Long Bowel Movements

[walkingr]

Alright I'm a 58 yr old male with a problem with bowel movements which I have every evening. The strange thing is that there solid and loose and it takes me 1 and a half hours to complete. When I think I am done and clean myself up a few minutes later I have to continue the B.M. even though I feel inside I'm done. Anyone with answers or exercises to share greatly appreciated.

[CalGal]

Is this something that started recently? Have you been on any medications lately, or have you changed medications? Have you changed your diet, or made any other changes? What have you tried so far to try to change the situation around.

[marymagdeline]

Hi, I'm a nutritionist, not a doctor.  You need to see a Gastroenterologist.  Don't bother with a regular doctor.  Your bowel movements should not be taking that long to complete.  It does not sound like a problem that has anything to do with your diet.  Some of the tests that they will have you take are these ...a colonoscopy - where they look inside to see if there is an obstruction.  A colonic transit study (a.k.a. a sitz marker test) where you swallow these tiny pellets and your then x-rayed.  Then every day for a week you go back and get x-rayed again so that they can see how slow or how fast your colon is moving things through.  Also, a defacting proctogram.  They inject baruim into your rectum and x-ray your bum as you sit on a toliet and try to expell the barium.  This tells is your rectum is working or not.  Sometimes your colon can be working just fine but your rectum is not emptying fully.  I've had all these tests (and more).  They are not as bad as they sound.  They will find the cause of your problems.  Just hang there.  But do see a GI doctor.  A problem like this could get worse if untreated.  Good luck!