Severe IBS "anal retention": is there anyone else like me who goes through what I do?

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I have a severe form of IBS, a 24 hr event in my life. It is to the point where it cripples me, with my whole lower left side of my abdomen swollen and sore. It makes it hard to eat since I have so much crappy gas and pain. I literally have to drink a large amount of liquid combined with a "catalyst" usually the equivalent to 2 cups of coffee, stand up, and bend at at angle to take a bowel movement. Worse yet, is the amount of crappy gas and pain that occurs after I take a bowel movement. Which the only way I can relieve is a combination of large amounts of liquid, occasional sips of an energy drink, and brute force (literally hundreds of push ups throughout the day until my gut feels stable enough to eat real food without feeling like I am going to puke). This is ruining my life. A local doctor has and psychiatrist has classified this as anal retention. All medications have failed and made me worse. Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks. It is to the point where I can't sit down during the day or I build up too my painful gas in the lower left side of my abdomen and have to urinate constantly to relieve the pressure.

Erik

0 likes, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • Posted

    hi erik,this is flamin ridiculous! what on earth are your doctor's doing? have you seen a specialist? have you had cameras, someone look at your anus, given you laxatives? you must ask for a second opinion off someone else. you trust doctor's to help when you're unwell and yours clearly aren't helping you. if there's any more problems contact the surgery manager.

    • Posted

      This is beyond medicine. It is clearly something psychological/neurological. But I've tried both therapies it's no go. It's up to me to figure it out. GI folks clueless.

    • Posted

      hi erik, hmm easier said than done! what do you mean it's beyond medicine? i wasn't talking about taking anything! you could maybe try some mindfulness, yoga or pilates, a sport or anything of that kind! speak to us, we'll help!

  • Posted

    Erik, have you had a CT scan? This sounds a bit like severe diverticulitis? Alternatively,if you are constantly working out have you got an inguinal hernia?

    When you say "bend at an angle" do you mean bend over on the toilet,almost squatting? This is the ideal way to defecate and is recommended for people who get badly constipated. Do you continually try to stop a motion for whatever reason? Psychiatrists will often relate this to something in your past,maybe in childhood. Only you will know if this is the case.

    • Posted

      I've had more scans than you can imagine. It's definitely a physiological and possibly neurological. I literally have to stand up and push and bend at an angle to pass a movement. The worst is AFTER I take a bowel movement. There is some kind of phenomena where my gut traps gas and literally I get an upflow of "funk" that sometimes can make me throw up. It is then a daylong (and nightlong) gas chase with a freaky gas pain in my lower left pelvic area. It is sometimes swollen like someone hit me with a bat.

  • Posted

    Marina Dee,

    Just to follow up on the previous discussion...I have a constant residual gassy "sore spot" in my lower left part of abdomen. It hurts like hell, constantly with a burning stool/gas pain which blows out plumes of painful burning gas, where I constantly have resolve using brute force and water. I've tried everything, including relaxing with a cup of tea, etc. Quite frankly, relaxing probably makes it worse, not better. Walking actually hurts, albeit can be effective in removing freaky and sickening gas. But it appears that the most effective method (and less painful) is by constantly doing pushups and bending at a certain angle(and standing up), to remove the bad actor.

    Perhaps this is what I get as a leftover of working at a very demanding job, having an extreme physical fitness routine, and demanding 120% effort to please everyone for two or three decades. Quite frankly, I never have an appetite and I refuse to eat if my gut feels unstable. I know by experience that eating when not feeling well only makes it worse. Therefore, very small breakfast and lunch if it takes me until about 3 PM to get a gut stable enough to eat anything of better substance. Sorry GI folks, small meals and all that stuff they threw at me for years made it worse, not better. The GI world is clueless on me.

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