mucus, loose stools and constipation

[danmorgan]

I want to add to my previous message. I am 41 year old white male in good health who has been on antibiotics for months because of prostatitis. For over three or four weeks I have experienced major constipation with: 1.a small amount of loose stools the size of nickels that are brown and dark. 2.No pain. 3.No urge to have a bowl movement. 4.Mucus in stool. 5. Slow reaction time from the laxitives I have used. 6. Movement is hard once it happens and I have to force the small "rocks" out with my finger. 7. I have had no fever or diarrehea. 8. No bleeding.
I did have a colonoscopy on 10-2000, that turned up a benign polyp. I went to my Colon Doctor and he said that I had hemorriods and an inflamed rectum-I wish I would have asked what that was-and that the mucus was from the inflamed rectum.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? If so, what is it?
Thanks,
Danmorgan

[Lillibet]

Since my gallbladder surgery on Jan. 24th, 2003 I have had problems with constipation. This is kind of weird since I also have Ulcerative colitis and thought I would be running to the bathroom. I am on Reglan and heard that it causes constipation. I have been eating prunes, taking Metamucil, stool softeners (2 day), but have only had 1 real BM in these past three weeks. I had to resort to several enemas after being in the ER with severe abdominal pain. After tons of Xrays they found that I had a partial obstruction and told me to take several warm water enemas to clean my system out. I cannot eat anything raw yet (no fruits, veggies like I used to do before), they just don't digest. Any suggestions?

[AWinNJ]

I'm the wife of a prostatitis sufferer, tho he is much older than you are.  He had exactly the same constipation symptoms, so severe that even the use of laxatives, metamucil, lactulose and milk of magnesia was not of much use at all. He went in for TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate) for his infected (and treated many, many times with antibiotics) enlarged prostate after they cleared up the latest infection.  It was like a magic wand effect---no constipation at all after surgery and for many months afterwards.  Only since having a recurrence or two with prostatitis treatable with antibiotics has any slight constipation come back.  I know surgery is drastic, so I can only suggest you make sure your Urologist does a culture before prescribing the antibiotic to be sure the bacteria is suseptible to it; use supplements like Saw Palmetto for prostate health; the powdered Konsyl is a great fiber to take---no sugar added formula; and read all you can on prostatitis.  There are very good websites like prostatitis.org with info from the Prostatitis Foundation. Look at drhoffman.com for good advice.  Don't put up with a problem medicine and good nutrition can cure---and don't believe the Doctors always know more than you do.  Good luck and I hope you get better!

[AWinNJ]

I'm the wife of a prostatitis sufferer, tho he is much older than you are.  He had exactly the same constipation symptoms, so severe that even the use of laxatives, metamucil, lactulose and milk of magnesia was not of much use at all. He went in for TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate) for his infected (and treated many, many times with antibiotics) enlarged prostate after they cleared up the latest infection.  It was like a magic wand effect---no constipation at all after surgery and for many months afterwards.  Only since having a recurrence or two with prostatitis treatable with antibiotics has any slight constipation come back.  I know surgery is drastic, so I can only suggest you make sure your Urologist does a culture before prescribing the antibiotic to be sure the bacteria is suseptible to it; use supplements like Saw Palmetto for prostate health; the powdered Konsyl is a great fiber to take---no sugar added formula; and read all you can on prostatitis.  There are very good websites like prostatitis.org with info from the Prostatitis Foundation. Look at drhoffman.com for good advice.  Don't put up with a problem medicine and good nutrition can cure---and don't believe the Doctors always know more than you do.  Good luck and I hope you get better!

[Mr.Gas]

Read my post title IBS/Leakage above.  I have had almost the exact same thing you have.  Try cutting out all the caffeine/sugar/bleached flour from your diet.  I found that caffeine and chocolate made the effects worse for me. I started taking fiber after 6 months and found I no longer had leakage when passing gas or painful irritated anus area.  I did still have leakage after passing stool though, had to wipe for a few hours afterward.

After a year of this, I am trying Psyllium powder and Candex to remove any unwanted bacteria in the colon.  This may not work for you just my opinion on what helped me, but try reading up on Candida and other funguses of the colon.

[debb]

I hope you're taking yogurt containing live culture to maintain the "good" bacteria in your gut (or drinking acidophilus milk). If your stools are too hard, you're constipated and need to drink more fluids. The mucus is your body's way of trying to lubricate the colon in order for the stool to pass through. The rectal inflammation could be due to irritation from your finger or the hard, dry stool. Try taking stool softeners and drinking more fluids and see if that helps (it'll take several days to get your body back on track). Good luck.

[groundhog]

I'm not a doc but I heard from my doc that antibiotics are used because they don't know what else to do and the urologists have always used antibiotics for prostatitis.

Look into it. Antibiotics can screw you up too you know.