Bowel movements (serious question)?

Question

Well, for a while now I haven't pooed every day like your supposed to. I've even gone a week without. I eat semi-healthily, although I don't eat that much. I'm vegetarian, 18 and average weight.

I've never really seen any problem with it, but I know its not normal. You don't need to shout at me to go to the doctors. I'd just like some advice. Not a lecture.

Thanks for you're answers.

Just to mention that theres no bloating, or constipation or anything like that. And when I do poo its normal (as in colour, and firmness? if you can use that)

Answer 1

Fibre.. sennakot..

Answer 2

OK, I want to ask you to add some information.

1: Do you feel bloated at all?

2: Do you feel that it's 'there' in your lower intestine waiting to come out?

3: Have you been feeling particularly stressed lately?

4: (And be honest about this one) are you holding it in?

5: Are you feeling tired or iritable?

All food - from a glass of milk to a huge Sunday lunch - will produce some waste which is eventually ejected as bowel movement. Even if you're only eating very little, there should be something coming out the other end every couple of days or so.

With more information, things can be narrowed down a little, but to begin with ...

Try eating a bowl of bran flakes in the morning. Oddly enough, once you get the taste for them they're very nice (and believe me I am a fussy eater). Add sultanas if you like them and snack on things like dried fruits and fresh fruit.

If you are in the UK, pick up a bottle of P&Js Daily Detox Smoothie. This contains dragonfruit juice which not only tastes wonderful, but also purges your insides. The first time you drink it you will get uncomfortable wind and the smell will be horrible when you pass wind - even to yourself. A small glassful of this each day will help a lot. Get it fron ASDA if there is one close to you - NOT Summerfield. The latter sells it at twice the price of ASDA.

If you are feeling really tense and nervous you might just be holding it in and you might not even be aware of it. Try some gentle exercise - just walking around the garden, maybe pulling a few weeds. Don't try any strenuous exercise until you have a better idea what the problem is. And try sitting onthe toilet for half an hour. Take a book or magazine with you if it will help pass the time.

If, after all of this, you still can't pass anything, then I'm afraid that a trip to see the doc is going to be your only option. Before you reject that idea, ask yourself what you're afraid of about doing that? If it's the idea that you're going to be rushed off to the hospital for some unpleasant exploratory surgery, then consider this ...

Bowel complaints are not unusual. Most can be resolved by the doctor talking to you and gently pressing your tummy. There are drugs that can remove some blockages.

But the worst case scenarios must not be ruled out either. The intestines could have become twisted or looped causing food to get stuck. There could be a growth in your duodenum or intenstines. Both of these might mean an operation which probably scares you, but the alternavie - doing nothing - could be much worse. The food stuck in your system could become infectious and cause you a lot of problems even resulting in irreperable damage of the surrounding tissue. A growth could do the same. The growth itself could be anything from an ulcer to a cancerous growth. Growths like this can be benign or malign. Again - some can be treated with drugs - others require surgery. And it could even just be stress that is holding it in there. A drug treatment could resolve that within days.

For sure, try dealing with it yourself first, but if after four or five days the problem persists, please go and see your doctor. You really might be worrying over something very small and very easy to resolve.

Answer 3

Honestly, having to poop once a day like clockwork is a myth. Some people go the bathroom 3 times a day. Some people go three times a week. To see if you're constipated, check if you have any pain/bloating, urges to go that go nowhere, or if your stool is hard or difficult to pass. If any of that applies then you might be constipated. Otherwise, you may just be one of those lucky? people who only have to go three times a WEEK.

A week without going sounds like constipation though. My adivce -- drink tons of water and have a lot of fruits and veggies -- even more than you're having now. Try taking fiber products and supplements too. My dad swears by metamucil, and I prefer fiberchoice tablets. Also try any product that has 'fiberone' on it, there is cereal and bars. These products are wonderful for fiber intake and actually taste decent. Prunes and apples also work really well. Make sure when you introduce fiber into your diet you do it slowly, with a little more each day. If you introduce too much fiber at once, it will lead to excess gas and the urge to poop like you've never pooped before.

Don't expect overnight results, but all of this really helps.

Answer 4

A general guideline for bowel movements is 3 times a day to 3 times a week. The consistency, rather than the frequency, of your bowel movements is more important. Your stool should be soft and easy to pass. Everyone has occasional hard stools or watery stools, of course, and you do not need to be overly concerned unless these stools last more than a few days.

Since you don't mention diarrhea, constipation, straining, abdominal pain, blood in your stool (tarry or coffee-ground stools), or nausea/vomiting, I assume your only concern is that your frequency of bowel movements may not be normal. The lack of the above complaints may mean this frequency is normal for you.

Sufficient water, fiber, and exercise is necessary for healthy bowel movements. You sound as if you are getting all three of these.

Answer 5

I work in Gastroenterology, and take histories all day long on bowel problems. What is normal for you might not be normal for someone else. I have heard "Normal" BM's that varies from 3 times a day to once a week. These all fall in the Normal range for someone. If your system, activity level and diet produces 2 stools per week, be happy. That does not mean you are ill, or would feel any better having one every day. You could pay $250 to come and have me tell you that, but it is easier to do it this way.

Answer 6

Been there, done that - still going through it!! I found that laxatives can be very aggressive and uncomfortable -- I have started taking the fibre powder every morning and trying to drink a lot of water. Lots of fresh fruit it good too. Ummm, a few prunes a day may do the trick -- oh, I went to a holistic doctor (you may want to consider that too), and they said take 1/2 - 1.5 tsp of Powdered Vitamin C (buffered) in water every morning on an empty stomach --
Exercise is key too!! It gets everything moving!
I tried prescription EVERYTHING -- but, I just recently started seeing this holistic nutritionist (I was always sooo against it) - it has been working wonders (I go to the washroom once every 7-9 days).....
Good luck --

Answer 7

If you are a vegetarian you are probably missing some important things in your diet. Also do you exercise a lot? Sometimes exercise can actually speed up your metabolism and make things 'move'. Also you say you don't eat that much, this means your metabolism could be slow and needs a kick start. Everyone is different and their bodies function in different ways, however if you take more fibre and manage to go more, you might find you even feel better.

Answer 8

You need to check if the poo that you do produce has changed colour. If it's almost black you could be constipated (especially if you are on medications containing iron).

If it's very pale you are probably not eating a balanced diet or not eating enough.

Try eating more fibre (bran etc.) Hope this helps.

Answer 9

I'm pretty lucky really because my bowels are like clockwork I have a poo every morning at 7 the trouble is I don't get up until 8

Seriously though you say you eat healthy but are you drinking enough fluid ? to keep your bowels working right.

Answer 10

I'm not sure that a daily BM is absolutely essential, but you don't want to become constipated. Try drinking more fluids, especially water, and eat more fiber like leafy greens and apples. Melon can be good to get things moving. I also find that live culture yogurt (Activia by Dannon Yogurt) helps regulate the bowel.

Answer 11

You don't have to go every day,as long as when you do go its "normal" My husband is the sort who goes every day but I can go almost a week, but not always,anyway I went to see my GP over something else & I mentioned it to her. She told me as long as I was not constipated or in any pain it was ok ,as what is normal for one person is not normal for some one else.
I also eat fairly healthyly but dont have a large apetite. I guess if there's not a lot going in then there's not as much waste to come out!!
Hope this helps