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Stool starts OK but then goes mushy?

Posted , 19 users are following.

sue18123
sue18123

Hi, just a quick question, hope someone can give an opinion (first got IBS at 15, it continued mildly into my 20's. Almost 40 now and have mild bouts once in a blue moon). 

Can you tell me if fairly typical for IBS bowel movements to start out normally (as in shape and consistency) but then get rather runny/mushy for the last portion of the stool?

Essentially, I'm having a stool of two halves. The first half is OK but then I feel as if the rest of it is going to come out like mush, and it does. 

The only recent dietary change I've made is that I have started drinking warm water with a tablespoon of lemon juice or a lemon slice before bed. Previously I used to have a small glass of milk or tea. 

Thanks for any help. 

0 likes, 38 replies

38 Replies

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  • Kingjerry42
    Kingjerry42 sue18123

    Posted

    WITH IBS - BOWEL MOVEMENTS apparently can take any form possible.

    In my case I will have bowel movements then just when I believe I'm okay my stomach will begin to generate gas, bloating & what not. IT IS INCOMPLETE EVACUATION which can go on all day. No matter how much comes out - you still feel you have to go again & again.

    Yes. Your stool can change too. You can start out with a hard stool but by the time you are finished it can become very soft. Borderline Diarrhea.

    • sue18123
      sue18123 Kingjerry42

      Posted

      Thanks for the response. Yes the half normal/half runny stool is what I'm experiencing. I've always had it here and there and have previously heard it's a very typical IBS stool. 

    • christine14692
      christine14692 Kingjerry42

      Posted

      That sounds familiar to my experience, constantly needing to evacuate! And it just less and less each time, for someone that doesnt eat a lot, i dont know how i can produce so much! I dont know if that is the incomplete evacuation thing? that no matter how much you go, you keep needing to go.....

    • Hypnomum
      Hypnomum Kingjerry42

      Posted

      That's really informative, I have wondered about this for years. I don't feel I have completely evacuated until I get the mushy cow pat at the end.

    • sandra55255
      sandra55255 Hypnomum

      Posted

      i am like that do you find the last bit messy and need lots of toilet paper?

  • pippa58442
    pippa58442 sue18123

    Posted

    I would go back to taking milk or tea.  Sometimes dietary changes can affect IBS. If your recent changes of bowel habit started after you changed your diet, this may be the cause.

    Lemons are acidic and may have upset your intestine.  Milk is more alkaline and soothes the stomach.  I haven't had this type of bowel habit change.  With me it is constipation or loose.  However, everyone is different.

    • sue18123
      sue18123 pippa58442

      Posted

      Thanks Pippa

      I have always had a stool like this now and again but has been a bit more consistent this past month. I'll stop the lemon water and see if it helps. I didn't really want to start milk again, I guess just plain boiled water would be OK. 

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 sue18123

      Posted

      Was the milk causing a reaction?  Taking a lot of water may be softening your stools too much.  Maybe cut down on this.  I would still just go back to what you were doing before if your stools were not like this previously.
    • sue18123
      sue18123 pippa58442

      Posted

      No, nothing that I'd noticed, I just didn't want milk anymore for other reasons. But I think I will just experiment to see what happens. 

      That being said I have had perfectly normal stools within the time of starting the lemon water, too, so it might just be a coincidense. 

    • pippa58442
      pippa58442 sue18123

      Posted

      That's the challenge with IBS; everything is trial and error.

  • astrozombie
    astrozombie sue18123

    Posted

    When I have an IBS attack this description is very fitting. I remember having to describe it to a doctor and as a walker the only description which sprung to mind was cow pat.  I know disgusting.  I started having this problem about 5 years ago and never really resolved it.  I am better than I was and I think reducing my bread intake helped and I only eat wholemeal bread now. I gave up milk for a while but seemed to make me even worse so I have started having the occasional tea.  When I am stressed this is worse so I definitely think for me stress plays a major part and I have been lucky as I have had a temporary contract renewed but I was so bad for a while that every day involved a 3 hour loo break so I obviously had to give up work.  I am much better since that time so there is hope.  Also if I want a snack I used to biscuits and still like the occasional biscuit but I eat more good stuff like carrots and celery as a snack. I also exercise more and try to walk about 20 miles a week.  I think a mixture of all this has helped but definitely avoiding peak traffic jams is much better for me. Also I am never ill at the time of the stress but always a day or 2 days later but I think it must be related.  I wish there was one cure but believe it to be more trial and error.
    • christine14692
      christine14692 astrozombie

      Posted

      I noticed your post, how you say at the times of stress, you dont get symptoms, only a day or 2 after, thats how mine seems to go, so i never connected it, and thought it was odd, but maybe its an after effect? i do hold a lot of stress and anxiety internally, and dont really have a way to release it via a hobby or some form of release.....

  • astrozombie
    astrozombie sue18123

    Posted

    PS I see comments on water.  My view on this I am strangely better when I drink more water.  When I was at my most ill and suffered terribly with explosive emissions it was before I even realised there were benefits to water as drunk hardly any so for me water is a benefit.  Water in those days came from the juice of fruit used in cocktails.  Also apart from Christmas I am virtually teetotal now. I break this rule for Christmas but the rest of the year I try to do without it.
    • sue18123
      sue18123 astrozombie

      Posted

      Thanks for the reply. Sorry to hear about your struggles. As for water, I know people who are constipated need to keep well hydrated to help with smoother bowel movements. I'm not constipated and don't drink in excess of 6-7 200ml glasses of water per day. I am aware though, the lemon water is often recommended to boot a slugglish colon up the bee-hind, and wondered if it is causing this effect on me given that my BM's aren't sluggish to start with. 

  • robert1986
    robert1986 sue18123

    Posted

    This has been me for the past 6 weeks . Last week I had as close to normal bowel movements since everything has started. Went to Gastro he gave me some antibiotics said maybe IBS for couple of weeks haven't started since I got better but today it started again . Grrrrrrrr .

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