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Call for questions: BUTT HEALTH (Patreon)

Published:
2025-11-21 00:05:53
Edited:
2025-11-21 00:08:52
Imported:
2026-06

Content

Next up: an interview on butt health with a researcher, professor, and board-certified colorectal surgeon. They wrote a comprehensive book on constipation and can also talk about hemorrhoids, fissures, fistulas, IBS, colorectal cancer, and other butt stuff. Leave your questions in the comments! And let me know if you don't want your name read in the episode.Deadline: Sunday, November 23 at 5pm PST

Files

Comments

RJ Doidge

Okay…as a gay…what SHOULD we know that we don’t because they don’t teach it in health class OR people are too embarrassed to ask?

Shale

I don’t think I need my name on this one BUT: what are the non terrifying reasons that one may see some blood in their poo sometimes

Lyndsay

Finally, my time to shine.

Zach

Not a question, but could yall touch on Gastrointestinal microbiomes pleassseeee?

Rachael Mae

IBS sufferer here! Whenever I have an IBS flair up (usually due to stress), I’ve noticed that I get canker sores in my mouth. What’s up with that?

Charlotte Parkinson

Honestly, what's the most effective thing I can be doing to ease the pain of a diverticulitis flair up? It's a horrible cycle of having to take strong painkillers which then lead to constipation and then rabbit dropping type poop! 💩 Help!

Serena D'Souza

How common are hemorrhids? Can they ever be "cured"?

Kathleen Regovich

Why does having enough fiber in your diet help prevent colon cancer?

Chrysalis Ashton

Wow! Good timing. I am prepping for my first colonoscopy as we speak…and it’s rough. 😩 My question is do IBS and other gastrointestinal issues run in families? My dad has IBS and I’m having this scope because I’m starting to have a lot of problems in that department too. Could it be genetic?

MeganTheLibrarian765

I was diagnosed with celiac disease when I was 17 after living with the side effects all my life. They backed up the blood work with a colonoscopy/endoscopy and the insides of my small intestines were totally smooth. Is that really the only way to confirm celiac? I’m 33 now.

Diana Teeter

Why oh why do I suddenly have hemorrhoid issues in my 40’s? Rolling along like a champ for four decades and then ouch…do things change back there as you age?

JillyDoogs

Screw it… how in the hell do you get rid of hemorrhoids? 40g of fiber a day. 1/2 soluble, 1/2 insoluble. 120oz of water a day. Veggies every meal. Still.. umm issues.

Kim OCactus

Whoa wild. I hope this gets asked!

Amy olson

My father has *explosive diarrhea* everyday (ew, gross, I know). He thinks it’s “normal”. What causes this? What can be done to change this? Is it genetic? Concern for health issues? I will put him on blast and say his diet is severely lacking fiber.

Jen A.

Someone asked at the Ologies live show why more young people are getting colong cancer (not me) and then I saw a TikTok today that this is very true and tied to higher processed foods. Other than colonoscopies at younger ages, what can we do?

Holden A. Goose

Have you heard of the recent tiktok trend of “stop proteinmaxxing, fibermaxxing/fartmaxxing”

Meaghan Ratcliffe

HEMORRHOIDS!!! why? how? do they ever go away? i need answers

Lee Wang

TMI incoming! I'm morning goer, and when I have a "normal" schedule where I get up reasonably early and eat a light breakfast, I find that I don't have as large movements as when I get to sleep in, bum around in the kitchen, and have a leisurely brunch (at least half an hour), which is when I BM like a rock star. What's going on here?

Adalie Poland

How does the pelvic floor and lower core effect your ability to control your bladder and bowels? I'm an eds girly with pelvic floor issues

Rachael Mae

Also curious about the genetic connections!

Addison Alley

As an OB/GYN, I’m interested in what advice you would give to women who experience anal sphincter injury from delivery (OASIS). What general recommendations would you give to the obstetricians who manage these, both surgically and postoperatively?

Meaghan Ratcliffe

related question: why are steroid creams used to treat hemorrhoids?

Katie Sharp

Just gonna ask what everyone else is wondering: what's the weirdest thing you've had to retrieve from someone's poop-chute?

Guido

Is toilet paper bad for you, friction-wise?

Raja

How did you get into this line of work? Do any colorectal surgeons plan to be a colorectal surgeon when starting med school? I mean, it's absolutely vital work, but when and how is that decision made?

Kim OCactus

How does colitis happen? Can you get that in the colon or anywhere else in the intestines?

Keerat Singh

We often hear about the dangers of sitting, is walking around really enough to combat this?

Kelly King

Should you consult a doctor about hemorrhoids sooner rather than later? I feel like it is such a common problem, but people put off getting a consult.

AJG C

How do laxatives even work???

Erin Everton

How often am I actually *supposed* to be washing my ass? Is every day too often? Should buttcrack and butthole be on two different schedules?

Limberbutt McCubbins

Why does poop sometimes need a bit of a push from the taint side? Is my colon wonky or does this happen to others?

Meaghan Ratcliffe

how legit are pro/prebiotics for improving gut/butt health?

Bree Crutchfield

I’ve been diagnosed with IMO (Intestinal Methanogen Overgrowth). Any idea how I got it in the first place? Low FODMAP and xifaxan/neomycin antibiotic combos haven’t fixed it yet. Any other treatments on the horizon?

beanbag the cat

go off about anal sex.. tell us everything we need to know about how to safely enjoy it (besides use lots of lube and don’t put anything in there that doesn’t have a flared base)

Matt Rippon

Leaky gut. Flim foam or not? What's going on here?

Rebecca Morrison

I heard that one of the most common causes of hemorrhoids is looking at your phone while on the pot. Film flam or truth?

Thu Ha

What are those sharp butt pains you get during periods? Also any tips please on how to deal with constipation during periods?

Angela Simpson

Is there a difference between an external hemorrhoid and a skin tag? Or did the doc just use that word interchangeably?

Sydonie S.

Any ideas around the reason for the increase in cases of colon cancer in younger adults? Should we all be getting colonscopies earlier?

Matt Rippon

We know coffee and poops are related but what effects does alcohol consumption and our pooping have to do with each other?

Ashley Herbel

Okay I’ll ask it! Why does sometimes taking a poop feel so good?

David

Is the doc up for talking about butt s*x? Eg, how do you know if something is making contact with your prostrate, if you have one? For folks who don't have a prostrate, what's good about butt s*x? How safe is rimming, and how to make it safer without ruining it with a terribly thick dental dam? What not to use as a butt toy, eg, a coke bottle, and when not to wear a butt toy, eg, in an MRI?

Megan Morgan

My boyfriend wants to know how many times a day is normal for pooping - he goes 4-6 times a day. How prevalent are anal fissures and when do they become a problem? And why do they take so long to heal? If you have torn your butthole, how is it not more of a worry for infection? It’s literally exposed to fecal matter I’ve heard the butthole acts like a vacuum and that’s why things can get stuck- is that true? And why? Why do some people poop only a couple times a week and other go A LOT more?

Matt Thompson

What are the dangers of doing colon cleanses outside of pre-colonscopy preparation?

Chris Eff

Shitty cheap toilet paper causing tiny fissures that feel like paper cuts, please discuss.

Leanna Shuster

Couple questions - I'm thinking if these make it to air, let's just go with initials this time lol. 1. How and why does anxiety affect poop consistency and frequency? 2. I know there's the Bristol Stool Chart that categorizes poop by appearance. Is there anything similar based on consistency or texture? Does the texture correlate to how healthy the gut is? Like a Bristol type 4 might be really solid and require minimal wiping or it might be pasty and really annoying to clean up from. Are there ways to encourage your gut to put out low wiping poop?

Angela Simpson

Can certain foods cause your colon to become inflamed and cause bleeding? Why? How?!

Keith Wiley

Is psyllium husk a good fiber option for good colon health

Miranda Panda

Why does coffee make so many of us need to poop immediately?

David

Prostrate health basics: how to tell if things are basically okay down there? What's the current recommendations on screening for prostrate cancer? Why are the PSA antigen test and doc feeling it both out of favor? What are the prospects for a better test?

Raja

I have a friend (for real 🙂) who has IBS and only poops once a week. They're doozies. He's tried diet modifications over the years, but as they don't seem to have any effect, he kind of just goes about his life eating whatever he eats (not a ton of processed foods, but some). Is there something that people don't know they don't know about getting weekly pooping to be more of a frequent occurrence? It's been decades of this, so I imagine not, but felt this was probably the only time I could ask this question!

Matt Thompson

Are certain people more susceptible to hemorrhoids than others, and if so, why?

Miranda Panda

What makes some poops smellier than others?

Alex Minor

What’s the real story on bidets: helpful, harmful, or depends how you use them?

Orion McCullough

What’s the deal with the prostate? What can AMAB folks do to stave off cancer?

Rick Gillespie

I was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease in 1979 (yes, I'm as old as dirt). For a long time I had to have a colonoscopy every couple of years, but now my doctor monitors my symptoms and blood and/or fecal test.; I haven't had a colonoscopy since before the COVID-19 pandemic started. Is this common treatment now, to not do colonoscopies as often as in the past?

Zoe Gladstone

First time question asker! Are butt doctors making any progress in helping folks with IBS? Any medications or therapies to look forward to? IBS seems to be an umbrella term for "we acknowledge that you have hella GI issues, however it's not life threatening and we don't really know how to help you"... (just use my first name, please)

Alex Minor

Is there a “best” poop position, and do squatty-potties really work?

Alex Minor

What’s the weirdest home remedy you’ve heard patients try, and did any of them actually work?

e-rennebee

my grandma was the first person in western canada to be diagnosed and treated for crohns, she passed from GI-related cancer. my young cousin was just diagnosed with crohns. i still don’t really get what it is??? but i hear treatments are getting much better than what my grandma went through. can you elaborate???

Alex Minor

How does pregnancy actually affect the rectum and anus? Why do so many pregnant people deal with hemorrhoids, constipation, or bleeding?

