[thelibertine]

I'm currently waiting to be seen by a cororectal surgeon for a suspected prolapse, but I'm really struggling to cope with the increasingly bad symptons. I've not had a normal bm for a long time and they are small and pencil thin, and hard to get out whether hard or soft, sometimes even worse when I take the softeners my drs have given me cause I struggle to go properly. My rectum has a feeling of being constantly blocked and I have pain sometimes in it as well as a lot of bloating, trapped wind and then having to pass the wind seems painful. Some days I have to rush to the loo constantly for tiny bits I can't evacuate all at once even with the use of suppositaries and softeners.I'm so depressed and I feel like crying everyday. My appointment is in 3 weeks but it's the only first so may take some time to find what is going wrong and treat it.Does anyone have any suggestions for coping or something I could do to help. I am desperate.

 

[Diana63]

I know how you feel,i suffer a lot from incomplete evacuation.My BM are always soft but i need to strain to get them out and they are all different shapes and sizes.Strange!Have you tried Biofeedback to see if that helps?

 

[thelibertine]

No I havn't, it's physical therapy right, what sort of stuff can I do? I'll try anything atm to just get a little more normality if at all possible.Should a prolapse worsen over time, because it feels like my ability to push is getting worse and worse as well as ability to have a bm. I have to go lots and lots of times to get out bits at a time.I've also slowly been getting more gas and more stomach ache which does not feel like normal IBS at all, as well as sometimes random pains in my actual rectum type area. Everything feels sore... that's the way I would describe it.Can I also ask if anybody knows how safe it is to take suppositaries regularly? my dr told me to take them as much as I need them but over the past few weeks I've been having to use them most days and I'm concerned that this will cause more harm than good, however it's really hard for me to empty my bowel properly and they often help loosen up the final pieces so that I can go most of the day without having to keep rushing for small bits (not always though I have to say) I've heard they can cause bowel dependance... such a horrible situation.

 

[Diana63]

Can you get a referral to see a Physiotherapist?that is who i saw about the Biofeedback.I dont know where you live,i am in the UK(Scotland),and that is who does that type of therapy hereYou sit on the toilet and put a small step/stool under your feet,making sure your knees are slightly higher than your hips,they say that position can help with emptying the bowels,it takes practice and time.Try to relax and breath slowly,normally your arms are resting on your legs,try and get yourself comfortable,when you feel the urge to go,i was told to push down and out at my back passage and push out my abdomen,which i still find difficult because my muscles have been so tensed with all the straining,but i'll continue trying.If you cant expel anything do not sit for anymore than 10mins,get up and go do something else and try and not go back to strain,all the straining will be making you sore.I would say if you can get to see someone about it,it would be better to,they go through all the aspects of how to sit to how to expel the BM.I was told suppositries were okay to take but they caused me to have severe D so i had to stop taking them.If you can i would speak to your Doctor about the Biofeedback.

 

[thelibertine]

Hey Diane thanks for the response, I'm really annoyed because yesterday I got a leter saying my appointment with the cororectal had been put back almost two months for no reason, just apoogizes. This depresses me because I just want to get a diagnosis and find out if I have had a prolapse or if I just have weak pelvic floor or something.I think I have to go through the cororectal surgeon first before they'd decide on a physical therapy or surgery if it's needed.Thanks I've been putting my feet up on a stool the last few days and I think it may help a bit. I also don't seem to be able to push out my stomach I try and my muscles just tense up, maybe this is what I am doing wrong? I'm finding it really hard to do though, I think I need help learning how to relax muscles.I have to go for a small ammount of bm, then I get up and go sit down for 5-10 mins and can usually do another bit. It just seems like I can only push if it's right at the bottom of my rectum maybe or something.It feels incredibly weak down there atm. I think it may be tired and sore so I'm trying not to strain as much as possible or force myself to go to the loo. But often I don't force it, I genuinly need to but find it hard to get stuff out! My stomach and back have also been feeling randomly sore and very hurty, keeping an eye on that, dunno whether it's related or not. If it doesn't go away soon I might pop to the drs as the sore stomach and back along with my rectum is quite worrying.

