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Unformed Stool

It was recently confirmed by my doctor that i'm in remission, yet for some reason I still rarely ever seem to have a solid stool. I'm fairly certain that this isn't diarrhoea, there is little urgency and I only go once per day, sometimes once every other day. Despite that, it is only once every 1-2 weeks that I produce a solid stool. On the rare occasion that I go a second time, it's in the evening and is much more solid, this occurs when I eat a lot.

Does anyone have any thoughts? I have of course considered psylium, as many on here have had such good results with them. But I don't feel like that fixes anything, just aids the symptoms. I'm not currently on any meds as i'm still trying to properly work out my own weird case of IBD and i've not had any surgeries which rules out short bowel syndrome.

It's not really a problem I spose, but it's a pain and something i'd rather rectify. Any thoughts?
 

nogutsnoglory

Moderator
If you are in remission why not eat fiber filled fruits, vegetables and whole grains more and this will bulk up your stool.
 
I do, lol.

My diet is that of my fitness and heart diseased obsessed 22 year old girlfriend, bless her. I eat plenty of vegetables and all of my grains are of the brown variety. I've considered that this may have been the problem, but have altered my diet to low res to no avail. In fact the only food that seems to have any effect on it, is cheddar/feta/cream cheese which seem to constipate me for a day or so for some unknown reason.
 

CrohnsChicago

Super Moderator
I feel you. I don't have entirely normal stools either when I am well....especially now after my third flare.

I have tried adding fiber, only makes me bloated and backed up a bit.

I have tried juicing and low residue for a few days at a time and it shows shape, but never a fully formed solid shape.

Im convinced I may just be one of those people I've heard about on this forum that just never has a proper stool again. Could be because of the damaged and scar tissue from ulcerations that is preventing proper absorption of water away from the colon, which is the process that creates formed stools.

I wish I had an answer for you but I know what you are dealing with and wanted to show some support.
 
Thanks Michelle (it is Michelle isn't it?). Support is always greatly appreciated, no matter how much that person can or can't offer a solution to your problem!

My last scope suggested that my colon was clean, the guy doing it even remarked that if I hadn't already been diagnosed he would've never thought to suggest Crohn's. Could that Colon still have issues absorbing water, on like a microscopic level for example? I wondered if stress/anxiety has anything to do with it, I remember after getting a clean scope being solid for a good three or four days before reverting back to this.

Looking back on it, this has been the same for at least a year now, perhaps almost two. Although I cannot for the life of me recall when it started. I've not always been this way.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Jam, personally I have gotten great results from psyllium husks. I'm in remission too, and my issue in remission was more frequency than consistency. I was still going anywhere from 4 to 10+ times daily, although my stools were fairly well formed. I started taking a teaspoon of psyllium daily and that helped me so much. Now I usually go from 1 to 4 times daily, usually twice (once first thing in the morning and once at the end of the day just before bed). I would say give psyllium a try, it's not expensive (I just bought a big container of organic psyllium at the health food store for about $11). There's a long thread here about psyllium which will give you lots more info:
http://www.crohnsforum.com/showthread.php?t=13856
 
I knew you'd pop up with something psylium related Cat! I've actually got a bottle of psylium pills on my shelf that i've been staring at for the last month (I didn't realise how much cheaper it was to buy it loose, doh). But my only issue is that I feel like by putting a band aid on (so to speak) I feel i'm ignoring an indicator that something's not right, dietary or otherwise, y'know?
 
Location
Missouri
Jam, from what I've always understood, cheese is a pretty constipating thing. When my daughter was a toddler, I'd want to pull my hair out over how much cheese my mother in law would let her eat, as it ALWAYS did this to her. On the flip side of that, if we also suffer from lactose intolerance, I can see cheese and dairy having the opposite effect.
 

CrohnsChicago

Super Moderator
LOL I don't know what I would do without cheese or eggs in my life :p

I do however stick to aged cheeses. Much better on your digestion overall.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Jam, I don't feel like it's putting a band-aid on. I don't get much fiber myself - oatmeal is pretty much the only high-fiber food I can tolerate - so I feel like psyllium is patching a dietary hole for me. It's not like pred where it's masking symptoms, it's just soluble fiber and is giving me a little fiber boost because I know I'm not getting enough. Even if you're eating high fiber, maybe you're getting too much insoluble fiber? Psyllium is soluble fiber and is much easier on the system than insoluble. Just my thoughts anyway. I've been on psyllium for awhile now and it's only done good things for me. I don't think it's masking anything, I think it's just another way for me to eat healthier. ;)
 
I stay away from stuff called "cheese" if that makes any sense. Like I only buy cheese that has a name; cheddar, stilton ect and I won't eat pre-grated cheese, that stuffs vile.

