Terrified about stool colours

[Jarofflies]

33 male here, so for about a year I've been obsessing over my stool colour. I've been told I have severe health anxiety, but right now I'm struggling to deal with it

I did a poop yesterday. I couldn't see the poop right at the back of the toilet properly and it's freaking me out that it might've been black and maybe I missed it. It was darker possibly cause it was clumped together. The poop I could actually see that wasn't at the back was regular brown. Even my wipe was regular brown. That should be normal right?

Then fast forward to today. I do a nervous poop, look down and all of it is brown. No red or different colors, but my mind is trying to convince me the water was black. Even though all the poop was brown. Though it was floating and a bit fluffy, but definitely not diahrea

I have the doctors on Monday, but I'm already have panic attacks now. I can't cope with this. I'm literally waking up anxious and almost scared to go to the toilet

Also I have no other symptoms like bad pains/dizziness/loss of weight etc

[paranoid-viking]

Very normal. Absolutely very normal. You have absolutely no reason to be obsessing over your poo and examining it. If it was pale AND floating; THEN I would worry.

[Jarofflies]

Very normal. Absolutely very normal. You have absolutely no reason to be obsessing over your poo and examining it. If it was pale AND floating; THEN I would worry.

Yeah I've never had that thankfully!

I'm just so concentrated now to look for black or red that it might be messing with me. I don't know

[WHITEDETH]

Had tbis myself, the mind ia powerfula. I look in the mirror and im convinced i look a skeletal wreck like i have late stage cancer but apparently i dont. Im also obsessed with my complextion which looks fine according to my partner but to me i look like a ghost or yellow like jaundice.

[Jarofflies]

Had tbis myself, the mind ia powerfula. I look in the mirror and im convinced i look a skeletal wreck like i have late stage cancer but apparently i dont. Im also obsessed with my complextion which looks fine according to my partner but to me i look like a ghost or yellow like jaundice.

Man you're exactly like me

I've been looking at myself in the mirror to see if I've had any unexplained weight loss

[behappy]

Its interesting how anxiety manifests similarly in people.

I have done both the freaking out about color to the thinking I have lost weight then weighting myself and I am actually heavier.

Anxiety sucks. You are fine, stop looking. I only look once in a while but stoped doing it everyday because its pointless and only give you more anxiety

[WHITEDETH]

Man you're exactly like me

I've been looking at myself in the mirror to see if I've had any unexplained weight loss

Yep thats me. Thing is we start to get things like body dysmophia basically meaning we cant see ourselves for what we are, i need to get out of the habbit as the last poater said because it is swrioisly not healthy. I even look in car windows, mwing mirrors and any reflective aurface i can see. :/

[PanickedGirl]

As someone that had to deal with the onset of IBS, I can certainly tell you that I've also had my obsession with the color of my poo... I was on antibiotics that wrecked me and would stress over having pale, soft ones for 3 months. For me, seeing a normal color was a sign of my bowels getting back to normal after all the good bacteria that's been killed.

My bowels are now somewhat normal now, but not what it used to be... My stomach has become more delicate.

I don't know if it helps, but having dark poo doesn't always mean it's a bad thing! If you take iron supplements, you may commonly see that your poo is dark/black. I've had to be put on them after developing iron deficit anemia (thanks to my IBS flares) and I see it as a sign that my iron supplements are working. I don't get that color as much anymore, so I figured my body got used to the supplements, but I occasionally still get them on an upset tummy.

I also know that red wine can also give you dark stools... Not cuz it hurts your stomach, but it's because of the pigment of the drink.

[Fishmanpa]

Just throwing this out there. For those that are obsessed with their poo color or examining it, get those blue discs you put in the tank. No matter what the color or anything, you really can't tell with the dark blue water

Positive thoughts

[jojo2316]

Just throwing this out there. For those that are obsessed with their poo color or examining it, get those blue discs you put in the tank. No matter what the color or anything, you really can't tell with the dark blue water

Positive thoughts

BRILLIANT. I’m ordering mine now!