I feel I don't necessarily have diarrhea and don't have constipation... But when I am "triggered" let's say stressful event, doctors appt. my stools will become erratic...
The shape, thickness, length will change. My stools will go from well formed to shapeless, blob, maybe smaller with a kind of shape...just all over the place
Does this happen to you?
How long until things are back to normal?
Yep happens all the time good calm rythmn helps but some diarrhoea is ok as long as not excessive too much constipation is painful but its difficult
It can depend, with me. Sometimes my gut is upset all of a sudden unexpectedly and the next day it can be OK again.
If I have a really bad flare up it can usually last a couple of days, then I am fairly normal-ish but can be a bit up and down for a few days following.
Then there are times when my gut is just not really right every day with maybe one or two days when it's suddenly normal again, and those can last for a few weeks sometimes, with nothing terrible or dramatic, just "not right".
My bowel movements can vary too, never too far to either end of the spectrum but a bit different in shape some days than others. I don't mind that so much, it's just when I'm looser, I also don't feel great in myself at the same time and that's what gets to me more.
Thank you for sharing.
I just wonder why it's soo easy for bowel movements to vary.
What triggers bowel movements to change shape, caliber so suddenly and then go back to normal log shaped?
What about the intestine of those with IBS causes that?
I guess these are the questions I'll keep looking for answers for
I don't know really. Sometimes it's if I eat more or less fibre my bm's will change. But sometimes my IBS kicks up for no reason I can work out and I will have soft stools (5 or even 6 on the Bristol scale) no matter if I've eaten very much fibre or not. That's just the hissy fits my IBS throws (just because it can!!)
Your stool shape could possibly change if there is some mild obstruction. Maybe nothing serious at all, but perhaps harder stool further up, and softer stool kind of gets around it? Or maybe if you have any internal swelling like internal piles that might change the shape?
But looser or firmer from one day to another can often be because of foods eaten from hours up to a few days before depending on the speed of your gut transit.
Only my ideas. I would say if you are always getting ribbon like narrow stools, if you can, run it past your doctor and get checked (sometimes easier said than done this side of next Christmas!)
But if you are very worried, ring 111 for advice. I have found a call made to 111 often results in a more prompt phone back from your GP.
Yep I’m the same, very up and down with bowel movements and worse when stressed, I have days when I feel tight and then I get diarrhoea so take loperamide which helps…
Hi Fergie53 do bowel movements also change shape and size all the time?
Do you feel even small stressful things affect your bowels?
have you seen a GI? Had a colonoscopy done?
I’ve been currently in a 11 week episode of bowels issues…. Several antibiotics and I’m on my last 2 days of my current antibiotic. Tummy pain has literally disappeared on a scale of 1-10 the most extreme pain was a 9…. I can go upwards to 6 times a day all different consistencies shapes and sizes!!!! No logic.
Hope you feel better soon x
Thank you for sharing. Hope you feel better soon.
Have you been to a GI? Had a colonoscopy?
That's what I wonder too. What's so different in those with IBS that causes them to have log shaped bowel movement one day and suddenly change to an odd shape the next?
I recently had an usc colonoscopy awaiting biopsies results that take up to 6 weeks …. Have drs appointment tomorrow to discuss the report so pretty scared to be honest but I would rather know what I’m dealing with the excruciating pain is unbearable and makes me feel so poorly constantly on antibiotics ect….
I was diagnosed 3 years ago with diverticula disease along with IBS conflicting advii Ooooo ce between the two conditions!!!!! Does my head in …… and everybody experiences with symptoms are so individual there’s no one way to fix it if that makes sense!!
It’s not good to have that diagnosis, I hope you get some relief or support..
I get pain intermittently but not all the time, it’s worse when stressed..
Mine is definitely stress related …..
-lilybet do you feel even small stressors set off your IBS?
Unfortunately yes but also my life has outside factors that are extremely stressful with my children’s mental health!!!
do you have any pain or symptoms? Bowel consistency and shape/size can vary due to differences in what you have eaten. If you don’t have pain or symptoms I wouldn’t worry about changing size and shape etc but if you are worried I would contact your gp and they could best advise and check for anything other than ibs xx
When this happens to me during stress and worry, my BMs are all shapes and sizes, consistencies, and I can be like that on and off from a few days to a week, or longer if a separate episode starts. I'm never what you'd call normal, but normal for me. There's days when I just can't put my finger on it and I just don't feel right. I can cope with the BMs now after all these years, it's what comes along with it that I hate, like the tiredness, no appetite, feeling depressed, lower back pain, which I just have to wait until it passes, usually, after a day or so. I find it starts when I'm anxious, like recently I've been trying to organise a few days away from home this year, and its just got on top of me and I've had to just put it on the back burner for now until I feel I can deal with it. Plus, one or two other worries that aren't normally part of every day life. It's times like these when I experience changes to my BMs. Perhaps you're the same and what you're experiencing could be due to anxiety. I find a good walk helps me.
