I have had soft stools for the last 3 months maybe one hard stool every few weeks. They are a normal brown color but it doesent come out in one solid stool it comes out in many small peanut butter consistancy stools and sinks to the bottom of the toilet right away (not diarrhea just very soft not liquidy at all) , sometimes the stool just comes out very easily and just forms a big bulky mass in the bottom of the toilet. I went thru a depression phase earlier this year maybe that could have triggered it??? I have also started excercising (I never used to excercise) I eat alot of fruit (especially apples hoping to make my stool harder) now and drink lots of water. I have noticed that when I eat greasy or spicy foods about 2 minutes after eating those types of foods I have to go to the bathroom right away and have diarrhea but the diarrhea ends right after that. I move my bowels about 2 times a Day. Sometimes I feel constipated but pass soft greasy stool and somtimes have a little trouble passing but most of the time its the soft bulky easily passed mass that forms at the bottom of the toilet. Could depression trigger IBS? Do you think I have IBS? Could the excercising have triggered it? Does it sound normal to anyone? Please Help maybe Im just paranoid..... Thank You

Also I am 18 and leaving for basic training soon maybe my nervousness could be triggering this? is this kind of stuff normal for an 18 year old? Is IBS common in teens?

From what I've read, when greasy foods go through you like that it's usually your gallbladder. Or it could be nerves. I think IBS can start at any age.

Thanks for the reply.

I agree with previous poster. Try adding some fiber like Metamucil to your diet and see if that helps "bulk" things up.

Good luck to you and keep us posted,
Katie G