Question 1

can chronic stress/anxiety cause bowel problems? i have been constipated since three weeks. soft stools, but need to strain often. sometimes narrow stools. also, feelings of incomplete evacuation. can this be caused by stress?

Accepted Answer

Yes, it can.: A young adult with constipation needs to be sure there is no other disease causing it. If constipation is just due to slow movement of the food and poop through the gut, then things people try are vegetables, water, fiber-plus-water, prune juice, prunes, polyethylene glycol, Senokot or other senna, milk of magnesia, other laxatives... One's doctor may evaluate and consider other medication.

Question 2

i have flat stool not pencil thin but very flat stool.also 4bump in anus.burning pain while pooping.doc tels pile fissure or tag.but feeling it for few months now.i had anal 3 time.2 year ago.also chronic stress about health for 3 months.anal cancer?

Accepted Answer

Proctologist: For peace of mind see a proctologist or colorectal surgeon for a thorough examination of your rectum which will involve an anoscopic or proctoscopic examination. Mention your history of anal receptive sex 2 years ago so that appropriate testing for HPV will be performed.

Question 3

do you have thin stools with hemorroids?

Accepted Answer

Need fiber.: Both are caused by inadequate fiber.

Question 4

what is this horrible rectal pain? i have really thin stools.

Accepted Answer

Please see your Dr.: There are a number of possible causes for rectal pain; the only way to determine the diagnosis is to see your doctor.  Your doctor will need to examine the outside of the anus and will likely need to do a rectal exam as well.  If your doctor does not find a cause, seeing a gastroenterologist (gi specialist) would be the next step.

Question 5

1000 mg of magnesium a night, either unformed "pile" of stool or many small thin stools. what is wrong?

Accepted Answer

Stop magnesium: It may be caused by the magnesium. Stop it for a while and see how you do. Discuss with your doctor/gi as you also have celiac disease-and it may be associated to your celiac.

Question 6

how wide is a normal stool? are stools that are 1-2 cm wide normal, or are they considered pencil-thin stools?

Accepted Answer

: I do not know of any pencils that are 1-2 cm wide - well maybe a carpenter’s pencil. Pencil thin stools would be as thin as a common lead pencil.  If you have never seen one them maybe 1/2 as thin as your little finger or a free ball point pen you get at the bank.

Question 7

should occasional thin stools be worrisome? i have thin stools at times but not always "pencil" thin. is this serious?

Accepted Answer

Not serious: If this doesn't happen all of the time then you should be fine, this change is usually due to a change in diet or exercise.

Question 8

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 9

if i have occaisional thin stools, could it be cancer?

Accepted Answer

Possible: thin stools suggest narrowing of bowel but this should be constant and if a tumor present there should be progression.  If this doesn't change on diet then one should consider colonoscopy.  In future a simple stool test will tell whether colon cancer protein present in stool and therefore if there is a lesion present or not.

Question 10

can hemrrhroids cause thin stools?

Accepted Answer

Hemorrhoids: Narrow stool can sometimes be related to bowel obstructions (i.e., enlarged prostate,  cancer, rectal polyps etc). Am not familiar w hemorrhoids causing significantly thin stool.

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Doctor answers about:

Thin stools stress

A member asked:

Can chronic stress/anxiety cause bowel problems? i have been constipated since three weeks. soft stools, but need to strain often. sometimes narrow stools. also, feelings of incomplete evacuation. can this be caused by stress?

A member asked:

I have flat stool not pencil thin but very flat stool.also 4bump in anus.burning pain while pooping.doc tels pile fissure or tag.but feeling it for few months now.i had anal 3 time.2 year ago.also chronic stress about health for 3 months.anal cancer?

A member asked:

Do you have thin stools with hemorroids?

A member asked:

What is this horrible rectal pain? i have really thin stools.

A member asked:

1000 mg of magnesium a night, either unformed "pile" of stool or many small thin stools. what is wrong?

A member asked:

How wide is a normal stool? are stools that are 1-2 cm wide normal, or are they considered pencil-thin stools?

A member asked:

Should occasional thin stools be worrisome? i have thin stools at times but not always "pencil" thin. is this serious?

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:

If i have occaisional thin stools, could it be cancer?

A member asked:

Can hemrrhroids cause thin stools?

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