strange shaped stools, freaking out AGAIN!

[rainbow]

hi,

Hopefully someone can reassure me. For the past few weeks since my anxiety has been really intense i've had problems with my ibs. Loose stools, diahorea, normal stools, wind, gurgling stomach. I've been on 60mg citalopram for the last month. Went up from 40mg.

The loose stools have calmed down over the last couple of weeks and are much more formed but thinner than they should be. Not pencil thin or flat maybe the width of 2/3 pencils. Usually they are like this the second tim i go in the morning. There iss usually about 4 pieces of stool like this. Today i noticed that a couple of them were a curved shape, this is really worrying me.

I've not been eating too well lately as i just can't when i'm so anxious. I started my cbt 3 weeks ago and part of my treatment is to avoid going to my gp for reassurance. I've seen about 6 gps over the last few weeks who all say its my ibs.

Can anyone relate to this? Trying to keep myself together for the sake of my kids.

[rainbow]

can anyone reassure me please.

[nomorepanic]

Mine are all shapes and sizes and colours so for me personally it is not a worry.

[rosebud]

Hi
I have the curved shaped stools too. Like you i find it quite worrying. I have heard that its caused by spasms in the bowel which can squish your stools into funny shapes.
Take care
Tracey x

[s11fyx]

its perfectley normal to be honest i wouldnt even know what shape mine are. if its the second time you are going in the day they will be less to pass i really wouldnt worry about it at all ibs does crazy things to your tummy just like anixety does. hope your cbt helps ive just had my 1st appionment x

[rainbow]

thanks for the replies,

This anxiety is hell, i never used to notice stool shape or size before now its like i'm obsessed. I also have a horrible feeling of still needing to go even after i've been, this lasts most of the day.

Anyone else have this?

[rosebud]

i find i'me always checking to !!!! i have had and still do have the feeling of wanting to go all the time. at one stage i had it for weeks and weeks all day everyday.

Tracey x

[classy69]

I suffer from anxiety, and my stools usually vary with a combination of the following (normally 2 or 3!!)

Loose
Firm
Dark Brown
Light Brown
Small lumps of undigested food

I wouldn't be too concerned Rainbow. :)

[eight days a week]

I have IBS too and that all sounds absolutely normal to me (though it is rotten). Also, when I was on anti-depressants, they also sent my stomach crazy (even crazier!) for a couple of months.

[flumpkin]

This exact thing had been stressing me too, combined with ongoing lower right abdominal pain ... putting 2 and 2 together and diagnosing something horrible. :wacko:

Apart from the fact my bloods are all normal (which I am holding on to) and that dr is convinced nothing bad going on.

My stools were like you describe - thinner and softer (only just formed), easy to pass and I was going between 2-3 times a day. I have never been diagnosed with IBS although dr did mention it in passing once.

I say it was streesing me as stools have been normal for last 5 days which has reassured me a lot - thinking prob is just anxiety or ibs or something like that. Mine went on for about 3 or 4 months.

Hope that helps

Flumpkin x