Alex Minor

What’s the actual biological purpose of butt hair? Is it protective, sensory, or just a weird leftover from evolution?

Spencer Holtaway

My friend is a GI doctor. Is it ok to fart in front of them?

DeeDeeNoodle

My significant other is the opposite with their IBS. Multiple times a day on a good day, spends at minimum 30 minutes in the bathroom. It's a wild illness.

Alex Minor

Can the colon be trained to behave, or is it always going to be a little feral?

Alex Minor

What’s the one thing you wish everyone understood before they go exploring the back door?

Alex Minor

For people with prostates, what’s actually being stimulated during anal sex?

Spencer Holtaway

Why do some farts smell wayyyy worse than others, while some are odorless?

DeeDeeNoodle

I'd love to hear more about fecal transplants/colonics. I pass by a 'home clinic's on my way to a friend's house all the time and aside from it having a funny name I'm curious to understand it better and if some of it is Flim flam

Derek Tellin

Hi first time question asker and gay man here - Can we talk about douching before anal sex? Is it possible to over do it? I've always wondered if we are cleaning out things that shouldn't be cleaned out. BUTT at the same time, doing this before every encounter does provide a lot of assurance you will have a good clean time. Can you convince me that we should or should not be doing this as frequently as we are?

Sarah Burkhalter

What's with serotonin in the gut? Why did Zoloft cause me to shit my pants? But Cymbalta constipated me so badly I got fissures? You don't gotta read my last name out for this one if you don't mind lol

Itsok

Saw that today too!

David

For people who have some or all of their GI tract removed, eg the colon for Crohn's disease or Familial Adenomatous Polyposis, how do they get by without it?

Alex Minor

Diagnosed with IBS in 2013, then a colonoscopy found a malignant tumor in my appendix in 2019, so they took that out along with part of my colon. I’ve spent an unreasonable amount of time on the toilet, so believe me, I’ve got questions. 🤣

Isabelle Leclerc

What's the deal about gluten intolerance VS celiac. Are they different because one is an auto-immune condition? Can a strong gluten intolerance turn into celiac if exposure is continued?

Alex Minor

How do we start lobbying on Capitol Hill to make sandpaper-grade toilet paper illegal?

Greg Walloch

Is it just *my* algorithm, or are we suddenly in the era of butt-and-hole skincare?? Are these products actually helpful or just created to give us something else to buy? What should we be putting on our butt and magic portal to make them aesthetically optimized, if anything? Any DIY hacks? 🍑

mish the fish

how can i minimize risk (besides using a barrier) of giving a rim job to my partner? like risk of parasite infection

Ry_ofthetiger

Should I use soap on my butt? I heard it’s bad to put soap on your butt every day. But like… it seems like THE place that would need soap.

Adam T. Berns

*FTQA* it's 2025… Why aren't there better options out there for the pre-colonoscopy cleanse that don't involve drinking massive amounts of a foul-tasing beverage? Is it REALLY just because that's the "best" method or is it that there's lower awareness of the alternatives? Also, how accurate/reliable are the at-home tests that claim to be able to find potential issues by just sending in a sample via the USPS without someone with an endoscope getting "all up in yo' business?"

Darlene Skapura

Can gallstones cause inflamed colon? And can it cause bile malabsorption?

Darlene Skapura

Can colonoscopy and or polyps removal cause symptoms later like inflamed colon?

Crystal Wilson

What's your opinion on Pectin for diarrhea? All I know is it fixed my pooch right up from a bad situation.

Darlene Skapura

Discuss how medicine can disrupt our microbiome.

Alex Minor

If it’s safe and clean for public bathrooms to have bidets, would it improve national colon health, or just confuse everyone?

Katie

First time question asker (apparently I have been waiting for a really juicy topic!) I have gotten advice from an OB-GYN that living with the post-baby hemorrhoids is less awful than the after-effects of getting them removed by surgery. Thoughts on this? Should I get a second opinion? Also, thank you for being brave in your choice of specialty. Butts are so important!

Alex Minor

How does alcohol absorption through the rectum actually work, and why is it more dangerous than drinking?

Alex Minor

What’s the weirdest substance people have tried to absorb via the rectum that actually caused problems?

Lizzy Martinez

Which technically came first - toilet paper or bidets?

Annalise De Young

Also generally what is the relationship between the gall bladder, the liver and other organs with digestive and colon health?

Alex Minor

My 5-year-old wants to know why poop sometimes refuses to come out. How does that work inside our bodies, and is it normal?

Deli Dames

If your butt hurts after a long flight, how can you avoid that or help your butt next time?

Alex Minor

What exactly does the anal sphincter do, and how does it manage to hold everything in until the right moment? Are there ways to strengthen the sphincter, or is it mostly genetics? How strong is the anal sphincter really, and what factors affect its strength?

Every Mags

Does IBS (C type specifically) have a “best practice” management diet/system?

Alyssa Berg

1) I have IBS and sometimes having to poop/pooping itself, especially during a flare, gives me vasovagal pre-syncope AKA I almost pass out. Why is that? Seems like a colossally bad time to lose consciousness! 2) Why do my IBS food triggers reshuffle every few years? For example, recently I've started to be able to eat some things that were major triggers in my teens, but this year quinoa became a major trigger out of the blue. What gives? (P.S. if you choose these, you can absolutely read my whole name! Big advocate for less shame through greater awareness about butts and poops!)

Donna

How does stress affect your colon?

Darlene Skapura

Can hormone replacement therapy( progesterone and testosterone) cause rectal bleeding and fecal urgency?

Alex Minor

After having part of my colon removed, I’ve noticed more trapped gas and bloating—my belly even swells like it’s filled with air. Is this a common side effect, or just a ‘me’ thing? Does removing part of the colon change how gas moves through the digestive system, and what can help relieve the bloating?

Annalise De Young

YES PLEASE! pooping can be so painful on a period

RestingLaurelFace

Oh, please pick me!! I have a couple of questions... for a friend... that is me. 1. Why is it that when I lost a BUNCH of weight, like maybe 70lbs or so, and was running and active, I got gnarly hemorrhoids? I am bummed (no pun intended, but I'm leaving it) that they appeared when I got down to a healthy weight, and they've stuck with me. Not a fan. 2. After having my first kid (and still to this day), I almost always have to manually push on my perineum to actually poo. Otherwise, I could sit there straining forever and the poop just won't move to vacate. Why is this? Is there something I can do to return to a more normal working rectum? 3. Why is every word for feces so terrible, including the feces? I feel awkward using any of them to describe my human scat.

Chaz Moore

Are colorectal cancer rates rising in younger folks? If so why?

Chaz Moore

What's the best thing we could be doing for our butt? It's fiber isn't it?

Alyssa Berg

I am no expert, but I had a colonoscopy in my 20s and had Clenpiq prescribed, and I am constantly on my soapbox about it whenever I hear someone is having a colonoscopy. It is SO much easier, and I highly recommend.

Sean Leach

Bidets, truly better than toilet paper alone, right?

Kestrel Wolgemuth

Squatty Potties! Actually helpful or a little silly?

Ettegoom

So... I have IBS, and it takes several days for food to travel the full length of my food tubes, but my daughter, who ALSO has IBS can poop out the apple/corn or whatever it was that she ate that upset her guts within an hour... how is this possible? I thought that guts couldn't work that fast!?

Pearl Ramone

I second this. I filled my RX for this and am horrified by how much of that I will need to drink and wondering if I can keep from gagging and throwing it up.

Ashley K.

Pediatric GI Psychologist here! Please share your favorite butt joke(s) so I can tell them to my patients working on toileting! :) P.S. I beg for a smologies version I can share.

Jenny Lowe Rhodes

Hav you seen the movie Wetlands? And if so, what did you think?

Nicky G

I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Hypermobile Type: Can you please talk about how EDS and its comorbities like diverticulitis, IBS, pelvic organ prolapse, etc. impact the colorectal system? It has been one of the biggest factors in my own health journey and I'm sure others would love to know how our faulty collagen plays into our gut health!

GhoulNextDoor

Do some people poop bigger than others naturally? To throw myself under the buss I seem to have a skill for clogging toilets. Including at my boyfriend’s house where his family didn’t even own a plunger because it hadn’t come up before. I try to stay hydrated and eat fiber and I don’t tend to have trouble with my home toilet. Is it just my big American bowls? Historical plumbing hates to see me coming. (It’s also totally fine to read my name!)

Sophia

How far does my gut biome go? I know it's primarily in the large intestine, but is there life inside my butthole too?

Greg Walloch

PSA tests were once considered the gold standard for prostate cancer screening… so why do so many doctors (including the inventor of the test) now disagree about using the test at all? Is this a life-saving tool, or an outdated test causing more harm, (unnecessary procedures, anxiety) than good? I've heard about a urine test called a "liquid biopsy" are there new more advanced and accurate tests out there? What other things can make a PSA fluctuate?

Bob Keeney

Why do the GLP1 drugs seem to alternate between constipation and diarrhea? Asking for a friend.

Nicky G

Shout out to the colorectal health care team members that keep us healthy and happy! Surgeons and physicians, nurses, endoscopy techs, pathologists and their lab techs, sterile processing techs (making sure everything is CLEAN!) and anyone else in the medical community I missed! 🤎💩🍑

Dylan V

I have a feeling this episode will probably never be a Smologie, so I'm going to ask two things I've always wondered. Does anal sex lead to health problems later? Do hemmerhoids need to be treated/fixed surgically, or can they heal on their own?

Adam Goldberg

My sister died of colorectal cancer which wasn't discovered until it had already metastasized. She had Crohn's Disease since her 20s, and apparently cancer is a possible side-effect of Crohn's ... which is *not* discovered by regular colonoscopies. What sort of screenings for colorectal cancer are called for when someone has Crohn's (or IBS, I suppose)??

