This type is usually after a sense of urgency. Again, fairly normal for someone who goes more than once a day. For someone who goes less frequently, this might be as a result of stress or eating something out of the ordinary that didn’t agree with you.

Considered: Lacking fiber

This type is softer with ragged edges, and if it occurs more than 2 or 3 times in a day, you have diarrhea. Replacing the fluids you are losing is important but more importantly replacing the electrolytes is critical.

Considered: Diarrhea

This is watery and like liquid. See your doctor if you have more than three of these a day for longer than two days. Loose stools are concerning because it means you are not getting the vitamins and minerals you need. You will also become dehydrated. Sometimes it’s a result of an antibiotic, because the antibiotic kills the good gut bacteria along with the infection for which it was prescribed.

It also can indicate a food allergy, IBS, or IBD.

Considered: Severe or Acute Diarrhea

Here are the 4 main categories where you should seek guidance from your doctor.

It’s black - Poop is meant to be brown from the bile in your liver that supports the digestion process. While it can be black from minor causes like Pepto Bismol, often it indicates internal bleeding and must be checked. 

It’s loose and watery for more than 48 hours - If this occurs, you may have a GI infection or something more serious like UC or Crohn’s disease. It can be also be attributed to less severe circumstances like eating something that didn’t agree with you, stress or a poor diet.

It smells really, really bad - It’s not normally a bed of roses, but there are times when you cringe from your own poop. It can indicate several things, so run it by your doctor:

• Cystic fibrosis - This is sometimes the only noticeable symptom for CF 
• Celiac disease
• Chronic pancreatitis
• Malabsorptive disorder

Don’t panic, but be sure you visit with your doctor and rule out anything serious.

There’s blood - Occasionally there is blood because of constipation or hemorrhoids, or mixed in with the menstrual cycle. However, if you have blood inside your poop, there is an issue. It can be damage to the GI tract, chronic illness or infection but more concerning is the possibility of cancer of the intestines, colon, or rectum.

If there’s bleeding, your poop is telling you something loud and clear! Be safe. Get to the doctor’s office, pronto.