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[Theo]

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Hello all,I've suffered from IBS (alternating between C and D) for many years now. Just recently, I've had another flair up and I'm starting to get concerned because for the last few weeks, I've seen mucous in my stool.I'm a school teacher, male, 40 years old.In mid-February, I had a break from school and my bowels were fairly normal. I had a BM every day, firm, compact. Not painful to pass. However, since then, it's been pretty miserable.I thought perhaps it's stress (since now I'm back to work with the little kids and facing report cards, Union contract problems, etc.) so I thought maybe that's why my "C" has come back in full force.This last Monday (March 3) I gave myself an enema... and things came out okay.Tuesday, March 4, I had diarrhea and attributed that to giving myself the enema the day before.Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday... no action whatsoever...and return of bloating. So last night (Friday, March 7) I gave myself another enema. I had a BM, but noticed mucous in the toilet (not new, I've noticed my stool coated in it before).I slept okay but this morning I felt as if I had to pass gass. However, instead of gas, some mucous came out. (A "wet fart" I call it for lack of a better term )I'm just wondering if passing mucous can be evidence of IBS? Or is it something more serious?I have a dr. appointment on Monday to discuss my digestive problems.I'm very afraid he may suggest a colonoscopy. I fear that because I've heard horror stories about how terrible the taste of the prep. is... as well as staying on the toilet all day as I'm "cleaned out". I heard the actual procedure itself, if I ask to be asleep during it, isn't terribly bad.I guess I'm hoping and praying that the mucous isn't something terribly unusual?I'm a worrier by nature...so I've spent the last few days crying (literraly), thinking that I have some serious disease such as colon cancer, or the like.I forgot to mention that I do also have a redundant colon (yes, the joys just keep coming up!) :)Edit: Also, because I thought that maybe my 1% milk could be causing problems, I've switched to Silk (Soy Milk) the last two (2) weeks... not sure if that is anything, but wanted to give that information as well.Any advice or discussion would be greatly appreciated. :)Thanks much,Ted

[IBD/IBS Author]

Good that you have a Dr.'s appt. Monday - but I wouldn't worry too much. Mucous can be common, so can small amounts of blood - the mucus usually indicates that your colon is inflamed. What are you eating these days? If you have inflammation you want to keep to an easy-to-digest, bland diet - baked fish, chicken, rice, applesauce, bananas, etc.Your doctor very well may suggest a colonoscopy and like you already know the prep is the hardest part - it doesn't taste great, you do spend a good amount of time of the toidy, but if you don't properly clean out the colon then the whole test is useless 'cuase they can't see the colon. Just get some good magazines, books, music, etc. set yourself up in the bathroom and know you'll be there for a few hours. Good luck, and stop worrying until you know there's something to worry about - you'll drive yourself crazy and make your symptoms worse.Cheers,Elizabeth

[Kathleen M.]

Mucus is a pretty non-specific reaction by the colon.There aren't many different things it can do to react. There is always some mucus and some people with IBS produce a lot of mucus even when there isn't any inflammation in the colon. The "irritableness" of IBS is sometimes enough all by itself to lead to excess mucus production.Since it seems new/more for you it is probably worth getting checked out. I may be IBS, but mucus isn't specific to IBS. It also is not a sign it must be something else, either.K.

[Theo]

Elizabeth and Kathleen,Thanks very much, ladies. I really appreciate your responses. :(For today, I feel better just staying at home instead of shopping, running errands.Again, I greatly appreciate your taking time to respond.

[eric]

Actually, the mucous doesn't have to mean your colon is inflammed. The colon sheds cells constantly. Which is one reason you don't have to do colon cleansing. It cleans itself.There should be no overt inflammation in IBS.""Excess mucus production, which often occurs in IBS, is not related to mucosal injury. Its cause is unclear but may be related to cholinergic hyperactivity."Jackson Gastro"Some patients see gobs of mucous in the stool and become concerned. Mucous is a normal secretion of the bowel, although most of the time it cannot be seen. IBS patients sometimes produce large amounts of mucous, but this is not a serious problem. "http://www.gicare.co...ted/ecdgs03.htmIf your symptoms are getting worse though or have changed you should see a doctor.

[Theo]

Useful, interesting read.Thanks for the link, Eric!

[eric]

Theo, read this one too.http://www.merck.com...2/braingut.html

[Sean]

Theo,Did you use a Fleet enema? If so, that may be the cause of the mucous. The sodium phosphate in the enema tends to cause it. I get the same thing with a Fleet enema. I call it an "aftershock." I feel like I need to pass gas several hours after the enema (or the next morning if I give it to myself at night), but I end up passing a slimey wet fart instead. I don't think it is anything to be worried about. Other people have told me they experience the same thing.

