Linda J

Hi there, I'm new here and need some help from you folks. I have had chronic constipation my entire life. In fact, until I got married (28 years ago), I never knew people acutally had bowel movements daily. lol.

Anyway, I was coping with the constipation all these years until Jan. of this year. I was diagnosed with an ovarian cyst that was putting pressure on my bowel. I become extremely constipated, which flared my hemorrhoids and it became a viscous cycle. In March I had surgery to remove the cyst, ovary and one fallopian tube (all benign).

Now here is the problem. After the surgery the constipation was terrible. My doc said the anesthetic slows the bowel. That was an understatement. With the help of stool softeners, I finally went.

Now, 3 months later, I am having the feeling that I never go "enough". I've seen a gastro doc because I also had some rectal pain. He says I have internal and external hemorrhoids. (duh, I knew that). He also thinks I am having rectal spasms (possibly due to IBS or levator ani syndrome). Before the surgery, I was NEVER this bad. I am taking fiberchoice daily and colace, otherwise I cannot go for days on end. What in the world happened during my surgery to have caused me to get so much worse.

I am having a colonoscopy next week to rule out anything else. I've had a fecal occult blood test, which was negative. But, the other day I had some clear mucus after a bowel movement. Have never had that before either and it freaked me out. Called the gastro doc AGAIN, and he was not alarmed. Said it was common with IBS and other gastro conditions. Yikes, I am at my wits end with this. Any advice would be welcomed.