# Tip of Stool hard and dried out? Cause?



## risingstars

Recently, I have been noticing more formed stool, which is also a good thing. However, the tip of the formed stool looks very dried out, feels dry during defaction, and is visibly hard and rocky. However, This tip is connected to a normal formed soft piece of stool. This has me quite stumped, as it seems that something is just causing the tip of my normal stool to be hard and rocky. Any ideas or tips would be greatly appreciated.

I keep myself very very well hydrated, somewhere up to 3L a day or more depending on my needs. I must note that my urine does always come out a slight yellowish color, and I do not believe it has anything to do with my diet or vitamin intake.

Thanks!


----------



## Double Trouble

How often do you move your bowels ? The tip of your stool is dry because that is the stool that has been sitting your rectum the longest and the stool and the end is the newer stool.


----------



## Kathleen M.

Stool is dehydrated over time, even if you drink water you have to remove the water dumped into the GI tract. The older the stool the drier it is. The oldest stool in a poop is what comes out first so it is more likely to be dried out than the rest of the poop. Unless you are pooping each and every time you eat you probably have more than one meal's worth of residue per poop so some of it will be several hours older than other parts of it.


----------



## storyofmylife

Same here often. The tip is hard and causes itching and burning in the rectal area. Comes and goes often. I use psyllium husk sometimes. Helps me.


----------



## storyofmylife

Kathleen M. said:


> Stool is dehydrated over time, even if you drink water you have to remove the water dumped into the GI tract. The older the stool the drier it is. The oldest stool in a poop is what comes out first so it is more likely to be dried out than the rest of the poop. Unless you are pooping each and every time you eat you probably have more than one meal's worth of residue per poop so some of it will be several hours older than other parts of it.


Is there any way to soften this hard bit without any medicines ? I really need to because it causes rectal itching, burns and pain. Sometimes the pain is so excrutiating that I cannot even sit peacefully.


----------



## Double Trouble

Use a glycerin suppository with lots of Vaseline on the tip of the suppository. What I have done in the past when I am really constipated and I know it's going to hurt a lot to go: I put a glove on my right hand and put lots Vaseline on the index finger and put it into my rectum and make a small circular motion with your finger. This coats the inside of your rectum and it helps the stool to come out easier and then I put a new glove on the same hand and put more Vaseline on it and spread the Vaseline around the outside of the anus. Do these two things before inserting the glycerin suppository. It does help to relieve some the pain the hard stool causes when it's passing through the rectum and anus.

I have found that I can't allow myself to go beyond 48 hours without moving my bowels. When the 48 hour mark hits and I haven't moved my bowels then I use the glycerin suppository.

It helps to soften the stool just inside your rectum so it's doesn't hurt as much to pass the stool. When you get the urge to move your bowels using the glycerin suppository don't strain, take a slow deep breath and hold it for 15 seconds and slowly exhale through pursed lips and keep doing this until have passed the hard stool. I hope this will help you like it does for me.


----------



## Kathleen M.

If it doesn't loosen things up too much either a stool softener, or a mild osmotic (holds water in stool) like 400 mgs of Magnesium Oxide (most of us don't get enough in our diets anyway).

If that is too much like medicine (some people won't take even a mineral supplement) and you can tolerate the gas then adding some prunes, apples, pears, cherries or peaches to add some sorbitol to the diet to help keep water in.


----------



## risingstars

I see. Thanks for all the replies. Just kind of through my off guard because the stool consistency changes so drastically on the same piece of stool, except that the top half is dried out. I am fortunately to have a decent bowel movement at least once a day, twice if I am lucky. Judging by my stool I feel that I move what I eat within at least 24 hours. Recently, my main problem has moved away from trouble passing and incomplete evacuation to bloating/gas so I may avoid some of those fruits. However, things seem to be getting slowly better? I will see how things pan out until my next doctor's appointment.


