Is this normal for using a suppository, or okay?

I can't much of anything else going and have to rely on my body being willing to let out small chunks  But when I push I feel like something wants to come out, but it's a hard stool. It literally feels like it's at the "exit" if you will but simply can't come out. Is this possible considering I've been releasing stool up to this point? From what I've read it could be old stool, but some of the stool I've been passing is soft


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

yes mucus is common with a suppository.

have you tried elevating your feet on a foot stool like i mentioned earlier. sometimes that helps get stool out. don't strain when you push. instead, make your waist wide, like the woman in the video mentions and push from there.

you could try a fleets enema to get the stuck stool out--if there's really stool in there and it's not just a feeling of stool, like you mentioned earlier. or you could try a dulcolax suppository. that has a laxative in it. or you could try taking miralax or even a stimulant laxative if you feel you are still backed up. and try taking your magnesium supplements.

or you could just let your body work it out on it's own, if that seems like the best idea to you. maybe you are no longer as backed up as you thought you were, since you've been going some. try not to obsess about it, though... that never helps.. stress and worry can just tighten things up all the more down there, making it harder to go.


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

I will definitely try the Miralax now. I have a meeting I have to go to shortly, how long does Miralax take to kick in? I'll probably wait until I get back to take it. I'm kind of worried I'm taking too much stuff







I normally take multivitamins (that have 140mg of magnesium), fish oil 1,200 mg, vitamin C 500mg, lisinopril 10mg (for blood pressure), now I'm taking docusate 100mg (2x daily, just started yesterday), magnesium 250mg, and Philips Colon Health Probiotics. It's more nerves than anything with that lol.

I'm pretty sure it's stool, when I push hard and dab the surface of my bumhoe with tissue, I can feel a hard texture but there's also stool on the tissue, sometimes quite a bit. It's pretty dark too (still brown though).

I haven't tried the stool yet today for elevation but I will when I return. I feel like I'm not pushing right the way the lady explains









Would Miralax be the best considering it's not a stimulant laxative?

Thanks again for all of your help! It really has been helping relieving some of my anxiety about all of this


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

usually people take miralax at night and it works the next morning although if you've got a lot of hard, backed up stool in there it could take a day or two to kick in--especially if you just take the one cap full.

yes, miralax is a good thing to start with.

glad i could help.







constipation is so not fun...


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Okay sweet thank you!

I've read that taking laxatives can cause your bowel movements to stop functioning properly and they can basically become reliant on laxatives. Is this true? Would this be the case with miralax? Or, magnesium if I begin taking it daily? Or how about the docusate stool softeners?


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

no, that is not true about laxatives--either stimulant or osmotic. my gastro doctors told me this and i've also researched it.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15654804

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2809429/

and other articles as well...

all the laxatives that had been considered unsafe to take were removed from the market years ago. i remember when that happened.

my gastro docs told me-- and i've read-- that miralax is safe to take daily. so are stool softeners.

as long as you don't have renal problems, magnesium supplements are safe to take as well although it's generally recommended that you don't take over 1000 mg of magnesium supplements per day. also if you take high amounts of magnesium like this, it's a good idea to get your mag blood levels tested periodically to make sure your kidneys are clearing it properly. many people are actually deficient in magnesium, in which case they need magnesium supplementation. i am currently taking 600 mg of magnesium citrate daily to help with my migraines lol... my neuro told me i could take up to 800 mg a day but that amount gives me too much diarrhea.


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Okay thank you for the relieving info! I didn't want to risk doing anything further  lol. Oh wow okay cool! So 400mg of magnesium isn't so bad then.

I wound up passing out last night so I started the miralax this morning. How often per day can I have cap fulls of this? I ask because I feel like I'm emptying further, thankfully, but I have one stool (hopefully only one) in particular that us fighting coming out, and it feels really hard on the end that'd be coming first. Does miralax help with these too? I'm almost at the point of wanting to give up, but I don't really want to yet


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

you may take as much miralax as you feel you need to get things moving. it should help soften up and expell the stool in there that is hard.

please don't give up. try to stay positive and proactive--that's the key. and, like i said earlier, it would be a good idea to make an appointment with good gastroenterologist who can order tests if necessary and who can help you get this all figured out. there are medications that are available that help with chronic constipation. that are lots of options for dealing with constipation. often gastro docs who work at a university hospital or motility clinic are more knowledgeable, caring and proactive about dealing with constipation than regular gastros.

we have a lot of good tips and ideas for dealing with chronic constipation here on the board so you might want to take a look around and do some reading.

http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/152106-the-great-list-of-remedies/


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Thank you so much, your help is very encouraging! I will definitely check that thread out! I put my miralax in my 8oz of coffee I had this morning, which now I feel may have weakened it. I put nutpods almond and coconut milk creamer in my coffee and then sweetener and honey. Should I stick to stuff like water or juice for the miralax?