Harpswell Coffin

I work as a nurse practitioner in family medicine and have patients come in with IBS symptoms and an array of other gut issues all the time. They have many theories about food triggers etc, but my belief is that although foods can be a trigger sometimes and cause GI discomfort, I feel like the root cause is really the chemicals, preservatives, and GMOs that go into the processing of food in our country. Do you see any evidence of that in your work? I feel like it’s overlooked as a potential cause for IBS and other GI disorders.

Amy

Is there a difference between anal fissures and cracks in the skin? I suddenly started getting multiple deep cracks that bleed, but my doctor said they weren’t fissures and I shouldn’t worry.

Ginelle

I got so much butt stuff going on I don't even know where to start with questions! I guess the most important one I can think of: Is there any way to fix a hemorrhoid without literal surgery? Or how do I tell if it's a fissure instead & not a full-on hemi? I have one bad day where I don't eat enough fiber and she gets ripped back open again. Then I'm fighting to get back to normal and not have pain when I poop!

Erin

Is the time right after a colonoscopy the best or worst time to have butt sex?

Erin

Probiotics: helpful for a healthy gut or snake oil?

Jen A.

(I know this message isn't for us in the comments but I have gone through this personally and also with my mom post chemo and surgeries having to do with cancer and it is not at all fun NOR NORMAL. If there are no other obvious causes- ie like my mom cancer in the digestive tract, I woukd say he might actually have food allergies or intolerances. I'm gluten intolerant and know a bit about this. BUT it could be corn, soy, dairy, or any number of *very common* thing he ates all the time. A visit to a GI and a complete endoscopy and colonoscopy might be worth while. Good luck!)

Lindsay Mixer

I found out recently that they fuck up your gallbladder, so it's probably for that reason. Too much bile release by the gallbladder can cause diarrhea and too little can cause constipation. (Source: I have gallbladder problems and a doc asked if I was on GLP1 cause they've been seeing tons of gallbladder issues from those patients.)

Amy

How concerned should one be if in the past year, one is occasionally passing stool when feeling just a fart? By occasionally, I mean once a month or every other month. After 30 years without doing this once. Asking for a friend.

Lindsay Mixer

As someone experiencing genetic gallbladder issues, I would absolutely love to know this too. Also, if you get the gallbladder removed, how does that affect colon health moving forward?

Darlene Skapura

You have to watch how much fat you eat, can cause a very upset stomach… but you feel better i am told!

Toni Spumoni

What is the actual best thing for preventing hemorrhoids? I do it all: tons of water, fiber, greens, beans, no butt sex, no straining, i use a bidet, and yet, I still have a chronic one. I had one surgically removed in 2021 and i will NEVER do that recovery again. help!

Lorie B

No question but your episode on “prep” was really important to me. Colon cancer is genetic and now I can say “prep is the worst… but the nap is SO NICE” ❤️

Lindsay Mixer

So, about a decade ago I got severe blood clots and got put on coumadin for 6 months. The docs told me to call immediately if I saw blood in my stool, and when I asked for specifics they said if blood is just in the toilet water around the stool it's fine, but if there was blood within the stool itself that was an emergency. Why the difference? What does the latter mean that the former didn't?

Jade Greene

Ugh why do some people have “normal” easy poops without even trying and some of us (me and my son 😭) have to work SOOO hard to have a good poop. I have never been so stressed out about pooping as I have with my toddler. Poor guy. Why?! Also why do docs push miralax so hard? I have definitely used it a bunch but what if something else is going on? How would I know?

Becky Ross

My question is about getting body chills and a runny nose before pooping. Normal?

Rebecca Roehm

When should you choose the FIT test over a colonoscopy and vice versa?

Jade Greene

I’m also interested in this for the same reasons’

Rebecca Roehm

What is your favorite slang term for butts?

Jade Greene

I so wish we could get bidets everywhere!

Maia!

What is UP with the prostate? I don't have one and I'm so curious about what it's up to in there. Why is it so prone to cancer? Why does it provide pleasure for some folks?

Jade Greene

Why did I have the best poops of my life while pregnant? I’ve always heard everyone has had the opposite.

Jade Greene

Why IS it like wiping a marker sometimes?! It’s maddening. I feel like I can never get clean when it’s like that.

Adam Foote

Why do humans even have big butts in the first place? Asking as I sit on the couch next to our cat who has absolutely no junk in her trunk and seems just fine

Adam Foote

More normal question: how strong of a correlation is there really between red meat consumption and colon cancer?

Jamstress

Are there health risks of doing anal? What about toy safety - what qualifies as *too deep*?!

GhoulNextDoor

How long should it take to poop and why does it take someone I know soooo long, like 30 min to an hour, to go (only halfway throwing them under the bus if I’m not naming names 😂) while I can be in and out in less time than it takes to do a Duolingo lesson. Is this variation normal or should one of us seek help?

Liv Cazzola

Let’s talk farts: can the smell be affected by your emotional state? What bad stuff happens when you hold em in?

GhoulNextDoor

Why do I poop in the mornings regularly? And is there a way to change that to the evenings? I work outside and sometimes there’s not a convenient location to dig a hole and pop a squat

etherdog

What are some of your favorite butt/proctology/colorectal jokes and memes? When I worked at a sign shop, a friend had me make a sign for the Butt Doc's parking space that said "Proctology Office Parking Please Back In".

gilliansmith

What is a “normal” poop?

etherdog

Why does it seem that doing anal sex is so popular now? (It doesn't appeal to me in the least.)

Faith Stemmler

Can we discuss the gut-brain connection? Vagus nerve, bacteria in the GI microbiome that release serotonin and other brain chemicals, immune health, and the "second brain" in the gut??? There's 100 million nerve cells in the gut! What do they tell us??

SalmonLikeTheFish

Can your bowels become more sensitive as you get older? Stress and trigger foods seem to be able to worsen IBS at the drop of a hat in my 30s compared to 20s. Also anything those of us on low FODMAP diets can be doing/eating to help, when fibrous foods can give us a bad time?

B Miller

I would like to ask the same question! After the age of 35, this started happening to me and as I get older it's happening more frequently. It feels like certain high fiber foods trigger the situations but it could be coincidental.

SalmonLikeTheFish

Is it best to cut out trigger foods completely, or add them in your diet occasionally to help bacteria diversity in your gut biome (and suffer the consequences once in a while)?

Organic Free-Range Lily

1. At what point should you assume it's more than just a random body glitch but something that needs medical attention? 2. Aside from eating more fiber, what can an average person do to improve their butt health? Also, it's totally okay to read my nickname in the episode. :)

Marc Rubin

Why is colorectal cancer so deadly? What can people do to reduce the risk of developing this cancer? Silly question - has anyone ever left a note in their anus for you to find during surgery? I once heard a comedian talk about leaving a "we've been trying to contact you about your car's warranty" note in their butt crack for a colonoscopy! Ha! Also, Alie, please do an episode on veterinary gerontology with my lovely wife, Dr Ashley Portmann of Home Together Vet! https://www.instagram.com/p/DQxN9HTj-Jm/?img_index=1&igsh=eXc4NjVxYTZjM2Z0

Amber Dwyer

Hello, first time question asker long time listener! Why are more and more young people getting colon cancer? What age should you really get a colonoscopy? What can you do to prevent colon cancer, is there a certain diet we should be eating? Thank you for this amazing show, I look forward to many more great episodes! 😊

Kari Hiser

How much strain does sitting on an average toilet put on our body? Should we all be using foot rests to elevate our knees or should we really be squatting into holes like our ancestors?

BF Brinklestein

AWESOME! I feel like once you pass a certain age, talking shit to each other turns into talking about poop to each other lol. How much correlation is there between bowel issues such as severe constipation and: - autoimmune diseases - PTSD/ Complex PTSD /severe Anxiety - having female anatomy - had a c-section - gallbladder removal Anecdotally I know a whole lot of people with chronic bowel issues that have female anatomy and who have autoimmune disorders, cPTSD/high anxiety from surviving abuse situations. In my case, my intestines will just… stop. For weeks. Prob TMI, but I have Hashimotos, cPTSD, a c-section, etc… I’ve visited a pelvic floor therapist along with way too many gastrointestinal specialists, had a ton of tests over the years, and basically no major issues other than having more twists and switchbacks from a c-section (they pull out the ol intestines and then squish the noodles back in afterwards). Also I’m on this super anti-constipation med called linzess and it’s the only thing that keeps me moving. Which is wild but alas. I think the anxiety is the real reason I’m so bad, though having all the rest doesn’t help. Anyways, appreciate this topic!

BF Brinklestein

Annnnnd this is a pen name made up from my kids so feel free to use it. The BF stands for broccoli farts. 🤣🤣🥦💨

BF Brinklestein

Ohhhh I’ve wondered this too. Excellent Q!

Iris Hutchings

Do bidets have any effect on actual rectal health? Or are they solely amazing for cleanliness? Also, does a propensity for constipation run in families? My mom has horrible constipation, and I did when I was younger (I seem to have been able to mostly fix it with focus on diet.)

BF Brinklestein

I mean. Scat isn’t too bad a word. Also I may try that perineum trick. Always good having extra skills in the toolkit.

BF Brinklestein

Yeah, and why are there two sphincters back to back?

BF Brinklestein

This is a good one. Once I heard of this couple that gave each other coffee enemas every day. I feel that’s a bit too intense but what do I know.

Amanda

Why does IBS cause constipation in some people and diarrhea in others?

Amanda

Do probiotics really work?

BF Brinklestein

Can confirm that you feel better after removal. But also I couldn’t eat high fat foods for months and months, and developed lactose intolerance. All that said, over the years it has gotten better and better. Just have to be patient and introduce new stuff bit by bit at first. I’ve always been a slow mover and that hasn’t changed after my gallbladder was removed. But that may not be the same as others because… bodies be that way.

BF Brinklestein

That would track that intolerance would turn to full on celiac if it’s an allergy, since doesn’t being exposed to an allergen make the immune response worse each time?

Kate Arnold

Hemorrhoids: deal with it or surgery?