----------



## storyofmylife

Double Trouble said:


> Use a glycerin suppository with lots of Vaseline on the tip of the suppository. What I have done in the past when I am really constipated and I know it's going to hurt a lot to go: I put a glove on my right hand and put lots Vaseline on the index finger and put it into my rectum and make a small circular motion with your finger. This coats the inside of your rectum and it helps the stool to come out easier and then I put a new glove on the same hand and put more Vaseline on it and spread the Vaseline around the outside of the anus. Do these two things before inserting the glycerin suppository. It does help to relieve some the pain the hard stool causes when it's passing through the rectum and anus.
> 
> I have found that I can't allow myself to go beyond 48 hours without moving my bowels. When the 48 hour mark hits and I haven't moved my bowels then I use the glycerin suppository.
> 
> It helps to soften the stool just inside your rectum so it's doesn't hurt as much to pass the stool. When you get the urge to move your bowels using the glycerin suppository don't strain, take a slow deep breath and hold it for 15 seconds and slowly exhale through pursed lips and keep doing this until have passed the hard stool. I hope this will help you like it does for me.


did you dicuss this approach with a/many doctors (GI) ?


----------



## 178042

Hello

I know this is an old post but maybe one of you can answer and help me







I have the same exact issue above.

My stool is rock hard almost like petrified wood the first 3 inches that goes into the john for 4-5 months now no matter what I eat or what I drink..And it is like this 14 hours after I have a normal bowel movement the day before.... I was diagnosed with IBS C 2 months ago. I had a CT scan and blood work and all 100% good. GI went over my symptoms after my tests and said IBS C. I do have some intermittent sporadic abdominal pain which is classic with this at random times during the day and some bloating. All of this came on after a food poisoning episode my relative and I had at a restaurant 5 months ago. He didn't get this though.... I haven't even had a cold in 30 years.. I am very very healthy and don't even eat red meat or smoke. I exercise every other day. I drink near 2 liters a day of water, no soda, no coffee, just homemade smoothies and almond milk usually. . My questions is how can the tip or end of my stool going in the john be hard as a rock like petrified wood (and only at the end, never the whole stool) when I had a full complete evacuation bowel movement 14 hours before after taking 1 dose of linzess? Doesn't have to be linzess it can be after senna tea too or milk of magnesia etc. How is this physically possible? I mean my bowels were empty after going 3 times yesterday. I could understand it being rock hard after not going for 3, 5, 7 days etc. But Sunday I went 100% normal 2x after taking Miralax. Monday I went 3x after Linzess. Today it's rock hard at the very end 14 hours later? How can this be happening. It defies the laws of physics!

I am stumped. One day a few weeks back I went 4 times in 1 day normally after taking milk of magnesia (lucky me some cant go at all)... I mean I was empty after. The next day not even 24 hours later, I went and my stool is beginning to be rock hard on the end again with cracks but the rest is near normal smooth as it should. This is causing me to not have an urge to go unless I push all of the time.. Its been like this for 4-5 months. No matter if I eat salads all day and drink water all day it's the same thing. Rock hard stool on the 3 inch end







I ate canned tuna fish for 7 days straight and salad only. That is it. I drank water and almond milk..that is it. Still have hard stool at the end every time no matter what.

Any help appreciated. I have read some of you guys replies on here in the past 4 months laying in bed and decided to sign up today. Thanks all







Any help appreciated. My gastro doesn't know why....


----------



## ioeides

To mbella2000:

forget about all laxative stuff, buy a 4 oz bulb enema syringe and inject warm water plus some liquid soap and keep it for a minimum of 10 min before trying to evacuate the rock hard stool. That's what I've been doing for more than 50 years. It works, and costs you nothing (after the investment in the bulb enema syringe)


----------



## Hanamarie

I agree with the above. Glycerine suppositories have helped me. I just use a glove and run the suppository under the tap to dampen it slightly. I have spoken about this with all the health professionals that I have seen and all have agreed that it is perfectly safe to do.


