Why Is My Poop Green If I m Not Eating Anything Green

Digestive problems are one of the common health complaints. Constipation is the most common digestive problem in the United States. It is defined as the occurrence of three or fewer bowel movements that are difficult to pass in a week. The stools in constipation are dry, lumpy, and hard.

Pregnancy and Pooping

Bowel movements during pregnancy can change from what women experience normally. We know it’s not a pretty topic, but it’s one that many expectant moms will question during and right after their nine months of pregnancy. OB-GYN Amy Bingaman, MD, UnityPoint Health offers advice on five often embarrassing, but common, bowel issues associated with pregnancy.

1. Hemorrhoids During and After Pregnancy

Hemorrhoids are varicosities, or swollen veins, in the anal canal that are enlarged due to local pressure. When the veins are enlarged, they can become irritated when you have a bowel movement. They can be itchy and mildly uncomfortable, or sometimes downright painful. Dr. Bingaman says hemorrhoids impact about 30 to 40 percent of pregnant and postpartum patients. During pregnancy, they’re most common in the third trimester (28-40 weeks). The onset of hemorrhoids in pregnant women happens due to changes to the body as the baby grows. It’s not uncommon to experience hemorrhoids for the first time during pregnancy and right after delivery.

Expectant moms will recognize symptoms of hemorrhoids as itching, discomfort and bleeding. They typically improve with time, and most patients respond to conservative therapy, like dietary changes – such as adding more water and fiber to a diet. Doctors can also give advice on over-the-counter anti-inflammatory and anti-itch medication or a prescription suppository to offer some relief from hemorrhoids, both of which are safe during pregnancy. If you experience symptoms, it’s important to talk to your doctor for recommendations and reassurance.

2. Constipation During Pregnancy

Constipation intensifies symptoms of hemorrhoids, so unfortunately expectant moms can experience both at the same time. Dr. Bingaman says constipation is very common in pregnancy, impacting 16 to 39 percent of women in each trimester of pregnancy, as well as during the postpartum period (six to 12 weeks after delivery).

“Like with hemorrhoids, dietary changes can make a difference with constipation,” Dr. Bingaman says. “Increasing water and fiber intake can help. Fruit and vegetables make great sources of fiber, as well as bran cereals. Over-the-counter supplements are also available. Milk of magnesia, Miralax and stool softeners are safe to use in pregnancy.”

3. Diarrhea During Pregnancy

Diarrhea is not as common of a symptom during or after pregnancy. If you experience this, along with nausea and vomiting, see your primary care provider. The biggest concern with diarrhea is making sure expectant moms remain hydrated.

4. Bowel Movements During Delivery

Dr. Bingaman says pooping during labor is fairly common. She says it actually tells the medical staff in the room you are pushing correctly. Getting rid of waste also makes more room for the baby.

“We are prepared for this, and we do our best to make you unaware of it,” Dr. Bingaman says. “It is normal to worry about it, and we know that and are good at helping women through it. Plus, we know what happens in Labor and Delivery, stays in Labor and Delivery.”

5. The First Bowel Movement after Delivery

Dr. Bingaman finds many new moms are apprehensive about using the bathroom for a bowel movement after delivery.

“I think it’s scary because you’ve just had a baby and you possibly have stitches in the vagina. It is normal to be nervous for your first bowel movement after delivery. Some women are on narcotic pain medication, which can make constipation worse. I would recommend increasing water and fiber intake as well as starting a bowel regimen, like stool softener or milk of magnesia, until the first bowel movement.”

If you have questions about these five bowel movements or others, make sure to ask your UnityPoint Health OB-GYN or primary care provider.

Why Is My Poop Green If I’m Not Eating Anything Green?

After passing through the digestive tract, almost everything you eat ends up in your feces. Your waste, whether liquid (urine) or solid (feces or poop), properly represents what is going on within your body, which is why it is critical to monitor it.

It may be embarrassing to discuss it, but gut health is essential. Your poop may represent what you eat. Usually, poop is yellow or brown, but if you consume green foods, you will have green feces. Kale and spinach are two veggies that have a greater effect on the color of your stool than others. Eating a lot of these and other veggies will, predictably, color your feces green.

However, in some instances, you may find your poop green even if you do not consume any such foods.

