Yes, they can. Medicine adds on to the problem. You need to take a stool softener or laxative.
It's hard for me to take either because it makes the pain worse but the drs. always tell me to take one or the other. From: tsmenear@yahoo.com (Susan) Subject: Stool retention
This is rather disgusting but can adhesions cause you to retain stools right before they enter the rectum area.