# Why do I never pass a decent size poo!



## 19441 (Dec 18, 2006)

Hi everyone,I have been worried about this for quite some time now. For the past year or so, I haven't passed what I call a normal size poo. I tend to switch between IBS D and C but whether my stools are soft or firm they are always very narrow (about the width of my thumb). I have read through previous posts that have said just so long as you pass a normal sized stool sometimes then its nothing to worry about, but I haven't for so long. I also suffer with the feeling of incomplete evacuation, bloating and get anal pain occasionally. I am really starting to freak out over this now, as I am worried that I could have some kind of obstruction. Apart from this I look healthy enough, have a good appetite and have not lost any weight.Is this normal with IBS, and does anyone else suffer with this?Thanks for reading and any help or advice would be so appreciated.


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## 19441 (Dec 18, 2006)

Hoped I would get at least one reply....oh well







I've now just read on an old post, that if the stools are narrow all the time then it could very well be colon cancer. I am starting to feel really scared now. Went to the toilet about an hour ago and as usual was not much wider than the width of a pencil, also have pain low down on the left side and the horrible feeling of incomplete evacuation. I guess I am going to have to be brave and ask my doctor for a colonoscopy so that I know once and for all, I just can't cope anymore feeling this way...


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Many people with IBS have narrow stools a lot of the time.If you are OVER 50 or have family members with a polyp disorder than have had colon cancer before 50 it would be a worry.I wish they'd take that narrow stool thing off the colon cancer warning list. Is is about the least likely thing to cause that for the vast majority of people. If you are over 50 and stool starts being that way out of the blue when you have no other digestive problems then it could be sign, but IBSers often never pass a normal sized normal consistency stool.If you pass stuff at all you are not obstructed. The contractions of the colon and rectum can make the stool narrow (it is like playdoh, it forms to what your body allows it).Many people with IBS have what is called rectal hypersensitivity. The rectum responds to anything in it way more than it should. So a normal sized stool that would not bother someone without IBS can be seriously painful to just be sitting in there. So you may be dumping out stool the moment it gets to the rectum rather than storing it up until there is a "normal" sized amount to pass.Soft stools are often thiner than normal because they don't have enough bulk to resist being squished thin. Constipated stools are often thinner/smaller than normal because a lot of the volume of a normal stool is water and all that water is gone when you are really constipated.The only part of the colon that can cause stools like that with a tumor is right at the end so they might only do a sigmoidoscope or a rectal exam. If you had a tumor anywhere other than the end you won't see really thin stools.K.


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## 20358 (Nov 14, 2005)

The bloating and incomplete evacuation is an IBS symptom. I also alternate, and one thing that's consistant about my IBS is that the size and shape of my bm's are NOT consistant. Who knows what I'm going to get! I've had narrow ones too - as well as being short. That's usually my sign that I'm getting constipated. The larger, rounded ones happen right before the D hits. Usually in the same sitting.


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## 19441 (Dec 18, 2006)

Thankyou so much for taking the time to respond. Kathleen, you have made me feel heaps more reassured, and lee's babe also.IBS being such a personal subject, its so hard to talk to most people about and I just bottle my feelings up and get myself into a right old state!I am now going to try to not obsess so much about it (although its not easy!)Thankyou once again, you have helped enormously.


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## patience2 (Sep 26, 2006)

I have narrow stools all the time, and have for quite some time. No worries...


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## Patrick70 (Oct 15, 2007)

Ditto.I have problems with narrow stools and the very annoying 'incomplete evacuation' feeling.So Petal36 I can definitely relate. It sucks.


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