I should add that cheese doesn't form me up, just slows me down. Is there any chance this could be a non-Crohn's issue. Something liver/gallbladder/thyroid related perhaps? IBS?
 
Didn't mean to sound like I was putting your suggestion down Cat!!!

I just kinda want to find out for sure there is nothing else I can try first, maybe i'm doing something to cause it without realising. I mean otherwise whenever I stop psylium, i've the same issue. I don't want to take a bag of psylium with me on holiday for example...Maybe i'm just viewing it as medicine, and I don't like the idea of being on a medicine indefinitely, who knows =\
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
No worries Jam, I didn't take it that way. I see it as more of a dietary supplement than a medicine, but yeah I guess I am on it indefinitely. When I travel, I measure out my psyllium into little individual containers (I use old pill bottles) so then I can just mix a single serving of psyllium into a glass of water - so it's not so bad to travel with psyllium. Just one more thing to pack into my bag o' medicine & supplements! ;) (Fortunately... or unfortunately? I don't travel very often.)

I feel like it's just like any other supplement though. My colon looks perfect on scope too but I know I'm not getting everything I need from diet alone, that's just reality when you've got an illness like this I think. It's not medicine, it's just a little added fiber. :)

And all this cheese talk is making me sad, ha ha. :p I have been lactose intolerant since I was about 20 (I'm 33 now) but I adore cheese. I was bad and had pizza yesterday and then felt ill. The pizza had garlic in it which is an even bigger trigger for me so that did me absolutely no favors. But it was so yummy!
 
Correct me if i'm wrong but isn't Wisconsin somewhat big for dairy and cheese in particular? Forgive me if i'm wrong, most of my American knowledge and geography comes from Frasier!
 
My gasteo told me to avoid fibre wheat whole grain at all costs I'm also in remission :) he said I'm still 2 stay away from all trigger foods though.

Also eating a handful of marshmallows or mash potato will thicken up your stool xx
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Yes, Wisconsin is America's Dairlyland. This state is huge on dairy products and also beef, and, let's face it, beer. I can't have any of that stuff. :p I gave up red meat when I was a teenager and I just can't digest it at all anymore, and beer is gross, so I don't mind not having those. But dairy, oh I miss it, especially cheese. There's nothing like a big greasy cheesy pizza. Drool!

As for noticing an improvement with psyllium, I think it only took a week or so? And for the first few weeks, as my body was getting used to it, I was a bit crampier than usual, but that went away fairly quickly too. Now I rarely get gut cramps - even my "time of the month" is less crampy, and psyllium is the only thing that I can think of to attribute that to! So yeah, it'll take a bit of adjustment at first, but you should get used to it and notice a difference pretty quickly.
 
Hm, maybe i'll give them a go after all, this is really starting to aggravate me. Do you reckon the caps are worth a go? I might just go buy a bag of loose psyllium to use for now and keep the caps for if I go travelling or something, they're pretty portable I spose.

It sounds like you're living in the wrong place Cat! God, I really want to visit America properly for a year or two and just take in how diverse a country it really is. I can't wait until I graduate :)
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
I can't say, I've never tried the psyllium capsules myself. I have only ever taken the loose 100% pure psyllium. I would say, check the ingredients on the capsules. There may be additives in there besides just psyllium, and the additives can cause upset or cramping sometimes. I've heard the same thing about Metamucil, it's supposed to be psyllium but it's got other stuff in there too. If there's a health food store in your area, check that out for just 100% psyllium with nothing else added. I get mine at Whole Foods, just their generic store brand, 100% organic psyllium. (I read that organic is better as there may be a lot of pesticides in the non-organic.) Good luck!

Yes, the good old USA really is a big, diverse place! I was born & raised here in Wisconsin, this is where most of my family & friends are, so I don't feel the need to leave. No matter where I go, there will always be food I can't eat. If you do travel around the USA, I would say that the southwest (Arizona/Nevada/Utah) is my favorite area of the country to visit. So many beautiful canyons & mountains and such a different and striking landscape from anything else I've seen.
 
