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IBS challenges

Posted by Barb @amberpep, Aug 8, 2017

Hi .... I don't think there's a group for this, so I thought I'd try you all. I have been prone to IBS with constipation since my divorce 12 years ago - we were married for 40 years and I felt as though I'd been thrown away. My gastro-intestinal doctor suggested Metamucil, which seemed to work. Between then and now I've had 3 moves, one about 4 hours from where I'd lived for 30 years, a TKR and also a revision, am on several psychotropic medications for cyclothymia, and just feel awful. Well, I'm 73 and have had my teeth removed in order to get dentures .... there's been quite a harang with this and it's been over a year since I've been eating soft and pureed foods .... cream of wheat, soups (pureed), pureed spaghetti, if I do eat a piece of fruit it has to be pureed, but I try not to. It's been a long haul. Well, now I'm packing to move to a low-income apartment closer to my girls, and the IBS has become the diahrrhea form ..... OMG, it's awful. I'm afraid to go out. I don't know what to do anymore. I'm new down here and only have an Internist, but with moving that will have to change. I need the name of a good gastro-enterologist at the hospital I will be using. In the meantime, does anyone have any suggestions for me? I'm forced to use pads right now "just in case" ..... I know this is anxiety and tension, but it's got to stop.
Thanks much,
abby

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Profile picture for nancyoinnc
nancyoinnc | @nancyoinnc | Jan 7, 2023
In reply to @mikayla68 "When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikayla68 @mikayla68

When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the poos were the small hard pebbly kind. As an adult (I'm in my late 60s) my poops tend to form too wide. It's either the first poop of the day, or the first part of the first poop. My drs have always labeled this as constipation - but I go poop every single day so it seems like the wrong diagnosis. I'd poop even if I didn't use Citrucel or Colace, which I do. And you won't be surprised to learn that I've had hemorrhoids and 2 surgeries for fissures.

To make this more complicated, I had the bad luck to get CDiff a few years ago which morphed into IBS Mixed - I've found that drs pretty much leave it up to patients to determine what kind of IBS, but I think I'm mixed, but maybe it's actually D? Anyway, I now eat low FODMAP which is very effective, but means I can't have certain things like prunes or Metamucil. Oh, and most GIs I've seen are glad I'm eating low FODMAP and just don't care if I call my condition IBS-D or IBS-M or even IBS-C. Oh and I had a rare bad reaction to Miralax, so I can't use that.

So I'm just wondering if anybody would recommend I try anything to help with this poo-size issue. I'm thinking about getting ground flax seed, I think that might be my next experiment. If I overdo the stool softeners or counting my fiber intake or Citrucel, then I poo and poo and poo - it almost never becomes watery, but it causes many bad mornings and sometimes can't leave the house until noon. I'm so sick of myself! I'm in my golden years and I just want to enjoy them!

Thanks.

Jump to this post

I've tried and tried ground flax seed, but the gas & bloating it causes have made me quit every time. Even small amounts trigger significant problems. Has anyone overcome this?

REPLY
Profile picture for mikayla68
mikayla68 | @mikayla68 | Jan 7, 2023
In reply to @mikayla68 "When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikayla68 @mikayla68

When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the poos were the small hard pebbly kind. As an adult (I'm in my late 60s) my poops tend to form too wide. It's either the first poop of the day, or the first part of the first poop. My drs have always labeled this as constipation - but I go poop every single day so it seems like the wrong diagnosis. I'd poop even if I didn't use Citrucel or Colace, which I do. And you won't be surprised to learn that I've had hemorrhoids and 2 surgeries for fissures.

To make this more complicated, I had the bad luck to get CDiff a few years ago which morphed into IBS Mixed - I've found that drs pretty much leave it up to patients to determine what kind of IBS, but I think I'm mixed, but maybe it's actually D? Anyway, I now eat low FODMAP which is very effective, but means I can't have certain things like prunes or Metamucil. Oh, and most GIs I've seen are glad I'm eating low FODMAP and just don't care if I call my condition IBS-D or IBS-M or even IBS-C. Oh and I had a rare bad reaction to Miralax, so I can't use that.

