HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Incomplete Bowel Movements-help

Support Forums
>
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread
Posted 4/26/2024 1:49 PM (GMT -5)
I mostly have IBS-C and every day I feel like after a bowel movement there is something left in my rectum. I use a medical grade lubricant on one finger to check. This involves breaking up semi soft to hard pieces and pulling them out. I asked my doctor yesterday about this and he simply said don’t worry if there’s some left inside of me it will come out later. Well, I can’t seem to ignore this.
Im keeping a journal now of exactly what I eat and have added more fruit and vegetables. Im getting over 60 ounces of water a day. Im including exercises, isometrics mostly because I’m disabled and I’m on a low calorie diet.
I was examined some years ago and the doctor said I have a normal sized rectum but a very tight spincture muscle. Im 76 years of age and have been using the lube almost every day of the past 2 years.
Can manual extraction of feces cause a lessened response of my need to go? I have two bowel movements a day usually. Im concerned that I’m doing harm by not just leaving the fences inside but I’ve found that they turn to hard rocks by evening.
I’ve just started using stool softeners and need to know if I can use them often or not?
Your help is appreciated.
JS
Posted 4/26/2024 11:35 PM (GMT -5)
JS, stay with a good stool softener, Miralax is a good one. Please keep in mind it takes several days before one will become effective. My grandson was put on it when he was young, he became such a picky eater. The pediatrician said to keep him on it as long as necessary. Keep drinking water, the colon is mainly all fluid.

You should not have to dig pieces out & your dr is correct they will eventually move out. Try to avoid getting fixated on this.
Posted 4/28/2024 2:27 PM (GMT -5)
I think your last statement was right on. I’m being fixated on having nothing left inside me.
Can I use one stool softener every day?
The instructions are very vague on the bottle.
JS
Posted 4/29/2024 9:50 AM (GMT -5)
JS, my grandson took Miralax every evening at bedtime, no loose stools ever. You can try taking it every night to see what happens. If you end up with loose stools, cut it back to every other night & so on.
Posted 5/10/2024 1:51 PM (GMT -5)
Miralax is a laxative. Don’t I need a stool softener? I don’t want to become dependent.
Posted 1/29/2025 2:11 AM (GMT -5)
That sounds really difficult, JS, and I completely understand why you're worried. It’s good that you’re tracking your diet, water intake, and exercise—those are all great steps in managing IBS-C.

Manual extraction can sometimes cause the body to rely on it, making it harder for natural bowel movements to trigger properly. Since you’re already introducing stool softeners, you might want to monitor how your body responds and consult your doctor about long-term use. Some people find magnesium or psyllium husk helpful for keeping stools soft and moving more easily, but every gut reacts differently.

Since you mentioned a tight sphincter muscle, pelvic floor therapy or relaxation techniques could be worth exploring, as tension in that area can make elimination more difficult. Have you tried any breathing exercises or warm compresses to help relax the muscles before a bowel movement?

Hoping you find some relief soon! You're definitely not alone in this. 💙
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply