I am straining to pass my feces and gas. What should I do?

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 20-year-old male with a suspected fecal impaction or bowel obstruction. It feels like there is a poop or something in my rectum. I can barely pass gas, I have slight abdominal pain, and have liquid stools and diarrhea. I have had a dingleberry that has been stuck to the hairs for a while. The doctor said to take a bath, but it still has not come out yet. I do not know if I have to pass it through stools or not. I am straining to pass my feces and pass gas and my stomach feels different. I went to the doctor last week and he gave me Metamucil and align probiotic for constipation. I am worried.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have reviewed your health query and can understand how worried you are regarding constipation issues.

As it is a longstanding issue, some time is needed for it to get resolved. It has been less than a week or so that you started the medications which your physician prescribed you. So, I would wait for some weeks to see how this all goes.
You need to take the medications as advised by your physician. Let Metamucil (Psyllium) and Align do their job and then we will see how it goes. If this is simply constipation and there is no issue with the colon and the rectum anatomy, this will get resolved.
Also, I would mention it is occasional constipation that responds well to these medications. Align is a good digestive supplement, a probiotic. Your physician is going on the right lines of treatment.
If all of this fails, you should go back to your physician for a referral to a gastroenterologist. He would be able to evaluate you thoroughly and will conduct a colonoscopy as needed.
Some patients have some part of the bowels (intestines) with no movements. They have issues with their nerve supply that transmit signals of movement of the gut to pass the feces down to rectum and anus. In this way, that part of gut gets fecal matter accumulated in it and swells up with time. This is just one example of why all of this can happen.
The other causes can be more or less serious and management of constipation all depends on the actual cause of the issue.
You need to avoid junk foods and take whole grains, vegetables, and lots of fluids.
Preventing constipation naturally can also be ideal.

Hope this helps. Please feel free to ask more if you have queries. Regards.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

The time you went to your doctor, it was not a serious issue and he may have taken it the way it was. But right now, it seems to be more aggravated and there is a need for further evaluation by a gastroenterologist.
In these circumstances, it is very important to get an early appointment with a gastroenterologist.
He will examine you physically and may go for some tests like putting a camera-assisted device inside the colon to see what is going on. Management will go accordingly. He can assist you in the best possible way based on the diagnosis.

Hope this helps. Please feel free to get back to me anytime if you need any explanation or assistance before or after you visit a gastroenterologist. I would be happy to assist you and explain the things in a simplified way.