h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Recently a friend of mine has been having stabbing pains in her stomach and the doctor very little idea what the problem is (they also discovered she had three spleens but that has nothing to do with it). Now going to the doctor she was asked what her stool looked like. She was disturbed and the doctor showed example photos. Now honestly who looks in the toilet when there done? Just like who looks in there tissue after they blow there nose, I'm just wondering about the numbers on this and if I'm just an odd ball who doesn't do it.

The question might look odd but gives valuable information. For instance:

* a black stool indicates that you have a stomach ulcer. Blood that mixes with the acid fluid in the stomach turns black.

* red stripes indicates that there is a wound in the distal part of the gut, i e haemorrhoids.

* white stool that "floats on the water" indicates there is a concrement that obliterates the bile from the gallbladder to enter the gut.

If you want to keep your colon healthy it's a good check that you are eating enough dietary fibre.

The history, I think, stems back to an expat doctor in Africa who wondered why the local's stools were light brown, hairy logs while the expat's were dense and black. His research found that it was down to the different diets. The locals were eating lots of vegatables and a little meat and the expats lots of meat and few vegatables.

Another interesting connection is the famous Grant loaf recipe prescribed by a local GP in I think Blair Athol that dramatically improved the health of the locals. The Doctor persuaded the baker to make whole meal loaves and would write prescriptions for them.

But does anyone check regularly? i've never done in my remembered life

Yep. It's there. Can't help but see it most of the time.

Hoo Yus,

You're looking for big, light brown, hairy, floaters not black, skid marking little plops. What an excellent topic to start the day.

Hairy?


az

Yes, hairy, as in not too dense.

Men's poops are hairy whereas womens are clean shaven and smell of roses.

...and yes, I look

In fact I think German loos are built so that the poo lands on a shelf to make inspection easier.

There again how stool inspection is linked to the German's concern for their livers escapes me

I admit, I look in the toilet after I've gone when I have stomach pains.

I've always thought it a very normal and natural response - to both look at what was left in either the toilet after a poo or in your hanky, especially when you have a cold.

If it floats in the toilet this is usually a healthy sign, if your nose mucous isn't an odd greeny colour in your hanky, likewise.

Oddly discoloured poos or nose mucous means there is probably a health problem going on.

Why *wouldn't* people look is probably the real question.

Is it supposed to be something embarrassing to admit to?

Heck, I have to scoop cat poo out of the litter box every day and this is also a good way of knowing if my cats might be having any health problems.

So, yeah. I always have a look afterwards before flushing. And perhaps if more people did this they would be able to understand their bodies better and maybe stop a slight digestion upset from becoming something more.



az

"* white stool that "floats on the water" indicates there is a concrement that obliterates the bile from the gallbladder to enter the gut"

Can you clarify this? It happened to me once two weeks ago.

Not only do I check on my own poo, but the quantity, color, and consistency of my 9 month-old's poo is a subject of some discussion at the Mugwump household on a daily basis.

Light-coloured, floaty, stinky poo is usually because there's undigested fat in it. It could be because you have gallstones (or something more sinister)blocking the bile ducts, because bile is what helps to break down fats so they can be digested. But if it just happened once its more likely that you ate something that made things speed through a little more quickly, without being able to digest the fat.

BTW, this is the way orlistat (Xenical) helps people to lose weight. It interferes with fat absorption in the intenstines, so if you eat fatty stuff it just comes out very smelly in your poo.

Black poo usually means clotted blood, which could be from a stomach ulcer but could be from bowel cancer as well. Worth seeing your doctor about. Fresh blood in or around your poo is from lower down in your GI tract or around the anus - usually something like piles.

Do I check? Sure, everybody wants to admire their creations.

Matt

thanks for the clarity.

I check because I want to be aware of what's going in and out of my body. We're a great family for talking about poo actually and whenever anyone has a green one then everyone has to know about it

We even have a small book about poo on the cistern so you can look up your creation!

Kat

I remember growing up, every year around St. Patricks day McDonalds had the green milkshakes...with predictable "consequences".

Seems there are poo talking families and non poo talking families I am sure there are some cultural issues and manners involved as far as talking.

I thought most people looked at their own fairly often though, and especially if ill.

I can't think of any reason for not looking at your own (but plenty of reasons for not looking at anyone else's).

Something else that turns your Richards black - uber-strength iron supplements. I was prescribed some 750mg (I think that's the right measurement) tablets a few years back and they did the trick quite successfully.

Shouldn't we be having this discussion here A641206 though?