Can You Throw Up Poop? Causes, Symptoms, and More

Let’s get this out of the way: “Can you throw up poop?” sounds like a bad joke you’d hear at a middle school lunch table.
But it’s actually a very real (and very serious) medical issue. While most of us only deal with regular nausea or the
occasional stomach bug, a tiny number of people experience something much worse: vomiting material that looks or smells
like stool. In medical language, this is called feculent vomiting.

The good news? It’s extremely rare. The bad news? When it does happen, it’s usually a sign of a major problem in the
intestines that needs emergency treatment. Understanding why it happens, what symptoms to watch for, and when to get to
the ER can literally be life-saving.

Can You Actually Throw Up Poop?

Technically, yes but not in the way many people imagine. You’re not suddenly bypassing your entire digestive system in
reverse because you ate too many tacos. Instead, feculent vomiting almost always happens when there’s a serious
blockage in the intestines that stops normal movement of food, liquid, gas, and eventually stool.

When the bowel is blocked and backed up for long enough, the contents can start to move the wrong way. The intestines
push against the blockage with strong muscular contractions. If the pressure builds and nothing can go forward, those
contents may be pushed backward into the stomach. When that material is vomited, it can look brown, thick, and smell
like feces which is where the phrase “throwing up poop” comes from.

Doctors sometimes use the term “feculent vomiting” or “fecal vomiting” to describe this. It’s closely
linked to severe bowel obstruction and is considered an emergency symptom, not just an unfortunate
stomach issue.

Feculent Vomiting vs. Just Nasty Vomit

Not every dark or bad-smelling vomit means you’re throwing up feces. Vomit can look brown, green, or yellow for lots of
reasons:

• Bile can turn vomit yellow or green.
• Old blood can make vomit look like coffee grounds.
• Certain foods and drinks can change the color (chocolate, cola, dark sauces).

True feculent vomiting is different. It usually:

• Smells strongly like stool.
• Looks thick, brown, and sometimes grainy.
• Happens in the context of other serious symptoms like severe belly pain, bloating, and not being able to pass gas or stool.

Either way, if your vomit looks or smells anything like poop, that’s not a “sleep it off and see tomorrow” situation.
It’s “go to the emergency room now” territory.

How Does “Throwing Up Poop” Happen Inside the Body?

To understand how this works, it helps to think of your digestive system like a one-way traffic highway. Food goes from
the mouth, down the esophagus, into the stomach, then into the small intestine, then the large intestine (colon), and
finally out the other end as stool.

Under normal conditions, this traffic only moves forward. Your intestines use rhythmic muscle contractions, called
peristalsis, to gently push contents along. But in certain conditions, this system can break down.

1. Mechanical Bowel Obstruction

A mechanical obstruction is like a physical roadblock in the intestines. Something is literally in the
way, so contents can’t move forward. Common causes include:

• Adhesions (bands of scar tissue) from previous abdominal surgery.
• Hernias, where part of the intestine gets trapped in a weak spot in the abdominal wall.
• Tumors in the intestines, especially colon cancer or other abdominal cancers.
• Volvulus, when a loop of intestine twists on itself.
• Severe constipation or impacted stool, especially in older adults or people with mobility issues.
• Inflammatory bowel disease strictures, such as those caused by Crohn’s disease.

When the intestines are blocked, fluid and gas build up behind the obstruction. The bowel swells, blood flow can be
affected, and the pressure keeps rising. As the body tries to relieve this, those strong muscular contractions can push
the contents backward eventually reaching the stomach and coming up as vomit.

2. Paralytic Obstruction (Ileus)

Not all obstructions are physical. Sometimes the intestines simply stop moving effectively. This is called a
paralytic ileus. There’s no solid object in the way, but the “conveyor belt” has shut down.

A paralytic ileus can happen after:

• Abdominal or pelvic surgery.
• Certain medications (especially opioid pain medications and some psychiatric drugs).
• Serious infections or severe illness.
• Electrolyte imbalances, such as low potassium.

In this case, food and fluid sit in the intestines instead of moving forward. Over time, this can mimic a blockage,
leading to swelling, discomfort, and, in rare cases, feculent vomiting.