I think you are wise Jam300, to be curious, looking to try and improve your situation. As you have mentioned also in other threads I've seen, you can feel run down and overly tired at times. Another idea you might try for a trial, if you have not already, is one of the IBD diets such as SCD, paleo or GAPs to see if that helps the situation with the gut and feeling fatigued.
 
I had considered it yes Beach. At present i'm trying to tinker with a more specific and personalised diet, using guidance from the other diets. They're always an option though.

At present though, i'm still having a bit of difficulty trying to figure it all out.
 
Also, i've been looking into a supplemental regime as a solution to my fatigue and mood. I'm having a bit of trouble working that all out, but it's a work in progress and i'm certain that will do wonders once I get going on that.
 

CrohnsChicago

Super Moderator
What sort of fitness/exercise routine do you have in place Jam? Exercise can also be a good way to help regulate your digestion and improve your stool quality.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
I agree with Chicago about exercise - I've been exercising every day lately and it's done me a world of good. :) Jam, I believe you said in another thread that you recently joined a gym, so it sounds like you're already on top of that - just wanted to encourage you to stick with it! Working out is something that's made a huge difference for me, especially in terms of my mood and energy levels. I feel like I can deal with stress much more easily nowadays too, because I can go hit the gym hard and work through all my stress in a healthy way.
 
Location
Missouri
Cat, do you work out in the morning or evening? I am thinking I need to be back on my treadmill, have only kept up with my toning/strength excercises this winter. So treadmill, and then the punching bag are next on my list.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
CLynn, I usually work out in the afternoons or evenings. I'm not much of a morning person. :p So I either work out on my lunch hour or just after work (either way, I eat lunch/dinner immediately after working out - I have to go into the gym on an empty stomach or I'll puke). I alternate every other day with weights and cardio. I love lifting weights, cardio is not my favorite thing though but I know I need to do it. I usually ride the exercise bike for my cardio, as jogging and even sometimes walking will aggravate my hip arthritis. I try to do yoga when I can and I usually walk my dog on weekends too, so I try to be as active as I can. :)
 
Location
Missouri
I'm with you, just can't make myself get up an extra hour earlier, it's all I can do to get up when that alarm shrieks every morning. So I always did mine in the evening as well. Waiting for the warm weather so we can get out and ride bikes again, I miss that too. Hubs got rid of his old weight bench, so now all I have is 8 lb weights. But the punching bag could be cardio, if I get into it with feet and hands, lol! And do it for 20 minutes or more.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Yeah, I get up at 6 AM to get ready for work, and there's no way I could drag myself out of bed earlier than that. I am also looking forward to nicer weather so that I can ride my bike outside! It's been such a long winter and it still feels like winter outside today. A punching bag workout sounds fun, and yeah you could get the legs involved too like kickboxing. Have fun!

Sorry Jam for kinda taking over your thread! How are you doing today?
 
I've always been a very active person, but have admittedly not been so good of late. I was hit by a car cycling in October, which put my bike out of action for a good few months and i've just got it back. I notably felt a lot more miserable during those months (a combination of weather and lack of exercise most likely). I've read that a lazy lifestyle can lead to constipation, I wonder if with me, lazy lifestyle lead to lazy colon slaking on its duties...

Not a problem Cat; mi threada, su threada!
 
Location
Missouri
Yeah, I get up at 6 AM to get ready for work, and there's no way I could drag myself out of bed earlier than that. I am also looking forward to nicer weather so that I can ride my bike outside! It's been such a long winter and it still feels like winter outside today. A punching bag workout sounds fun, and yeah you could get the legs involved too like kickboxing. Have fun!

Sorry Jam for kinda taking over your thread! How are you doing today?
Cat, as far as the punching bag, in my mind I pictured Julia Roberts working out on hers in the movie "Runaway Bride", lol......she was going to town!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Jam, I'm so sorry to hear you were hit by a car! I hope you weren't injured, although it sounds like your bike was worse for wear. :( I feel kind of dumb and clunky wearing a helmet when I ride my bike, but I will think of you when I put my helmet on from now on. Now if I could just convince the hubby to wear a helmet, all would be good. Although I have a hard time convincing hubby to go on a bike ride too so maybe that's a self-correcting problem. :p
 
Location
Missouri
I must admit, I am guilty of not wearing them. I made the kids wear them, back when I could make them, lol! But I grew up not wearing helmets, or seatbelts, etc...it was a different world when I was young, lol!
 
Shamefully, even after the accident I still don't wear a helmet :(

Update:

I've noticed a peculiar link between anxiety and needing the toilet. I just now needed the loo and suddenly felt miserable, as soon as i'd been I feel completely normal again.

