Posted 2/17/2006 12:37 AM (GMT -6)
I had my gallbladder removed about a year and a half ago. At first, things seemed fine, I never really paid much attention to my bathroom habits. But as of recently, I've been noticing some problems...
1.) Diaherrea can come at any time for no particular reason. Usually right after lucnh though. It seems about 30 minutes after eating lunch, I get bad gas pains, and usually have to visit the bathroom. I've tried keeping a food journal, but things that set it off, sometimes don't and vice versa. My doctor said this was to be expected in some cases. Fair enough
2.) I've been noticing mucus in my stool - off and on. Sometimes it's even present on the toilet paper. It's never a ton though - but enough to notice. I didn't have anything to eat at all today, except for dinner around 9:30 (worked way too late). So that might explain it tonight...but to my understanding, extra mucus is a sign of an inflammed colon, so I'd love to know why...
I never have massive pains (the occasional gas pains when I eat something - but nothing that doesn't go away rather quickly). No bleeding, no fever, no massive weight loss. I'll admit, my eating habits could use work. Would that be enough to explain the mucus? I don't know whether I'm being to paranoid or if I should get a test done. My doctor said the mucus could be a cause for concern, but not to worry unless it's accompanied by blood, or becomes nothing but mucus.
Basically I want to know whether or not I should submit myself to the "6 foot black snake of doom" (colonoscopy) or just eat better, and try to stress less...