To think there is something wrong with my bowels?

[WildPoo]

In times when the world seems to be falling apart this may seem trivial, but it’s becoming an important issue for me! Have name changed for obvious reasons.

For the last maybe 18 months or so, every time I go to the supermarket, or any large shop eg IKEA or B&Q, within minutes of getting there I feel like I’m about to shit myself. It’s an urge that comes on suddenly and strongly, and I have to waddle off to the nearest toilet with a great degree of urgency. It’s not like I’m worried about it happening because I genuinely get taken by surprise by it each time, and it’s not like I find shopping a stressful experience. TMI warning - when I do get to the toilet, by god it’s Quite The Event, consistency is solid/normal, but when I walk out I must be about a stone lighter.

Anyway, that’s been a bit curious and annoying for a while, but easy enough to manage as there’s usually a toilet nearby. However, this seems to have extended to when I’m out walking. 3 times in the last 4 days, I’ve ended up having to have a wild poo when out with the dogs, which isn’t as handy as the supermarket thing as you can imagine. Similar feeling, comes out of nowhere and then within a few minutes it’s critical. This is more of a problem, because I’m out walking A LOT.

The shame of posting this on the World Wide Web, but I thought I’d see if anyone has any advice, do I need to see a doctor or is nearly shitting yourself on an almost daily basis just something that is part and parcel of middle age?

Time for the GP...

I’d pop along to the GP and get it checked out.

This is weirdly normal! I had forgotten so I looked it up again and it’s called the Mariko Aoki phenomenon. Must be such a relief, so I would be tempted to head to Ikea more often!

Voted YAB only because you honestly shouldn't be experiencing this so Go to your doctor.

See the doctor asap!

I had missed the wild poo part of it. Bit less easy to explain and less convenient than IKEA. I’d get that checked out too, because a wild poo sounds horrendous.

Amazing. This is News with a capital letter for me. Thank you! 😍

I will see my GP, as I can’t be borderline crapping myself so routinely. But what could be causing this? My brother has IBS so I’m wondering if that could be it?

First, carry tissues.

secondly, no not normal. See GP

Excellent advice.

I'm amazed that you've had this change of bowel habit for 18mths and not seen your GP about it yet! Please see them.

Can you also poo at home or only in large shops and outdoors? Any diarrhoea/blood?

To be honest, I mostly online shop so although it happens whenever I go to a big shop, that wasn’t often enough to really bother me too much. I do still ‘go’ at home, although never quite on the same scale in terms of volume as a supermarket poo. I never get the same feeling of urgency at home.

No blood or diarrhea.

The outdoors thing is going to be a major problem, as I’m a dog walker 😬

Hi op, sorry for the rude people before you.
I have this, for me it’s Primark, tkmaxx and Waterstones. Anywhere overstimulating with people, colours and sounds.
I spent ages talking to different doctors.

it’s anxiety, a fight or flight response that our body does to make us lighter so we can run away faster. This is what a psychiatrist told me.

being on sertraline has helped a bit

You’re getting caught short whilst out and about. It’s obviously impacting your life, so you need to make an appointment,

I did ask chat GPT about it a while ago, and it said basically that, that it’s a fight or flight response. But that was when it only happened in shops, now it’s happening out walking too I’m not so sure. Today for example, I was completely relaxed and enjoying a lovely sunny walk in a beautiful forest, then out of nowhere I nearly shat myself.

Get your GP to check it out. I had similar issues a few years ago and I was diagnosed with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Do you have any pain or cramping?

This used to happen to my dad! I’m amazed it had a name!

This happens to me too, usually in B&M which doesn’t have a toilet. Have had to rush out leaving DH at checkout! Quick dash to Aldi, next door! I thought it was just me.

I get this, particularly when my anxiety is bad... and TBH, I find IKEA a stressful place (except for the kitchen department. Weirdly, I LOVE looking at cookware), so it would be enough to set my stomach off, too!

Definitely take tissues out with you, but dock leaves are handy if you fall short.

My bowels have got much, much worse this decade.

Tonight I was walking along the road on my own, it was all silent, on the other side of the road a woman was walking, also on her own, and then I let rip a very loud fart that lasted about 5 seconds. I had no idea it was coming. This has never happened to me before. It was much louder than our footsteps, which was the only thing you could hear prior to it.

It actually made me immediately laugh out loud, in a kind of hysterical shock way.

No pain or cramping.

Get some pull on incontinence pants (not the pads) and don them every time you leave the house. Perhaps the feeling that you will not need a wild poo or a supermarket emergency poo unexpectedly might psychologically ease the feeling away.

Other than that, GP for sure, and perhaps anyway. That's not a normal bowel activity.

Have you been tested for coeliac disease?

I always wear leggings (like every day, or if it’s hot then cycling shorts), so I just laughed out loud at the vision of that with a ‘practice pants’ combo 😂😂😂. But that’s a good idea in theory.

No but I eat a low carb diet so don’t really have anything with gluten in usually.