Hello, (This is a long post...sorry!! But please do read! Thanks!)

I am new to these health boards. I am going to get real open and honest with all of you real quick in hopes of finding help or finding someone that has a similar problem. This is a long post and I am sorry...but I am near desperate in my 6yr battle - and my husband and I are trying to get this solved so we can try to have a baby in a few months. Here are my symptoms:

- almost every time I have a bm, I have to help it out (sanitarily) with my finger (This is the MAIN problem!)
- it is normally very soft, but is also sometimes normal or hard, but normally soft
- there is often blood and/or mucus
- I currently have a bm at least every other day
- it sometimes feels like the muscles are not working properly to push it out so that is why I have to help it out OR...
- it sometimes feels like there is not enough room down there for it to come out, so I am helping it to open up and make more room down there
- For additional info, I am a 22 year old female in otherwise good health with pretty normal eating habits. This started 6 yrs ago in the 10th grade...and I have no idea how it started

I have had several tests:
- before tests I had to change my diet for 1 month: fiber pills, lots of water, lots of fruit, and no cheese - this did not help - I still had to help it out
- sigmoidoscopy, which came up normal (although did detect internal hemmoriods which the Dr said could be causing the bleeding. She also said that if they are not bothering me than they are okay right now)
- I had a test where I swallowed a pill with plastic rings in it to test for constipation - they did xrays to see if the rings were still in there after several days. The rings were gone. They have ruled out constipation.
- I just had a barium air enema to look at the anatomy and to see if there is blockage. The initial reading while I was there was that everything is looking fine, but they still have to look at the actual xray pictures.

I don't think the gastroenterologist or the radiologist specialists have even heard of anyone that has to physically help/scoop/guide it out almost all the time.

Has anyone heard of this as an ongoing problem? I don't know what to do. It has been happening for 6 yrs! (I did go to a Dr. 6 yrs ago but without help was told, "Use a laxative and enema...and here are some gloves to help make it even more sanitary." Huh! That was no help...what I am experiencing is not normal!

Please help if you can! Thank you so much!!

Hi laurabelle,
Sorry about your problems!!

For your intestines to function properly you need fiber, water and exercise. A person needs 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily and 6 to 8 glasses of water daily.Also walking is OK.That is just the we are made.

There are basically 2 kinds of fiber --- the kind that absorbs water and the type that does not and the daily amount needs to be divided/balanced to have regular BMs. You don't just try this-- you make it a way of life. Most people only get 10 to 13 grams of fiber daily because we eat too much processed foods.

It sounds like you are not intaking enough fiber daily. You also need vitamins and minerals to make the muscles in your intestines produce the contractions/ peristalsis to have normal BMs.

I take a water soluble fiber supplement twice daily to make sure I get enough soluble type and have been doing it over 20 years-- I take Equate from Wal Mart --like Metamucil.

ALL meat, seafood and dairy products contain NO fiber. All fiber is in fruits, veggies and grains. The Absorbable foods are like beans & lentils, rice, oatmeal, potatoes, corn, root veggies. And, the type food that does not absorb fluid is wheat bran, nuts, fruits like bananas, apples, pears, veggies like green beans, green leafy vegs, cauliflower.

If you have been Medically Examined and the mobility of your intestines is OK --- then you are not eating properly or not taking the right vitamins and minerals???

God Bless---Harry

I have the exact same problem. I don't know what to do about it either--I've become overly dependent on using enemas and need to know if you've come to any conclusions about this b/c it would help me too.

I've been eating all the right things, drinking 64+ oz. water daily, taking calcium, fiber, etc. I eat yogurt. I've tried flax oil, mineral oil, otc IBS stuff, otc constipation stuff, but the only thing that seems to work are enemas.

I'm getting worried though b/c yesterday I tried using the enema and nothing came out but the saline solution, mucus, and blood. I'm probably doing some serious damage down there, and I'm a little scared about it. But I'm hoping to go see the dr soon about this.

Let me know if you have any new information.

thanks