Meagan Walker

Why do I get IBS-like symptoms when stressed?

Nicky G

Hey howdy hello, fellow medical zebra friends! 💕🦓

ThymeOnMyHands

What risk factor do you think is most responsible for developing IBD (e.g., gut microbiome abnormalities, genetics, infections, etc)? Or is it impossible to say right now?

Kayla

What are the long term health consequences of a lactose intolerant person continuing to eat dairy and just fighting for their life in the bathroom. Asking for a friend

Amanda

Thoughts on sitting vs hovering vs butt gasket in public restrooms?

Brain 🧠 Shenanigans

My nose starts running while actively pooping… 🧐 So at least there’s two of us!

JD

I have endometriosis so mine are endo/period-related: what’s up with those shooting butt pains you can get during your period? And how badly can endometriosis affect your bowels? I had endo surgery this year and the majority of the endometriosis was sitting behind my uterus, partly attached to my bowel. I think my BMs have been better since the surgery but not sure if I’m just imagining it.

Kendall

i’m wondering how to get doctors to take chronic constipation seriously? mine always push miralax and shrug if it doesn’t work, but i feel like it can be connected to so many underlying issues

Meagan Walker

People do enemas to clean out lingering particles for health, can anything actually get stuck for more than a few days?

Kristi Emerson

This may be stomach and not butt, but would love to hear about cyclical vomiting syndrome!

Meagan Walker

How common are little asymptomatic dimples in the buttcrack that may or may not be fistulas?

Jennifer Taylor

How come getting your period affects your bowel movements? As if it wasn’t a crap shoot already (lol)

JD

There seems to be a correlation with autism too!

BF Brinklestein

YES!! 100% I have adhd and my son is totally autistic, we both are slow moving folks.

Thorpasaurus Jess

Are butt doctors *really* into butt stuff? Or is it like when your hobby becomes your job and it isn’t fun anymore? Like you get home and don’t even want to look at your partner’s butt? “I just can’t see another butt today!”

ScienceInTheArt

Why do headaches and gut-aches seem to coincide? I know there are many neurons in both places but does the gut release chemicals that tell your head to do something?

Lisa Gorman

Why does traveling often cause constipation, and what can you do to prevent that?

Thorpasaurus Jess

To run faster! Glute muscles make bipedalism faster. Think of how chimps (or the cat!) use all four legs to pick up speed but we can sprint upright.

Janet R.

My mother died in 2009 from colon cancer. Now in my 60’s I just had my 3rd colonoscopy last week and all is well. What are the statistics that I may get cancer? Also I have been diagnosed with dyspepsia and don’t really understand the etiology.

Brain 🧠 Shenanigans

I’d love to know more about fecal transplants. I vaguely remember learning about this on This Podcast Will Kill You quite a while ago. What all leads to a patient needing a fecal transplant? Is it at the top of the list of treatments or is it a last ditch Hail Mary situation? Related- what is the prevalence of FT’s? Has it become more or less common over the years? Does the donor need to meet strict criteria the way an organ donor would? Or is it less rigorous? Regarding Post-op, are there a lot of rules and restrictions following this procedure? Organ recipients have to take anti-rejection medications, does a FT recipient need anything similar? The poo itself is temporary but the gut bacteria is intended to stick around — does the body freak out over foreign gut bacteria the way it would with a donated organ?

Kara

My uncle has Crohn’s disease that mostly acts up during times of stress. How does Crohn’s work and how could it be tied to stress?

Ara Victor

What do you know about gluten sensitivity in relation to butt health?

Thorpasaurus Jess

Second this! I got bad hemorrhoids like immediately upon turning 30. When *is* surgery the answer? Is it never worth it? Will I ever have a normal butthole again? Is butt stuff off the table for me now?

Erin

Hemorrhoids?

Lisa Gorman

How often have you seen people with intestinal parasites? Have you ever seen them on colonoscopy?

Katie Hammond

First comment I saw, most relevant to personal situation. Thank you 😂

Thorpasaurus Jess

Yeah, how do you spot an anal fissure? When I got hemmhoroids I assumed Inhad cancer, kind of a jump to worst case scenario kinda brain here 😅. But apparently there are all kinds of butt issues I can worry about!

Thorpasaurus Jess

If I have pelvic floor issues, is that related to hemmhoroids and butt health? How important is it to stretch and strengthen those muscle regions? I was once referred to physical therapy for my pelvic floor and didn’t follow through 😬

Ara Victor

my girlfriend has just become gluten free (against her will 😭) and its a really steep learning curve. theres so much info out there about celiac but barely anything for intolerance. i want to know!

Christina Johnson

I'd love to hear the experts speak on the microbiome and the importance of diet in our gut and how it impacts our overall health. There's so much interesting research coming out regarding the gut and our digestive system and how it relates to/ impacts the brain!

Kimberly Butts

I feel....this is my time to shine. I mean, my last name is BUTTS! I second a lot of the questions already asked, and actually did think of one of my own. First time question asker, long time listener- why did smoking certain types of weed give me diarrhea? Is it similar to a food sensitivity? The body just wanted to purge??

Erin

And can they be easily removed surgically?

LeenaBeans

Why is the acceptable amount of bowel movements vary so much? Anywhere from 1-3 times a day vs once every few days?! Why is that normal, because it doesn't feel like it should be.

Jennifer Lemon

Why is there a rise of colon cancer ,especially in young folks?

Thorpasaurus Jess

I just cannot imagine that a bidet is clean. It seems like it would just spray fecal matter all over. And lead to more UTIs for those of us with vulvas. It seems like I’m wrong but I don’t understand!

Lynn

I fell down a set of stairs six months ago and my right butt cheek got the worst of it- severely bruised, noticeable indent in the cheek and it hurt to walk, sit, or lay in bed in the wrong position for weeks. My question is why do I *still* have a huge indent in my butt cheek? Did I kill the fat cells when I fell?

Rozelyn Hesby

THIS is Story of my life! I travel a lot for work & pooping away from home is a very infrequent occurrence - I’d love to stop feeling like a stuffed turkey while traveling!

Rozelyn Hesby

My husband has IBS - what’s really going on with his colon? Is there any evidence that the GAPS diet helps?

Jason Lowenthal

As someone with rectal cancer and polyps on both sides of my family, I should probably have better questions than this, but I'm curious about the connection between anxiety and diarrhea. I used to run to the bathroom before a performance years ago, but there's also a connection to upset or anxiety leading to diarrhea. What is happening there?

Mike

Internet’s own Hank Green insists that “butt is legs!” So, let’s cover how the muscles back there are different than the poop shoot back there, though we call them all “butt”!

Zyz

Is constipation and other diet related issues on the rise?? Is constipation even that diet related???

Keely Chavez

ER nurse here begging: Please, please Alie & guest cannot over emphasize: do not put things in your rectum that were not designed to go there. It is HEARTBREAKING to care for people finding out they will have surgery & possibly irreparable damage from trying to satisfy curiosity or desire. They make things for the booty! Please don't be ashamed to seek info and experiment safely!

Potato Puffer

Prostate massage, should we be doing it?

Tomcat

First time question asker. Why is our mental health so connected to our butts? Stress for some people causes not enough poop, or too much poop.

Tomcat

Why is it so itchy?

Tomcat

How does an anus do such a good job of sorting liquids, solids, and gasses?

Chris Moore

I hope “butt stuff” questions breaks Patreon 🤪 Infinite questions here, but here are just a couple: 1. Squatty potty: good or bad? Follow-up: do they have an effect on hemorrhoids? 2. Do we have the largest butts in the animal kingdom relative to our body size? If not, then who has the biggest junk in that trunk?! 3. (Sorry, snuck in a third.) If butts are defined in some part by the presence of legs, when what about whales, snakes, and worms?

mo

What the deal with polyps? And when is a good time to get a colonoscopy if you know they run in your family?

Katie Hammond

What is the impact of GLP-1s on their work given they often come with a lot of gastric side effects? Bidets? Do we love them or love them?

winn

(anon plz) i got covid and now have long term constipation issues, what’s the deal with long covid and gut health

Lisa Fleming

What is the craziest foreign body you have removed?

Katie Hammond

So the reproductive systems of all sexes come from the same starting point in development and generally have analogous structures. Is there an analogous structure of the prostate in non-penis havers? For Alie: would you recommend the other Butt episode as an amuse bouche to this episode?

Katie Hammond

What a great question for science

Katie Hammond

Omg, I got really good at using the plunger in high school because I regularly wrecked our toilet at home. Not sure what changed, but not as big of a problem anymore.

Jennifer Aprea

First timer here. Is it true that cases of colorectal diseases/disorders are on the rise among the under 40 age group? If so, any idea why?

Lindsay Malone

1. What does a colonoscopy do to someone's gut microbiome? 2. Any dietary recommendations post-colonoscopy someone can consider to help improve the good buddies in their GI tract? (Aside, I've sort of made my own protocol post colonoscopy: Day of, after procedure I tend stick to brothy soups and rice. The next day I go on a fermented foods+fiber fest (not more than dietary recs) and avoid sugar, highly processed foods, and other foods I seem to be sensitive to for a week.) Also, one of my favorite neighborhood bumper stickers: Have you had your colonoscopy? - Get it behind you!

Katie Hammond

*other butt episodeS I meant the one with the primatologist and forgot about the field trip.

Quinn B

How does endometriosis cause so many crazy bowel issues? Lightning bolt pain, constipation, diarrhea, etc?

Jenifer Fleming

Frqa: Diverticula. Why? Can they shrink? Can I fiber my way outta this?

Edith-Marie Roper

Why haven't we figured out treating/preventing IBS yet? Why does my spouse's butt inconsistently explode sometimes but is fine with the same foods other times? ...his poor butt ...

Deviancy

I sometimes hear people warn about “douche dependence” but I know a lot of men who douche often and never heard someone say anything like this. Is this real or just sex negativity?

