Here’s What It Means if Your Poop Pattern Suddenly Changes, According to GI Docs

Pooping is an essential part of the digestive process, but everyone’s bowel habits are slightly different. Some people might poop every day, while others go just a few times a week. What’s important is knowing what’s normal for you, so that when your poop patterns change, you actually notice.

“I advise my patients to always pay attention to their bowel movements, as they are a good indicator of how their digestive system is functioning, and they can also signal if something more serious is going on, like cancer,” says Dr. Molly McVey, MD, a gastroenterologist with Gastro Health in Birmingham, Alabama.

Changes in your pooping habits—whether it’s the size, shape or frequency of your bowel movements—might be nothing to worry about. Your poop is closely linked to what you eat, so if you eat something outside your normal diet, your poop may just be a little different, says Dr. Haleh Pazwash, MD, a gastroenterologist with Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey.

“Things to worry about in change of bowel habits are rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, unexpected weight loss and anemia,” she says. “Those are probably the top four reasons why people should see a gastroenterologist when their bowels have changed.”

Here’s how to understand what your poop habits mean, what certain changes can mean and when to visit your doctor.

What Does Your Poop Mean?

The Bristol Stool Chart, which doctors often use to assess patients’ bowel movements, can help you understand what your poop means. According to Stanford Medicine, the chart shows seven types of stool:

• Type 1: Separate hard lumps that are hard to pass

• Type 2: Sausage-shaped, but lumpy

• Type 3: Sausage-shaped but with cracks on the surface

• Type 4: Sausage or snake-like, smooth and soft

• Type 5: Soft blobs with clear-cut edges (easy to pass)

• Type 6: Fluffy pieces with ragged edges, mushy

• Type 7: Watery, no solid pieces (entirely liquid)

Types 3 and 4 are considered “ideal stools,” according to Stanford. Types 1 and 2 signal constipation, and 5, 6 and 7 suggest you have diarrhea.

Related: How Healthy Is Your Poop? Use This Simple Chart to Find Out

What Changes Should You Pay Attention To?

Talk to your doctor whenever you have consistent changes in your pooping patterns. According to Dr. McVey, “These can be less frequent or more frequent stools, changes in the size or shape of the stool, and especially seeing blood in the stool.”

Here are some things to pay attention to:

The color of your poop

Poop is typically some shade of brown, but it can change based on what you eat. For instance, stool appearing greenish could happen when you eat lots of greens, like spinach—and that’s usually no reason to worry.

Poop that’s deep red, maroon or tar-like could be a sign of blood in your stool, and you should see your doctor, according to Cleveland Clinic. Small amounts of blood that you notice on your toilet paper might be caused by hemorrhoids or a scratch in your rectum.

When your stool is clay-colored or white, it could be a sign of a liver condition or problem with your liver, gallbladder or bile ducts. You should seek medical attention, especially if you have fever, abdominal pain or chills too.

Related: This Is the #1 Snack To Help You Poop ASAP, According to GI Docs

The consistency and frequency of your poop

Ideally, your poop should be sausage-shaped and mostly smooth and soft, with maybe a few cracks, as the Bristol Stool Chart suggests.

“In medicine, constipation is less than three bowel movements a week, and diarrhea is more than three bowel movements a day,” Dr. Pazwash says. “Anything in between is considered normal.”

Call your doctor if your constipation lasts longer than a couple of weeks, and if you also have vomiting, abdominal pain or can’t pass gas, according to Cleveland Clinic. Also, get medical care if you have diarrhea that persists longer than a couple of weeks—especially if you also have a fever and abdominal pain.

When your bowel movements suddenly start becoming more or less frequent, it could be a sign something else is going on, like early signs of inflammatory bowel disease or colon cancer. So, reach out to your doctor.

What Causes Changes in Your Poop Patterns?

Many factors can affect your poop. Here’s what changes in your bowel habits can mean:

You ate something that doesn’t agree with you

Changes in your stool patterns are often food-related, Dr. McVey says. For example, you could get foodborne illness from eating something contaminated with bacteria, like E.coli. That can cause diarrhea.

Eating extra fatty foods might cause looser stools, and skipping fiber-rich foods or not drinking enough water could give you harder stools, Dr. Pazwash says.

Related: Backed Up? This Is the Best Fruit To Eat To Help You Poop, According to a GI Doc

You’re not getting enough fiber or drinking enough water

Fiber and water are two things that keep you regular. So, if you’re not getting enough fiber in your diet, about 25 to 35 grams a day, you get constipated, Dr. Pazwash says. You also need 11.5 to 15.5 cups of water a day.

Lifestyle modifications, including adding more fluids, fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your diet, can help your bowel movements become more consistent, she adds. Also, try adding probiotics.

You might have food poisoning

Foodborne illness can cause “transient” changes in your pooping habits, Dr. Pazwash says. You might have diarrhea for a few days, but it usually clears up. If it lasts for more than a couple of weeks, she suggests seeing your doctor.

You take certain medications

Some medications can change your bowel movements. For example, Dr. Pazwash says constipation might be a side effect of blood pressure drugs or ACE inhibitors, and some antibiotics might cause diarrhea.

“Those are questions that I would ask my patients: 'Are you taking any of these medications?'” she explains. “That could explain your change in bowel habits.”

You could have a more serious condition

Changes in your bowel habits that seem to stick around could be signs of an inflammatory bowel disease, like Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, or an early symptom of colon cancer, Dr. McVey says.

If you have a family history of colon cancer, Dr. Pazwash says it's a good idea to talk to your doctor about any changes in your bowel habits.

When To Talk to Your Doctor About Poop Pattern Changes

If you’re ever worried about bowel changes, talk to your doctor just to be on the safe side, Dr. McVey says.

Definitely seek medical attention if you have rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, unexpected weight loss and anemia, Dr. Pazwash adds.

Next, read about how often you should really be pooping.

Sources:

• Dr. Molly McVey, MD, a gastroenterologist with Gastro Health

• Dr. Haleh Pazwash, MD, a gastroenterologist with Gastroenterology Associates of New Jersey