The title says it all. I’m having a real hard time not worrying about this. I’ve been getting blood in my stool and now my bowel movements are like little marbles and I strain to pass them.
I have scheduled an appointment with a GI to check me out but was wondering if anyone has any solutions. I have been taking isabghol which is a fiber supplement and drinking tons of water and excercise 3 - 4 days a week and that helps a little bit but I’m pretty sure it’s because of the medications I’m taking. I went to my primary care and he prescribed me a cream because he says I have hemorrhoids. It helped a little bit with the blood but the problem came back. It comes and goes. The last few times I went to the bathroom and didn’t have any blood, I didn’t feel any pain either but my bowel movements are like little lumps.
I’ve been stable for more than a year and the medication I’ve been taking has been doing it jobs but the side effects are starting to get worse.
I get a monthly injection of Sustenna Invega 156 mg, take Wellbutrin 50mg for depression and Clonazepam 1mg for my sleep problems. I feel very frustrated because I feel like no one can help me with this. My primary care was telling me to get surgery for my hemorrhoids and I refused because I don’t think I need it.
If anyone has any suggestions please let me know or has dealt with something similar.
Are you drinking a lot of water? It helps. So does app!e juice. When I worked in nursing homes we gave constipated residents a brew of half apple juice and half prune juice, warmed up. It worked wonders.
I had hemorrhoids after giving birth to my son. It was very painful. They wanted to do surgery, but I refused. They said surgery was very painful. The cream is helpful. Stay at it. Continue to use anything topical that they recommend. I hope you can stay on your meds, especially if they are working!
Yea I drink 2 - 3 liters of water a day. I’ll try anything at this point. I’m also going to buy magnesium citrate and see how that goes. I’m worried about straining too much and I end up rupturing something. I try not to strain too much but I’m getting super paranoid.
Using a stool under your feet can really help a lot. It reduces straining and stress on the pelvic floor. You can eventually eliminate faster and more fully. If you don’t have a stool a large coffee can is the perfect height.
I am on invega sustenna 50 mg. I use to go every 4 days or so then I changed my diet drastically and it helped. Now I go every morning about an hour to two hours after I wake up. And It’s not hard rocks like it use to be. You are on more medications than I am so meds are probably the problem.
My meal plan is as follows:
As soon as I wake up I drink 2 bottles of water. I am usually up by 5am. About an hour is so when I pee all the water out I sit on the toilet relax and try to poo. Sometimes it comes sometimes it doesn’t I don’t force it. It took some time but now it usually comes. After that I shower and start the day
I have
breakfast: ( usually 8 or 9am) One pear or apple. Or half cup berries. Steel cut oats and 1tbsp chia seeds in the steel cut oats. Honey to sweeten. Water.
Lunch:(11 or 12pm) one cup or more of a vegetable. I usually steam kale, broccoli, or spinach. One orange, half cup navy beans.
Dinner:(3,4 or 5pm)small serving meat usually tin sardine or chicken. About half the plate of a vegetable. I usually have fried zucchini with mushrooms. Half cup navy beans. Half cup of a whole grain product. I usually have quinoa or black rice or barley.
If I get hungry I always snack on a fruit or a vegetable or nuts. Preferably something high fiber. I drink about 5 (500ml)water bottles everyday. Sometimes more. I try to finish my dinner by 4 pm. And I try to eat at the same time every day. Beans have been my saviour because they are high in fibre. I might be gassy but I don’t care. My body loves routine. I use dry beans that you soak overnight then cook. Preferably navy beans cause they are one of the highest in fibre. I cut out all processed foods and only eat whole foods now as close to nature as I can get. Except for the tin sardine but I may not perfect and I have days where I am just plain lazy. Also I don’t eat white rice or white bread anymore. Nothing bleached. Only whole grain. Try to get more than 30g of fibre a day. Sorry it’s so long. Hope this helps.
I was severely constipated and would sometimes just go once a week or so…
I went to my old gp and at first I was on five movicol a day but that sucked drinking so much of it but it did help a bit .
What helped me the most may be when she put me on a gluten free and lactose free diet.
I came off the laxatives and was having daily bowel movement or every second day but mostly daily.
The improvement was astounding.
I cheat a bit with my diet and at the moment I have not had such regular bowel movements but I have been sick for a month or so and am going to see my new gp about it in a few days and maybe have tests taken.
I am in constant pain and discomfort but around the bladder area etc.
Talk to your Dr about a low food map diet.its gluten free and dairy free.
I buy gluten free bread and I buy soy milk but I do cheat a bit sometimes.
I think @SacredNeigh7 is suggesting a low FODMAP diet, which stands for “Fermentable Oligo-, Di-, Mono-saccharides And Polyols”. FODMAPs are blamed for intestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome and Chron’s disease, and a diet free of those may alleviate symptoms.
Personally, coffee works well to keep me going regularly.
@anon92220549 - the blood is with the stool not separately.
@naturallycured - I used to drink a lot of coffee also but now it makes me nauseous so I don’t drink as much. I try not to drink it on an empty stomach as well.
@November - How did you get to be on such a low dose of Invega. Did you taper down slowly or they started you off with that dose. I also want to go lower but am a little scared.
Went for a 20min walk and then sprinted. It got my bowels to empty out. I’m feeling good. I think the prune and apple juice combo helped.
I was at 75mg before. I asked my doctor to lower it because I was having problems with sleep. I thought he wouldn’t though but he did. I was scared too. But I have been okay. My sleep still isn’t perfect I get up all hours of the night but I like being on a lower dose.