I have a question that requires me to get graphic so I apologize lol..

So this morning I woke up needing to urinate really bad but I had to help my 4yr old with something really quick so I waited. When I did urinate, I felt like I could let something out so I decided to try. I had what looked like a sausage link stool that was rolled up like a golf ball come out and that was it. Since then, I've felt no change really in the pressure and on fact it almost feels like it did before I had the clump come out. Now, though, the hard stool feels closer to the exit so I tried the digging out method and couldn't get any results, in part because I can't seem to get two fingers in  ehh gross sorry lol. Anyway, I tried basically stabbing the hard thing i found and wound up with pretty dark brown stool on my glove. I can't push to get it to move anywhere, but my body is basically begging for relief. When I tried the glove again, I felt like I moved a ball further inside, could this be another ball shaped stool I have, or maybe a hemorrhoid? I don't know what they look or are shaped like, but I want to be sure I'm not messing with anything serious  I also somehow basically made part of the pressure "pop" so to say, where it felt like I passed gas. Things are weird! Most of the GI doctors I'm finding in my area are either booked for a while or are closed for the weekend  rats


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

i always drank miralax with water. i've read that you can mix it in juice. i don't know if taking it like you did would affect how it works or not.

about the stool--you could wait for the miralax to work or try a suppository or try a fleets enema to get it out.

as far as doctors are concerned, if you think you have an internal hemorrhoid, you can go to your regular doctor and have him/her examine you with an anoscope. if you feel you need to see some one on the weekend about all this, you can go to a wall-in clinic.

gastro docs are always booked up but you can still make an appointment to see one so you can discuss your problems. and you can ask to be put on a cancellation list or call the office periodically to see if an earlier appointment is available. if you are no longer having problems by the time your appointment comes around, you can always cancel it.


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

True! I will try that! I have a naturopath, who specializes in GI, would that be a good one to go to? Every time I went to her in the past she always asked if my BM were okay.

Do you have any tips on how I can try and last longer with the suppository? 4 mins is my max and when I couldn't hold it anymore nothing but the liquid in the suppository itself came back out  I went the route of lying on my left side with my right knee up. Is there an easier position?

I got the Nature Made brand of magnesium, some stuff I've read online says it's not as strong as other forms of magnesium. Is this true?


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

yes--go to your naturopath--good idea. .

sorry--i don't have any tips for you on the suppository. unfortunately some people have problems holding them in.

i googled the magnesium you bought and enlarged the label. it's magnesium oxide. that should work. it's been advised by a lot of people on here because it's not as well absorbed as the other types of magnesium so it has more of a laxative effect. i've read this as well. if it doesn't work for you, try magnesium citrate. we're all different. you have to experiment to find out what works for you. also, give it a few days or so to kick in. and try different amounts of it if you need to.

http://www.naturemade.com/minerals/magnesium/magnesium-oxide#4dQ2ttU4JRGA4GUz.97


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Oh sweet thank you!

My girlfriend's mom advised I buy some doculax from Walmart and take 3, which I know is a stimulant laxative, but she told me she had the same thing happen to her and her doc told her to do this and she got her hard stool completely broken down and it came out along with everything else lol. Sounds like heaven! Should I give something like this a try?

Back in May I had a similar problem, and I took a senna sides laxative and it basically unleashed the fury from within, everything was a combination of liquid, chunks, and pellet D, as well as clumps of stool that looked like mashed potatoes but creamy. After that, I had to do it once more I think but havent really had a problem with feeling full again until early Sept.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

sure--like i mentioned earlier, you can try a stimulant like senna or dulcolax. they are usually very effective.


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Oh okay sorry! I'm going to give it a shot. Once I do, assuming everything goes well, should I continue taking the miralax and see when I can try weaning off of it? I want to see if the probiotics and magnesium will be all I need. I don't know if I'll ever get back to where I was with my stools, but I'd love to get as close as possible without the use of softeners and laxatives


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

sounds like a plan. good luck with everything.


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Thank you! I've read that if you are able to pass gas, it means you are not impacted. Is this really the case? For the past few days, the gas I have been able to pass is basically like a peep basically breaking out. On rare occasion, I can get a normal flatulent out. Would this lighter form of gas still be okay?

Sorry for all these questions! Sometimes my andiety gets the better of me


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

from what i've read and been told by my gastro docs, yes that's true about passing gas and impactions. and that's been my own experience, too. also, you've been having BMs. of course, a doctors diagnosis is always best. they can see on an x-ray if you're impacted or not and how much. if you have lots of concern and questions about this, you should really talk to your doctor/naturopath or go to a walk in clinic. we can't diagnose you here on the board.

maybe you could talk to your doctor/naturopath or see a counselor about your anxiety issues.. talking to a professional can really help with all that. it would be good to be able to get out of the continual worrying/obsessing mode... that makes bowls problems worse too..


