# How often should you go



## nogo (Dec 18, 2006)

How often should you have a BM? I have gotten so used to being constipated, that I have put myself into a state of mind that if I don't go every day, I'm constipated. The problem is, I drink a bunch of prune juice with pulp and take herbal meds as an assist to have a BM in the mornings. If I don't go, I am bloated and miserable all day and it affects my mood and ability to function. I have become somewhat obsessed with having a BM every day because of so many years fighting constipation. I had a blockage once and that scared me so badly, it has affected my entire life in that I MUST have a BM every day. I can no longer travel or do things because I have such bashful bowels that any change stops me from going!! I know it can be normal to go every day, but isn't it also OK to skip a day or two? Am I the only one who feels this compulsion to go every day?? NOGO


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## 17015 (Jul 6, 2005)

I know what you mean, you are not alone. It is however normal to have a BM from 3x's a day to 3x's a week, it just depends on the person. So yes it is ok to skip a day, but I feel abnormal if I don't go every day too! After trying to so hard to keep regular, it feels weird to skip a day, and I feel unaccomplished. It's a goal to go every day!


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## janetmtt (May 28, 2007)

NogoI too can understand what you are saying as I feel like that too - was terribly constipated, got a blockage and ended up doing a bowel cleanse to get rid of the back up and that scared me and I never want to get back into that situation.I also feel I need to have a BM every day and if I don't I feel bloated all day and constantly think of it - it does take over your life and I think it becomes an obsession of will I won't I have a BM. This does take over your life.I'm using one senokot every night because at least I do have some sort of BM the next day but I'd love to be like everyone else - to be able to get up on a morning and go without having to think about it and be just "normal".Trouble is now I think I'm having a reaction to the senokot - really bad chills - yet again - which is how I seem to react to everything I take so again it will be another case of off to the Dr to see if it is that. But now I'm just not sure what else there is for me to take.I've been really happy and felt better in myself these last few weeks and I'm sure that is because I'm having a daily BM - but now I'm thinking "for how long" if I have to stop taking senna!This C thing absolutely sucks!


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Yep, the normal range is 3 times a day to 3 times a week.Just because you skip a day doesn't mean you are constipated. Some people with no GI problems only go every other day.Now with your IBS you may feel better if you go every day, but skipping a day once in awhile is not abnormal.K.


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## FinallySolved (Dec 14, 2004)

I'm there with you, nogo and ginabfly. If I don't go one morning, I wonder if it will be the beginning of me being backed up so badly that I have to take drastic measures a day or two later. I know it's normal for some people to skip a day every once in a while, but if I skip a day, I freak out. The pattern for me is that if I don't go one day, the stool becomes harder and more difficult to pass. If I don't drink a ton of water, or if I eat something that constipates me (e.g., cheese), then the cycle begins...not going one day, then maybe a little the next but still feel incomplete, then moreso the next day, the next, and so on until I'm really uncomfortable...And, yes, it really interferes with vacations and life in general.janettmtt, did a doc recommend Senokot? I've read it was bad to use senna often because your body will need more and more of it, and it will turn your insides brown or black. Does Ducolax work for you? On their website, they cite a study about long term laxative use. The study is an interesting read for us IBS-C sufferers (not sure if it has been mentioned here before):http://www.congress-info.ch/presse/digesti...conceptions.pdf


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## 16229 (Jan 28, 2006)

Yeah, if I miss a day I start to freak out a little. That usually means it has a 50/50 chance of ending ugly. If I somehow make it through 2 days then I really freak and will usually take action, like some phosphorus soda right out of the bottle. It makes me puke and writhe like crazy, but it's better than waiting for the sh*t to hit the fan with my GI backup.Speaking of that. I haven't gone today and I'd really like to. With me knowing I'm in an active flare right now, I'm happy with the ole watery d.


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## janetmtt (May 28, 2007)

FinallySolvedYes my GP did say it was OK for me to use senokot every night as it is all natural and doesn't contain any chemicals. Obviously I know and presume he must know about it discolouring your insides but I only ever take one double strength tablet per night never any more.Not sure I could take dulcolax as it contains glycerin and I react to glycerin. Mind I seem to be reacting to everything these days!


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## poor_kiwi (Jan 21, 2008)

I hope it's ok to raise an old thread, it just you described exactly my problem! As for me I must go every day(and it's like an obsession), if I don't then next day it will just be too painful, or let's say unpleasant! It makes me wonder sometimes if I'm shrinking (lol) as I remember myself in childhood and teens- I didn't necessarily visit loo every day, it was every other day, or even every two day and never had problem, and it was never painful.. So now if I don't go in a morning-ish I can't stop thinking of it and if I don't go by evening my mood is completely spoiled and I go for the suppozitories. It rules my life as well unfortunately. Those people that just go every day the same time and never think about it don't realize how lucky they are! I love the days when I'm taking dulcolax as it's 99% guaranteed morning BM.. FinallySolved, thanks for the link, will have a read!


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## KasAPWBD (Feb 5, 2008)

poor_kiwi - one of the theories about IBS pain is that the nerves in the intestines are more easily stimulated - so it is more painful to have a BM with IBS than without IBS, even if they are the same experience physically, so maybe that's why it hurts more if you miss a day now than before. Sorry, slightly off topic there...but I don't know about going every day - never have done, never made a big effort to try...


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