# Constipation, fiber, peristalsis and stool softener...POO! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 11, 2010, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364 "2010-09-11T01:53:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/21 "2010-09-12T15:17:46Z")
[This is the most common tool](http://www.joeydevilla.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/latex-gloved_hand.jpg) nurses use to remove impacted stool. It’s actually a somewhat risky procedure, and can lead to perforating (poking a hole) the bowel and vagus nerve response, which can cause fainting and cardiac irregularities. You only do it with a physician’s order and after chemical means have been exhausted. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/22 "2010-09-12T16:14:21Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > [This is the most common tool](http://www.joeydevilla.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/latex-gloved_hand.jpg) nurses use to remove impacted stool. > > It’s actually a somewhat risky procedure, and can lead to perforating (poking a hole) the bowel and vagus nerve response, which can cause fainting and cardiac irregularities. You only do it with a physician’s order and after chemical means have been exhausted. You funny. I’d like to acknowledge everyone for the polite and respectful, as well as enlightening, participation in this thread. It’s such an offensive and embarrassing subject it’s hard to talk about at all, much less talk about seriously. But it is a very serious subject, as Dr. Oz has told us. Healthy and effective waste disposal is critical for any system… I’m going to work on being more conscious about taking care of that aspect of mine. Especially given my age. (52… I’d love to have a colonoscopy, but no insurance. And “love” is not really the right way to say it…y’all know what I mean.) ---
**Author:** ![FluffyBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecb155/32.png) [@FluffyBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FluffyBob)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/23 "2010-09-12T17:48:25Z")
> [@Indistinguishable](#): > > Actually, the whole “Oh, you’re constipated? Eat more fiber, drink more water” thing really annoys me\*, since for a long time, that was the only thing doctors ever said to me, which was frustrating in its not really taking my problem seriously (plus, with my vegetarian diet, I was hardly lacking in fiber to begin with). But, of course, it’s probably foolish to judge its sensibility as general advice based on its not addressing whatever is going on in my particular case. > > \*: Not from you just above, since I know that’s just empathetic, but as medical advice which has often been offered to me well past the point when it was clear my problems were deeper than could be so glibly addressed. That would certainly be annoying. As a vegetarian one gets a lot of ignorant nonsense from both carnivores trying to some how show the error of your ways and other vegetarians pointing out the great errors of eating meat. It is that much more disappointing when doctors don’t recognize that your diet already is very high in fiber. ---
**Author:** ![Visual\_Purple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/5daacb/32.png) [@Visual\_Purple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Visual_Purple)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/24 "2010-09-13T00:52:03Z")
Years ago, I was in the situation of dealing with reduced peristalsis as a pharmaceutical side-effect. I was eating bran at every meal and drinking roughly double what I normally would. It only half worked. I avoided hardening and straining, but my gut was still slow. It got very full. Uncomfortable, but at least not painful. I also learned the lesson that responding to the first urge was important. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/25 "2010-09-13T02:27:32Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > You funny. Thanks. [I’m also serious.](http://www.enotes.com/nursing-encyclopedia/fecal-impaction-removal) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/26 "2010-09-13T16:57:44Z")
[quote=“Stoid, post:9, topic:553364”] > [@Indistinguishable](#): > > Holy god! I assume you’ve seen a doctor? This is not good! Lentils. Lentils and beans. And water. Loads of water, lentils, beans. > > Yipes. Yep. Beans for breakfast, water for lunch and swell-up for dinner! ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/27 "2010-09-13T17:41:43Z")
> [@FluffyBob](#): > > As a vegetarian one gets a lot of ignorant nonsense from both carnivores trying to some how show the error of your ways and other vegetarians pointing out the great errors of eating meat. It is that much more disappointing when doctors don’t recognize that your diet already is very high in fiber. I should point out that it is possible to have a vegetarian diet that is low in fiber. A diet high in refined carbohydrates is probably not high in fiber, but it can be vegetarian. Doctors shouldn’t assume that, just because someone is a vegetarian, they’re eating a high fiber diet. It is perhaps more likely that they are, but not certain. ---
**Author:** ![US\_Bureau\_of\_Labor\_Statistics](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/c2a13f/32.png) [@US\_Bureau\_of\_Labor\_Statistics](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/US_Bureau_of_Labor_Statistics)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/28 "2010-09-14T03:37:55Z")
I don’t smoke but my friends that do often complain about getting the urge to defecate if they smoke right before an inconvenient time to do so (soccer game, movie, etc). So don’t smoke, but smoking can stimulate BMs, apparently. Still, don’t smoke. ---