Karrotcake

What is the best wiping/cleaning technique when you don’t have perfect log-like poos but instead smeary, unfinished business most of the time? Wiping forever seems irritating to the bum and doesn’t fully get you clean anyway. But does a spray bidet not just spread fecal matter around and potentially cause infections for other parts of the nether regions?

Wren

I feel like high fiber is the new big diet in health influencer communities online. Is it really that important or just another trend?

Agegamon

OK for context, I love my bidet. I will forever be having a bidet in my life now. That said, can too much of the good thing be bad? Can too much water on the butt - or water pressure especially - be dangerous? Are there times one should ever avoid its use in favor of the old wipe? What other fresh new concerns should I watch out for? I do keep it very clean and still do the courtesy wipe, but(t) I wonder if there is more to good bidet practice that I should know.

R0byn

Long time lurker, first time question asker (yes, apparently butt stuff is exactly the prompt I needed)... I grew up with the urban legend that people (traditionally gay men) who had too much anal sex over the years ended up needing to use tampons for fecal incontinence. Fact or flim-flam?

Agegamon

Thank you so much for saying that that. Disclaimer I am mostly a layperson and just want to support this point a little. But, holy crap, this is so important. Honestly it's so sad that sex ed and health ed doesn't cover stuff like this, especially when drawing a line of what is safe and what is not! Yes, it may satisfy curiosity or seem OK to the ignorant person but we need healthy butts and GI systems SO FREAKIASDF MUUUUCH. These parts of our body aren't magically indestructible because they deal with poop right???

Miranda Panda

Ostomy bags: how do they work? Why do people need them?

Miranda Panda

Why do constipation and diarrhea often have the same causes? They are so opposite of one another, so it seems odd that they could be caused by the same issues.

Miranda Panda

I would also like to know why pain in my uterus causes pain in my butt.... And my kidneys. And my legs. But those questions may be for another ologist...

Milinda B

I'm with R0byn, I've listened for years but it took an episode about butts to bring me out of my lurk. Thanks for unlurking with me, R0byn! The question: sometimes I have massive amounts of pain in my rectum for what seems like no reason. Don't need to go poo, didn't do anything wild, just spontaneous agony. It does seem to happen more often at night, sometimes after I go to sleep. Colonoscopy results were fine, I have IBS but no one knows why ("it's stress" ugh). Any ideas about the cause of the pain? The doctor didn't really care after the colonoscopy didn't find anything.

Miranda Panda

Have we done our health a disservice by creating toilets we can sit on? Should we be squatting?

Keely Chavez

Amen. It is shocking how people don’t understand their own bodies AND how terrible fear & shame are. We gotta take better care of each other & educate each other.

Keely Chavez

Long live the scopes! (I circulated in gi suite as a side hustle). You all are worth your weight in gold!

Andrew McVay

2nd foreign bodies. What’s that line, “If you like it, you should have put a string on it”?

Felipe Jimenez

I am very interested in the “poop transplants” (aka FMT) and their future in medicine. Can you please discuss the principles ? Do you see FMT having a future role in treating conditions like chronic constipation, IBS-C, or hemorrhoid-associated dysfunction, or is the microbiome-gut-motility connection still too unclear?? Thanks Alie!

Mads

We all know fibre is great, but can too much fibre be damaging to your gut? What about other food groups? Too much protein etc, good or bad?

Mads

I'd love it if you could tslk about gut biome - how do I make sure mine is healthy, how do I know if probiotics are the right ones for me, what impact does a healthy gut biome have beyond our gut

Mads

What foods are really damaging to your gut and should straight up be avoided?

Edward McKiver

Is a standard routine colonoscopy enough or should I get a virtual colonoscopy CT-Scan or ask my gastroenterologist to order a “Pill-Cam” study to check my entire digestive system?

JD

That could definitely be endometriosis - I just learnt that it can exist in your legs and cause pain in them. Have you ever been checked?

Olga Kolesnikova

What's the deal with random butt pain that wakes you up at night and then goes away in a few minutes? Asking for a friend...

Lena Laine

I recently got diagnosed with endometriosis, even though I haven't had much pain during my periods, but I do wonder if it's linked with my "difficult" poops. Maybe TMI, but maybe also relatable so here we go - at first, it seems like everything comes out great but then there's a tiny rest that I always have to work hard to get out and that doesn't seem right. Wondering if that could be endometriosis related or not. If anything - I'd be interested in the link between endometriosis and digestive issues. Thanks! (you can use my first name :) )

Gandalf the shite

First time question asked here, guess it had come to this. Anyway.. so what the deal with poop shyness? Why do some people have so much more trouble letting go when there's an occupied stall next to us, or someone waiting outside the door? How could one get over this?

Cheryl Sigretto

Hi, just signed up and this is my first question to ass(k)...Colon Hydrotherapy, Yay or Nay?

Lady_Marzipan

As though pregnant people don't have enough to worry about - anything every pregnant person should know about pre- and post-natal colorectal health, particularly after a vaginal birth? That's a lot of pressure on a sensitive area...

Ben Kmo

This! Especially with the internet’s obsession with being bottom-ready & spotlessly clean at all times. Also why do some people spend hours prepping, but so long as I eat enough fiber, it’s a 10 min thing for me?

ZenFrog

Let's talk bugs! What's the story with the gut microbiome? Can fecal transplants help ulcerative colitis? Why don't they drop a few good bugs in when we have colonoscopies?

ZenFrog

Could highly processed foods be responsible for the rise in colon cancer in you folks? If so, what's the public health response?

Ben Kmo

On the flip side, does pooping SO MUCH also run in families? My family jokes (but it’s mostly true) that we can not stay in a vacation rental without a 1:1 person to toilet ratio because we all poop 3+ times a day.

Cassandra Grafstrom

Why does anesthesia cause SEVERE constipation? Like truly thought I would have to go back the hospital to get it removed constipation.

Erin White

Why is pooping a barometer for how much a conversation stresses me out? What's up with scary-conversation poops? Why is that a thing, as if relationships weren't already hard enough?

Sarah

Is it true that milk and dairy can make you constipated? A doctor told me there's no evidence for it, but everyone, including other doctors, say it's true. What's the status?

Beckie Schlesinger

First time question asker and excited to ask as someone who has had Crohn’s disease for 20 years now: what is the science connecting Crohn’s disease and IBD to increased risk of colon cancer?

Arella Zarina

Hi, first time question asker here :) didn't expect this to be the first topic, but it's such an ologies thing and I appreciate you informing the world about how to take care of themselves in this too, you're a gem! Ok so I've got a few. (You can use my first name:D) 1) I recently turned 18 and have no idea about any doctor's visits or anything I should be doing regularly, so are colonoscopies and stuff like that meant to be a yearly checkup thing or just if I think somethings wrong? What is the ologist's personal take on this? (I could just google but google isn't a board certified colorectal surgeon) 2) I heard somewhere that when we sleep there are tiny white bugs that come out of our butt and then go back in and are harmless but disturbing none the less, is this true of some weird flim-flam? Sorry I have no idea where I got that 3) would the ologist say that average world wide butt-health has worsened because of us dumping with our phones? 4) whyyyy do guys take SO long on the toilet and are there health risks I could caution my brother against to get him to stop??

Kai Kishimoto

If he’s up for talking about it, I’d be curious to hear his perspective on anal sex safety and preparation- in particular, is it true too many enemas can wash out beneficial bacteria? How many is too many? (Would prefer no name on this question!)

Christina Johnson

Can we talk about the digestive anatomy and all the cool things that we don't know about this taboo part of our body?! What's going on down there? And how do we keep it healthy? What do most people not know about taking care of this part of their body? Any weird trends in history or ways that people approached taking care of their butts in the past... Love hearing about human history. (No need to use my name on this episode. Ha)

Christina Johnson

Okay, I really need an answer to this one! Is there an anatomical or physiological reason that guys seem to take so much longer on the toilet?

Paulina Krasińska-Sroka

❤️Question I had after the poop episode and you liked it: Regarding the method where you elevate your legs/knees for easier pooping - is it possible that for a person with retroverted uterus it works the other way around? I have one and it seems that it goes smoother when I lean back. 💩 Thank you!

Christina Johnson

what is the normal amount of time to sit on the toilet to have a healthy bowel movement?? What is the journey from mouth to toilet? How long does it take us to process food? What can we do to help our gut and digestive health? Are there ways to prevent colon cancer and what should we all be doing to make sure that we're doing our best to prevent it... Especially if there's a family history. Are there things we should be teaching our kids from a young age that maybe as a society we are not.. Again please no need to use my name!

schmackos

First time question asker and lactose intolerant human here. Is it possible to improve food intolerances by increasing the levels of certain bacteria in the gut? E.g. by eating specific foods or taking supplements. (Please help me digest cheese again 🫠)

Kaylee Moye

I’ve seen so much buzz surrounding the rise in colon cancer diagnoses in young people, as someone who is familiar with AYAs it’s alarming. Nutrition has become such a hot topic among “wellness” influencers. Soluble fiber? Insoluble fiber? Limiting processed foods? General diet variety? What is the best practice for a real reduction in the risk of colorectal cancer?

Kayleejane

I don't have a question just here to say I live in the town where Butt Drugs was! It went out of business last year sadly.

e-rennebee

how much of my body weight on any given day is poop waiting to happen

e-rennebee

also how long does it generally chill in there before it leaves

Fadé

Is my fissure going to be a part of me forever or is there anything to do to fix it

Leah Anderson

Is that femmes/women feel compelled to keep doing stuff and don't feel like we're allowed to take time for anything that isn't productive (or productive of something besides poop?).

Dave Langlinais

Why is a "butt-load" precisely 126 gallons (equal to two hogsheads)? (I actually already know this, I just think it'd be hilarious to hear on the podcast)

Leah Anderson

My ex-husband definitely caused some scary-poops :-( But so did buying a house...

