The Colon Club

I had my LAR March 23, and since then I am having "mini" bowel movements. I feel the urgency to have a bm and I rush to the restroom, and an almond size of stool comes out! Aaarrrggg! I'm taking miralax (prescribed) and probiotics. I talked to my surgeon about it and he said it was normal. Has anyone else experienced this? If so did you find a solution? I literally know how many tiles are on my restroom floor, I have spent so much time in there lately. any info is welcomed! Thanks!!!

I get that way too sometimes. I call them rabbit pellets! It sounds like you are plugged up to me. I know you are on Miralax, but what are you eating otherwise?
I find if I don't eat enough fruits and veggies I get like that. I think it is a lack of fiber problem...maybe? Also, you could try drinking a LOT of water. I think personally that Sennokot is a very good choice of laxatives...
-Susan H.

Thanks, the stool isn't hard, it is really soft. And I will have about 20 of that types of bm's. I like that you call them rabbit pellets! Lol and I will try drinking more water. I'm really trying to stay away from laxatives- but I may have to resort to that if something doesn't change. Thanks so much for the advice!!!

Well, you are really not that far out from surgery and your system is probably still in shock. Have you started chemo or anything? I know a lot of people get the runs, but I personally had the opposite problem. Good luck!
-Susan H.

I had 6 weeks of chemoradiation therapy then surgery and now NED - other than check ups, I'm supposed to be done. And you are probably right, it has only been about 5 weeks since surgery. Thanks for the response!

Lol, I called them bunny poops. There is a laxative tea that someone here suggested (Smooth Move), but be careful - it sure got me going!

Yep - that is the "clustering" we mention.

Curious - do you have a j-pouch as well? Your surgical path seems a little different and I'm just trying to remember!

Here is a link to my post takedown (reversal of temporary ileostomy) thread with tons of food tips to help with the clustering. I think it would help you post LAR as well. The radiation damages the tissue so soluble fiber (as contrasted with insoluble fiber) is really needed to help stretch the radiated tissue and restore - the the extent possible - elasticity in the tissue.

SBL

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10327&hilit=takedown+info

Phuong wrote:Lol, I called them bunny poops. There is a laxative tea that someone here suggested (Smooth Move), but be careful - it sure got me going!

Awesome! Thank you!!! I will make sure I am at home when I try it!

Surroundedbylove wrote:Yep - that is the "clustering" we mention.

Curious - do you have a j-pouch as well? Your surgical path seems a little different and I'm just trying to remember!

Here is a link to my post takedown (reversal of temporary ileostomy) thread with tons of food tips to help with the clustering. I think it would help you post LAR as well. The radiation damages the tissue so soluble fiber (as contrasted with insoluble fiber) is really needed to help stretch the radiated tissue and restore - the the extent possible - elasticity in the tissue.

SBL

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=10327&hilit=takedown+info

I am weirdly thankful there is a name for it! And no, I don't have any kind of a pouch. I was fortunate that my surgery went well, and I haven't had any other issues really. Thanks for the link, and for the info! I sincerely appreciate it! I think I am just thankful to know this won't be my new normal

goofytc wrote:I am weirdly thankful there is a name for it! And no, I don't have any kind of a pouch. I was fortunate that my surgery went well, and I haven't had any other issues really. Thanks for the link, and for the info! I sincerely appreciate it! I think I am just thankful to know this won't be my new normal

So when they removed your rectal tumor you must have a "straight connect" then since you don't have a colonic j-pouch to create a neo-rectum? Straight connects still seem to have clustering but in addition to my thread, you may want to read the thread devoted to straight connections.

Although you didn't have a temporary ileostomy and therefore a takedown surgery, I think our experiences still may be helpful to you because you had rectal cancer and thus you must have less of a rectum left - and that's what seems to cause the clustering (less rectum equals smaller "holding tank" and the colon attached to is is designed to move things along rather than "hold" so you get the clustering.

SBL

I do have a straight connect, my surgeon did tell me that. And thank you, now it makes sense why it is happening. So it sounds like a lot more water and fiber are in my future. Thank you for the info.

i have a straight connect. which was diverted to an illesotmy. that has since been reversed since my last suregery 1/11/11.
Clustering has been something i deal with very frequently. if its not that then its contsitpation. there is no quick or magic fix that anyone can tell you that will resolve it. unfortunatly it is something you will have to deal with. I dont have any kind of regulatiy anymore. I am still adjusting to find out what my new normal will be. one thing i am sure of , is that it will never be what it used to be. there is the life before and now the life after resection. your diet will surely be different and BM's will be differnt too. there are many things to try to find your way. SBL's post talks about many of the things that all of us have tried. I wish i could tell you someting to do to make it better but no one can. its a personal journey. I hope and pray for you that you find your way,,,,
jim

I think I am just thankful to know this won't be my new normal

I was a straight connect too. One more thought on this - my surgeon told me that I should expect it to be about 8 months before I get to my new "normal" and then that's "as good as it gets", but that wasn't really true in my case. The further out I got from surgery the better things got for me. Up until month 8 I felt like I still couldn't tell if I needed to "crap or gas" and was really starting to get down on it. If that was my new normal, it was going to take a lot more getting used to. Fortunately I continued to improve beyond it. I think it was really 1 1/2 years before I truly got to my new normal. I still have good days/bad days as everyone else here does with the bowels, but it is under much more normal and I can **usually** differentiate between the two. So stick with it, do what you can and I promise it WILL get better.

I didn't produce a respectable turd for about one year. The small ones are annoying. Then you get the skinnies.

It's normal; it gets better.

I never had a resection but have this problem too, I didn't know it was called clustering. I just referred to it as rectal spasms because I didn't know how else to describe it. For the most part my BMs are soft so I was sure I wasn't constipated. I just assumed it was because my colon wasn't working properly, whether that was due to tx or a tumor. A lortab10 has been the only thing to help me in this situation, but I usually hold off until I am sure I am not constipated. It is so frustrating to barely make it to the bathroom just for a tiny little bm.