Sick of having to make a poop after every meal and wondering what’s causing this?
There are actually multiple possible causes for having to make a bowel movement shortly after just about every meal.
“One of the things to worry about is insufficient enzyme production by the pancreas,” says Matilda N. Hagan, MD, an inflammatory bowel disease specialist at The Center for Inflammatory Bowel and Colorectal Diseases, a part of The Melissa L. Posner Institute for Digestive Health and Liver Disease at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore.
“This can cause mal-digestion and malabsorption, leading to pooping after meals,” says Dr. Hagan.
A condition called exocrine pancreatic insufficiency is when the pancreas doesn’t produce enough enzymes.
Causes of EPI
• Chronic pancreatitis (causes include heavy drinking, smoking, high triglycerides, lupus, Sjogren’s syndrome, type 1 diabetes, or blockages in the passageways from stones or tumors)
• Recent surgery on the pancreas, intestines or stomach
More Causes of Pooping After Most Meals
“Some people can have bile acid diarrhea which is worse if the gallbladder has been removed,” says Dr. Hagan.
“In this case people may commonly poop after every meal especially if it is a greasy or fatty meal.
“For some, this may be how their system functions, and when it is their normal state, there usually is no abdominal pain or bloat related to this.”
Solutions to Having a Bowel Movement after Every Meal
Dr. Hagan says, “Depending on the cause, there are specific strategies from changes in diet to medications that should be discussed with a health care provider.”
A benign condition called microscopic colitis may make it seem that every meal sends you straight to the toilet.
In the literal sense, this is not true, but if the diarrhea that’s associated with this condition is frequent enough, it may seem that you are having a bowel movement (albeit diarrhea) after every meal.
Dr. Hagan is dedicated to collaborating with IBD specialists to discuss and explore advanced treatment options for the most complex inflammatory bowel disease cases.
Lorra Garrick has been covering medical, fitness and cybersecurity topics for many years, having written thousands of articles for print magazines and websites, including as a ghostwriter. She’s also a former ACE-certified personal trainer.
.
