Trouble emptying bowels and multiple morning toilet trips.

Posted , 7 users are following.

37 y/o M. Generally fit and healthy (running, general gym exercise, etc). 

So here is what I'm experiencing (slowly gotten worse over 1.5-2 years) - any advice would be welcome. 

When I get up in a morning, after around 5-20 minutes of pottering around the house I have a sudden urge to go for a BM (bowel movement). It's normally always extrmemely loose or only parlty formed stool. 

After a dash to the loo I have a forceful BM where I feel the stool exiting quickly....before it suddenly stops. I know there is more to come out but it just completley halts. I don't wish to strain (I've had a haemorroihds removed before) so I have to begin cleaning up. 

After cleaning up (which can take a while!) I continue with my morning; feeling full, uncomfortable, feeling a bit dirty and unclean and sometimes lethargic. Luckily I spend a fair amount of time at home with my job but it does sometimes kill my drive and enthusiasm.

Then, after varying times, sometimes a few minutes, sometimes 30 minutes, sometimes an hour, I have another urge (not as strong as the first) for another BM, which is obviously the 'left over' from the initial toilet trip. 

The second time is normally a lot easier to clean up and is a little more solid (still not sausage shaped, though) and leaves me feeling completley empty with a spring in my step. Sometimes I have to go 3 times, but normally twice does the job.

This can sometimes happen in the afternoon (around 3-4) and/or in the evening (around 8-9), too, but the morning toilet trips are always the worst. 

I know people sometimes 'feel' they haven't emptied their bowels properly after a toilet trip even though there is nothing in there - but for me there IS still stool in there as sometimes a few minutes later I'm passing another stool.

I sometimes have other IBS symptoms, such as a bloating in my belly, passing wind (which sometimes I have to suck up at the last minute as I think something else may pop out!) but the morning routine is BY FAR the most frustrating thing. 

I follow a heavily plant-based diet with hardly any meat or diary, so I don't need to add any fibre to my diet (I may need to decrease the fibre). When I first switched to beans/lentils and lots of veg, I noticed my stools were looser (as I sometimes became constipated), so was very happy and it all came out in one go. 

I have also tried some anti-spasmodic tablets, which seem to be a little hit-and-miss.

I've had various blood checks and swabs to rule out other things and have had a colonoscopy, too. 

Any advice or comments would be welcome.

Thanks, guys. 

0 likes, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • Posted

    Sounds very like IBS if all your tests were negative.  Have you been given a diagnosis of IBS?   It is important to get a firm, definitive answer from your doctor. Urgent bowel movements in the morning is common with IBS and is known as the morning rush.
    • Posted

      Hi Pippa, thanks for replying.

      No, I haven't yet. The doctor did say that it did indeed sound like IBS, but we put the diagnosis to the side whilst I sorted out my haemmorhoid removal. 

      I'm not a massive fan of taking prescription tablets, so will most probably take a week or so seeing how dietary changes and toilet positioning impact it. 

      Aside from the morning rush, my other symptoms aren't really that bad.

      Yesterday I cut out all products with gluten in, had no onions, garlic or mushrooms (wish is a shame as I LOVE them!) and my BM this morning were a lot better. I still had a bit of a rush feeling but they emptied fairly well. 

      Aside from definitively knowig you have IBS and being able to get prescription medicaiton, are there any other benefits to knowing you have IBS I may have missed or overlooked?  

    • Posted

      Knowing I have IBS has stopped my health anxiety and I know that stress caused my iBS, so I know my triggers which has helped to reduce my flare ups.
  • Posted

    Hey, I know I'm very late in seeing this post, but you sound exactly like I am!! I was wondering how you are now and if you have found any magical cure!??xx

  • Posted

    Fibrous foods are a huge trigger for many with IBS. I couldn't even leave the house when I ate a lot of fibre, and now I just eat a little (from salad greens, root ginger etc). This actually helped both my constipation and diarrhea! Fermentable carbs are also a huge trigger (FODMAPS). High GI carbs are usually easier to tolerate.

    • Posted

      I have recently been diagnosed with IBS. Not all remedies suit everyone but this works for me.

      I take an extra strength oil of peppermint gel tablet and hour before dinner and tea and a tablespoon of flaxseed oil just before the same two meals.

      I hope this suits some of you too.

  • Posted

    Hello! 

     

    As if I am reading my morning routine!!! How you feeling now? 

  • Posted

    Just after finding this now & feels like I'm reading my own story! Is this IBS?

    Just 5 weeks ago I had HALS procedure done & biopsies done in hospital & spent a week there afterwards with pain.

    I had colonoscopy & endoscopy last April & was told I have diverticular disease

    I also have hypothyroidism which consultant said can have big impact on bowel

    D'ont know what way to turn

    Any advice anyone?

    • Posted

      Concentrate on making sure you are getting enough thyroxine because it will affect many things if undertreated including your bowel. The thyroid controls the whole body. Were you given any advice on diverticular disease? The best you can do is to go back to your doctor and ask lots of questions about your conditions if unsure what to do.

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