# Fiber or No Fiber? Hard Stool...best foods for?



## 15677 (Apr 8, 2006)

I have trouble with large dry hard stool...I am not constipated however. I am taking the max dose of Collace and although it helps I can still have very large hard stool especially at the beginning of a BM then followed by softer easier to pass stool. All this is playing havoc with my anal/rectal area irritating my hemmies and old fissure . Both my GI doc and my colorectal doc say not to increase fiber as it can make things worse and they actually give it to their patients with D to firm things up. I'd also like to know what can be done to help further soften my stool. I eat a balanced diet that is low in fat, stopping taking straight calcium, am avoiding ice cream etc. I do drink fruit smoothies with some brown rice protien powder and also rice ice cream (both low in fiber) but am wondering if they are part of the problem being rice based. Also what foods are good to help soften the stool and what foods should I avoid that create dry stool.Thanks!


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Do you tolerate things like apples, pears, peaches, cherries or plums. They all have sorbitol which can soften up stools. They can increase gas too much for some people.You might try throwing in a few frozen peaches or some pear nectar into the smoothies and see if it helps.


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## 15677 (Apr 8, 2006)

Thanks Kathleen...I don't do well with fructose, sorbitol, etc. How about the fiber question...good or bad for my situation as mentioned above?Thanks again


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## EarnestAccord (Dec 11, 2001)

As always and I know you've heard/read this one, it depends.Everybody is different. Soluable fiber definitely softens my stool and generally speaking, that's what they were intended to do...thus their description often being a "stool softener". But you and your doctors know your scenario better then me. Maybe they're concerned about volume..??..Other options would be Mg. I've heard that magnesium supplementing will have an effect of moving things along faster and thus softer stool..??.. Just some Tid Bits. Hope that helps. Lots of Love.


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## 15677 (Apr 8, 2006)

Thanks for the reply EarnestAccord...I too think soluable fiber is important in my case as well. Going to a new colorectal doc on Thursday and we will see what he says about all this.


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