HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

question-icon

Was Cured For Microscopic Collagenous Colitis. Having Watery Stool With Mucus Leakage. How To Control It?

default
Posted on Tue, 10 Dec 2013
Question: I am a 72-year-old female in overall good health. About a year & ago I had a bout of microscopic collagenous colitis, which was successfully cured with medication prescribed by a gastroenterologist. Recently I have been having bowel movements that are gooey & sometimes "creep" out without my knowing it & soil my clothing. Is there anything I can do to return to normal consistency & continence?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar (3 hours later)
Brief Answer: Medicine and pelvic floor measures Detailed Answer: Hi, I understand your concern. I know how embarrassing it would be. When you mean gooey, it means it is loose and the stool has a lot of mucus in it. This is expected in a person with collagenous colitis. So heavy stool would be formed and anal sphincters (a door kind of thing) will open without the knowledge of the person. Fecal soiling can be improved. You may not have full blown fecal incontinence yet. We need to understand the reasons behind the problem, whether it is large stool or incompetent sphincters. There are numerous reasons. As a GP I will do a preliminary set of investigation and explain the person how to avoid such embarassment before referring to specialist consult. The list of investigations that help me in concluding are: 1) Anorectal manometry (pressure measurements in the anal canal and rectum) It helps us to assess pelvic floor muscle strength, 2) Test rectal sensation and rectal compliance Sometimes order an anal ultrasound too. Most likely you have a weak pelvic floor muscles because of the age. My advice to you here is: I encourage you to practice 100 squeezes/day of Pelvic floor exercises. Your GP/Gastroenterologist can help you understand it. You can use antidiarrheal drugs or laxatives (as appropriate) to normalize stool consistency like E.g: Immodium or Lomotil. They are dependency drugs so do not use when not necessary. I also recommend the use of pads and skin hygiene measures when you go out for long. I assure you that I am available to improve your standard of living by guiding you appropriately. Hope this is valuable for you.
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 2242 Questions

premium_optimized

The User accepted the expert's answer

Share on

Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties

159 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM Blog Questions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction
Was Cured For Microscopic Collagenous Colitis. Having Watery Stool With Mucus Leakage. How To Control It?

Brief Answer: Medicine and pelvic floor measures Detailed Answer: Hi, I understand your concern. I know how embarrassing it would be. When you mean gooey, it means it is loose and the stool has a lot of mucus in it. This is expected in a person with collagenous colitis. So heavy stool would be formed and anal sphincters (a door kind of thing) will open without the knowledge of the person. Fecal soiling can be improved. You may not have full blown fecal incontinence yet. We need to understand the reasons behind the problem, whether it is large stool or incompetent sphincters. There are numerous reasons. As a GP I will do a preliminary set of investigation and explain the person how to avoid such embarassment before referring to specialist consult. The list of investigations that help me in concluding are: 1) Anorectal manometry (pressure measurements in the anal canal and rectum) It helps us to assess pelvic floor muscle strength, 2) Test rectal sensation and rectal compliance Sometimes order an anal ultrasound too. Most likely you have a weak pelvic floor muscles because of the age. My advice to you here is: I encourage you to practice 100 squeezes/day of Pelvic floor exercises. Your GP/Gastroenterologist can help you understand it. You can use antidiarrheal drugs or laxatives (as appropriate) to normalize stool consistency like E.g: Immodium or Lomotil. They are dependency drugs so do not use when not necessary. I also recommend the use of pads and skin hygiene measures when you go out for long. I assure you that I am available to improve your standard of living by guiding you appropriately. Hope this is valuable for you.