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Question about symptoms

Hi all... new here, nice to find a forum with folks like me. It's good to not feel alone, as IBS can sometimes make you feel lonely.

Quick background... I'm 43 and I started recognizing my symptoms a few years ago (constipation, alternating with urgent need for BM, mucus in stool/etc). Finally visited a GI doc in Jan of last year, had stool tests done - all looked good. He recommended increased fiber intake and removing milk from daily diet. Symptoms still occurred, so we moved on to colonoscopy last summer. Everything looked fine, the doc then diagnosed me with IBS and asked I continue with fiber intake daily.

Symptoms got a LITTLE better, but I still went back and forth with constipation followed by sudden urge for BM. BMs were mostly solid but tend to be large, sometimes looser, rarely diarrhea. However, over the past year or so I tend to pass mucus AFTER I have an urgent BM. This happens once or twice a week, sometimes more, sometimes less. It's not so much that it falls in the toilet, but I feel it and see it when I wipe, sometimes more watery and sometimes a little sticky/jelly-like (apologies for being graphic). I've discussed with the doc, we did another stool test a few months ago and that also came back fine. They don't seem concerned, they just tell me to continue with the fiber intake and keep an eye on diet.

My question is, does anybody else with IBS tend to pass mucus after BMs? Most of the research I can find shows that IBS sufferers tend to pass mucus WITH the stool, I can't find any instances like mine. Trying to not overthink it, considering stool tests came back fine as well as colonoscopy. I do suffer from a little more anxiety than usual these days since being furloughed due to covid, and my diet could be a LITTLE better of course... but it's hard not to worry a little bit.

Thanks to any feedback. Again, glad to be here and it's very supportive to know I'm not alone.

  1. Hi Josh. Like you I’m new to this forum. I was diagnosed with IBS about 5 years ago. By and large I can control the symptoms by diet and occasional use of anti diahorrea tablets. For some reason, however, my latest flare up has gone on for 4 or 5 weeks which is unusually long for me. I’m experiencing urgent BMs up to 3 times a day, pain in my lower right abdomen, and a general feeling of anxiety. A couple of anti diahorrea tablets clear things up for 2 or 3 days and then the whole cycle starts again! I’d be interested to hear from others about their experience of flare ups.
    Anyway, to answer your question - yes, I’m the same as you. I’m much more likely to find mucous/ jelly like substance when I wipe as opposed to passing it with stools.
    Hope this reassures you.
    JanD

    1. Thanks for the response Jan!
      Again, it's just nice to not feel alone, and to feel like there are others I can chat with with similar issues.
      Take care!

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