Also, that was the second time i've been today, the first around midday was completely unformed, while this was completely formed. Both were proceeded by the onset of gas an hour before. This is so illogical.
 
Is your diet fairly consistent? I had symptoms like that awhile ago, I assume it's due to transit time, or maybe you have a flu or something?
 
My diet's fairly consistent, Josh. I mean, I don't eat the same thing every day but my weekly shop always looks pretty much the same. Transit time would make sense, though I don't get whats causing this radical altering in transit time. One issue with this logic is that sometimes I don't go one day, therefore the next day should be solid by the transit time logic, however a day late stool can be just as lacking in form.

When did your symptoms alleviate Josh? How are you feeling, did you adjust to your higher Aza dose? I doubt it's the flu, the more I think about it, my stool has been like this for over a year now.
 
Well my symptoms sorta alleviated on pred, but would have unformed days even from the same diet, so it really is a bit of a mystery, since going on the imuran though iv been literally going once in the morning each day, pretty much clockwork, similarly, although on pred prior i'd have "good form" if you will I'd still notice blood, which hasnt happened now for about 2 months... It's weird that you have formed stool one day and then one day much less form, it could potentially be due to stress or psychological factors? Did your GP or GI confirm remission? If you feel good you're probably good, but maybe it wouldn't hurt to do a fecal cal protein to make sure in the clear
 
Oh and thx for asking about the Aza, im doing alright, getting more and more used to it, im coming up on 2 months, so hopefully in the next month I'll adjust even better while it reaches therapeutic levels (usually takes about 3 - 6 months to work at its best from what I've been told). I feel like the crohn's is well on its way to remission so that sorta makes up for the partial nausea
 
So glad to hear you're doing better mate, your flu-like symptoms dissipated then? Aza seems like a massive struggle at the beginning but something that reaps benefits eventually, you just need to stick.

My GI has confirmed remission based on: scope/blood tests/biopsies is that enough or would you still recommend fecal calprotein?
It's bizarre I agree. One BM a day, around 10am-midday, 9/10 partially formed-pretty unformed. Sometimes I skip a day, sometimes I go twice. If I go twice, the later one is often more formed. I really haven't a clue any more. I think stress makes it worse, but i'm not sure that's all there is to it.

One thing I will say, when I have a good formed BM these days, i'm walking on sunshine for the rest of the day!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Jam, anxiety/stress can definitely cause upset to my guts and cause diarrhea, so you're not alone there. I find that getting regular exercise really alleviates anxiety and stress for me, and that in turn helps my bowels. I'm working out every day lately and I feel great. I still have some stress in my life, who doesn't? But I feel like I can deal with it better by getting regular exercise. So when you feel anxious or stressed, try doing some exercise, you should feel lots better and your guts will thank you too. :)
 
Hi Jam
I find that stress really has an effect on the state of my poos - generally a lot looser when I am stressed.
I was really suffering from stress earlier this year and I was lucky enough to see a therapist. She introduced me to 'mindfulness' which I am finding really helpful. Here is a link to some free resources http://www.freemindfulness.org/download that my therapist gave me.
It takes some practice and patience but it is worth trying.
Going back to the poos, it might also be triggered by certain foods.
Hope things settle soon. 😎
 
If your biopsies confirm remission your in the clear bro, doesn't get better than that, I wouldn't worry about unformed or formed then, maybe try psyllium husk like cat suggested, but I think your probs putting too much focus on it, if larger scale populations all analysed their own stool you'd probably find it somewhat common even among non-Ibd folks.
 
I think you most probably would Josh! However, every time I see a bowel movement that just looks like a mound, I can't help but feel like somethings wrong with me, this in turn causes anxiety and stress. It's really not something I feel I can just accept and live with i'm afraid :(

Positively, I had two bowel movements yesterday, both completely solid. Today i've also been twice, which we're a little looser though still formed. I did drink pretty heavily last night, so i'd imagine it was just that.
 
Defs be the booze haha, I feel ya on the bm department, when I started having "healthy" bm's it made me incredibly happy haha, when you've been under the weather for so Long it's amazing how good having a decent shit can make you feel hahah
 
haha, I know, it's amazing how much this illness can make you place your mood in the hands of your poo....

I've just come back from another night out, we'll see how this affects me.
 
UPDATE!!

Apologies for my absence, both in this thread and across the board in general. I'm entering the last term of my academic year and subsequently have had no spare time for what feels like an age.