3. Abnormal Connections (Fistulas)

Another rare cause is a fistula, an abnormal tunnel that forms between parts of the digestive tract.
For example, a connection might form between the colon and the stomach or small intestine. This can occur because of
long-standing inflammation, surgery, cancer, or certain infections.

When this happens, colon contents can reach upper parts of the digestive system, sometimes contributing to stool-like
material in vomit. Fistulas almost always require evaluation and treatment by a specialist.

Symptoms to Watch For

Feculent vomiting virtually never appears out of nowhere. Usually, it’s the “final boss” in a series of escalating
symptoms that have been building for hours or days. Common warning signs of serious bowel obstruction include:

• Crampy or severe abdominal pain that may come and go or become constant.
• Abdominal bloating or distension (your belly looks and feels swollen).
• Nausea and vomiting (early on, this may just be food or bile).
• Constipation or inability to pass gas, especially if this is new for you.
• Loss of appetite and feeling extremely unwell.
• Signs of dehydration like dry mouth, dark urine, dizziness, or rapid heartbeat.

If the obstruction is not treated, symptoms can progress to:

• Severe, constant abdominal pain.
• Fever or chills.
• Very tender or rigid abdomen.
• Confusion or extreme weakness.
• Vomiting material that looks or smells like stool.

At this stage, doctors worry about complications like:

• Bowel ischemia (reduced blood flow to the intestines).
• Perforation (a tear in the intestinal wall).
• Peritonitis (a dangerous infection in the abdominal cavity).
• Sepsis (a life-threatening whole-body infection).

These are all emergencies. If you or someone you’re with has these symptoms, especially combined with feculent vomiting,
it’s time to seek immediate emergency care.

When to Go to the ER

It’s easy to shrug off stomach issues as “something I ate,” but there are clear red-flag symptoms that should never be
ignored. Call emergency services or go to the ER right away if you have:

• Severe belly pain that comes on suddenly or keeps getting worse.
• Abdominal swelling with repeated vomiting.
• Inability to pass gas or have a bowel movement for many hours along with pain and vomiting.
• Vomiting that looks like stool or smells strongly like feces.
• Fever, chills, or feeling very weak or confused along with gut symptoms.

This isn’t a “wait for my doctor’s office to open on Monday” situation. Serious bowel obstructions and related
complications can progress quickly. Getting care early can make treatments simpler and outcomes much better.

How Doctors Diagnose and Treat Feculent Vomiting

In the ER or hospital, the team’s first job is to stabilize you and find the cause of your symptoms. You can expect:

1. Medical History and Physical Exam

A doctor will ask questions like:

• When did the pain and vomiting start?
• Have you had abdominal surgery before?
• Have you passed any gas or stool?
• Are you taking opioid medications or other new medications?
• Do you have a history of cancer, Crohn’s disease, or other gut disorders?

They’ll also examine your abdomen, checking for swelling, tenderness, unusual sounds, or signs of peritonitis.

2. Imaging Tests

To confirm a bowel obstruction and locate it, doctors often order:

• X-rays of the abdomen.
• CT scan to get a detailed look at the intestines and surrounding structures.
• Occasionally, ultrasound, especially in children or certain specific conditions.

3. Initial Treatment

Early treatment may include:

• IV fluids to treat dehydration and support blood pressure.
• Nasogastric (NG) tube inserted through the nose into the stomach to remove fluid and gas, easing pressure and vomiting.
• Pain control, often with careful monitoring of medications that could slow the gut further.
• Stopping oral intake (no food or drink by mouth) to rest the bowel.

4. Treating the Underlying Cause

What happens next depends on what’s causing the obstruction:

• Adhesions: Some may resolve with non-surgical management, while others require surgery to cut the scar
  tissue and free the bowel.
• Hernias: Often repaired surgically to put the intestine back in place and strengthen the abdominal wall.
• Tumors: May need surgery, stenting, chemotherapy, radiation, or a combination, depending on the type and stage.
• Severe constipation or impaction: Treated with enemas, manual removal, or other interventions, usually in a monitored setting.
• Paralytic ileus: Managed by treating the underlying cause (such as adjusting medications, treating infection, correcting electrolytes), plus supportive care.

The key idea is simple: feculent vomiting is a symptom, not a disease. The real focus is on diagnosing and
fixing the underlying problem causing the obstruction.

Can You Prevent This from Happening?

