Hi doctor, My 77-year-old wife has had constipation issues all her life. This coupled with IBS that generally results in at best small balls of feces. This is day five of no real bowel movement. She had a total knee replacement nine months ago and para-esophageal hiatal hernia repair. Early on use of MiraLax (Polyethylene Glycol) produced nothing followed by two days of Magnesium citrate and still nothing. Finally today, a fleet enema producing small group of balls with mucus. She is currently on Crestor, Tofranil, Fioricet and Lorazepam. Can you share your thoughts regarding this continued bowel movements producing ever-increasing amounts of mucus?
Hi. The mucus usually results from prolonged constipation and has nothing to worry. She needs to take measures to avoid constipation. Have a high fiber diet. Avoid constipating foods. Take 2 to 3 liters of water daily. You can have low dose laxatives like Cremaffin (Liquid paraffin, Magnesium hydroxide and Sodium picosulfate), Dulcolax (Bisacodyl) and Lactifibre (Lactitol and Isabgol husk) in ascending order as needed. Consult your specialist doctor, discuss with him or her and take medications with their consent. When was a colonoscopy done? If not within a year, you need to consider one. For more information consult a medical gastroenterologist online -->