wow theres even a picture chart!sorry, couldn't help myself. I am no medical doctor but it says your type of stool is ideal. I wish I had that type mine is either 1 or 7. I wouldn't get myself to worked up about this test. I mean this is a serious matter but you don't know anything yet, try and relax. I found myself the same way when my dr. thought I might have cervical cancer. I was scared to death for 3 months until further testing revealed it was nothing. During that time I made myself a nervous wreck worrying. You can't change what the outcome will be by worrying, you can only remain strong and try to deal with the results as best you can when they come. I hope you report back with the findings as I want to know how you are. I wish you the best of luck, try not to worry to much. It could after all be nothing more than flat poop.
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Oops I did it again, I shit when I fart, I crapped in my pants.

Unfortunately, I believe you're suffering from what the laymen refer to as Flatpucker disorder. You're doomed...i'd give you month to 6 weeks.

The anus is not a tiny round hole; it is closer to a slit. When a nice round firm piece of poop comes out it pushes the slit open to a round shape and lets the turd come out as a cylinder. However, if the poop is soft enough to be shaped at the exit hole, it is likely to be flatter than round, just because the exit hole is not round unless expanded to that shape. That being said, if the poop is consistently ribbon-like, you should be checked.

Richard, I hope you are fine and it's nothing, however....I had a friend a few years back who had the same flat poop after years of normal poop. It turned out she had a small, yet benign(YAY!)
lump inside her anus that flattened her poop on it's way out. She also said that at certain times it felt like there was something "up there" and she would feel like she had to poop, and gave herself hemmoroids from straning to get poop out that wasn't there. it was just that little lump. Hope everything turn out ok. Just relax during your colonoscopy, and it will go much easier. Breathe, and try not to think about your tender ass with a camera pipe going up it.
VALIUM!!!

Flat poop means too much pizza or matzoh.

i wouldnt worry too much i drop a flat log on ocassion myself, just had my yearly and am healthy as can be. try a good colon cleansing product solved the problem for me.

Richard, I hope your colonoscopy goes well and they don't find anything. Or if they find something, it is simple to fix. Your symptoms (not the flat poop part)sound a lot like several digestive disorders, from celiac disease (if the digestive upset comes after eating wheat products) to a malabsorption issue, or even a stomach or gallbladder disorder (especially if it happens after fatty foods). Many of these things can be treated with medication, dietary changes, or both. Your doctor can tell you more after some investigation.

Again, good luck on your exam! I always shutter at the thought of an ass cameraing. However, I think I would do it if I had your symptoms for so long.

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I found Jesus! He was behind the sofa the whole time!

I'm with The Shit Volcano on this one...sounds like you might have a malabsorbtion problem like celiac or gallbladder problems. It could also be an intolerance issue with something else in your diet. You might want to give this a try and see if your immune system is attacking your bowels when you eat certian foods: www.alcat.com

I don't have anything helpful to say other than to wish you luck! I'm sure everything will be fine, and I hope you come back and give us some good news about it!

i once knew of a truck driver that dropped a load in Denver.

Don't worry about it. As long as it's coming out easily and there's no pain you're fine

Richard, what ever happened with your colonoscopy?