8 conditions that cause green poop

Eight conditions that cause green poop include:

Infections:Green stools can suggest that your food is going too rapidly through your large intestine , which might be caused by an infection.
- Green stools can be caused by parasitic, viral, or bacterial illnesses listed below:
  - Giardia: The small parasite giardia can be found in soil, food, or water contaminated with feces from sick humans or animals. Diarrhea, gas, severe stomach cramps, upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, and dehydration are among short-term symptoms. Giardiasis caused by giardia can cause foul-smelling, floating, and green feces.
  - Salmonella or E. coli infection: Salmonella or E. coli infection can produce green stools. Most people develop symptoms of E. coli three to four days after eating or drinking anything that contains the bacterium. However, Salmonella symptoms can occur as soon as six hours or as late as six days after consuming infected food or drink. These bacterial infections can cause severe stomach pain, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting.
  - Norovirus: This highly infectious virus causes vomiting, diarrhea , and green feces and is easily shared between humans.
- Whether you suspect you have an infection, you should consult with your doctor to get the necessary treatment.
Gallbladder removal: Because the gallbladder normally retains bile, after removal of the gallbladder, bile enters the intestine continuously. This results in more bile in the gut that may not be broken down. People who do not have a gallbladder do not always have green feces, but they are more likely than ordinary people to have it.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): The muscles of the colon, or big intestine, normally contract and relax to move food along. It is considered that with IBS , the muscles contract at random, either too vigorously or too weakly, causing alternating spells of diarrhea or constipation. The precise reason is unknown. Food allergy or intolerance, stress, hormonal imbalance, infection, or bacterial overgrowth in the colon, and an overly sensitive gastrointestinal nerve system may all play a role. Although uncommon, digestive issues that impair bile absorption may result in green stools. Short-term diarrhea and IBS can impair your body’s capacity to break down bile, resulting in green stools.
Medications: Some drugs and supplements might induce green stools for a short period. These drugs and supplements include:
- Antibiotics: Antibiotics are used to eliminate dangerous bacteria in the body, but they kill good bacteria that help maintain a healthy balance in the stomach. Because of the bacteria destruction caused by antibiotics, you may see a brief green tinge in your feces.
- Iron supplements: Iron supplements are frequently used to treat anemia. Constipation , nausea, vomiting, and black or green feces are some of the medication’s side effects.
Anal fissures: Tears that form along the anal opening are known as anal fissures. They have the potential to induce anal spasms, stomach pain, and discomfort, and bright red blood in the stool. Anal fissures can be caused by intestinal straining, which is often resulted in constipation. They can, however, form because of prolonged diarrhea or inflammatory bowel disease. Green feces may occur in certain circumstances.
Cancer: Green poop can be a rare sign of underlying lower gastrointestinal cancer such as colon cancer. Most cancerous tumors frequently induce changes in feces color that are black, tarry, or bright red. If you have disturbing symptoms in addition to your green stool, such as fever, diarrhea, or vomiting, contact your healthcare professional as soon as possible.
Pregnancy: Green stools are possible during pregnancy. Some women have it in the first few weeks of pregnancy. In many situations, it occurs before they are even aware that they are pregnant. Others acquire it because they take iron supplements or prenatal vitamins, which contain more iron than a standard multivitamin. Green stools might occur throughout the third trimester . In late pregnancy, when food passes quickly through the intestines , some women experience loose green stools.
Lactose intolerance: Greenish stools along with flatulence may be indicative of lactose intolerance (congenital or acquired). Stopping milk and milk products may help with this issue.

QUESTION

When should you consult a doctor about your green poop?

Green stool is not generally a cause for alarm and can be perfectly natural, but it may indicate that you are dealing with an underlying problem that will not go away on its own. If you see another color shift such as red blood in the stool or black tarry stool, it indicates some underlying conditions. Therefore, it should be addressed immediately. Unusually, colored poop may suggest a problem that requires treatment, especially if it persists or is accompanied by symptoms such as stomach pain , weight loss, bleeding, fever, and vomiting.

If you have green poop with diarrhea that does not go away in a couple of days or if one of your drugs is creating stomach discomfort and tinted stool, you should visit your doctor for new or alternative treatment.

What are the treatment options for green poop?

The treatment of green feces is determined by the cause. Green feces is usually harmless and does not require treatment. If it is caused by an underlying condition, you will need to visit a doctor to treat and manage the issue.

It is crucial to maintain good bowel habits and have regular bowel motions. To accomplish this, make certain that you:

Drink plenty of water.
Consume enough fiber.
Perform regular exercise.
Avoid frequent Medications that trigger diarrhea or constipation.

If any medical condition causes green poop, you must treat it right away to not only change the poop color but also get relief from the associated symptoms.

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References

Image Source: iStock image

The Scoop on Poop: What Does Your Poop Say About Your Health? https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2019/march/poop

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