straining even with soft stools... - Bowel Disorders Message Board

fiber · 01-15-2003, 09:10 PM

I take a lot of high fiber, have usually 3 regular bowel movements by lunchtime, 2 hours apart. If I don't, like today, I had 2 this morning and then had the last one tonight, but I feel like my rectum is numb, sluggish, can't really feel the bowel movenment coming out. When I look in the toilet, it appears to be softly formed, not a great deal of it, and it still feels like some bm is still in the rectum. You know that feeling you get when you use your muscles to stop a bm when you are running to find a toilet? Sometimes it feels hard to do, like I have hardly any feeling there (hard to describe). I still have to strain to get out even a soft stool. I'm wondering if this new drug (Remeron) I am on, is still making me feel contipated? I am still having hemmorhoid problems, appears to be coming from just inside the butt. I have no more external hemmys, but this condition of straining just to get out the bm is unnerving! Any ideas what is going on? I am taking a fiber herbal pill twice daily. My doctor told me that I should be only having 2 bms a day. And he said to quit taking the pills. but I am afraid to stop taking them. I know they won't harm me, it is only psyllium.
I always feel like I have something in the way like a feeling of discomfort near the ********. I think there must be something there.

Harry · 01-15-2003, 10:00 PM

If you're taking enough fiber and you are still having problems then I think you need to drink more water especially when talking the psyllium capsules. Daily you're probably not drinking enough fluid--- 6 t0 8 --8 ounce glasses of water.

Everybody is differnt and you may not need to have several BMs daily. Some people only have a BM every 3 days and are OK. I certainly don't think you should stop taking fiber. For your bowels to function properly --you need 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily.

God Bless---Harry

Sarah68 · 01-16-2003, 06:27 AM

I agree with Harry and it does sound as if you need to drink more water. There is no reason either why you should stop taking the fiber. Your bowels need it to function properly. If your stools are still hard to push out then you definitely need more water to help this.

Also, I disagree with your doc about only having your bowels open twice daily. There is no limit on how many times this needs to happen and quite a lot can be dependant on what kind of food you eat during the day also and how good your gut motility is generally. The better your gut motility is the more you will need to open your bowels. As Harry said, once or twice daily or more sometimes is normal for some people and once every two to three days is normal for other. As long as you don't strain, and your stools are not hard to pass then you are ok.

Just continue with the fiber therapy and drink more water and you should be ok.

ashpie · 01-16-2003, 07:25 AM

hi, I was having the same problem..soft stool and straining and only able to go small thin amounts..I started eating a bowl of all bran-xtra fiber and drinking a glass of metamucil and now I go with out a lot of pushing..I also go alot now..and 2-3 x a day..have you had children? my doc told me that after 2 pregnancies I think I was straining because I was starting to prolapse..

nickyd · 01-17-2003, 03:48 PM

my daughter is 3 years old and has soft stools...but strains alot....some times they wont even come out so she goes 2 the hospital 2 have a klean-prep 2 empty her bowels...she has been like this since she was 1 month old