Yes that can happen. The food moves so fast thru the digestive system that it is quite recognizable when it comes out. This is mostly true for IBS-D sufferers. If you think about someone who goes about 8 times a day or more, the average duration in the gut is less than 3 hrs. If it spends 20 minutes in the stomach and 2.5 hrs in the intestines, it's likely to come out as you described. After a week I'd expect to see some big changes though.

I found that I had to add some acid into my stomach in order to close the valves at the top and bottom of the stomach and keep the food in there for at least a couple of hours. It can also cause heartburn in some people. I drank 1/2 oz of apple cider vinegar and 1/2 oz of warm water immediately before a meal. This improved my digestion a lot and I could stop the vinegar after a few days.

I am now taking Align over the counter for IBS diarrhea. It's a probiotic supplement, $30 for 28 pills, take one per day. Takes about 3 weeks to work. It works!
It has a special kind of beneficial bacteria in it: pure-strain Bifidobacterium Infantis for digestive health. It is for constipation, diarrhea, urgency, gas and bloating. It has worked for me and I highly recommend it.
Big Hug!

Yup some foods come thru looking very much like themselves. ie: corn, tomato skins and others that don't get digested totally Don't freak until you've had it checked out. It used to scare me too. .

acidiphilus pills are good for the digestion system and will help as well as the expensive ones SFwriter is taking. It's pretty much the same but with a different name. Ask the pharmacy for acidiphilus. I have IBS-D too and my food sometimes comes through the way it went in!!!
Good Luck, :) Sue

I often see red pieces in my stools if I eat tomato or anything else that has red in it. From what I understand, blood in the stool makes the stool look tarry, not bright red. I would not worry about it.

when your having a bowel movement..are you pushing to hard...thats one reason for bright red stool..Nick...

Dear All,

I am new on here I have knotted bowel syndrome and need help I find that eat a huge amount of laxatives to help the stomach to stay flat it often blows up and feels very sore. In June 2008 I ended up in hosptial with it and a huge amount of waste came out. I feel very hungry at times and people tell me I am too thin but if I start to eat at all I find it just keeps blowing up and getting sore. I skip and over exercise to keep it down I then feel very tired as well. The doctors tell me to just keep exercising and taking laxatives. One day I shall be so thin if I turn side ways you will not see me. Clatt.

Hi Clatt and welcome to the board..i have find out the best lax i can take is mirlax ..you can buy it at any drug store...Nick...