Lillian Rolfe

My son was diagnosed with severe crohns at 14 (we’re talking esophagus, stomach and the usual large and small intestines) and at 20 is finally in remission thanks to the glory of Remicade. any chance of a cure in his lifetime? What new drugs are coming on the market? Why him, when there’s no diagnosed autoimmune disease in either side of the family? How at risk are any future children he may have?

Leah Anderson

I saw someone on a walk a few weeks ago who was wearing shorts and had their ostomy bag around their ankle and gave zero fucks.

Lillian Rolfe

Wait wait….what? Is this true? Is this an angle i should explore about why no drugs work (or fiber or water or walking etc) to get me ‘going’ more than every 8ish days?

Leah Anderson

That happened to me too! I fell super hard on an icy foot bridge and have had an indent in my left butt cheek ever since.

Quinn B

It could be related! Track to see how it changes throughout your cycle

Fuzzgoddess

My father in law had a large section of his intestines taken out when he was a teen due to chrohns related adhesion and inflammation. Are there any new discoveries that would prevent or change such a major surgery?

Evan

Hey guys - first time question asker here. Butt stuff? I have been summoned. Bright blood after movements, always. I’ve tried fiber supplements, Miralax, steroid cream, and I make it a point to eat a pretty objectively healthy diet and stay active. Woe is me. Fissures and hemorrhoids galore. Help? Share my name, babe - everybody poops.

Jenny Leigh

FTQA. Is there ANYTHING a person can do to naturally shrink hemorrhoids?? Possibly, witch hazel is the natural remedy most known along with eating a diet high in fiber, but are there others? Also - Thanks for covering butts and other topics people need more informatation about in such an accesible dare I say delightful way! You always have such amazing ologists on and I am over the top in telling others to listen to your podcast! KOKO BAB!

Chellybean

First time question asker, long time listener! • Why do we have hair growth in the crack? Does it act like eyelashes in that it keeps out dust/debris/etc.? • If someone gets the hair waxed or removed, are farts typically louder? • Why do I suddenly have to poop when I’m particularly stressed? Why does this happen for some folks, but others get constipated when stressed?

Tess Flinner

Butt stuff!!! Yippee! (first time question asker) I just finished reading Clean by James Hamblin (Ty Libby app) and he mentions that America's dry toilet paper method of cleaning post poo-poo is not very effective. He suggests using a little bit of water on the toilet paper if you don't want to invest in a fancy Japanese bidet. Curious what advice your expert has on this matter!

Holden A. Goose

how good are probiotic foods(kimchi, natto, yogurt) really? does it make a significant enough difference? how about probiotic pills? which is better?

MamaLuz

FTQA here. Can you please ask about chronic constipation and the gut microbiome? I feel like I've been constipated my whole life. It seems like when I cut out sugar and carbs and try to eat healthier, it get worse. And when I go back to my SAD ways (standard American diet), it gets better. Is my microbiome addicted to sugar and am I screwed forever? How can I fix it? (Please don't say more water and exercise because you may as well tell me to grow gills and jump in the lake)

Majestic Gull

Are we spending too much time on the pot reading or gaming? Are hemorrhoids, rectal prolapse, etc., the new norm? Does it get worse with aging??

Holden A. Goose

what significance does the buttcrack have?

Brian Leone Tracy

Short question - Can we talk about the pudendal nerve? Long question - I was born with imperforate anus, and had a colostomy and then later a pull thru procedure (PSARP) and a few years ago had a revision on the prolapse. Something happened, and for five months I was had extreme nerve pain in my groin, rectum, and perineum. I wouldn't wish this pain on my worst enemy. I had to figure out what was going on, entirely on my own. I discovered pudendal neuralgia. What's up with that nerve and why do very few doctors know about it? (My guess is that dysfunction there is typically a problem for AFAB people so there's not much research on it?)

Spencer Holtaway

What was going on in Bristol that they invented the Bristol stool chart? Do we even want to know?

Spencer Holtaway

Sometimes I wipe and then my butt is like “SIKE! I got more poop for you!”. Why is my butt such a prankster?

Spencer Holtaway

Whoa never thought about this. I want to know too!

ariel.vanzandt

Why do people develop IBS? I developed it at 29 and there didn't seem to be a trigger.

ariel.vanzandt

What's the deal with travel constipation?

ariel.vanzandt

What's something about poop and butts that you think everyone should know?

Spencer Holtaway

Ooh here’s one 🤔 why do we have two holes? Like, it’s all gonna come out one way or another so why not just have a poop and pee hole instead of developing two? Are there animals with just one out there?

Spencer Holtaway

As an aside, I MUST do some art for this episode.

Nick Ryder

Asking as a trans guy that takes testosterone- butt hair. Why? Why do we have it, what evolutionary purpose does it serve, and why is it one of the first noticeable side effects when people start hormone therapy?

Nick Ryder

First time question asker, why do my afternoon coffee and cigarette routine send me directly to the bathroom even if I’ve already gone earlier in the day?

Erin Dewberry

Can I get your thoughts on "butt masks"? They are like face masks, but for your rump instead. Seems silly to me, but you are the expert here

Amy Leithliter

Can we talk about polyphenols and how they relate to the microbiome? Also curious about the pudendal nerve (as well as the meaning of its name). Ideal colonoscopy prep?

Nick Ryder

I work taking care of physically disabled people, and Monday/Wednesday/Friday is “pooping day” where everyone gets a suppository. What is it about being wheelchair bound that makes people unable to (or struggle to) poop unassisted? I thought it was just from no lower body movement but we do lots of physiotherapy to prevent joint pain and things like that. One of my residents also recently got a colostomy, any tips/advice/things to look out for on the caregiver end of things? How often should a bag need to be changed or what warning signs should we be on the lookout for?

Nick Ryder

My local computer museum (HNF in Paderborn, Germany) has a pill cam on display in an exhibit and the technology is SO cool and interesting to me. Related question though- when we have pill cams, why are traditional colonoscopies still performed? Is it a price thing, or are there some things you have to go in manually to see?

Nick Ryder

Wet wipes- the good, the bad, the environmentally unfriendly? Are there any pros or cons for using them strictly on the butthole health side of things?

Braden Hellewell

SWAMP ASS. Seriously, why does my butt sweat so much when I have to poop? Also: What is the evolutionary reason that butts smell bad to us? Also: What might explain the correlation between GLP-1s and constipation?

Nick Ryder

Maybe your body had good intentions and was making room for more nachos or your munchies of choice? /j

Nick Ryder

Seconding the period butt pain question. My household calls them the butthole stabbies

Nick Ryder

Does Yakult actually do anything for digestive health or is it a placebo? I love those yummy little yogurt shots.

Nick Ryder

Gastric transit time! How long does it take for food to travel from mouth to toilet? I know there’s a “test” you can do with consuming a lot of blue dye and timing how long it takes to show up, but how short is too short and how long is too long?

Nick Ryder

Sorry for so many questions- first time asker and fine with my name being in the episode!

Jon.Swanson

First timer here, I had a small bowel re-section after a car accident. I always get backed up after pizza now. Do you think that’s more of a cheese or bread problem? Also why do we not ALL use bidets?! They are the best!

Amy Leithliter

As a clinical vitalist herbalist I can say yes there are other remedies that come to mind for hemorrhoids. I’m not here to give you herbal or nutritional advice, but to recommend working with a clinical herbalist and/or listen to the podcast episode for The Plant Path “An Herbal Formula for an Embarrassing Condition”. I’m not finding it on my iPhone’s native podcast app anymore but am seeing that it’s on Spotify or on their own website https://theplantpath.libsyn.com/an-herbal-formula-for-an-embarrassing-condition

Kimberly Butts

Ha! It was so embarrassing; I was over at a friend's house and ended up in the bathroom for ummm awhile. 🫣

Lisa Fleming

That’s hilarious! I had never heard that phrase before and I’ve worked in healthcare for a long time and I’ve seen lots of foreign body cases myself 😂

Tortellini Hot

Performance poos - what is the deal?

Tortellini Hot

Between myself and all of my female-identifying friends - we are all constipated, all the time. Is this just a coincidence, or is there somehow a sad correlation between being a woman and being constipated? If so, is it a biological sex thing, or is it the experience of living this gender in this world?

Molly Hale

I'm a 67 year old female and I fart more now than I ever did before, mostly when exercising--the noise is embarrassing. Why might this be happening? And please don't use my name

Derek Tellin

I didn't do it for the first time until I was in my mid-30s. Back in the day, this wasn't really a conversation. I never had to wait for a hookup to prepare. In the last decade or so there has been a noticeable shift.

Lauren Conner

There seems to be a steady and alarming increase of adults under 40 receiving a stage 3 or 4 colorectal cancer diagnosis . Has there been ongoing research or new research regarding the shift in age of those getting diagnosed with colorectal cancer? Is there a working hypothesis?

rowantree

Is gut healing a real thing? I’m on a low-FODMAP diet and I feel much better when I’m really good about it, but will there be a point where I won’t have to be so restrictive because my body isn’t as sensitive due to gut healing?

Ben Sparrow

FTQA: I would like to know what the literature says about capsaicin’s effect on the bowel. Why/how are some people more susceptible to its effects (cramping, diarrhea, etc.) than others? Can one build a tolerance? Are there certain things one could eat alongside the spicy in order to lessen its effects? Things that make it worse? I just wanna enjoy more food with my wife!

killian senpai

I can’t believe this is going to be my first question, but here goes: Last month was hell for me because I just about tore myself a new asshole while I was training to be a window washer. I was using a 40ft pole to scrub a skylight, which I apparently wasn’t physically ready to do, tried to engage my core and engaged my anus instead. Initially, I didn’t know I had hurt myself. I felt a little pop but thought it was a tiny fart or my spine cracking. The following days, I thought my BMs were painful because I made my soup too spicy (tbf, I had also done this). After a couple weeks, the pain was so excruciating I had to go to the ER, where they lanced what had become a significant abscess. It’s been almost a month since I went to the ER and the incision and everything is healing, but I’m wondering if my rectum will ever be the same? Will I have a fragile ass forever? Obviously no one can tell the future, and the guest likely wasn’t one of the doctors to examine me, but I’m keen to avoid a repeat of this experience, as enlightening as it was. Thanks!!