[thickthighs]

i used to have d and always had mucous..beofre and sometimes after a bowel movement..but now i have regular/constipated bm's and i have the occasional mucuos

[Alan_A]

Hello all,I'm starting to get concerned because for the last few weeks, I've seen mucous in my stool.I'm a school teacher, male, 40 years old.In mid-February, I had a break from school and my bowels were fairly normal. I had a BM every day, firm, compact. Not painful to pass. However, since then, it's been pretty miserable.I thought perhaps it's stress (since now I'm back to work with the little kids and facing report cards, Union contract problems, etc.) so I thought maybe that's why my "C" has come back in full force.I'm a worrier by nature...so I've spent the last few days crying (literraly), thinking that I have some serious disease such as colon cancer, or the like.Thanks much,Ted

hi Ted,its good to see you out looking for answers.re the mucous, your stomach, small intestines, and colon secrete mucous regularly. one reason for that is to protect themselves from the byproducts of digestion and/or any harmful elements that many foods, especially packaged foods, contain. the mucous is secreted, binds the harmful elements, and works its way out for evacuation.though the physical aspect of your condition definitely needs attention, it seems to me you've already pointed out a big factor yourself: stress and worry. dis-ease in one's life creates dis-ease in the body and vice-versa. working with the mind and emotions(for that's really, ultimately, where the stress and worry is coming from) is an all important adjunct to working with the body when trying to get healthy.i'm a teacher too. a lot of people i know envy my free time and holidays, but little do they know about the stress and exhaustion. hope things are going ok today Ted. life certainly is a challenge and we need all the health we can get to rise and meet it.thanks for sharing,peace,Alan_A

[Alan_A]

Actually, the mucous doesn't have to mean your colon is inflammed. The colon sheds cells constantly. Which is one reason you don't have to do colon cleansing. It cleans itself.

yea, that's what's so great about the organs, and the body, is its ability to heal itself. i'm often so amazed at what the body can deal with, and am even more intrigued by what its capable of if its not having to deal with dis-ease. like, what can be done with the body's energy and power then?one thing though with the body's ability to heal is that the organs integrity must be up to par. each organ must be clean enough, unburdened enough by toxicity, to not only function normally, but to also clean themselves. the colon, and the liver, bear such a huge brunt of the results of unhealthy lifestyles that their own abilities to heal themselves is often stunted.the key then lies in creating the correct conditions for the body to heal itself.peace,Alan_A

[eric]

You don't want it too clean.The gut flora are the microorganisms that normally live in the digestive tract and can perform a number of useful functions for their hosts.The average human body, consisting of about 1013 (10,000,000,000,000 or about ten trillion) cells, has about ten times that number of microorganisms in the gutResearch suggests that the relationship between gut flora8 and humans is not merely commensal (a non-harmful coexistence), but rather is a mutualistic, symbiotic relationship.3 Though people can survive with no gut flora,[4] the microorganisms perform a host of useful functions, such as fermenting unused energy substrates, training the immune system, preventing growth of harmful species,2 regulating the development of the gut, producing vitamins for the host (such as biotin and vitamin K), and producing hormones to direct the host to store fats. http://en.wikipedia....stinal_bacteriaThat's not even all the other critters all over us. 2/3 of the body is water.

[Theo]

Hi Alan,Thanks so much for the kind words and insightful thinking. Much appreciated.Went to the ER this morning because I woke up two days in a row with nausea...a new sensation for me regarding IBS.When it was learned that I wasn't passing much gas, the doctors wanted to do a CT scan.Thanks to God, there was no blockage and I was told it was my IBS flaring up. Great. Hehehe :(It's been over 3 days since my last BM... if I don't have one by tomorrow evening, I think I'll need to give myself an enema... just for comfort.I'm glad to have you all as a sounding board.Misery loves company, eh? :)Ted

[Alan_A]

You don't want it too clean.The gut flora are the microorganisms that normally live in the digestive tract and can perform a number of useful functions for their hosts.

yep, just clean enough so that it functions properly including healing itself.bacteria, gut flora, are influenced by colon cleansing. in this case the bad AND the good are cleaned out. as a result methods of supplementation are necessary, and knowledgable experienced experts will correctly advise this.hey eric, i'm just getting to replying to "How ibs disturbs an everyday life" , lots of stuff to read, but i'll have a reply over there soon enough,thanks for sharing,peace,Alan_A

[Alan_A]

Hi Alan,Thanks so much for the kind words and insightful thinking. Much appreciated.

you are welcome. i'm happy they were of some use to you.i know on my health journey the support, care, and love of others has been, and is everyday, so important.thanks for sharing Theo,peace,Alan_Aps. Theo, this situation of heading to the er when problems arise, or not having a bm for days, is not sustainable, you don't want this going on for long.

[Theo]

ps. Theo, this situation of heading to the er when problems arise, or not having a bm for days, is not sustainable, you don't want this going on for long.

