[Dandelion]

I am having this feeling of incomplete evacuation daily! I take a stool softener every night and go to the bathroom really well when I wake up. Then it seems like all morning long I still feel like I have to go, there's something down there. I go maybe four or five times, but still have that feeling. Finally around 11:00 a.m., I give myself a little warm water enema (only about one ounce) and that last little bit will come out. I have to lie down and try and relax. Once noon comes, I do not go anymore until the next day. My whole mornings are miserable with this feeling. I can't concentrate or do anything with this feeling. This is DAILY now!! Does anyone else have this and what can I do to help this? I'm afraid these daily enemas (even though it's just a little bit of water) might be harming me.

 

[Tiss]

I have this feeling often and it is certainly uncomfortable! My dr. (as well as some people on this BB) have said that it feels that way, even after we've gone because the colon is having a spasm. Doesn't really help you feel better to know that though. I don't know how often enemas should be used without fear of harm. Have you asked your doctor? I am using Mike Mahoney's IBS hypnotherapy tapes-I believe that partly they are helping me to not feel as anxious about that lousy incomplete evacuation feeling. It seems like I'm not obsessing about is as much when it happens. Maybe you could give them a try?

 

[Feisty]

Hi Dandelion! I experience the same thing as you, although I tend to have it all the time. My Gastro. told me it's called a "spastic colon". The colon doesn't know how to slow down. He has suggested to me to try taking Immodium before each meal. When I tried that, it slowed me down too much, so I only take it once or twice a day. It helps a little bit. He also suggested I chew two Equalactin tablets before each meal and drink at least 8 oz. of water with it. You can get this in any drug store over the counter. It is for Irritable Bowel people and works well for both diarrhea and constipation. This gives me fewer, more normal size movements.Might be worth a try.Karen

 

[LUCIA]

Welcome to the club. What you are feeling is part of the ibs system. It happened to me today. First I had a bm then a few minutes later I got real bad stomach cramps I ran to the bathroom had 'D'. Then a few minutes later I had a bm 'D'. After that experience I decided to take a lomotil. If I had not taken the lomotil I would have had two or more bm's of 'D'. You always feel as if you are never done. IBS is caused by a dysfunction of motility. Check out web www.csmc.edu , then click on research & education, then type in 'irritable bowel syndrome. You will find more info on IBS. Good Luck.------------------

 

[Guest]

I get this too, every few days. And I get so sore from it. The itching, stinging,and burning is so intense sometimes that it's hard to concentrate on my work. I use witch hazel on a little toilet paper to sooth the external area. It stings a little when you first put it on, but then it stops hurting. Then along comes another trip to the bathroom, and the stinging begins again. Anyone find a lasting solution to the discomfort?

 

[vikee]

Hi Dandelion,This is my basic problem with IBS. I hate it! And here are some things I have tried. This is a long post with everything I've tried in my life. I am 58 now and IBS started in my 20's! You need a sense of humor to get through reading my post! I have used diet to control things. What works best for me is Metamucil. I am using the wafers and they taste good. I drink from 8 to 16 onces of water or liquid with it. At one time I used 3 doses of Metamucil a day and had a BM in the AM once a day. The feeling of having to go would come and go during the day. I had too much gas. I did not use Culturelle (a probiotic)or restrict my diet, except for dairy products.Now I use Metamucil wafers once a day and I'm experimenting with more than one dose a day. I also take 2 tablets of Fiber All which can be taken anytime and without water. I take this early in the morning and it causes some gas which helps propel the BM out so that feeling of not being finished isn't too bad. In addition I use Culturelle (a probiotic) which has almost eliminated excess gas during the day. It can be taken anytime and I usually take it at night, sometimes with dinner. Culturelle is made to withstand stomach acid and works in the large intestines. Again I don't restrict my diet and don't use dairy products.The mostly formed stool that Metamucil gives me helps stop those spasms and it is those spasms that creates for me the feeling of having to go. Sometimes I personally think that a spasm starts to push out some of the BM and then stops, so it sort of gets stuck in my rectum also creating that incomplete feeling which may be real! This is my latest theory on this horrid condition.Some time ago tried a diet that gave me a mild form of D and I tried to time eating and have a watery and gassy BM that was D in the morning only and most of my intestines seemed to be clear out of stools, and then I felt fine! If I could figure a way to have this happen every day, I would use that diet. For those times the D was with me after the 1st morning BM I would use imodium which worked for the rest of the day. All this included Culturelle as well but no fiber supplements. I ate whole grains and lots of fruit in the evening and regular food with no fiber food or fruit during the day. It didn't always work the way I wanted!I also tried the above with and without fiber and using a fleets enema for a few seconds to get the spasms working to clean me out for the day! I asked my doctor what was the worst thing that could happen besides my becoming dependant on enemas. He said irritation and bleeding. This never happened. This generally worked well and I was so glad to feel relief I didn't care if I needed them for the rest of my life! Since I only let the enema in for a few minutes or less it eventually stopped creating those artificial spasms which cleaned me out. It stopped working, and water enemas had no effect on me. So I stopped using them, unless there are days that I can't stand that feeling. Since I don't do this often, it works and gets out what feels like it is still stuck there.And I almost forgot at one time a shot of vodka would stoop the spasms period! I was very careful not to be addicted to this. Being an alcoholic would have presented too many problems!!All things considered I feel much better with Metamucil Wafers, Fiber All (which kind of takes the place of enemas), and Culturelle. When this stops working I'll think of another way!! Dealing with incomplete evacuation takes trial and error and creativity!------------------vikee

