2 days ago
Why Is My Poop So Big It Clogs the Toilet?
You might pass a large stool after eating a big meal. But if it occurs with other symptoms, such as pain or going a few days without pooping, the cause may be another health condition.
We've all been there: Sometimes you pass a poop that's so large, you're not sure if you should be calling your doctor or receive a gold medal in pooping.
A large poop can be caused by a large meal or just because. It could also mean you need to improve your digestive health.
Keep reading for our guide on how to tell when a large poop is cause for concern.
When it's an emergency
Some poop-related symptoms can require urgent medical attention. This can include:
black, tarry stools
blood in your stool
severe pain when passing stools
persistent vomiting
What exactly IS a large poop?
Poop comes from the digested food material you eat, and it can come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Most of the time, having one or two episodes of an abnormally shaped or unusually colored poop is not a cause for concern.
However, there may be times when you or even a little one in your household make an abnormally large poop. Some of the characteristics of a large poop include poop that's:
so large it clogs your toilet
so large it fills up most of the toilet bowl
resembles large, hard marbles
perhaps initially difficult to pass, then it seems to keep coming
Sometimes, you have to consider the average size of your poop and compare it to whether the poops you're making have become significantly larger.
Average size of poop
Believe it or not, there's a visual scale called the Bristol Stool Form Scale that provides images of different types of poop appearances that are all within the normal range.
What the scale tells us is that some people poop in pieces while others poop in larger, longer amounts. Neither is wrong. Most poops are several inches in size because this is the amount that fills and stretches the rectum, indicating to you that you need to poop.
The 'ideal' poop resembles corn on the cob or sausage, as these are usually softer and easier to pass.
Why is my poop so big?
Sometimes, your poop is so big because you ate a larger meal. If you had plenty of fiber and water (which both increase the rate at which stool travels in your intestine), the stool exits your body sooner and in a larger quantity.
Other times, having a large poop can be cause for concern. Some examples of these times include:
Constipation: Constipation occurs when you have poops that are difficult to pass or you don't pass stool very often (usually three times or less a week). This can result in very large and hard-to-pass stools.
Megacolon: People who experience chronic constipation or who have a history of bowel obstruction can develop a condition called megacolon, also known as toxic megacolon. This occurs when the colon (large intestine) becomes overstretched. The colon will then hold more stool, which may mean a larger poop. It usually also causes pain and abdominal bloating. A megacolon can be a complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and usually requires urgent medical attention.
Encopresis: Encopresis is a condition that may occur in children, especially children who have chronic constipation. A child loses the ability to sense when larger amounts of stool are present in the rectum and ultimately passes a very large bowel movement (often in their underwear) because they don't recognize the stool sensation.
These are just some examples of potential underlying causes for large poops.
What can I do to reduce the size of my poops?
If you find you're consistently making large poops, this could indicate opportunities for changes in your diet and activity. These changes could make your stool easier to pass, which could decrease the likelihood your poop will be abnormally large.
Some steps to take include:
Increase your intake of fiber-rich foods, such as whole grains, vegetables, and fruits. Fiber adds bulk to stool, making it easier to pass. Try adding a serving or two to your daily diet to see if it improves your poop frequency. The 2020 to 2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating 25 to 34 grams of fiber per day for adult females and males, respectively.
Increase your physical activity level through exercises like walking or swimming that can stimulate additional movement in the bowels.
Try eating several small meals throughout the day instead of very large meals at one sitting. This can reduce the volume of food that your intestines process at a time and ideally maintain your blood sugar at consistent levels.
Drink plenty of water (enough so that your pee is light yellow in color). This can soften your stool and make it easier to pass.
Try going to the bathroom at consistent times each day. This may include the morning and night when you get home from work or school. Provide yourself a few anxiety-free moments to go, but try not to sit on the toilet for more than 10 minutes. Straining or struggling to poop can do more harm than good.
Always poop when your body tells you that you need to. Holding in stool can increase the incidence of constipation.
Refrain from using laxatives (medications that make you poop) unless a doctor specifically tells you to use them.
If these tips don't change the size of your bowel movements, you can also talk with your doctor.
Should I see a doctor?
'Normal' bowel movement frequency varies from person to person.
While a single episode of a large poop usually isn't cause for concern, having specific symptoms related to stool size may mean you should talk with a doctor. Examples of these include:
Consistently going three days or longer without having a bowel movement. This can indicate chronic constipation.
Experiencing sudden, unexplained urges to poop and pooping a significant amount. This could indicate IBD or a rectal mass affecting the nerve sensations in your intestine.
Experiencing significant to severe abdominal pain after making the large poop. This could indicate several gastrointestinal causes.
Experiencing unexplained weight loss. This can indicate various conditions affecting the digestive tract.
Your doctor will likely ask you about:
your usual bowel habits
any patterns you may notice for when you have a large poop
your diet
any medications you may be taking
They may recommend further lifestyle changes and prescribe medications to help you go more frequently. Having bowel movements more often reduces the likelihood you'll have an extremely large poop.
The general rule that if something concerns you, you should get it checked out applies. Making an appointment with a doctor or gastroenterologist may provide peace of mind.