You can’t prevent every medical emergency, but you can reduce your risk of severe bowel problems and improve your odds
of catching issues early. Helpful steps include:

• Getting regular screenings for colon cancer as recommended by your provider.
• Managing chronic conditions such as Crohn’s disease or diverticular disease with specialist care.
• Following post-surgery instructions carefully and seeking help if you develop new severe abdominal symptoms.
• Using opioid pain medications only as prescribed and discussing side effects like constipation with your doctor.
• Not ignoring persistent constipation, unexplained weight loss, or ongoing abdominal pain.

Listen to your gut literally. If something feels seriously wrong, it’s better to get checked out than to tough it out at home.

Real-Life Experiences: What It’s Like When Things Go Wrong

While doctors see feculent vomiting as a clinical red flag, patients remember it as one of the worst experiences of their
lives. Because it’s rare, most people have never heard of it until it happens to them or a loved one. Here are some
common patterns that show up in real-world stories and case reports.

“I Thought It Was Just Bad Constipation”

Picture someone in their 60s who’s had mild constipation for years. They’ve always managed with more fiber and the
occasional laxative. This time, though, it’s different. They haven’t had a real bowel movement in days, their belly is
swollen, and regular remedies aren’t helping. They feel nauseated, but at first they only bring up a bit of food and bile.

Over the next day or two, the pain gets more intense, and they still can’t pass gas. The vomiting becomes more frequent,
and eventually, the smell and appearance change dramatically darker, thicker, with an odor that’s unmistakably like stool.
By the time they go to the ER, they’re exhausted, dehydrated, and frightened. Imaging reveals a serious obstruction, and
they need urgent treatment and close monitoring in the hospital.

Looking back, many patients in this situation say the same thing: they wish they’d taken the early symptoms more seriously
instead of waiting for things to “sort themselves out.”

Post-Surgery Stories: When the Gut Goes Quiet

Another common scenario involves people who’ve recently had abdominal or pelvic surgery. After an operation, it’s normal
for the intestines to slow down for a short time. Doctors and nurses keep a close eye on when you start passing gas or
having bowel movements again. But in some cases, especially if there are complications, the intestines can remain sluggish
or stop moving a paralytic ileus.

Someone recovering from surgery might initially think their discomfort and nausea are just part of the healing process.
But if the bloating worsens, pain intensifies, and vomiting develops especially if it becomes dark and foul-smelling
the team may discover a significant obstruction or ileus. Patients often describe feeling “overly full,” as if everything
they swallow just sits there, along with a heavy pressure in the abdomen.

The emotional side of this experience is real, too. People may feel scared, frustrated, or guilty, as if they did something
wrong during recovery. In reality, these complications are rarely anyone’s “fault” they’re risks that medical teams are
prepared to handle, which is why close monitoring after surgery is so important.

The Shock Factor: “I Didn’t Even Know This Was Possible”

Almost everyone who learns about feculent vomiting for the first time has the same reaction: disbelief. Many patients and
families say that the idea of throwing up stool never even crossed their minds. When it happens, it can be overwhelming,
embarrassing, and terrifying all at once.

People often worry about telling anyone exactly what they’re seeing and smelling because it sounds too strange or gross.
But from a medical perspective, speaking up clearly is crucial. Telling your doctor or nurse that your vomit looks or smells
like stool can help them recognize a bowel obstruction more quickly and move faster toward imaging, treatment, and surgical
consultation if needed.

The takeaway from these real-world experiences is simple but powerful: your body sends warning signs.
Sudden severe belly pain, swelling, and changes in bowel habits are not “normal.” Adding feculent vomiting to the mix is
the equivalent of your body switching on the emergency siren. Listening to those signals and getting help early can
make all the difference in the outcome, recovery time, and long-term health.

Bottom Line

So, can you throw up poop? Unfortunately, yes but only in very rare and very serious situations. Feculent vomiting is
almost always tied to a significant bowel obstruction or other major intestinal problem. It’s not just
unpleasant; it’s a medical emergency.

If you ever experience symptoms like severe abdominal pain, ongoing vomiting, a swollen belly, inability to pass gas or
stool, or vomit that looks or smells like feces, skip the home remedies and head straight to emergency care. Trust your
instincts, trust your gut, and remember: this is one problem you absolutely do not want to wait out at home.