----------



## nikola145

mbella2000 said:


> Hello
> 
> I know this is an old post but maybe one of you can answer and help me
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I have the same exact issue above.
> 
> My stool is rock hard almost like petrified wood the first 3 inches that goes into the john for 4-5 months now no matter what I eat or what I drink..And it is like this 14 hours after I have a normal bowel movement the day before.... I was diagnosed with IBS C 2 months ago. I had a CT scan and blood work and all 100% good. GI went over my symptoms after my tests and said IBS C. I do have some intermittent sporadic abdominal pain which is classic with this at random times during the day and some bloating. All of this came on after a food poisoning episode my relative and I had at a restaurant 5 months ago. He didn't get this though.... I haven't even had a cold in 30 years.. I am very very healthy and don't even eat red meat or smoke. I exercise every other day. I drink near 2 liters a day of water, no soda, no coffee, just homemade smoothies and almond milk usually. . My questions is how can the tip or end of my stool going in the john be hard as a rock like petrified wood (and only at the end, never the whole stool) when I had a full complete evacuation bowel movement 14 hours before after taking 1 dose of linzess? Doesn't have to be linzess it can be after senna tea too or milk of magnesia etc. How is this physically possible? I mean my bowels were empty after going 3 times yesterday. I could understand it being rock hard after not going for 3, 5, 7 days etc. But Sunday I went 100% normal 2x after taking Miralax. Monday I went 3x after Linzess. Today it's rock hard at the very end 14 hours later? How can this be happening. It defies the laws of physics!
> 
> I am stumped. One day a few weeks back I went 4 times in 1 day normally after taking milk of magnesia (lucky me some cant go at all)... I mean I was empty after. The next day not even 24 hours later, I went and my stool is beginning to be rock hard on the end again with cracks but the rest is near normal smooth as it should. This is causing me to not have an urge to go unless I push all of the time.. Its been like this for 4-5 months. No matter if I eat salads all day and drink water all day it's the same thing. Rock hard stool on the 3 inch end
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I ate canned tuna fish for 7 days straight and salad only. That is it. I drank water and almond milk..that is it. Still have hard stool at the end every time no matter what.
> 
> Any help appreciated. I have read some of you guys replies on here in the past 4 months laying in bed and decided to sign up today. Thanks all
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any help appreciated. My gastro doesn't know why....


Please stop with the almond milk!!! I'm serious... it will bind you up.

Many people have had the same experience with harder stools after drinking almond milk. (Google "does almond milk bind you up")

I've always maintained softer stool for my condition, but once I added almond milk mid-afternoon (half a cup) my stools started becoming firmer and more solid.

Pumpkin seed butter has the same effect on me.

Try switching to coconut milk instead (this has made things MUCH softer!!).


----------



## flossy

nikola145 said:


> Please stop with the almond milk!!! I'm serious... it will bind you up.
> 
> Many people have had the same experience with harder stools after drinking almond milk. (Google "does almond milk bind you up")
> 
> I've always maintained softer stool for my condition, but once I added almond milk mid-afternoon (half a cup) my stools started becoming firmer and more solid.
> 
> Pumpkin seed butter has the same effect on me.
> 
> Try switching to coconut milk instead (this has made things MUCH softer!!).


Same with raw unsalted almonds - MY FAV - they definitely constipate me more. I miss 'em!


----------



## nikola145

flossy said:


> Same with raw unsalted almonds - MY FAV - they definitely constipate me more. I miss 'em!


I know how that feels! I've had to cut out many favorites just to prevent harder stool. Do other nuts have the same effect on you? I should be eating more nuts but I'm too scared to test anymore. Pecans made things a lot worse for me.


----------



## SkittlesC

I have the same exact issue, also comes and goes, and only the first very tiny painful bit. I eat healthy, exercise, regular consistent diet with no change related to almond consumption. I may try lubricating with petroleum jelly prior to going until it goes away again.


----------



## kevina74

This is quite common for me and also had me stumped. But I think the reason is the stool in front is the oldest part, and the longer the stool is in your large intestines the more dried up it will get and become hard. That can plug up the softer stool behind it. I had a lot of problems with this. I found taking a little magnesium in the morning and drinking Cirtucel in the evening did the trick for me. I still occasionally have problems, but my diet is not always ideal either.


----------



## ibsCloud

I have this same issue. I defecate once per day, in the morning. After this I'll do my exercise for the day (long walk). 

My (untested) theory is: the walking early in the day is moving the matter to the end of the colon where it is more susceptible to becoming dry throughout the day. If the exercise is moved to later in the day (say afternoon) the matter will spend less time at the end and will be less likely to dry out.

Do you exercise soon after defecating? It might be with moving it to later. I suggest using the new regime for at least a week. Worth a try.


----------