Thank you for sharing Misspomfrey . I definitely feel we are very similar!
I've felt like sometimes, for me personally, the things that may be triggering stress and causing odd bowel movements shouldn't be that big of a deal but then....Ill start seeing odd bowel movements. So it seems my body seems to be triggered more easily lately or by a build up of various smaller things...
And of course the more random the bowel movements look....the more anxious I get.
Sometimes going to the bathroom, half of it is well shaped and the other half is mushy...and I'm like "how is that possible"?!
Sometimes it looks like a cow pile ...it's not diarrhea per say but it's not intestinal shaped. Then the next day it's a short wider log shape and the following day it's thinner...it can be so erratic and that makes me feel something is horribly wrong with me.
My brain tells me IBS can't do all this...
Its never diarrhea or constipation per say...but seems when I have a persistent stressor my intestine reacts by making all the different types of shapes.
Thank you for being so king and making me feel understood and seen. It helps. If there is anything you've learned or something has helped you please let me know.
Perhaps the tiredness and back pain and loss of appetite you have also experienced may be from the anxiety. I know it can do that to me.
Like you, I feel this recent episode of odd bowel movements happened while planning a cruise and changing doctors and that seems to have caused it.
You say the bowel movement changes can last for a week?
I think it can be longer for me sometimes because I keep worrying that these changes mean something more sinister. Its almost like until I relax my bowels will keep changing
Im going to a different GI soon just to make sure. The GI I went to before said it was likely IBS and gave me the Fodmap leaflet
Has your GI told you this is normal for IBS?
You know, it's exactly the same with me, my BMs only ever seem normal shape and consistency if I'm totally relaxed about life and not worrying. The problems start and can last a few days, then one day normal and I'll feel quite happy about life, then something else will trigger off my anxiety and the odd shapes and feeling rotten start again. So it's not necessarily one bout of it that lasts the week or more, it can be several separate bouts and I then think it's the same one lasting too long, when in fact, it's just one bout after another. Then, I have to trace back what I've eaten and it doesn't always coincide with the flare ups. Someone suggests lactose, well, I know I'm a bit lactose intolerant and can only eat lactose free cheese and even then, just a bit grated so I use less. I've no gallbladder so I must keep fats to a minimum. I seem to be able to only tolerate white bread, wholemeal plays havoc with my guts which might suggest gluten, but ive been tested several times and I don't have Celiacs. It could be I'm a bit glutton intolerant. Other things I eat with wheat in don't seem to bother me. I make my own bread and add some seeds.
It's a real nuisance all of it and I've been like this for years. There's no real answer to it and it's a part of my life, it rules my life really. I don't go to a GI, I've seen doctors over the years, had some tests, bloods, all always clear. They don't really want to know unless you agree to a colonoscopy and every other b----y oscopy they can send you for. Well, I won't have any of it unless Ive absolutely no choice. My nerves just won't stand it.
I was at the dentist with my husband a few days ago and you'd think it was me going 😟 needless to say, the day after I was feeling ill, that's how it is. I always feel better when the longer, lighter days come.
Take care and try not to worry, like I said, I've had what you describe for years and if it was anything really horrible, I'd be 6 foot under by now 😣
Yes this is what I find, BM changes when stressed and also makes me tired, loss of appetite etc, I really don’t think doctors understand what we have to put up with…
It sounds as though your circumstances are having a significant effect on your gut. Try to look at it from a different angle. When things happen consider your diet - small changes - the time you eat, what you eat and what it consists of can all affect your gut. It may be worth cutting out dairy for 2 weeks and record the effects - this is how I worked out my daughter was lactose intolerant. Also consider that as we age we become less tolerant to lactose and gluten (found in bread)Try changing your bread to wholemeal if there is no change in pattern with the lactose.
Also consult your doctor. If you can try cutting out the lactose and gluten first then you will have already done what they may suggest.
Sounds like a good definition of IBS-M - i.e., mixed
How long do your flares last
Too much or too little fibre? 
Inguinal hernia
How long is your longest flare up
Is this IBS or something else
