Size of poop

Posted by mikayla68 @mikayla68, Jan 7, 2023

When I was a child, I was constipated. It was hard to pass a poo, the poos were the small hard pebbly kind. As an adult (I'm in my late 60s) my poops tend to form too wide. It's either the first poop of the day, or the first part of the first poop. My drs have always labeled this as constipation - but I go poop every single day so it seems like the wrong diagnosis. I'd poop even if I didn't use Citrucel or Colace, which I do. And you won't be surprised to learn that I've had hemorrhoids and 2 surgeries for fissures.

To make this more complicated, I had the bad luck to get CDiff a few years ago which morphed into IBS Mixed - I've found that drs pretty much leave it up to patients to determine what kind of IBS, but I think I'm mixed, but maybe it's actually D? Anyway, I now eat low FODMAP which is very effective, but means I can't have certain things like prunes or Metamucil. Oh, and most GIs I've seen are glad I'm eating low FODMAP and just don't care if I call my condition IBS-D or IBS-M or even IBS-C. Oh and I had a rare bad reaction to Miralax, so I can't use that.

So I'm just wondering if anybody would recommend I try anything to help with this poo-size issue. I'm thinking about getting ground flax seed, I think that might be my next experiment. If I overdo the stool softeners or counting my fiber intake or Citrucel, then I poo and poo and poo - it almost never becomes watery, but it causes many bad mornings and sometimes can't leave the house until noon. I'm so sick of myself! I'm in my golden years and I just want to enjoy them!

Thanks.

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p95 | @p95 | Jan 11, 2023

I cannot say I have had large BM's, but I had C Diff twice last year. I got it in the hospital during an outpatient stay (just overnight) for my cervical fusion in 2021. I didn't know my surgeon gave me a prophylactic dose of the antibiotic Ancef (a 2nd generation cephlasporin which is often connected with C Diff infections). My GI doc tried me on Flayly and Vancomycin first for the C Diff and neither worked. He got me approved for Dificid and it kicked it's butt temporarily, but apparently it did not get rid of all of the C Diff and I tested positive for C Diff 3 months after finishing the initial Dificid. My GI doc then had me take 2 rounds of Dificid when it came back after the first go-round. (Flagyl and Vancomycin did not work for me.) I think it is important to note that I also had IBS-D for 10 years prior to contracting the C Diff and I still do. I understand there is a condition called post-infection IBS following a C Diff infection and that it can take up to 2 years for your colon to heal after a C Diff infection. I have found that soluble fiber works the best for me in normalizing my stool. Metamucil was too fibrous for me. Citrucil and Miralax were no better either. I have used Heather's Senegal Acacia Fiber for years even prior to the C Diff infection. I take 1 rounded tablespoon in the morning and 1 rounded tablespoon in the evening. Acacia fiber becomes a gel-like substance in your colon and helps to keep your stool solid but soft. It is very important to gradually build up to the amount of acacia fiber taken over a period of weeks until you get to the amount that works best for you. The last thing you want to do is flood your system with fiber. That will only cause constipation. You might want to read the reviews on Heather's Acacia Fiber. They sell it on Amazon or visit Heather's Tummy Care website and read what she has to say about her product and how it helps with IBS. She also struggled with IBS for many years. Just a suggestion that has helped me a great deal. I wish you luck. C Diff is a terrible disease and I now understand the real problem - C Diff is an antibiotic resistant bacteria. Doctor's need to be educated on the unnecessary use of antibiotics. I know this is a lot more than you asked for, but I understand Acacia Fiber is also good for constipation. You just have to work up to a greater amount of it to work for chronic constipation.