So I'm just wondering if anybody would recommend I try anything to help with this poo-size issue. I'm thinking about getting ground flax seed, I think that might be my next experiment. If I overdo the stool softeners or counting my fiber intake or Citrucel, then I poo and poo and poo - it almost never becomes watery, but it causes many bad mornings and sometimes can't leave the house until noon. I'm so sick of myself! I'm in my golden years and I just want to enjoy them!

Thanks.

Jump to this post

Well, I went ahead and started ground flaxseed. 1/2 tablespoon this morning, going to take same this evening. Crossing fingers!

REPLY
Profile picture for Indigo64
Indigo64 | @indigo64 | Jan 8, 2023
In reply to @mikayla68 "(Also wondering if I start using flax seed, any advice on how to start? How much?..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikayla68 @mikayla68

(Also wondering if I start using flax seed, any advice on how to start? How much? Should I start small and work up to a certain amount?)

Jump to this post

I put a heaping teaspoon in my smoothie every morning.

REPLY
Profile picture for mikayla
mikayla | @mikaylar | Jan 9, 2023
In reply to @mikayla68 "When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikayla68 @mikayla68

When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the poos were the small hard pebbly kind. As an adult (I'm in my late 60s) my poops tend to form too wide. It's either the first poop of the day, or the first part of the first poop. My drs have always labeled this as constipation - but I go poop every single day so it seems like the wrong diagnosis. I'd poop even if I didn't use Citrucel or Colace, which I do. And you won't be surprised to learn that I've had hemorrhoids and 2 surgeries for fissures.

To make this more complicated, I had the bad luck to get CDiff a few years ago which morphed into IBS Mixed - I've found that drs pretty much leave it up to patients to determine what kind of IBS, but I think I'm mixed, but maybe it's actually D? Anyway, I now eat low FODMAP which is very effective, but means I can't have certain things like prunes or Metamucil. Oh, and most GIs I've seen are glad I'm eating low FODMAP and just don't care if I call my condition IBS-D or IBS-M or even IBS-C. Oh and I had a rare bad reaction to Miralax, so I can't use that.

So I'm just wondering if anybody would recommend I try anything to help with this poo-size issue. I'm thinking about getting ground flax seed, I think that might be my next experiment. If I overdo the stool softeners or counting my fiber intake or Citrucel, then I poo and poo and poo - it almost never becomes watery, but it causes many bad mornings and sometimes can't leave the house until noon. I'm so sick of myself! I'm in my golden years and I just want to enjoy them!

Thanks.

Jump to this post

Have you used stool softeners regularly?

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for jenatsky
jenatsky | @jenatsky | Jan 9, 2023
In reply to @mikayla68 "When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikayla68 @mikayla68

When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the poos were the small hard pebbly kind. As an adult (I'm in my late 60s) my poops tend to form too wide. It's either the first poop of the day, or the first part of the first poop. My drs have always labeled this as constipation - but I go poop every single day so it seems like the wrong diagnosis. I'd poop even if I didn't use Citrucel or Colace, which I do. And you won't be surprised to learn that I've had hemorrhoids and 2 surgeries for fissures.

To make this more complicated, I had the bad luck to get CDiff a few years ago which morphed into IBS Mixed - I've found that drs pretty much leave it up to patients to determine what kind of IBS, but I think I'm mixed, but maybe it's actually D? Anyway, I now eat low FODMAP which is very effective, but means I can't have certain things like prunes or Metamucil. Oh, and most GIs I've seen are glad I'm eating low FODMAP and just don't care if I call my condition IBS-D or IBS-M or even IBS-C. Oh and I had a rare bad reaction to Miralax, so I can't use that.

