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can IBS cause narrow stool - or sometimes small balls?

My IBS was pretty much under control and then after a few rounds of antibiotics and doubling up on Culturelle to prevent diarrhea plus still being slightly hypothyroid I became extremely constipated.  I could only have BMs that were tiny balls, some with mucous (IBS?).   Took Colace and Miralax and ate more fiber rich foods (despite the fact that high fiber disagrees with my system) and drank more water.  I even started to dribble olive oil on my food.  Then I was up all night going to the bathroom and ended up with near diarrhea.  Since then my BMs have been on the soft side but on the narrow side and some soft small balls.  I dont know how to get out of the rut I put myself in and if I go to the GI  doctor she will say "colonoscopy".  I dont want to go there as once was almost hospitalized for severe bleeding for 8 hours from explosive diarrhea as in the prep. Luckily heavy steroids stopped it   but that doctor never pushed me to have a colonoscopy and in fact said not to or the prep would kill me. I was on steroids for a year after that and got severe osteoporosis.  I also have a rectal prolapse from all the constipation I have been through with being hypo and wonder if that may even be contributing to the narrow stool.and/or balls.  Thank you.
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973741 tn?1342342773
What about the colonoscopy alternative they now offer called cologard?  I am doing that instead of a colonoscopy if they are recommending it.  Is the issue with your stool still happening? Yes, prolapse becomes a worry the older we get.  I'm dealing with that now myself.  Sigh. And I've wondered about my stool shape also changing ironically (we have this in common!).  It's my understanding that simply being constipated can cause thin, narrow stool as well as ibs.  https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/causes-narrow-stringy-stools#1
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Did Cologard 5 1/2 years ago. Came ba ck positive so this made it worse for me with doc wanting to do colonoscopy. Called the company that makes it and they said - Lots of false positives in the elderly.  I have since found there are lots of false positives, period. If I had something like a cancerous polyp back then I would have known already. Other problem is they make you separate stool - one for blood and one for DNA but they lump the result together so if you had some blood from a fissure, etc it is not separated  result. No, I am no longer having the problem. In fact I was overcompensating and went the  other way which is worse for my prolapse.  Seem to be back to normal now. Took quite a while though. Off Colace, etc  I was putting olive oil on bread, prunes. pear necter, fruits in own juice  till I was up all nite going. Then I had to get over that so it is a struggle.  High fiber does me in so I hav to be careful.  Good luck to you and keep kegeling - that is the best exercise. Two ways to do it from the bottom muscles and from tjhe back mmuscles.
PS: GI docs love the test -- the more false positives, the more colonoscopies they get to do!!!
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