Weird Poo!

[hodgeheg44]

I am 31 year old woman who is obese (20 stones). I have had issues with my poo for a while, mainly it has been constipation with a lot of small weird shapes alongside normal-ish poo. Now the past month this has changed and after a couple of bouts of pale diarrhoea I feel very bloated and nauseous. My poo now is very soft and a lot lighter than usual and is very thin when it is formed at all. I also have near constant but mild stomach ache. At first i thought this was a bug but it doesn't seem to be shifting and I am really concerned about bowel cancer. I have been told also I have GERD and I get a lot of acid reflux which I am not sure if it could be related. I get concerned about visiting my GP as it's embarrassing!

[Dr Claire Mansfield]

Hi there. You're going through alot if you're having those symptoms, worried about what it all means, and also feeling embarrassed about going to see your GP. I am not sure what you find embarrassing about going to your GP, but if it is because of having to talk about your poo, please be reassured that while it's probably not normal for you to talk about your poo all day, it is normal for your GP to have those conversations all day. Please do go back to your GP because it's horrible feeling worried about something and not feeling that you can do anything about it. Maybe you could tell them that you find it difficult to talk about, but that you're worried. If you find your usual GP particularly difficult to talk to, perhaps you could find a different GP in the practice. While you might find the experience difficult, it might not be as bad as feeling anxious and worried about it all. Good luck.

[Dr Jamal Hayat]

Hi,
A change in bowel habit can be associated with bowel cancer, however in your case the likelihood is small - given your age... but you DO need to see your GP about this. GP's (and specialists) deal with this kind of problem all the time - and their main concern will be trying to get to root of the problem. There are a number of medical causes that could be causing your symptoms - in the first instance it is likely you will need some blood tests and some samples of your poo. You may need a scan of your tummy as well.You mentioned your weight and this can certainly (along with diet) be a cause or contributing to some of your symptoms including your reflux and constipation. In my experience you will feel at lot more relieved once you have seen someone about this. Best Wishes.