Bowels

Thank you for replying x

Janet21 I was diagnosed with diverticulosis after a colonoscopy. It does not cause symptoms, and was found coincidentally at this examination. Many people over 60 have this condition. It is only when the diverticula become inflamed (diverticulitis) and cause symptoms, including abdominal pain, that they need treatment. Narrow stools are not a symptom. As others have said the stools if soft are shaped by passing through anal sphincter, and bulky hard stools, as MOnica says can be painful as they stretch the sphincter.

Thank you I need to get some medication from the doctor for it. Thanks for replying x

Diverticulitis is the cause of narrow stools. Nothing to worry about.

It’s a nightmare isn’t it. My friend takes fibogel. Thank you so much x

Like you Janet21 I'm on a diet its going well but my bowels have been playing up big time.I've had colitis for years so constipation has always been a dream of mine...joke .I've bought Fibogel to try to add bulk .Might be worth a try for you.Good luck with the diet and dont let the bowel issue put you off.

Thank you Monica I’m a born worrier. I had high blood pressure so I decided to loose weight and that’s come down thank goodness. Thank you so much for replying x

The other thing that will affect the size of your stools, will be what you eat and drink. If you are eating a lot of fibre and consuming a lot of fluids, which one often does on a diet, then the resulting faeces will be quite soft so that the sphincter doesn't need to expand so much because the resultant stool so soft it just slips through very easily.

If you think about the opposite end of the spectrum and you are constipated and passing hard large diameter stools, a lot of effort is required for the sphincter to stretch enough to let it through and it can be very painful.

Far from being a sign of illness, your 'problem' is probably merely the sign of a healthy diet.

Thank you I was panicking I had bowel cancer but I’d had all my procedures x

They are the muscles that open and close in your anus when you open your bowels.

What’s that please

The narrowness, or otherwise, of your stool would be dictated by your sphincter muscles, rather than a problem further back in the system.

Thank you yes I’m also on a diet loosing roughly 2 lbs a week. Yes I had both of those procedures not pleasant but they were clear apart from the mild diverticulitis. Thank you for replying

If you sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy showed on mild diverticulitis I would think this is dietary. It is question of finding the right foods for you - too much fibre which would bulk up your stools may inflame your bowel. Sorry not to be more help but it is trial and error.

Some one has posted but I can’t see it x