**Author:** ![Gruntled](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/34f0e0/32.png) [@Gruntled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gruntled)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/29 "2010-09-14T04:27:27Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > Constipation has been an issue for me a few times in recent years, and the issue seems to be inadequate peristalsis…probably in combination with hard stool. Lose weight. This is not an uncommon problem associated with obesity. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/30 "2010-09-14T07:36:25Z")
> [@Gruntled](#): > > > [@Stoid](#): > > > > Constipation has been an issue for me a few times in recent years, and the issue seems to be inadequate peristalsis…probably in combination with hard stool. > > Lose weight. This is not an uncommon problem associated with obesity. Horseshit. I’ve been varying degrees of fat since I was 12 and constipation was never a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/31 "2010-09-14T07:38:12Z")
> [@US\_Bureau\_of\_Labor\_Statistics](#): > > I don’t smoke but my friends that do often complain about getting the urge to defecate if they smoke right before an inconvenient time to do so (soccer game, movie, etc). So don’t smoke, but smoking can stimulate BMs, apparently. > > Still, don’t smoke. I quit ten years ago this month. I well remember that it was very effective at triggering BMs. It was also the best ADD medication I’ve ever used, quitting was what made my ADD so readily identifiable. But nothing could convince me to go back to it. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/32 "2010-09-14T13:46:10Z")
My doctor says to drink more water too. It has no discernible effect on my bowels but is very effective in destroying my sleep. I am always constipated, or nearly always. I have started having a little bowl of All-bran plus prunes every night and helps, but only a bit. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/33 "2010-09-14T16:27:41Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > [I’m also serious.](http://www.enotes.com/nursing-encyclopedia/fecal-impaction-removal) 🙂 I think Megacolon would be a great band name. > [@Stoid](#): > > Horseshit. > > I’ve been varying degrees of fat since I was 12 and constipation was never a problem. “I’ve been smoking since I was 18 and I’ve never had lung cancer before now! It can’t possibly be related!” Also, for someone who said “Referring to bowel movements and the product thereof using nasty slang just squicks me out” you sure were fast to pull out a variant of the word “shit.” ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/34 "2010-09-14T18:35:08Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > [This is the most common tool](http://www.joeydevilla.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/latex-gloved_hand.jpg) nurses use to remove impacted stool. > > It’s actually a somewhat risky procedure, and can lead to perforating (poking a hole) the bowel and vagus nerve response, which can cause fainting and cardiac irregularities. You only do it with a physician’s order and after chemical means have been exhausted. People _pay_ for that? I think I’d stay home and perform the operation myself for free. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/35 "2010-09-14T22:57:26Z")
[QUOTE=Dung Beetle] People _pay_ for that? I think I’d stay home and perform the operation myself for free. [/QUOTE] Of course you would. Hence, your screen name. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/36 "2010-09-15T00:08:12Z")
> [@Shot\_From\_Guns](#): > > I think Megacolon would be a great band name. _giggle_ Know an even better one? [Toxic Megacolon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxic_megacolon). I’d hate to ever have it (it can be a complication of IBD or Crohn’s disease), but it’d be an awesome death metal band name! ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/37 "2010-09-15T01:21:19Z")
> [@US\_Bureau\_of\_Labor\_Statistics](#): > > I don’t smoke but my friends that do often complain about getting the urge to defecate if they smoke right before an inconvenient time to do so (soccer game, movie, etc). So don’t smoke, but smoking can stimulate BMs, apparently. > > Still, don’t smoke. I have noticed in my attempts to quit smoking things tend to firm up and slow done a fair amount for the first couple weeks. ---
**Author:** ![Gruntled](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/34f0e0/32.png) [@Gruntled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gruntled)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/38 "2010-09-15T02:56:23Z")
> [@Stoid](#): > > > [@Gruntled](#): > > > > Lose weight. This is not an uncommon problem associated with obesity. > > Horseshit. > > I’ve been varying degrees of fat since I was 12 and constipation was never a problem. You’ve admitted in other threads that you are more obese than ever. Now you have this medical problem. Unrelated? Really? The human body is not designed to try and digest and excrete the huge amounts of food that the obese consume. It’s not suprising that the body eventually can’t handle it. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/39 "2010-09-15T03:21:09Z")
Obese people are, indeed, more likely than non-obese people to experience constipation. 8.3% of obese subjects and 1.5% of non-obese subjects are constipated (defined in this study as weekly bowel movements) [in this study](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7337751). ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364/40 "2010-09-15T12:19:43Z")
> [@Rysdad](#): > > [QUOTE=Dung Beetle] > People _pay_ for that? I think I’d stay home and perform the operation myself for free. Of course you would. Hence, your screen name. [/QUOTE] Dirty deeds…done dirt cheap! 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/constipation-fiber-peristalsis-and-stool-softener-poo/553364.md?page=3)