Anyhow: I finally had my followup with my GI regarding the findings of my Colonoscopy and my subsequent treatment plan. She explained that I have microscopically visible granuloma, which she feels confirms CD. However she did note that I also evidenced "mucosal healing" which she considered amazing without a treatment plan. Based on this, and the fact that i've remained well for now eight years without medication she's taken a u-turn in her approach towards treating me and now doesn't recommend Azathioprine. She's given me the option of Pentasa or careful monitoring/a supplemental and dietary approach under her watchful eye, or perhaps both, which i'm currently debating with myself. Any thoughts?

Other facts from the session included, my liver and kidney function, my b12, my inflammation markers and my folate coming up as normal. My doctor actually remarked that i'm healthier than your 'average' person, who tend to show up with some issue or another if enough testing is done, regardless of Crohn's. Currently waiting on Iron studies, Vit D and Zinc to make their way back to me.

I drank Coffee for the first time since september (which I gave up out of fear, after reading about its negative effects on Crohn's) and regular caffeinated tea. This has had no effect on my general well being, and if anything, peculiarly enough my BM's seem better....

All in all i'm still rather baffled, but i'll take the hand i've been given if i'm perfectly honest. Some unformed looking stool's are nothing compared to what some with this disease suffer.
 
That's awesome bro, you're one lucky customer, I definitely reckon keep eating healthy, limit grains and GMO's as much as you can and keep doing what you've been doing, mucosal healing is the gold standard, amazing that your body has achieved it without treatment, must be the cycling and fitness? Either way, real happy for ya!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Jam, that's a great update! This is totally just my opinion of course, but if it were me, I'd try the Pentasa. I'm in remission and on Asacol (will soon switch to something else as Asacol has been discontinued), and I'm happy to stay on a maintenance med indefinitely. I enjoy remission and will do everything in my power to stay in remission. Most people can't stay in remission for long without some form of treatment - it sounds like you're not a typical case as you were able to get into remission without meds, but there's no saying if you'll be able to stay in remission long-term without meds. Just my two cents! I'd take the Pentasa as a safety net and continue eating healthy and exercising of course.
 
Hiya thought id pop in :) that is good news from your GI itll be interesting to see if you can manage things with just diet .. you would defo need close monitoring in my opinion but Im just real scared of inflammation festering away unnoticed and you end up in trouble. My GI is always pushing maintenance meds i just don't seem to get on with them lol. i hope it goes well for you though!!
 
I'm torn with pentasa tbh, eight years is a long time that I've managed to stay in remission, we'll see.

Still struggling with the loose bowel movements, and occasional bloating and gas. I'm leaning more and more towards stress and anxiety being a factor. Though I still think there's more to it than that. Arg!
 
Some GIst say that Pentasa is like giving Aspirin for a brain tumour it wont hurt but it probably wont do alot of good either
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Sophie, I've heard that about the mesalamine drugs (Pentasa, Asacol, Lialda, etc) too, but personally I feel like Asacol has done me a lot of good. I felt noticeably better when I started taking it, and I've stayed in remission the whole time I've been on it. Yes, the mesalamine drugs are very mild and won't work for everyone, particularly if your illness is on the severe end of the spectrum. But for remission maintenance, I feel like they are worthwhile meds. Low risk of side effects and could be a big help. Just my opinion of course.
 
It's amazing how much conflicting information you can find on the internet. I've been trying to work this out for the past month at the very least and my subsequent scouring of the internet has suggested everything; bacteria, parasite, gluten, dairy, not enough protein, too much protein, too much fiber, too little fiber, not enough water, exercise.

What i'd give to to have a word with myself of ten years from now, to ask them if they ever figured it out.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
I know that feeling Jam! I also kind of wish I could go into the past and tell myself all the things I've learned up to this point too.

Your stool can be tested for bacteria & parasites, so at least you can rule those out relatively easily (even though I know it's never pleasant to have to collect stool samples and spoon it into those little jars, yuck!). The fiber issue, if you're not getting enough, can be remedied by psyllium as I've mentioned before. ;) Exercise is always a good idea and I recall you said you've recently joined a gym. As I've also said before, exercise has done me a world of good. I've read conflicting things on water too, but I think the general consensus is that it's better to drink too much than too little.

