Doctor explains what it means if
A doctor explains that feeling the need to use the bathroom right after
eating is common and usually not a sign of food “passing straight through.”
Instead, it’s caused by the normal gastrocolic reflex, which VeryWell Health describes as a process
that “stimulates movement in the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract after eating.”
Dr. Salhab says that when the stomach stretches with new food,
it sends signals that tell the colon to contract and “make room for new food.”
The waste you pass is older digested material, not the meal you just ate.
For people with IBS, this reflex can be stronger.
The Cleveland Clinic notes symptoms like “abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, and gas.”
Dr. Salhab adds that some experience intense cramping or diarrhea after meals.
Fortunately, there are ways to manage and ease these reactions.