Joy Kotheimer

Any interesting/new info or research you’d like to share about microbiomes- it’s fascinating learning how our lil’gut-butt buddies influence human health!!

Honeydew

Why is there sometimes a sharp pain in the booty hole during my period?!!!? I’ve heard a lot of other people who have periods complain of this same thing.

Jenny Leigh

Thank you, Amy I appreciate your responding to my comment! I will check out the plant path.

Janelle Sedlacek

Is there such thing as too much farting? Are humans the only animal to engage in butt stuff? Asking for a friend.

Michelle

Butt hair - why do we have it? What are the pros/cons to shaving it? And do those pros/cons differ between men and women?

Katie Biardi

Why are some people more gassy than others, and is there a fix? Asking as a gassy person who is dating a very non-gassy person.

Katie Biardi

Also, super weird and feel free to skip, but why does diarrhea feel hot? Like, since it's more watery shouldn't it feel "cooler"? What is happening with the nerve endings down there to make it feel that way??

Tortellini Hot

for someone whose butthole was completely wrecked by pregnancy, what treatment does the butt expert recommend postpartum? Is the recommendation to wait and see if they go away after pregnancy? Or is it better to not waste time and just move to procedures like banding, surgery, or lancing? Is the answer different based on amount? Or if they are external, prolapsed, or thrombosed?

Tortellini Hot

And how does one best advocate for themselves when it comes to their butt health?

Olivier Calas

What’s all the talk about enemas? Does it have any actual benefit or is it nonsense?

Matthew Walcher

I’ve heard that getting soap inside the anus while washing can be harmful. Is this true, and if so, what makes it potentially unsafe?

Bit of bitter butter

Not me reading this on the toilet and getting guilty about hemorrhoids :(

Lux!

first time question asker, and I'm proud to be coming out to ask this -I do wonder....with proper prep, how much CAN a human butthole stretch?

Matt and Lesley

First time question asker now that my husband got us a Patreon subscription for our anniversary this year! • For years, my husband had a cyst in his butt crack, and he finally got it addressed this year and it’s known as a Pilonidal cyst. When they got it removed, the doctor was surprised by his healing and said he had a “medically perfect ass.” Apparently these cysts are common among men and I was wondering why it’s common for men and not women? • My mother had colorectal cancer, and is thankfully in remission, and when my doctor suggested I should also be screened, it took three tries before my insurance company was willing to pay for the colonoscopy. Glad they did because they found a cyst that was benign, but as a woman who’s not yet 30, why is colon cancer occurring more and more among other women in my generation? (As a sidenote, I listened to your field trip episode as you were preparing for your colonoscopy, and it made me feel so much more calm and prepared…pun intended.)

Alexandra R Thompson

What is the deal with proctalgia fugax? Appears to run in my family, hurts like hell, and all I have been able to do for it is get up and walk until it subsides.

Alexandra R Thompson

It's called proctalgia fugax and I'd also like to know about it!

wyswysia

I've read about the importance of maintaining a good gut microbiome, but I have IBS-D. How can I keep those little guys happy and healthy if they're constantly being, well, swept away?

Britt Kline

1.) How much do you believe in probiotics and is it safe to take them daily for many years (possibly forever?), especially if you switch up the brand or type frequently? 2.) Bidets vs vaginal infections or UTIs: I’m prone to said infections and therefore slightly terrified to use a bidet. My partner (has the same anatomy as me) loves them and wants one again. I’d like to stop using so much TP, and learn to love and trust a bidet…Butt….WDYT, as an expert? Can bidets actually be problematic for vagina-having people (possibly TMI: my bits are rather closer together than the average, I’m told)?

Britt Kline

I guess that’s more than 2 questions 😂

Marissa Winkler

My mother went through pretty intense chemo and radiation for anal cancer a few years ago. She’s cancer free, but her digestion has not quite returned to normal. Is there anything that she can do to help her butt become a little more predictable? Elimination diets? Probiotics? Meditation?

Marissa Winkler

What’s the deal on a connection between back health and bowels? My partner has had two surgeries for herniated discs, and if he feels a twinge in his back he ends up with diarrhea. What’s up with that?

Silent H

Internal hemorrhoids - what's up with them?

IWannaBeAnonymous

Are there any treatments to permanently and safely close an anal fistula without significant risk of fecal incontinence? How would one find the most knowledgeable specialists in this field?

Katie Munoz

Why oh why does any little bit of cheese cause me constipation? It doesn't seem to do that to my friends or my brothers. As I get older, it seems like any dairy products at all do that. (Anonymous please.)

Sonjabird

I get this! Is there a connection between this and migraines (which I also get). I lovingly call these buttgraines. Also why does this happen to me only at night?

Fi Cameron

My wife has Chron’s, and often gets perianual cysts and fistulas. Apart from the medication prescribed by her GI (currently she’s on Rinvok), is there anything she can do to prevent them?

Fi Cameron

Any advice on how best to look after a loved one with chronic butt problems?

Lindsay Mixer

Omg that's such a wonderful anniversary present

Lindsay Mixer

Oh I thought of another question: What's with connective tissue and the butt? I've heard folks with EDS and other connective tissue disorders tend to have IBS and general trouble pooping. What does the connective tissue in the colon and rectum do for us?

DeezOlogeez

Some of the funniest and “shittiest” times in my life have come from my butt…or someone else’s. My question is: Of all the butt health tips, what’s the one that would turn that little “O-face” into a smile?

Vanessa Frey

Is it normal to poop several times a day, every day?

DeezOlogeez

I was not expecting that question and almost pissed myself laughing.

Lux!

:D all these medical questions are totally understandable and valid, but somebody has to ask the thing we all secretly want to know, even if we haven't ever thought about it

Andrew McVay

Like the Beyoncé song! I have to admit, I heard it from a doctor, who’s removed plenty of, …foreign objects.

Izalina Bittencourt

Very specific question, but I have constant issues with constipation due to inflammation from endometriosis. Any tips other than the occasional laxative regimen? (don't read my name pls)

Katie O

Hi!! so curious if this ologist can talk more about the connection between GI issues and anxiety???

Katie O

What is the craziest thing you have seen removed from a butt?????????????????? (For me, I think it was a mannequin arm with a baseball cling wrapped to the top!) - Love, Your local Aurora ER Nurse!!!

Katie O

How to do you feel about the statement: Type A is to Constipation, as Type B is to Diarrhea. (can't prove it but I feel like it always pans out that way)

Katie O

Need to know the answer omg hahaha.

Katie O

omg wait thats happened to me too

Paige Moreth

I'm a sex educator that works with post secondary students - what is the most important thing you think is missed in health class that young people NEED to know about their butts (and is it proper hygiene)?

L Erin

What would inspire a doctor to become a full-time polyp-removal professional, and to all the butt docs, thank you for your service. How do you introduce yourself at parties?

Jacob Morvay

I’m Jewish (ashekanzi) and we always half joke around about our genetics contributing to more of us than usual having Chrons, IBS, etc. Is there anything to that scientifically?

ReigningEmily

Constipation. I’ve seen doctors, had exploratory surgery, changed diets, taken seemingly every prescription and otc drug out there, but still it is a chronic and painful problem. I’m going mad. Is there anything else I could/should be doing that would help even a little bit?

Paige Menking

Squaty potty! Real or flim flam? I have found I've become rather dependent on it since I got one, which has made travel-related constipation the worst!

Emily Akin

Serious question for the Butt Expert: When did society decide that butts needed a PR team? Why did we go from ‘flat butt = bad’ to ‘big butt = ideal’ to whatever era we’re currently in? Basically…when and why did we all get so obsessed with butts? And as a side curiosity, did moments like the ‘I Like Big Butts and I Cannot Lie’ era actually influence this shift, or was the cultural butt obsession already happening?

Bryoni Milne

Oh I have been WAITING on this one!!!! - long time listenener, first time question asker :) I got terrible IBS after keyhole surgery for endometriosis. Every doctor or surgeon I've spoken to has just kinda shrugged and said that was my life now and they don't know why it happened.... BUT I just don't like that answer! Surely there is a reason my bowels got SO messed up after keyhole, I can't eat gluten anymore to the point of HIVES and basically everything disagrees with me, I've accepted this is my life now but I just want a reason as to why it happened! Thanks!! - Bry is fine :)

Capybara Gall

Why have autoimmune gut conditions like Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's increases? Are there lifestyle changes (e.g., diet) that are clinically validated? What pharmaceutical treatments are you most excited about for the future?

Capybara Gall

What can young people do to reduce their risk of colon cancer? And if we do have gut symptoms when should we get those checked out? For example doctors (in my experience) don't want people to come in for diarrhea unless it's lasted at least 2 weeks.

Yodad

Since you are on record as not kink-shaming, what are long-term effects of rimming? I am grateful that my S.O. and I connect this way, and I've definately noticed a little less...uh...taughtness; but anything we need to know? It's going on years now - around the circle, tongue in and out, swirling - so yeah...how often does somebody get a chance to ask an expert :P ( ‿ * ‿ )

ValBeListening

Cosmetic questions (if the expert can speak to them): what's up with butt pimples? Should we have a skin care routine for our butts? Also, toilet seat covers. Should we be using them in public settings? What can one contract from a toilet seat if anything?

ValBeListening

Growing up I had awful constipation. My doctor suggested powdered fiber to add to my water and said I'd basically have to depend on it my whole life. I was around 10 and it seemed wild to me that I was doomed to some supplement. I looked into foods that offer fiber instead and this was a step in many to eventually turn to vegetarianism. I've now been vegetarian for nearly 15 years and I haven't taken fiber supplements since I introduced more vegetables into my daily diet. I see advertisements for supplements like Grüns, promising they'll help people poop regularly. This all leads me to wonder, is the US experiencing a fiber epidemic?