And I think you've hit on a larger topic here, that remission is not achieved and maintained necessarily by one thing, but by many factors. Hydration, exercise, medication, diet, stress management, vitamins, getting enough sleep, and so on. I feel like I have to keep on top of all that stuff to feel as well as possible, and if I start slipping in one area then I definitely do feel worse. It's kind of exhausting but also totally worth it to keep on top of all the variables.
 
You are so right Cat, on all levels.

I have noticed that drinking two or more mugs of peppermint tea, results in an entirely normal bowel movement the next day. This is great news, obviously. However im not that fussed on drinking it, let alone twice daily. Would peppermint supplements do the same job? what does this suggest was causing the problem?
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
I took peppermint supplements for awhile, but stopped them when I was diagnosed with GERD. What I was told by my GI was, peppermint is excellent at relaxing the entire digestive tract. So while it's great for the stomach & guts, it's not so good for the esophagus if you have GERD - it can relax the valve between stomach & esophagus, allowing more acid to come up. I never really noticed a difference from taking peppermint supps myself, but we're all different, so if peppermint tea is helping then I think the supps would be worth a try.
 
Very interesting cat. then this would imply that my system is unrelaxed? Does this then imply that my issues do not stem from microscopic inflammation, rather some form of ibs or anxiety?
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
I think it's impossible for me to say why peppermint helps you! Maybe your system is not relaxed, maybe your gut motility is a bit too fast and peppermint is slowing it down, thus allowing the stools to form better? Maybe your guts just like minty freshness, who knows. :p For what it's worth, my GI feels I have both IBD and IBS. So if I do have IBS, shouldn't peppermint have worked for me? No IBS meds that I've tried have worked though, in fact at least one made things worse! So are my guts already totally relaxed and I don't have IBS? Then why do I still get diarrhea? It's just so confusing and difficult to say, and of course is compounded by the fact that we're all a little different. At any rate, I'm glad peppermint does work for you!
 
Hello again everybody, it's been nearly a month since my last post on this topic, so I thought i'd update on my progress.

Firstly I got the results from my bloods back, vitamins are all within normal range. D was slightly lowered, but still within range and makes sense considering our winter. All the same i'll continue supplementing it.

I bought some peppermint oil tablets that did absolutely nothing for me, stools were still unformed/loose/soft depending on what i'd eaten/drank. For a week now, i've started using ENTERIC peppermint oil, which has worked absolute wonders. The only issue is now I can't seem to go at all, you really can't win can you!

I went to the DR's to hand in my Fecal Calwhatsit (most vile experience of my life) and while I was there saw a DR who had a free minute to discuss my bowels. They've written me a pescription for Mebeverine, though i'm unsure if i'll need it if Peppermints working this well for me. The one issue i'm still having that Peppermint seems unable to help is that i'm still very often bloated after my evening meal, and often suffer from trapped wind or excessive flatulence. Still, this has all been pretty positive so far and the weathers been great!
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Hi Jam, thanks for the update! Wow, it sounds like peppermint is working a little too well for you! How often are you taking it?

The weather has indeed been great. Have you gone out for any bike rides yet? How about the gym you joined, have you been going there regularly?
 
Hi Cat,

I'm tinkering with the dosage at present. It says on the label to take 1-2 after each meal, i've been taking 2 after dinner, which constipated me. Tried one after dinner which saw me go back to unformed movements again. Now currently trying one after breakfast and one after dinner.

I'm at the gym every other day and i've been riding my bike plenty. While these are great for relieving stress, they seem to have no effect on my bowels. Still, this is a good solution it would seem.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Just a thought, I wonder if fresh mint would do anything for you? I grow both peppermint and spearmint in my garden. I should not that I am NOT a good gardener (I forget to water my plants, or I overwater them, and sometimes I swear just looking at my plants is enough to kill them). Mint is a very hardy, hard-to-kill type of plant. I do nothing with mine, and it comes back every year. You can bake with it, put it into tea, even just chew the leaves, whatever. I'm not supposed to have a lot of mint because I have severe GERD, but I really like having fresh mint in my garden and I do use it in baking & tea, etc.
 
I actually grow mint back at my parents house funnily enough. However I can't grow it here as I currently rent a student property.

The best thing to come out of this discovery is that I actually have an answer for what was causing this type of stool. I wonder if this will be a permanent thing. As i've explained, my bowel movements have been this way for probably around a year or so, I wonder what changed to cause that. Perhaps there is some deep seated anxiety in my life. Either way i'd like to keep working toward fixing it, as much as it's nice being able to put myself in a normalish situation I don't really want to have to carry around peppermint capsules with me everywhere I go.
 
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