Hi Alan,Well, I agree to a point. The doctor there said, however, that the constipation was due to the IBS. I was very relieved about not having a blockage. He didn't mention an inflammed colon/bowel, either.This morning I gave myself an enema to relieve some of the discomfort. It had been 3-4 days since my last BM (due to an enema) and I guess I worry about having stool in me for too long. And I'm sure the worrying doesn't help the situation; it's like a vicious circle.Yesterday, I drank six glasses of water! Now, I know that doesn't sound like a lot to most people, but for me I think that's a personal best. I just don't drink that much water. However, all that water just added to my bloatedness. Ah well, I just need to have faith that God will see me through this. I do appreciate you all giving input. As I've said many times, it's good to know others are in the same boat... even if it's the Titanic. :)God bless!Ted

[trey_a]

Without sounding too gross, can you tell me what the mucous looks like? I've been having either yellow diarrhea or normal stools with a small amount of yellow liquid mixed in for 6 months now. It started when I was having pain after eating fatty foods that they thought was my gallbladder but ultimately decided not to remove. The pain is gone but the yellow substance remains. 2 doctors told me no big deal but another one said if it continued for 2 weeks to have a colonoscopy...well that was 5 months ago and I never did it. So just wondering if it's bile salt diarrhea or mucous...it's not thick or anything, totally watery but can be very bright yellow almost green. Just trying to get a handle on this.

[Theo]

Without sounding too gross, can you tell me what the mucous looks like? I've been having either yellow diarrhea or normal stools with a small amount of yellow liquid mixed in for 6 months now. It started when I was having pain after eating fatty foods that they thought was my gallbladder but ultimately decided not to remove. The pain is gone but the yellow substance remains. 2 doctors told me no big deal but another one said if it continued for 2 weeks to have a colonoscopy...well that was 5 months ago and I never did it. So just wondering if it's bile salt diarrhea or mucous...it's not thick or anything, totally watery but can be very bright yellow almost green. Just trying to get a handle on this.

Hi Trey,Mine had the consistency (is that the right word?) of mucous that could come from one's nose or a cough. Amber color and slightly green tinted. Since my last enema, thank God, it went away. That's hopeful for me.I'm glad your pain is gone, but perhaps you want to keep a watch on the secretion. Maybe collect some (without it hitting the toilet water) in a small container and refrigerate it until you can bring it to your doctor. Allow him/her to run some lab tests on it to see what they can see. It's like a snapshot (albeit gross one) of your inside. And perhaps from there, they can advise you on the colonoscopy. Your doctor should be kept abreast.Just my opinion. Stay well.Ted

[Kathleen M.]

trey--Yellow (sometime green) rather than a clear, lightly, or stool colored "slime" makes me wonder if maybe you might be making a bit more bile than you can re-cycle.Bile that gets to the colon (that isn't reabsorbed in the small intestine) can cause watery diarrhea. The lining of the two organs is a bit different and the small intestine is set up to handle a high concentration of bile because you need that to digest food. The colon is just set up to reabsorb water so it is different.You might check LNAPE's Calcium thread as that sometimes helps people with this. You might also discuss Questran with your doctor. It is a bile binding agent (used to lower cholesterol, mostly) but it can be used in people who have an obvious reason for the mismatch in production vs reabsorption (like that part of the small intestine had to be removed) and in people with IBS-D in general. It tends to be constipating so it can control the diarrhea of IBS-D. K.

[Doug G.]

My biggest advice for anyone who has IBS or other GI issues is definitely to relax, eat a healthy diet as suggested by your doctor, and get exercise. I had to go on stress leave from work (in a call center, so it was bound to happen anyway ) because I was freaking out over my symptoms. It got to the point where I literally couldn't go to work without a panic attack starting to settle in, mostly because there was some mentioning of the possibility of colitis, Chron's disease, or diverticulitis by a second doctor I had seen at a clinic. My mind was racing like crazy and my GI tract was following suit. Once I took the time off, saw my doctor a few times, and started speaking with other people in my family who suffer from IBS, the symptoms became better.What I've been doing for now is cutting out caffeine and alcohol, reducing my cigarette smoking, stopped smoking pot altogether, drinking more water and natural fruit juices, eating more fruits (mostly apples and oranges), and doing daily stretches and walking. The big thing with no longer smoking pot and cutting down on the cigarettes and whatnot was removing that stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety by themselves can basically throw your GI tract out of whack, so having IBS on top of that just makes it a nightmare sometimes. I've also stopped freaking out over every little "abnormality" in my stool and have simply been keeping track of it. When I was first stressing out so hard, I thought that any darkness in the stool immediately meant that my colon is bleeding and I was going to die and yada yada running around like a chicken with its head cut off. I've even recently passed dark green diarrhea, which was a bit alarming, but was explained as likely a reduced transit time in the colon and/or the fact that I ate a foot-long veggie sub from subway earlier that day. The reduced transit time can be caused by IBS and isn't a big concern so long as it's just once in a while.I'm having a colonoscopy set up to make sure that I'm good to go and there's nothing else going on, which will also relieve my stress. Even if I do have something else going on, actually knowing about it and then planning out what to do about it will lift a LOT of the stress. It's the not knowing that causes bigger problems, so just keep yourself in check.