A member asked:

What can i do to make my bm's smaller in size? i usually go once a day and most of the time they clog the toilet. i am a high fiber diet because of high cholesterol. i also take chitosan to help absorb the fat molecules of the food. i do have fresh or can

2 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Dr. Heidi Fowler answered

Specializes in Psychiatry

If : If you have a diet that is high in fiber but there is not adequate fluid intake, it is likely to make your feces harder and drier. You should drink at least 64 ounces of water per day, which will help the fiber to move wastes through your intestines.

Answered 10/3/2016

5.3k views

Thank
Dr. John Fung answered

Specializes in General Surgery

High : High fiber diets are intended to provide bulk to the stool. There are several forms of fiber, dietary fiber is plant residue that passes through the intestinal tract undigested - it may be soluble (oat bran, psyllium) and form a gelatinous bulk that has cholesterol-lowering properties, or it may be insoluble (wheat and other grains), which adds bulk to the stool. It can also be of animal origin, in your case, chitosan is relatively insoluble in water and is a highly-viscous dietary fiber. As fiber passes through the intestine undigested, it absorbs many times its weight in water, resulting in softer and bulkier stools. In your situation, it appears that you have added excess fiber in order to reduce your cholesterol and fat levels. It is unclear to me whether you are doing this on your own, or using the direction of a physician. Depending on the nature of your hypercholesterolemia (elevated cholesterol) and/or hyperlipidemia (elevated fat), medications that interfere with their production in your body, may help to lower these levels and allow you to reduce your fiber intake. I suggest you see your physician to assist in determining which medications are best for you, depending on your cholesterol and fat profile.

Answered 10/3/2016

5.3k views

Thank

Related Questions