Coreen “the climate communicator” Weilminster

I’m guessing this episode isn’t making the S’mologies menu. I’m grateful you’re getting into the plumbing of some deeper material 😉🥁 As a communicator and science translator, I’m curious about the cultural questions I’m seeing — how butts play a role in our society… Eg: calling someone an asshole/buttface/asshat Telling someone off by saying “Kiss my ass” or “shove it up your ass.” Phrases we use “opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.” And “He doesn’t know his asshole from his elbow.” And lastly…I was brought up with a Slavic grandmother who called the butt “doopa.” My husband’s family called it a “heinie” (he’s got German ancestry). What are other languages calling it?

Christine Pikstein (she/her)

How often are you randomly shown pictures on someone's phone of their hemorrhoids? What symptoms confirm an IBS diagnosis? I think I have it, but I might just be dramatic. (Feel free to use my name.)

Ted Vician

How do or how should the patient and various medical specialists work together? For example, maybe someone’s butt symptoms are caused by a problem in the stomach or small intestine, but they’re consulting with a proctologist because that’s the noticeable symptom. For a bad analogy, if a car has a damaged piston ring, the oil pump may fail because of metal flakes in the oil. Fixing the oil pump doesn’t address the real problem.

Andrea Devlin

Why do you have to limit your diet so much the week before a colonoscopy If you're going to flush everything out before the procedure? The week long prep is frustrating, but I think knowing why might make the process easier.

Clarissa Vargo

Do you think there's a chance that colonoscopy age restrictions will be lowered as more people in their 30s are being diagnosed with colon and rectal cancers? It makes me so anxious!

Clarissa Vargo

Also does the general pelvic floor affect it for these disorders and if so how?

Clarissa Vargo

Yes! Also, is it likely that the age for colonoscopy screening will be lowered further?

Alisha Harris

Are there any up-and-coming treatments or innovations you’re particularly excited about? What are some of the biggest barriers to care in colorectal health (e.g., stigma, access, misinformation)?

Lauren Cooper

Why is it that people with uteruses poop so much faster than people without? It takes me under 5 minutes to poop, meanwhile my husband is in the bathroom a minimum of 15 minutes. I have heard similar from other friends. Are we just more efficient shitters?

Christina Johnson

I very much agree with that concept... There are times that I feel super anxious and then realize I just haven't gone to the bathroom. Haha.. instead running around helping with a thousand different kid things prepping for work, etc. I do agree that a lot of women I know feel like they can't sit down because they'll fall behind on all the things they have to get done... Maybe that includes sitting to go the bathroom! 😆

Pseudonym Jones IV

For the past decade, I have wondered what a proctologist would think, how would they react if they discovered a tiny civilization in the literal bowels during a routine colonoscopy of one of their clients.

Pseudonym Jones IV

Also, how fast (in kph or whatever) does peristalsis move crap through the different parts of the gut?

Andrew McVay

How tight is the anus? Is it measured in psi? How about compared to a doubled over rubber band? 3x, 18x as tight? How about compared to a hair tie? Can mouth muscles squeeze as tight as the anal sphincter?

Madison Woofter

Unfortunately, I recognize the struggle as I have struggled with constipation my entire life off and on. Increasing fiber certainly helps but isn't a full fix. Are there other, non dietary reasons, that could cause this long term struggle?

T Noz

Not as flashy a spot as Wall Drugs. Didn't scroll down the comments but someone probably ask already about the increase in CR cancers in the US. Too much chemical industry pollution? Viruses? Dietary causes?

T Noz

Maybe scrolling social media while on the throne? I do it (as a male). Read that spending time doom scrolling on the toilet increases the chances of hemorrhoids.

Moth

I would love to hear anything and everything you know about how being neurodivergent (autistic) affects butt/gut health!

Mare Nazare

Or cuz we know more now? cuz we look for it in other half of species? Dx and Rx historically been by & for wht mn.. Increase in CR cancer in US they say and who is they? who are their lobbyists and pharm funders? Are rates increasing elsewhere just as much or worse but there is no hc system or $ for diagnosis let alone treatment?

Platipussi

I would love some info on the shooting butt pain while menstruating. It appears to be something truly mysterious since I know few people willing to admit to it and talk about it. Thanks!

bug in a rug

Also why do I need to shit my guts out every time I menstruate

FelineMechanic

Anal glands! I've been told humans have smaller more indiscrete anal glands than other species (felines, canines)? How did 'we/humans' trivialize/evolve to decrease the importance of this? How has this stayed around in other species? What kind of problems do anal glands in humans pose? Is this the similar in non-human primates?

Michael Crosa

I just watched that episode of Futurama!

Michael Crosa

How often does the ologist get poop on them? Is there a difference in it happening expectedly versus unexpectedly?

Mare Nazare

Chrons disease? Wth. Why no known cause or cure?

Mare Nazare

flim flam of yesteryear or today in re role of race in patient care? Remember the lawsuit against Stanford health care, paid $20 million cuz of racial discrimination & harm, etc. tech, black wmn, working on pelvic floor, nurses showed up dressed as the kkklan (see pics published online, in lawsuit) cuz she reported insufficient training, warned of serious consequence, then they punctured&ruptured patient’s colon. Does ologist recall this, does it reflect the field?

Zandra Lea

Data point of one: yes! It took a few years but I can have lactose again, and small amounts of wheat flour. And it’s expensive, but Fodzyme is totally worth it for restaurants etc!

Zandra Lea

Not an expert, but the low-FODMAP diet helped me!

Every Mags

First time question asker btw 💜

Kirsten Silvey

Okay, why do colorectal surgeons insist on giving post-op patients colace to help with post-operative constipation when the cause is often ileus and / or slow-transit from parastalsis-slowing opioids? What is wrong with having them chew gum or taking some senna?

Kirsten Silvey

Can you please explain why primary care providers treating older patients with neurological diseases, like Parkinson’s, should NOT advise the use of bulk fiber supplements (like psyllium) to treat their constipation? In the next breath, can you explain with fiber supplements can help people with diarrhea-prominent IBS decrease looseness of defecation as well as frequency?

Kirsten Silvey

Can you discuss why sugar-substitutes, like those in diabetic candies, can induce frequent loose stools? Can you also explain how they can affect your colonic biome?

Kirsten Silvey

Can you discuss C. Difficile Colitis and use of FECAL TRANSPLANTS? What is the best method for transplantation? Pill or suppository?

Kirsten Silvey

Can you talk about interesting surgical patients like one who can fart out of his penis (I.e., colovesical fistula)?

Kirsten Silvey

Can you discuss GI tract carcinoid tumors signs and symptoms as well as treatment?

Rose L

My partner has UC and spent the past year in the hospital and on steroids. It’s been rough. Are there any promising medicines on the horizon to cure Crohn’s/UC so as to avoid colorectal surgery? Why isn’t there a cure?

Rich Jester

When is it not a hemorrhoid?

Dr. Crouton

Has there been any new progress with continence diversion options besides traditional ostomies and J-pouches? Is there a viable future for continent ostomies or advances in stoma/appliance interfaces?

Noasusan

Please can we talk farts? Has anyone ever died from farts and what are all their components? Also, have you ever seen the MythBusters episode about deadly farts? It's a good one.

Wraptile

Are fiber supplements as good as real fiber?

Gaby Carrie

What’s the best country/area of the world for ostomy care? In the US it can be really difficult to get supplies, proper care, etc etc

Car-in

Yes! What's going on? Sometimes I feel like I'm about to faint or throw up (or both) from that weird and intense pain.

Amanda VanRanst

FTQA, LTL! You can use my name 😀 I was diagnosed with UC 7 years ago, after I tried a probiotic in an attempt to be more *healthy* and triggered an 8 month flare-up. While my gastroenteroligist can't definitively say what the cause was in my case, there had been genetic correlations mentioned. In my family, there is a growing number of ladies being diagnosed with GI issues. My maternal grandmother and an aunt died of stomach and upper GI cancers, my mother and I have UC, my sister has Crohn's. There's also a heavy prevalence of type 2 diabetes and celiac/gluten intolerance in my family. Is there research being done on these diet related conditions and possible links to tummy bubbling and butt stuff issues? Any research on genetic vs environmental factors? As an aside Alie, I appreciate you sharing your colonoscopy experience. Having had 3 to-date, what you take to prep can change for the easier. I like to say I'm a prep pro, butt that's probably not the flex to folks without IBS I think it is.

Eric Anderson

Can we discuss active diarrhea pool warning signs. Is this just in California or is it mandated else where.

Even Ewe

Please ask about rectocele/perineocele and why this is so hard to treat with surgery, why surgery is not more effective and what you can do post op to have a better outcome.

Mariana Alvarez

I know our GI system makes many hormones that play a role in our mood. How much of those actually make it to the brain and is there anything we can eat to make us happier? Asking for a friend...

Nick Reed

Wow. Points for creativity to that person!

Nick Reed

As another Nick R trans guy who's on HRT: the presence or absence of butt hair is genetic! Most folks afaik have hair around the butthole itself, but only a subset of people have hairy cheeks. (Source: I'm Southeast Asian, and we generally don't have butt hair, regardless of sex hormones! Downside: ten years on T and I can't grow a beard to save my life. Genetics giveth and taketh away.)

Kristina Kunze

How do celiac and food intolerance effect your colon health long term? SIBO, is it the cause of problems or the symptom of an underlying problem? Hemorrhoids…. Why? 😭 How do I have solid poops and loose poops in the same day? What causes polyps in the colon? Why does fiber make me poop LESS? (Can you tell I have chronic GI issues?)

Kristina Kunze

This! My bf will be like “wait… you pooped that fast?” I wait until I have to poop, not sit and wait and see if it’ll happen lol

Sparrow15

If yearly stool sample is clear, the one sent of to the hospital, how many years can you avoid colonoscopy? Seems less risky and also much less prep and fuss.

Janis Ryan

The GI doctor recommended a daily golden Kiwi; it is really consistently helpful, but why?