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Bowel movement issues
Bowel movement issues.
I am 40, male, white, 6' tall, 155lbs, take no medications, walk several miles a day, no known diseases and in general no health problems, no history of problems either. Idon't drink soft drinks, mostly coffee and water. I eat some junk food but not an excessive amount.
2 or 3 times a week I have a bowel movement. The first time I do its a good amount with no problems, but an hour or two later I have another that is smaller, then another smaller and it goes on most of the day till finally I have one tiny movement and I am done. After the first movement the rest usually preceded by a slight stingling paint at my rectum. And as the movements go on through the day the pieces of stool get smaller, some movements may be 4 to 6 small pieces smooth and a inch long. This has been going on several months now. First movement is usually like 10am and I'm finally done around 7 or 8 pm that day with having to take up to 10 trips to the bathroom throughout the day.
Every once in a while though while rare I have a bowel movement in a few larger pieces and then I am done, not having another movement again for the day. It's like a normal movement but they don't happen often.
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Hi @drax, welcome to Connect.
This article about irritable bowel syndrome states http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/irritable-bowel-syndrome/basics/definition/con-20024578
"Although as many as 1 in 5 American adults has signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome, fewer than 1 in 5 who have symptoms seek medical help. Yet it's important to see your doctor if you have a persistent change in bowel habits or if you have any other signs or symptoms of IBS because these may indicate a more serious condition."
I'm tagging @citylady @mgnunez75 @boogirl who may have something to add to this conversation.
@drax, have you seen a doctor about your symptoms?
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2 ReactionsHi, It sounds like IBS Irritable bowel syndrome . Drinking coffee for<br />
me is like taking a laxative. I have to watch certain foods like spicy,<br />
red wine, coffee, and watch these foods closely when I'm stressed. There<br />
are meds for this but fiber is your best friend. I go to Costco and by<br />
there brand of cilium fiber and start with 2 a day. You can take more but I<br />
would start there. Don't take any medication 2 hours before or after you<br />
take the fiber. It sounds counter intuitive to take fiber for loose bowels<br />
but, it works for me. The only time I have this problem is when I forget<br />
to take my fiber. Good luck, Missie P.S. I'm not a Doc. but my gastro<br />
had me do this and I'm so much better.<br />
Hi @drax, One thing to do may be to keep a log of your symptoms, and in the meantime give your doctor a call.They may want you to come in to hear more about what's going on in order to figure out a treatment plan to help you get an accurate diagnosis and relief.
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC) suggests asking some of these questions about constipation, which may be useful to talk over with your doctor:
What medical tests can help determine the cause of chronic constipation?
Can constipation be a sign of another health condition?
Besides high-fiber foods, what else can I do to increase my fiber intake?
What lifestyle changes can I make to treat and prevent constipation?
Besides medication, what other treatments are there for chronic constipation?
Mayo Clinic also has a guide to prepare for an appointment to speak with your doctor about constipation: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/constipation/basics/preparing-for-your-appointment/con-20032773
Sometimes I have a forceful bowel movement and my blood pressure and heart rate shoots up...anyone else have this?
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4 ReactionsI have had one episode during the night. I had taken extra fiber that evening trying to relieve constipation. The backup was forced out violently and I had a vasovagal episode of being cold/clammy, sweating profusely, racing pulse, nausea. I thought I was going to die on the toilet. It only lasted a few mins, but scared me to death.
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9 ReactionsI’ve been having the same problem over the past few months.
It’s a horrible experience for sure!
I know pushing while holding your breath is a no no but sometimes it can’t be helped.
I try to keep air moving while pushing because when I don’t that’s when I feel like I have all kinds of unwanted things going on.
I try to take Metamucil and stool softener regularly but I forget allot of days 🤷♂️
Jody
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3 ReactionsHi Jody,
I am sorry you are having a horrible experience.
Have you ever tried taking Docusate Sodium (Stool softener)? It is a small ed and white gel capsule, taken once a day, and a lot less icky than Metamucil. It seems to work for me, keeping my stool from being too loose and too hard to pass.
It is hard to keep air moving while pushing, but it is probably not as bad as having a baby! Maybe the instructions for childbirth would work for constipation - similar but we get no good instructions!
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3 ReactionsHello Drax,
Are you familiar with the Bristol Chart of bowel movements? It is an illustrated chart giving
a description and a picture of 7 various stool consistencies. It is an easy way to keep a log of your bowels on a daily and hourly way. Then you can show your doctor what you are going through. I have used it now for a year and can tell when I have a flare (diarrhea day) or nice regular days. Print it out from your computer.
If you eat something unusual or another odd experience, you can note this on your record.
Margot
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3 ReactionsI'm glad to see this topic is still attracting current posts. I feared BM concerns as a topic might long ago exhausted itself. If I may join. Perhaps would make the most sense is if I just told you who I am and why I've been drawn to this topic. I'm 80, retired, living with a life-partner in suburban Denver. Although I have peripheral neuropathy (large-fiber, so no pain, only balance issues) and, last spring, was diagnosed with sepsis infection. The symptoms of the infection are largely gone; I'll be dealing with the neuropathy for the rest of my life. On now to my BM concerns. The various antibiotics I was given to combat my sepsis infection wreaked havoc with my BM's. After discharge from first the hospital and then a rehabilitation facility, I played armchair doctor and tried to get my BM back sailing on an even keel. The upshot? I overdid it: Metamucil, Miralax, magnesium citrate (liquid), often back-to-back, for weeks on end. Each worked, but usually with sometimes puzzling and/or short-lived results. A few days ago, I decided, "Enough is enough!" I'm now taking only one tsp. of Metamucil first thing in the morning. That's it for meds. Side notes: I drink plenty of water (80-90 oz.) daily. My partner and I eat what we regard as a "good diet" (Mediterranean-ish, lots of fiber). The one minus (with regard to my BM): I'm not getting nearly as much exercise as I would like to. That's because of my neuropathy balance issues; I do what I can, but … I'll usually have one BM "event" every day: middling to scanty. Going by the Bristol Chart, once-every-so-often I'll pass a Type 4 (sausage); more often, however, I'll deposit only Type 5's (soft blobs). No blood, but I'll often have to use a little "persuasion" (squeezing) to get the job done. I'll stop now. I'll leave it at that. If any one of have any suggestions or questions of me, I'll be most grateful and happy to reply. Best wishes to all! ––Ray (@ray666)
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5 ReactionsA long time ago prior to my Nissen fundoplication for GERD I was given the antibiotic Ceftin to kill off and cold symptoms. It also killed off the intestinal flora and I would eat and a half hour later the food would head for the exit. I was talking to a co-worker who was also a pharmacist. She advised me to eat PLAIN yogurt to bring back my intestinal flora. Worked pretty good for me. The added sugar in fruit flavored yogurts negates the effect of the yogurt.
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