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Okay thank you! I took 2 doculax today and so far I've released more stool today than I have for the last week roughly. However I still feel I'm not completely empty. Is it safe to take some miralax tonight, and then 3 doculax tomorrow if I see no other BM's tonight?

I just want to be sure I don't abuse laxatives and wind up forcing my body to be dependant on them.


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

oh that's great that you got so much stool out.

yes you can do as you mentioned. you can also take miralax and dulcolax together if you want. that can give even better results. that's what my gastro docs recommended.

no this is not abusing laxatives. abusing laxatives is when you take a lot more than the directions recommend without your doctor's approval.

no, your body will not end up being dependent on them. read the articles i posted links to earlier for reassurance on this. my gastro docs told me the same thing as what it says in the articles.


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Thank you annie! If you werent helping me I'd probably have lost my mind by now lol

I didn't have another BM last night, but u did this morning! I woke up feeling the need to urinate really bad, and in the middle of doing so I felt like I had a stool coming out so I had to hurry and do my thing. I tried the squatting position, and had what looked like a collection of smaller stools that all wrapped up together or something, which is what I'm guessing was a large part of what was stuck in there, because I feEl the stool that was stuck is 90% gone! Unless my body had a lot more that it will be slowly letting come through to exit, most of it should be gone.

I just realized that at my work tonight I won't have time or the ability to dedicate to BM's so if I wait until I get home tonight (somewhat late) will it disrupt the schedule of using the laxatives for BM? Just in terms of I probably won't have another BM today, so I want to be sure that I keep the cycle consistent


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

that's wonderful that you got so much out this morning. what a relief!

i'm not really sure what you mean by the last paragraph. are you saying that you'll be taking your laxatives later? or waiting until you get home to have a BM? either case should be ok although it's always best to go when you get the urge rather than wait til later because sometimes if you wait too long the urge disappears....


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## DJP1986 (May 18, 2016)

Oh sorry! I meant wait until this evening to take the doculax. I took some miralax this morning before leaving for work, and I've been passing a lot of gas but it feels relieving, more so than ever lol. You still answered with that though so thank you! I will update how it goes


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## tummyrumbles (Aug 14, 2005)

Hello DJP, you have a very understanding girlfriend. If you can tolerate salad, try just meat or seafood, and salad with or without cooked vegetables - and just keep to these foods at least for a couple of days and see if it works. I think the problem with all of us is an ability to digest lectins properly. These are in all grains (wheat flour, rice, corn etc), legumes (baked beans), nuts and white potato. There is a diet that excludes these foods - the Paleo Autoimmune Diet. I basically follow this, with some changes. I eat eggs and tomato as I seem to be OK with these.

So no popcorn as corn is a grain. It's a really tough diet. If I stick to this, I have gotten evacuation down to 20 minutes. It used to take me hours.

There's a lot of interesting theory behind this diet, so you should take the time to read up on it. Paleo Mum is easy to read and a good place to start.

http://www.thepaleomom.com/the-autoimmune-protocol/

Basically, some people can't tolerate lectins very well, and these can damage the gut as well as causing constipation. It's the chemicals in the food itself paralysing the colon, rather than a problem with our colonic muscles. So eat grains, dried beans etc and evacuation is difficult. Don't eat these foods - evacuation is much quicker and complete.

For those people reading this, thinking they can't tolerate fibre... Insolube fibre is mostly unfermentable, it just retains water so it bulks up the stool, which is a good thing. So insoluble fibre doesn't feed bacteria, whereas soluble fibre does - it's a prebiotic. A lot of the gas and IBS symptoms we produce is from stool that is incompletely digested and evacuated and which is feeding bacteria. Fibre can be softened with lengthy cooking. The fibre is still there - but a lot less irritating if the colon is not used to it. This is what I think people here should do. Stop eating grains, legumes etc and fill up on meat, fish and vegetables. Boil the veges up for hours if you have to, but if you can tolerate salads, definitely keep eating them. My diet is salad, low FODMAP vegetables, meat & seafood, and that's it. It's the only cure I know.


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## Nymeria1976 (Jul 15, 2017)

Impacted Bowel Movement


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## Nymeria1976 (Jul 15, 2017)

This thread has been very helpful. I recently had the same thing occur. I had been constipated for days and had been sitting on the toilet for over an hour I was late for work so I gave up and tried to manually dislodge the bowel movement with my finger. It was tough but it worked but ever since then I constantly feel like something is stuck in my rectum I tried stimulant laxatives and my system seems to be clear but I still feel pressure I think I will just try to relax because I may just be feeling irritation I will try the stool softeners as you suggested


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