So I'm just wondering if anybody would recommend I try anything to help with this poo-size issue. I'm thinking about getting ground flax seed, I think that might be my next experiment. If I overdo the stool softeners or counting my fiber intake or Citrucel, then I poo and poo and poo - it almost never becomes watery, but it causes many bad mornings and sometimes can't leave the house until noon. I'm so sick of myself! I'm in my golden years and I just want to enjoy them!

Thanks.

Jump to this post

Water is what makes your poop move thru the colon. Since you’ve had a long standing issue with it maybe the 8 glasses of fluid a day is what you require? Fructose or fruit sugar pulls water into your colon to help you go too. Yes flax seed does it too but can cause loos stool too. As another reader stated 1 tblspn to start in morning as a test run and increase your fluids. Since you’ve had a long term issue are you seeing a GI doc?

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for Ingegerd Enscoe, Alumni Mentor
Ingegerd Enscoe, Alumni Mentor | @astaingegerdm | Jan 9, 2023
In reply to @mikayla68 "When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikayla68 @mikayla68

When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the poos were the small hard pebbly kind. As an adult (I'm in my late 60s) my poops tend to form too wide. It's either the first poop of the day, or the first part of the first poop. My drs have always labeled this as constipation - but I go poop every single day so it seems like the wrong diagnosis. I'd poop even if I didn't use Citrucel or Colace, which I do. And you won't be surprised to learn that I've had hemorrhoids and 2 surgeries for fissures.

To make this more complicated, I had the bad luck to get CDiff a few years ago which morphed into IBS Mixed - I've found that drs pretty much leave it up to patients to determine what kind of IBS, but I think I'm mixed, but maybe it's actually D? Anyway, I now eat low FODMAP which is very effective, but means I can't have certain things like prunes or Metamucil. Oh, and most GIs I've seen are glad I'm eating low FODMAP and just don't care if I call my condition IBS-D or IBS-M or even IBS-C. Oh and I had a rare bad reaction to Miralax, so I can't use that.

So I'm just wondering if anybody would recommend I try anything to help with this poo-size issue. I'm thinking about getting ground flax seed, I think that might be my next experiment. If I overdo the stool softeners or counting my fiber intake or Citrucel, then I poo and poo and poo - it almost never becomes watery, but it causes many bad mornings and sometimes can't leave the house until noon. I'm so sick of myself! I'm in my golden years and I just want to enjoy them!

Thanks.

Jump to this post

@mikayla68 -
If your bowel movements are too wide it is an indication that you are constipated. Your large intestine has stretched out over the years to handle all the stool. You can have several bowel movements a day and still be constipated.
I also think you should see a gastroenterologist to help you find something you can use daily and something you can tolerate.
You can get back to normal- it may take some time.
I also have had to deal with it- still working on finding the magic combination!

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for debkl
debkl | @debkl | Jan 9, 2023
In reply to @mikayla68 "When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the..." + (show)
Profile picture for mikayla68 @mikayla68

When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the poos were the small hard pebbly kind. As an adult (I'm in my late 60s) my poops tend to form too wide. It's either the first poop of the day, or the first part of the first poop. My drs have always labeled this as constipation - but I go poop every single day so it seems like the wrong diagnosis. I'd poop even if I didn't use Citrucel or Colace, which I do. And you won't be surprised to learn that I've had hemorrhoids and 2 surgeries for fissures.

To make this more complicated, I had the bad luck to get CDiff a few years ago which morphed into IBS Mixed - I've found that drs pretty much leave it up to patients to determine what kind of IBS, but I think I'm mixed, but maybe it's actually D? Anyway, I now eat low FODMAP which is very effective, but means I can't have certain things like prunes or Metamucil. Oh, and most GIs I've seen are glad I'm eating low FODMAP and just don't care if I call my condition IBS-D or IBS-M or even IBS-C. Oh and I had a rare bad reaction to Miralax, so I can't use that.

So I'm just wondering if anybody would recommend I try anything to help with this poo-size issue. I'm thinking about getting ground flax seed, I think that might be my next experiment. If I overdo the stool softeners or counting my fiber intake or Citrucel, then I poo and poo and poo - it almost never becomes watery, but it causes many bad mornings and sometimes can't leave the house until noon. I'm so sick of myself! I'm in my golden years and I just want to enjoy them!

