Advice please

Digestive health
1

So I have suffered with ibs for many years. Both Ibs-d and ibs-c though the ibs c is only ever needing to strain to pass pellet like stools and the ibs-d side of things is loose stools. Before I go on I'm going to mention to explain my situation I will need to go into detail.

3 days ago, I got what I thought was a tummy bug as it was more painful than a spell of ibs-d and more frequent visits to the toilet. This lasted 8 hours and stopped after I took one sachet of dioralyte dehydration. I gathered as the D had stopped I'd go back to my normal combination or C habits which is normal to me on a day to day basis. I normally visit the bathroom at least 3 times a day if not more.

But The next day came (yesterday) and I found myself unable to release my bowls even when I was feeling the urge to. This lasted all day yesterday, no movement- a little mucus but that's it. I started getting pain in my lower back and a bloated tummy, (obviously) and also burning pain in my lower abdomen which normally happens when I have a ibs-d flare up. This started happening at around 8 o'clock last night, so I went to the bathroom and tried again but nothing happened.

I woke up this morning with the urge to go and prayed this would mean I could pass something but that was not the case. It's is now half past 5 pm and I still haven't been able to pass anything, each time I go to the bathroom I do pass unrine but I never feel like I need to it just comes out when I strain to try pass stool.

I have never ever gone one day of my life since having ibs, without at least emptying my bowls once a day. So I am concerned.

Yesterday I took 30ml of lactulose to try and help it along but that didn't do anything (which normally does work if I find it hard to pass stool) but this time I feel like there's nothing there to pass, accept I know there should be and when I feel the need to go I feel throbbing inside my rectum and it feels as though when I clench my anus, I can feel a mass within my rectum but it is not stool as I have tried manual evacuation incase im backed up ,after talking to my gp on the phone and she advised that.

So I'm confused as to why I feel something in my rectum/anus when there is no blockage ect and why am I needing to go to the toilet when there is nothing to pass and also why haven't I got anything to pass over the last 48 hours.

So I'm worried if this persist how likely is it that my bowl will explode, and what can be the reason for this type of constipation as I have never suffered with it like this I have always struggled to pass stool but never been entirely unable to! Do I need to visit the doctors urgently? I'm confused as hell and don't particularly want to take laxatives if I don't need to

2

Firstly calm down. You had diarrhoea for 8 hours, that's why you aren't passing anything at the moment, there is simply nothing to pass. You feel like there is something in your rectum because the tissues will be swollen from the frequent bowel movements. Staining will only make this worse so stop trying.

After having acute diarrhoea it is very normal to not pass a stool for a few days. Things will resume once your system gets back to normal.

3

Thankyou so much for your comment! But I still do not understand why I feel the need to go?

4

Because as mentioned above you've been going loads and your body is used to feeling the urgency to go and your backside will be sore and irritated. Totally normal and nothing to worry about.

5

Don't panic.  You will make your IBS worse.  Your symptoms are typical of an IBS flare up. Symptoms can change over time. Try fruit or laxatives for constipation.. When having diarrhoea,stop fruit/laxatives and try imodium.  Don't be frightened of home remedies.

6

Is it possible that you have internal hemorrhoids that are giving you that "full" feeling of rectal pressure?  When my hemorrhoids flare up I get that sensation.  It couldn't hurt to try some Preparation-H or similar OTC hemorrhoid medication and see if that helps.