 

[annie7]

libertine---that's terrible they pushed your appt back!this post had some helpful advice. although i'm sure receiving the instructions in person, with a therapist, is the best way. http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=113788also another poster said her physiotherapist taught her this (this was posted in 6/2008 and i can't seem to find the link--may have been lost in that server crash)"use a footstool while sitting on the toilet, bend knees and place toes on it so knees are higher than hips (i use a bin turned sideways)lean forward and rest elbows on thighs, keeping back straight.hold your breath and slowly bulge out your tummy as you have a bm--placing one hand on your tummy helps feel this action. this helps relax your pelvic floor.at end of bm, pull up your pelvic floor to close.to practice training these muscles to relax: lie down on your side on the bed. pull up pelvic floor. do not tighten buttocks or tummy. then hold for three seconds. then slowly let the muscles go and at the same time bulge out lower abdomen. do ten times am and pm."personally i'm not sure about the holding the breath part. the hands on the tummy advice helps though. another poster mentioned blowing (as in blowing out candles) twelve times helps...that's what her therapist said to do. along with the footstool etc.takes some experimenting maybe...find what's right for you..but no straining.good luck....

 

[Gabriel]

Ha! So I am not the only one who's used a tipped over waste bin as a stool. I would recommend this if you're straining, it may very well help. You can try stretches that extend the abdomen as well, sometimes even lifting your arms up and down slowly above your head can help.It could also be a mental thing where you can become so worried about your BM that you tense up, though it may be half/half or not at all a mental issue.

 

[annie7]

oh yes--me too. i use a footstool in the downstairs bathroom and a tipped over wastebasket in the upstairs one.

 

[Diana63]

I know everyone is different but i would phone the Hospital and ask them the reason they put your appointment back and whether they could consider you for a cancellation if someone cancels there appointment.I also find it difficult to push out stomach muscles because i am so used to tensing them all the time.annie7 has given you some good advice also.Hope it helps also.I had a Proctogram last year which showed the muscles in my rectum were weak,so i am hoping the pelvic floor exercises i do help with that as well.Maybe being on the toilet so much and trying to use your bowel is what is causing the pain and discomfort in your stomach and back,but as you say maybe speak to your Doctor about it.

 

[idkwia]

Thelibertine - I have had surgery for an internal prolapse of the colon. I have also undergone two lots of biofeedback so I might be able to offer some advice. May I ask if you are in the UK and if so where do you live?

 

[Diana63]

IdkwiaHow have you got on with the Biofeedback?I have also had it on two seperate occassions,but not getting much relief from it,but i am carrying on with it at home.

 

[thelibertine]

Hey, thanks for all your advice! I will sure be trying that Ive been doing the foot thing and trying to push out, I am mostly okay for the majority of my stool I would say,(as long as I take 1 sachet of movicol the night before) it is usually that I struggle for the final stages and the shapes and sizes are weird as well. I never feel like I empty properly and therefore will have to go throughout the day, particularly 2-3 hours after the first stool for little bits that are sometimes very hard to get out to the point where I have to use my hands.

And to idkwia I am going to Nottingham city hospital, any advice would be great feel free to send me a pm.I am thinking of phoning up and asking about the cancelation thing, thanks for the suggestions everyone!

 

[idkwia]

IdkwiaHow have you got on with the Biofeedback?I have also had it on two seperate occassions,but not getting much relief from it,but i am carrying on with it at home.

Well like many things the quality of the biofedback depends on the quality of the nurse that is helping you. I think it is fair to point out that I chose to have an operation to correct my internal prolapse. This made things a lot better. I am having biofeedback now just to make sure that I am doing things correctly and to make the most of what I have got because no operation can make you perfect again. So the biofeedback I am currently doing is excellent because the nurse is excellent, way better than the first one I had. I now know for sure that I am using the correct technique and my muscles are working correctly. Each person of course has different problems and so biofeedback should be tailored to each individual. For example there are numerous laxatives and ways of bulking up stools and adding more water to stools and of course stool softeners and then enemas, suppositories and rectal irrigation all of which you can do yourself if need be. We have to remember that some people who are paralysed often cannot defecate on their own and so a specialist nurse trained in biofeedback will teach them how to defecate. But equally if you have an internal or external prolapse that is so bad no amount of biofeedback is going to help.Hope this helps.Good luck.

 

[Diana63]

I do not have a prolapse,but told if i dont stop straining i may end up with one.I have weak/loose muscles in my rectum.Can i ask where abouts you have been having your Biofeedback?I do hope you do not mind me asking you?The person who i saw was very good and understanding also,but i have no idea why its not working for me at home.