Thanks.

Jump to this post

Chia seeds have a much higher fiber content than flax: You can make some delicious puddings with thrm, add small amounts to oatmeal, yogurts, smoothies, soup. They need to soak a short time to swell up.

Sweet potatoes, avocado, black beans, chick peas, brown rice, barley, wheatberries...all have soluble fiber.

Add beans slowly to meals and try Beano to prevent gas.

Full Plate Living, which focuses on getting soluble fiber, is on social media and has a PhD nutritionist who answers questions.

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for mikayla68
mikayla68 | @mikayla68 | Jan 9, 2023
In reply to @mikaylar "Have you used stool softeners regularly?" + (show)
Profile picture for mikayla @mikaylar

Have you used stool softeners regularly?

Jump to this post

Hi, yes, Colace, at least 2 per day, sometimes more. Thanks!

REPLY
Profile picture for mikayla68
mikayla68 | @mikayla68 | Jan 9, 2023
In reply to @jenatsky "Water is what makes your poop move thru the colon. Since you’ve had a long standing..." + (show)
Profile picture for jenatsky @jenatsky

Water is what makes your poop move thru the colon. Since you’ve had a long standing issue with it maybe the 8 glasses of fluid a day is what you require? Fructose or fruit sugar pulls water into your colon to help you go too. Yes flax seed does it too but can cause loos stool too. As another reader stated 1 tblspn to start in morning as a test run and increase your fluids. Since you’ve had a long term issue are you seeing a GI doc?

Jump to this post

Hi, thanks for commenting. Oh gosh I've seen so many GIs over the years! Since I started the ground flaxseed I'm drinking even more water than usual. They all say to take stool softeners (I do) and/or metamucil (I did and switched to metamucil). Time will tell. Here's what's good about the flaxseed - I'm no longer having such bad mornings, so yay to that. It's really important to me to stop these stressful overpooping mornings. I'm up to 2 tbsps per day, just added one more today, and so far so good. What is also helping is to give up trying to eat high fiber - from what I hear from other IBS sufferers, it can really aggravate the IBS, so I'm feeling good about that too. It's like walking a tightrope! A couple of months ago a GI prescribed Linzess and it was HELL. I. will never take that again. I almost missed Thanksgiving dinner altogether - had to take so much Imodium is was insanity. Sigh.
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REPLY
Profile picture for mikayla68
mikayla68 | @mikayla68 | Jan 9, 2023
In reply to @astaingegerdm "@mikayla68 - If your bowel movements are too wide it is an indication that you are..." + (show)
Profile picture for Ingegerd Enscoe, Alumni Mentor @astaingegerdm

@mikayla68 -
If your bowel movements are too wide it is an indication that you are constipated. Your large intestine has stretched out over the years to handle all the stool. You can have several bowel movements a day and still be constipated.
I also think you should see a gastroenterologist to help you find something you can use daily and something you can tolerate.
You can get back to normal- it may take some time.
I also have had to deal with it- still working on finding the magic combination!

Jump to this post

I agree and have always been surprised when a GI never said this. Yes, of course it has stretched out. But I'm telling you that my "normal" bowel movements have not been small or just token bits but considerable well-sized poops, it's just the first part of the first one. Yes, it's like walking a tightrope! So far so good with the ground flaxseed, I'm up to 3 tbsps starting today and just a small amount of Citrucel. My mornings are no longer lost. I've seen many GIs over the years, for sure. I cannot imagine at my age and after so many years that my intestines could go back to the right size. But I guess ya never know. I jsut reread my post and don't know why I didn't mention my fairly-recent fissure surgery ... I guess I was just looking for specific advice. Anyway, part of the surgery was Botox and I think it has started to work (I was told it can take a few weeks) which means there's a bigger opening for stools to pass. Thanks so much for commenting!

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