# Thin stools anyone?



## idkwia (Feb 26, 2009)

I know that thin stools can be caused my cancer or by polyps or other obstructions. However, I have been checked for all of these and all is ok. So my stools are quite thin, they are about 1.25 x the diameter of my middle finger. They are not pencil thin as I have seen mentioned. Other than that they are perfectly formed. Does anyone have any ideas on how to correct this and what is wrong? Does anyone know what size a stool should be?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

The notion that cancer causes thin stools was invented by some doctor in the 1800's with zero data to back it up. He thought it was logical. Lots of people think it is logical. Lots of medical textbook authors think it sounds logical.Someone investigated this recently and published an article in the medical literature.Stool width is effected by stool consistency, not by some obstruction.I do not think there is some perfect idealized stool width you should aspire to. The more average your stool consistency is the more likely it is to be your average width, but having stools just a bit on the soft side so they are just a bit thinner than your historical average is not a sign of impending doom. IBSers have more variety in their day to day stool consistency (or always are on one side of average) so see more variation in stool color, width, shape, etc. Most of them they have passed at some point in their life even if they usually had an average BM most days. It is just after IBS people tend to be hypervigelent about stool and start noticing all sorts of things that happen from time to time (or in the case of food in the stool every day for every human) that they never have seen before and figure that means something much worse than IBS.IBS really is more than bad enough, and explains why the stool doesn't look perfectly average every day.


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## idkwia (Feb 26, 2009)

Dear Kathleen,Thank you for you considered reply.I do not actually think that there is an "impending doom" happening. It is just that when you see thin stools they look strange. I mentioned it to the Professor of Gastroneterology I am seeing and he said that it was abnormal. Also, if you type in "thin stools" into Google you will get a lot of thoughts on the subject.I take you point that the size of the stools depends on how soft they are but ther fact that my stools are perfeclty formed and over a foot long it seems strange they are so thin.I wanted to ask the community here if anyone else has experienced similar and whether they had been able to correct it.I am convinced that if I could get my BMs back to normal I would feel so much better.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

IBSers tend to try to divine a lot more information out of the stools than they really can. Whether they think it will show they really are dieing of something else, or because somehow they hope it will tell them what to do to get better.The most recent medical journal article says all the "doom and gloom" posted all over the internet and all over medical text books about how dire the situation is if you happen to have thin stools is wrong. It is a medical myth. A well believed medical myth, but there are no facts to back up the idea it is dangerous.You see it a lot in IBSers because we have altered stool constistency. We get this question all the time on this board. Everyone looks it up on the internet and assumes they must have colon cancer. It is a myth that is believed by lots of medical professionals so a lot of people get invasive tests they do not need based on mythology.If you can alter the stool consistency either with fiber or other things in the diet (like lowering fat or limiting sorbitol) or by firming it up with Imodium (which will probably be too constipating if you aren't have diarrhea fairly regularly but just this kind of stool) or Calcium Carbonate it may make them more likely to be average rather than thin. That may not make any difference in your symptoms as some things like rectal hypersensitivity continue even if the stools are average consistency (often all getting stools to normal means for those IBSers with that problem is they still go several times a day but with a small amount of normal looking stool each time).It is normal for IBSers to see all sorts of strange and unusual stools.


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## ZPE (Mar 3, 2009)

Yeah I used to get thin stools and still do from time to time. I've seen many causes for this on the 'net but I highly doubt it's anything seriously as I don't see any blood in them and plus all my tests came back negative. I'd like to think it's something that's curable (like h. pylori) but that's not the case.Have you been checked with a camera down your throat/backside? I haven't but that might just ease your worries.The Bristol Stool Scale may help you but personally I don't see the point. Type 4 is probably around your area although I vary from 4-5 on a normal day but what does this mean to us? Probably very little in terms of knowing more about our IBS.


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## idkwia (Feb 26, 2009)

I am sorry guys and I appreciate your replies BUT...........................I said in my question that I have been checked for all the sinister things and all is ok so I am not worried that my thin stools are anything serious. I am also aware of the Bristol Stool Scale (but thank you anyway) but of course this doesn't say how thick a stool should be. By the way ZPE, thanks for you reply, I am also 4 or 5 on the Bristol Stool Scale.I am just interested to know if there is anyone out there who had thin stools and now have more normal sized stools and if so did they make a change in their diet or did they take some form of supplement and overall did it make them feel better? If not then so be it!


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## riddick (Dec 30, 2008)

Thin stools, fat stools, rock hard pebble stools...and total revolting stinky mush! I get all of those...sometimes on the same day! It's the way of the IBS world


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Mine were thinish when I had IBS going on the diarrhea end of things.When I go the IBS under control they went back to normal. I don't know if you can fix the stools and then hope the stools then fix the IBS. No diet or supplement did anything to change the stool consistency until the CBT got it under control.However some things like fiber or Calcium Carbonate may firm up the stools and that does help some IBSers. Just tried to say it isn't dangerous to have the thin stools if you aren't having other IBS symptoms that make you feel bad. For a lot of people getting from loose back to just a bit on the soft side is enough of an improvement so they don't need to get to 100% average every BM.


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## Guest (Apr 28, 2009)

Oh not this old chestnut again - I'd say, if you have a "stroppy" colon which stands to reason with IBS then it seems logical to me that your stools can come out all sorts of diameters (you really "measure" them???). Mine do - all sizes, all shapes and a nice array of colours from pale brown to very dark. If you had owt sinister ruled out, I really wouldn't mither about the diameter of your poo.Sue


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## M&M (Jan 20, 2002)

idkwia,If you use the "Search" feature and search for "thin stools", you will find loads of discussions about this very same topic. It comes up so frequently that it doesn't always get as many replies as it used to, so if you do a search for it, you'll probably find loads more info!Edit:Find the "Search" feature here http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.php?act=Search&f=1


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## Jackmat (Jun 13, 2005)

I think I take more pride in my stools than my appearance! So yes, I like them looking as nice as possible, too.Taking psyllium husks with breakfast and lunch should help bulk them up.Jackmat


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## idkwia (Feb 26, 2009)

I have found the answer!Last Wednesday I had a Dynamic Defecating Proctograph test. This showed that I have a Rectal Intussusception which essentially means that part of my rectum is prolapsing which causes a narrowing of the colon and hence the stools come out thin and flatish. I am going to see the surgeon soon as it seems I may need an operation to try and fix it although I have no idea if it can be fixed or improved at this stage.I should say that the doctor who carried out the test asked me my symptoms before the test and when I told him he immediately said that it sounded like a prolapse. I do feel quite angry that it has taken me 5 gastroenterologists before one of them suggested this test. It just goes to show that if you doctor isn't helping you then you should move on.I also had other tests done on my bowel and a gastric emptying test which were all normal. However, I would strongly suggest that if you are suffering then all of these tests are just as important as a colonoscopy.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Glad you finally! got an answer on this! Hope they can fix it for you and soon!BQ


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