# Stools breaking apart



## Little Hedgehog (Dec 2, 2008)

Ok this will sound ridiculous and gross, but I have to ask:I noticed that sometimes my stools will "come out" normally (firm, but not too dry), but will break apart in the toilet bowl. Well it's not breaking apart entirely: there is still a normally formed stool in the toilet, but it just looks like a lot of really tiny pieces break apart from it. This sometimes causes the water to look blurry untill the small pieces fall to the bottom. Once the "dust has settled" I can see that it looks like a normally formed stool, but there are still very tiny pieces floating around too.Sorry for the stupid question, but what could this mean? Does it mean I have a lot of gas that breaks it apart? Or am I just overanalyzing again?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I go for over-analyzing again.If you aren't farting a lot more than usual I wouldn't worry as it is normal to have some gas in the stool.And stools eventually all fall apart, they don't stay whole forever, especially when dropped into water. By the time you stool gets to the sewage treatment plant it will have fallen apart however it falls apart (and in what order, or exactly how it looks probably has to do with exactly how much fiber and water are in it the moment it leaves your body)As long as it is mostly formed when it comes out I wouldn't worry if it starts dissolving while you are doing your analysis.


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## Little Hedgehog (Dec 2, 2008)

I do fart a lot though. I often have a lot of gas and I know it's part of IBS.I noticed that when I have a lot of gas in the gut, my stools seem to break up more easily in the toilet. They're a firm stool, but with a lot of very tiny flakes floating around in there too. I wonder if increased gas could be the cause of this?


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