Pencil thin stools - Ribbon stools - bowel cancer ??!


Question: Before i start,please no childish silly answer's.

Ok, The other day i had thin ribbon stools, i only managed two,and one was just so hard to get out,the next day i went to toliet about 5times,they were all ok size,quite normal i think...but obviously,ribbon stools are a bad bad sign, my mother said she gets them,she has IBS...but, i am a big worrier, so i cant help but think its something worse. i do get constipated quite alot,mainly a week or so before my period, i get such bad stomach pains etc,its quite annoying,i will go to the doctors obviously,but im just wondering...with bowel cancer,do you ALWAYS get ribbon stools ? Mine went back to normal,so is it still a sign of bowel cancer? Any mature answers welcome.


Answers: Before i start,please no childish silly answer's.

Ok, The other day i had thin ribbon stools, i only managed two,and one was just so hard to get out,the next day i went to toliet about 5times,they were all ok size,quite normal i think...but obviously,ribbon stools are a bad bad sign, my mother said she gets them,she has IBS...but, i am a big worrier, so i cant help but think its something worse. i do get constipated quite alot,mainly a week or so before my period, i get such bad stomach pains etc,its quite annoying,i will go to the doctors obviously,but im just wondering...with bowel cancer,do you ALWAYS get ribbon stools ? Mine went back to normal,so is it still a sign of bowel cancer? Any mature answers welcome.

Hi Twilight (nice name by the way)
I think it sounds like IBS, your GP will probably be able to suggest a slight change of diet. Apparently it can be bad for you to have too much fibre in your diet - as it irritates the bowel walls.
Don't worry - take care.

Bowel Cancer is incredibly unlikley at your age.

See your doctor it could be IBS but unlikely at 20 to be cancer

If it's not bloody or black, I'd quit worrying about it...





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