Have had IBS-like symptoms for about a year. Never true "C" or "D" except for some 'd' when I was on antibiotics, and one other time. Normally a once-a-day pooper, occasionally twice and sometimes I skip a day. Even if stools are harder or softer I usually don't vary much in frequency. Most of the time stools are a normal brown color, but...I get mild abdominal pain that seems to be aggravated by certain foods (can't completely pinpoint them but carbs or fiber seem to be suspects), and a "bubbly" feeling or soreness on the left side at times.
Occasionally, I see a "spot" of red or two on the outside of the turd, usually when it's a large diameter stool (1.5") when my typical width is closer to an inch. Also at these times I feel a bit itchy or raw "down there."
Also, now that I'm paying more attention, it seems like although the stool is a normal brown color, I could swear I see a reddish undertone to it, bloodlike, but almost imperceptible, and it doesn't disseminate to the water in the bowl as fresh blood typically does. I'll add that at times I've seen actual chunks of peppers and other vegetables if I eat something that contains a lot of chunky veggies like salsa or etc. so maybe it's a food discoloration.
Granted with my tendency to have anxiety I could be imagining things, as when I wipe, the poop itself is normal colored on the paper. I sometimes see a tiny streak of blood once I'm mostly clean, but here's the thing...I placed a wad of paper in my "crack" (for lack of a better term) and determined that the blood is not from the anal area, but about an inch further back, where I have had persistent skin irritation, off and on for years. (Dermatologist says moisture related).
Sometimes I have flattish stools, not ribbonlike but slightly oval, this happens when it's soft (not runny, just soft) and often not the first piece that comes out. The first piece will be round, sausage shaped, and the subsequent pieces are more ovalish, smaller, softer, almost as if I'm pushing and they're not really ready to come out yet, because when this happens it takes a LOT of wiping to clean up, it's almost peanut butter consistency but holds together and doesn't stain the water. I also off and on get a feeling of "having to go", then pushing and nothing comes out. This feeling will go away at times. Carbs + fiber seem to aggravate this.
Also have some bubbly abdominal pain at times. Had a CT that came back perfect in my GP's words and I do have an appt w/a gastroenterologist next Thurs. GP said diverticulitis almost ruled out from CT.
I'm scared of IBD (Chron's, UC), or cancer but keep telling myself that without persistent diarrhea, IBD is possible, but unlikely, and I'd think that although not conclusive, the CT should have seem some sort of mass or abnormality if there were cancer present - they did the entire abdomen from ribcage to pelvis!
Since Monday I've been trending towards 2 BM's a day instead of one...which is weird. Still same size and consistency, but I wonder if it might be related to anxiety over the whole thing.
Last edited by bg77; 01-12-2011 at 07:48 AM.