 

[flux]

quote:My dr. (as well as some people on this BB) have said that it feels that way, even after we've gone because the colon is having a spasm.

Not exactly. It seems to be caused by puborectalis muscle not relaxing when it should. This can be helped by biofeedback. You should have a video defecography to determine if this therapy will be helpful.

 

[Guest]

Hi Dandelion, this has been my problem for the last couple of months. I was diagnosed with spastic colon 9 years ago, but have had it for many more years. My symptons seem to change and flare up at different times in my life, postpartum and now perimenopause. I was mainly D but since fall have been experiencing C and the feeling of never being empty. When I awaken I need to go but unless I relax cannot have a BM and when I do it never feels complete. When I walk my children about 8 blocks to school I start to get a crampy tight feeling in my right side almost and until I have another BM the pain stays. By the 3 or 4th BM the pain is usually gone. I have been taking Metamucil once a day and drinking lots of water. I feel this has helped but I'm still anxious about the whole thing and dread my mornings. Take care and if you find anything helps let me know.

 

[Rose]

The "incomplete" feeling is the absolute worst part of my IBS. I am a "C" type, but manage to "go" everyday (with a little help from my friends...Perdiem, Experience and Calcium Citrate) Even on days when I "go" a lot...I never feel done. I always feel there is more to come, but won't....It is sooooooooooooooooooooooo annoying. I have found nothing that helps this feeling.------------------"Remember To Stop and Smell the Roses"Rose (C-type)

 

[jane93]

I get this wehn I'm stressed. I've found that relaxation techniques help like yoga and meditation as well as hypnotherapy help. I don't get this as often these days I think because of that. Basically I've learned how to relax my belly and therefore the colon...sounds wierd..but it works unless I'm really really stressed or nervous.

 

[Dandelion]

Thank you all for your replies. I get so depressed sometimes, I really don't want to go on. I work full time and my mornings are terrible. And this is every morning now! vikee, you especially sound like me. I will definitely try the Culturelle. Does any probiotic work, or is that one better? My family doctor wants me to try Zoloft. I'm afraid of that. Does the Levbid help anyone? I know there is something still there for when I do use the warm water enema, it doesn't take but a little water and it comes right out. You are right, the spasm just catches it "mid-stream", so to speak! If it doesn't come out, it hurts and I feel bloated and full of gas that won't move the rest of the day. I am afraid the Levbid might stop it "mid-stream" for the day and make it worse! Thanks again everyone for your responses and help. My daughter is getting married in July and I want to go, but don't want to be miserable and have to deal with this for the whole week I'm gone (plane ride and all). Thanks again everyone!

 

[vikee]

Hi Dandelion,As for probiotics, I have been using Culturelle for over a year. It can withstand stomach acid so can be taken at any time. For me personally it has controlled intestinal gas. I take one capsule a day and two if I start to get D. I also have had no yeast infections since I've been taking it.I can't find it in stores, it's there someplace, so I order it by phone. You can find out about it at: http://www.culturelle.com/index.html It has been my understanding that whatever you use, to be sure it says on the container that it withstand stomach acid. This is often in health food stores in the fridge but I hear they have a brand at GNC stores that does not have to stay in the fridge. I am also on Prozac for another condition. I would say antidepressants has helped me cope with IBS and that horrible feeling. You might want to try Zoloft. If the water enema works, it is my personal opinion that you should use it to get fully cleaned out.I am not familiar with Levbid, but if it is an antispasmatic, for me that created more problems with that feeling that more was there. It slowed things down too much.I hope things work out, especially for your daughter's wedding!------------------vikee

 

[AD]

I am this way too and have been since I started taking milk of magnesia every day for 3 years now. I feel like it's incomplete, and I hear and feel liquids (or a solid mass) actually moving inside my abdomen with only the force of my body movement. It's as if the muscles down there "want" to hold it in.