Question 1

can diet cause thinner or thicker stools? it doesnt always mean something serious especially if the change happened once?

Accepted Answer

Diets effect stools: Diets such as those high in lactose, alcohol, rich and spicy foods, coffee &amp; magnesium can cause loose stools. Diets such as those low in water and fiber can cause constipation. If such changes happen rarely it's probably not cause for concern. Try to eat a balanced diet with adequate fruit &amp; veggies &amp; water. Regular exercise is also advisable. And make certain you have regular medical check-ups!

Question 2

my stools are not pencil thin, but thinner than normal for me for last few days. should i worry?

Accepted Answer

Go to doctor: you have to to see your doctor and get a colonoscopy to rule out that there no problem like colon cancer.

Question 3

a couple of times as of late, my stool comes out with a bit of a 'tail' just at the end. so it's normal size, but thinner at the very end. problem?

Accepted Answer

Less worries please: Stool texture (regardless of volume or frequency of movements) , shape, &amp; caliber are affected by multiple factors (fiber intake, bacterial load, GI transit, fluid secretion, sphincter and rectal tone, etc.)  Share a photo with your GI doc for evaluation as warranted.

Question 4

my stool for about 2.5 months has been small.not only small but a bit thinner.it's not improving.i don't notice any blood but there is mucous?

Accepted Answer

Stool smaller: My stool for about 2.5 months has been small.Not only small but a bit thinner.It's not improving.I don't notice any Blood but there is mucous? ANS: not a very precise description. Do you mean line pencil thin or just smaller amount?  Strongly dependent on what you are eating. Send picture next time.

Question 5

what causes occasional pencil thin stools, often the first stool in a bm is normal diameter, but everything else is increasingly thinner?  concerning?

Accepted Answer

Might: Most likely for a person who is 19 year old and has no other sign or symptoms i would not be worried.
Irritable bowel syndrome which is very common can be blamed.
This also has been described in colon cancer but cancer is a disease which affects people over 50.

Question 6

what sized stools (in width) are considered narrow/thin and may imply an obstruction/cancer? my stools are thinner since 3 weeks .. they are about 2 wide (sometimes a bit less). should i be worried?

Accepted Answer

Thin stools: In my experience narrow or thin stools, especially when intermittent, are most commonly caused by irritable bowel syndrome. However persistently very narrow stools can be caused by inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease and persistent pencil thin stools are a sign of constriction of the descending colon seen in cancer or severely scarred colon from recurrent diverticulitis. See MD as n

Question 7

i'm 36. lately stool looks different every day... no blood but some days it's smaller, shorter, thinner and other days longer or thicker. sometimes feel like i didn't empty out fully. happens usually when i'm going through anxiety. causes?

Accepted Answer

: Stool shape and color often has to do with dietary intake. Different substances in the diet will cause stool alterations-including color and shape/size. If you continue to feel like you are not emptying, you should see a GI doctor to get an evaluation to be certain this is not an issue. If it is due to constipation, after a complete evaluation, a treatment can be pursued. You may need colonoscopy.

Question 8

can hemorrhoids cause thinner stools?

Accepted Answer

Constipation: Hemorrhoids and constipation go together. However thinner stools may represent something else, like a mass in the lower colon/rectum. Okay to get checked by your doc, you may need a colonoscopy. Don't just assume it is the hemorrhoid. A rectal mass could be more ominous to your overall health.

Question 9

i'm 36. lately stool looks different every day... no blood but some days it's smaller, shorter, thinner and other days longer or thicker. sometimes feel like anus doesn't relax/close after bm. could anxiety cause this?

Accepted Answer

: All this sounds like normal variation in colonic function and defecation. Or maybe irritable bowel syndrome. Almost certainly nothing dangerous.

Question 10

i was dx w/ibs younger. im 28. what causes varying stool thickness? i can have bm looks thick & go have a second bm same day & it be much thinner. why

Accepted Answer

Stool bulk: Stool bulk varies with intestinal contents(solid vs liquids) and transit time through the intestinal tract. It is not unusual for a large stool to be followed by a thinner stool or, in the case of irritable bowel syndrome, by progressively looser stools as the morning goes on. Patients with ibs often alternate with constipation and diarrhea depending on intestinal motility on a given day.

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Doctor answers about:

Are soft stools thinner

A member asked:

Can diet cause thinner or thicker stools? it doesnt always mean something serious especially if the change happened once?

A member asked:

My stools are not pencil thin, but thinner than normal for me for last few days. should i worry?

A member asked:

A couple of times as of late, my stool comes out with a bit of a 'tail' just at the end. so it's normal size, but thinner at the very end. problem?

A member asked:

My stool for about 2.5 months has been small.not only small but a bit thinner.it's not improving.i don't notice any blood but there is mucous?

A member asked:

What causes occasional pencil thin stools, often the first stool in a bm is normal diameter, but everything else is increasingly thinner? concerning?

A member asked:

What sized stools (in width) are considered narrow/thin and may imply an obstruction/cancer? my stools are thinner since 3 weeks .. they are about 2 wide (sometimes a bit less). should i be worried?

A member asked:

I'm 36. lately stool looks different every day... no blood but some days it's smaller, shorter, thinner and other days longer or thicker. sometimes feel like i didn't empty out fully. happens usually when i'm going through anxiety. causes?

A member asked:

Can hemorrhoids cause thinner stools?

A member asked:

I'm 36. lately stool looks different every day... no blood but some days it's smaller, shorter, thinner and other days longer or thicker. sometimes feel like anus doesn't relax/close after bm. could anxiety cause this?

A member asked:

I was dx w/ibs younger. im 28. what causes varying stool thickness? i can have bm looks thick & go have a second bm same day & it be much thinner. why

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