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[Kathleen]

Hello ladies, can I  pick your brains again please?

I have an appointment coming up at the clinic I attend for Inflammatory Bowel Disease and I'm always asked to describe how soft and squidgy my stools are. As we know our hormones can cause all sorts of digestive issues and I'm wondering what is normal, what is menopausal and what could signal a flare of my Ulcerative Colitis.

Can I ask you ladies if palpitations and feelings of panic then result in you needing the loo and if these sensations cause your poos to be very soft and crumbly? Apologies if this is tmi but it would help me so much to know if my situation is another lovely meno symptom or not, and who better to ask than the MM ladies who are experts in the field!

Thanks for reading and take care all.

K.

[Halfpint]

My anxiety can make me need quite a few poo's in a short period of time and it's soft but I wouldn't describe it as crumbly. In fact it's rare for me to have a solid poo!

[dazned]

When I had anxiety,palps,etc I always had loose stools and more frequency too .

[Cassie]

Yes anxiety = loose stools

[Justjules]

Kathleen, from what experience I have of IBD, your stools are usually on the softer side/very loose.  As far as I am aware, that in itself does not mean a flare up, that is usually indicated by mucus and blood.  Could be anxiety, stress, diet.  I very rarely have a 'formed' stool and neither does my son who has IBD.  I had bowel surgery in the 80s and that messed by whole system up ever since.

Hope all goes okay.  Don't worry x

[Kathleen]

Hello ladies and thank you all for taking the time to reply.

I think because of my UC I am especially worried about my digestive system and then the anxiety just makes everything worse. Plus I catastrophise as many of us do.

I've been palping all day and was so anxious I ate very little dinner. I am heartily sick of this and I learned this afternoon that the earliest GPs appointment is 31st May! The receptionist said I can try ringing early every morning or sit in the surgery hoping for a cancellation. I've signed up for online appointments so I guess I'll be spending every day on the surgery's site instead of MMs!

 If I can't calm down I may have to break into the emergency wine.

Wishing you well ladies and take care.

K.

[CLKD]

Anxiety is a natural laxative!  Fight/flight response causes the gut to stop functioning but the bowel will empty with fear.  When I haven't got slow transit my motions are quite firm.  If I haven't been for a few days it will be firm but not passing much, then about 10 min.s later I pass small, pellet-like motions very rapidly. 

When I was having regular periods 10 mins. B4 a bleed I would have sudden 'runs' which made travelling anywhere at that time of the month as I needed the loo 'now'!

How does the rest of your digestive tract feel?  'normal' for you when the colitis is quiet?