For the past week or two I've been having some issues with my bowels. At first I just thought it was constipation and tried to up my fiber in take by eating more vegetables and then trying Fiber One and trying to drink more water. But even after that I still feel like I can't go right.

I know I'm not making much sense. I'm sorry. But even though I feel like I have to go, it's like there is something blocking it from coming out fully. I mean I do get some to come out after straining but not enough to make me feel like I have a true bowel movement. So I always feel like there is more that needs to come out.

I've had hemmorhoids once before...is it possible for them to get big enough to block?

I've also have had on/off again stomach cramps in my lower stomach and that bloaty gassy feeling that several people have described here already.

Is there anything I can do for this? I'm terrified of going to the doctor but I'm afraid if I don't get this taken care of on my own then I may have to. I'm not sure what to do.

Well eating more fiber and drinking more water are definitly good things and may make a difference but if you have the feeling that you probably should be seeing a doctor then you know you should go. There is nothing to be afraid of. There is nothing that will embarass them, that is their job. If you don't have health insurance that is one thing but other than that do not let fear keep you from doing the right thing. It may be something simple that a change in diet can fix but if it is something more then you are doing yourself a big disservice by not seeing a physician. The fear is always worse than the actual act of see a doctor ever is. Good luck, I hope you are feeling better soon.

I just wanted to give an update. The same day that I made my last post I left for 9 days for spring break. I just went home and had a lot of good cooking and rest. As the week went on I was feeling better and better and was able pass my bowels easily. A couple of days after I got back (last Tuesday) I even had a really good BM and I thought that whatever the problem was it had corrected itself. Well low and behold on Wednesday I began expriencing problems again. My stomach is almost always hurting and it always feels like I have to go to the bathroom yet I can't get anything to come out. Sometimes I can force some to come out but its never alot and sometimes its diarehia (sp?) like and other times its not. It also seems like I have gas a lot. I can feel (and hear) it rumbling around in my stomach.

Now I am thinking maybe that my digestive system is out of wack. What with the changing of the amount of good food I've been having? Would that cause the symptoms I've been having? Because like I said I felt fine while I was at home and even passed a few good BMs. I'm thinking this cause the food we get here on campus is pretty lousy. It doesn't help that I'm 25 (I'm in my last semester after taking some time off to work full time and save money) and I'm thinking that now that I'm older maybe my digestive system can't handle the change in what I'm eating? And the change in quality of the food as well?

Please, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I really would suggest you make an appt with a gastroenterologist. They can run tests & put your mind at ease. Hopefully find out what's causing your problem & get you on a path to feeling better.

You could start keeping a food diary & see if there is any sort of connection you can make to eating certain foods & having symptoms. Sometimes the causative factor extends back several days.

Stress affects everyone's digestion. Sometimes those final semesters are humdingers. I'm not saying that to minimize your problem ... just to say that doing the common-sense things to minimize stress (regular exercise, enough sleep, sensible diet, meditation, whatever) can also help a bit.

Best wishes.

Sounds like IBS.

Ok an update. Well yesterday morning I drank two glasses of prune juice and all day I had the runes really bad. This morning I went a little bit that was left over from yesterday but haven't been able to go again today. And I'm back to feeling really bloated. It feels like I have to go but yte nothing is coming. It's very frustrating. So far today I've had a bowl of frosted mini wheats with this strawberry coating on them, 2 pieces of bacon, a bowl of maple brown sugar oatmeal (2 packets combined), 2 pieces of left over chicken wings from last night and a couple of cookies. And I've been drinking water all day.

Does anyone know of anything I could be doing to relief this? I really don't want to have to go to the doctor. My insurance sucks and I'm terrified of the doctor.