# Medical question: What does one have when one poops oil?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-question-what-does-one-have-when-one-poops-oil/502081>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 6, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-question-what-does-one-have-when-one-poops-oil/502081 "2009-07-06T14:56:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-question-what-does-one-have-when-one-poops-oil/502081/41 "2009-07-08T17:46:44Z")

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> [@Joe Frickin Friday](#):
>
> That’s kind of what I figured, since the whole system is some 20-30 feet long. So why would a person’s colon react so quickly (and in such a manner) to a meal that’s still up in the stomach?

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastrocolic\_reflex](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastrocolic_reflex)Maybe the gastrocolic reflex?

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**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-question-what-does-one-have-when-one-poops-oil/502081/42 "2009-07-08T18:21:47Z")

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> [@jjimm](#):
>
> I once ate an apple, had immediate stomach cramps, and 30 minutes later was crapping apple sauce.

I once drank a quart of apple juice, with similar results.

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**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-question-what-does-one-have-when-one-poops-oil/502081/43 "2009-07-08T18:45:03Z")

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> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#):
>
> I once drank a quart of apple juice, with similar results.

I have no idea why, but on the GQ main page when I saw:

“What does one have when one poops oil? Ellen Cherry”

It grossed me out. :: shrug :: Not sure why. Maybe it was like “Ellen Cherry” was the name of a stomach ailment or something.

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**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-question-what-does-one-have-when-one-poops-oil/502081/44 "2009-07-08T20:46:41Z")

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For shame - Ellen Cherry is a lovely username!

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**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-question-what-does-one-have-when-one-poops-oil/502081/45 "2009-07-08T20:50:53Z")

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It was the fish. Apparently, this fish’s name in Chinese translate to something like “oil fish”.

Too bad though, it was delicious

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**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\
**Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/medical-question-what-does-one-have-when-one-poops-oil/502081/46 "2009-07-08T20:52:58Z")

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Could be a gallbladder problem. When my GB failed–and for some time after I had it removed–“oily poop” is what I mainly generated for the better part of a year. But I am SO not a doctor.

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