How many bowel movements? : Is it normal to have... - IBS Network

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How many bowel movements?

Mommy_of_2 profile image
19 Replies

Is it normal to have so many bowel movements a day? it used to be I would go 2 or 3 times a morning and be done by 11 am but now it seems like I go once more at 1 pm and then sometimes even after that I have little droplets. It's like I'm always producing stool no matter what I do! I go a decent amount in the morning. It isn't constipation. I'm IBS D and I go way too much! Why is this happening to me?

it's driving me crazy! I'm a 30 yo female and I miss my regular bowel habits. I uses to go once a day.

Also I had a colonoscopy and nothing was found. Is it possible the doctor missed something? I'm so tired of these lower abdominal cramps or dull abdominal ache before bowel movements. Why is this my life now ?! Sorry just need to get it out a bit. It's been a tough couple days.

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Mommy_of_2 profile image
Mommy_of_2
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19 Replies
Cat68 profile image
Cat68

Hi I'm suffering the same had stomach pain/cramping for last three months usually 3 bowel movements on morning. I can strain to pass a movement then can go couple more times later sometimes feel I need to go rest of day but nothing to pass! I'm struggling as well when did your symptoms start mine came on day after my second jab so think that was the trigger

Mommy_of_2 profile image
Mommy_of_2 in reply to Cat68

I've only had 1 jab so far but I've had symptoms since my pregnancy which seem to have gotten worse. sorry you're going through this too. it's the worse

Cat68 profile image
Cat68 in reply to Mommy_of_2

Thanks I think mornings are worse time for me trying to I feel more positive read feeling anxious doesn't help. Must be hard dealing with this and looking after children hope you have a better day tomorrow take care xx

sheba108 profile image
sheba108 in reply to Cat68

hi I am so glad I read your post i start having to go to the toilet at about 7.30 when I get out of bed, then its every hour doing a tiny bit until about 2 in the afternoon then miraculously I don't do any more until bedtime. i do watch what i eat and I can never have cheese altough I'd die for some . My doctor just gives me my meds and asks if I pass blood on hearing the answer is no she doesn't seem bothered.

3443Ness profile image
3443Ness

I feel ur pain I go loads of times a day don't know where it all comes from some days yesterday was a bad day had to take loads of imodium that helped by end of the day so will probably be constapated now have have cramping for afew days. I have forgotten what a normal bowel habit is haven't had 1 of them since January it is so frustrating and limits ur life to what u can do as u never no when u need the loo u carnt go far just Incase and planning days out never go as planned

Mommy_of_2 profile image
Mommy_of_2 in reply to 3443Ness

so sorry you have to deal with this too. I hate it. I miss not having any bathroom troubles

Maureen1958 profile image
Maureen1958

Hi, I don't know if I have mentioned this to you before but have you looked into BAM (Bile Acid Malabsorption). See link below.

gutscharity.org.uk/advice-a...

Maureen.

Mommy_of_2 profile image
Mommy_of_2 in reply to Maureen1958

hello! thank you for the response ..the problem is that I don't have true diarrhea.. most of the time it's formed.

Maureen1958 profile image
Maureen1958 in reply to Mommy_of_2

Yes, I'm the same these days, although it was runnier when I was younger but still not diarrhoea. How do you get on with imodium?

Gypsy67 profile image
Gypsy67 in reply to Maureen1958

Immodium is only thing that has controlled the same issues. BUT I have to take my immodium the evening before I have any outing at all. Right now I am having a bad episode (2 weeks already) and take the immodium every night before bed. I only take 1/2 a tablet (1 mg) each night and if I forget I go nowhere for cannot leave the WR. The no name brand works fine for me but cannot use the Complete tabs need just the diarrhea tablets. Unfortunately forgot last night and will be staying home today.

3443Ness profile image
3443Ness in reply to Maureen1958

Thanks Maureen I will have a look and I will ask GP about it

Carlettejaque profile image
Carlettejaque

It's all down to gut bacteria. Research hss suggested that IBS is caused by bad gut bacteria. It can be caused by antibiotics, wrong diet, too much fat or greasy foods.Unfortunately, once you get IBS it can be too painful to change your diet into a varied, good diet with high fibres irritate the bowel. So, look at the fodmap diet which lists low, soluable fibre foods. That doesn't mean to say you can eat everything on the list. Everyones gut is different. Keep away from fizzy drinks and anything spicy. You might have food intolerances. The most common are dairy/lactose, yeast, wheat and egg.

I'm intolerant to Dextrose, lactose/dairy, yeast and sunflower oil. These things are in most foods.

I can only eat carrots as a veg, no salads and NO fruit at all.

I control the symptoms of IBS by staying on a very limited diet. I suggest you keep a food diary to see if you can find your intolerances. Good luck.

Hollings profile image
Hollings

Sorry to hear your having so many bowel movements but it can be perfectly normal for a person with ibs. Sometimes I can go 4 to 5 times a day or not go at all for 5 days . At the moment I'm having yet another flare up cramps and rushing to the loo delightful not!!! You could go back to your doctor and see if they can offer you some advice? but their is probably not much they can do, are you on any medication for ibs?

edwangy profile image
edwangy

Have you changed your diet at all?

angelwings52 profile image
angelwings52

I'm sorry you're going through this, I always found that my IBS would react like this when I had PMS, hormone changes can be a trigger. I only realised this after keeping a diary. Hope you feel better soon.

iloveglee profile image
iloveglee

I see that you had a baby not that long ago. I wonder if your pelvic floor has fully recovered, or if you could possibly have some level of pelvic floor dysfunction. As an ex midwife, I can tell you unless you are very strict with yourself with your pelvic floor exercises, it can take some time for everything to go back to how it should be. Sometimes it never does!!

I ask this because, as a known sufferer of IBS I also have a rectocele. This causes stool to not come straight out, but gets trapped in a little bit of the rectum that droops into the vagina. For me, it happens if the stool is just a bit too soft, and not bulky enough. You therefore feel as though you haven't fully emptied and constantly have to be passing little bits. Not diarrhoea as you say, formed but not firm perhaps.

As you can imagine, if you do have irritable bowel as well, getting just the right mix of soluble/insoluble fibre to get the kind of stool you can pass easily is not that straightforward. I attended the hospital for a while about the rectocele and the difficulties I was having, and one of the things they suggested to me was that I get a little box, or something to put my feet on so that I can get into more of a squatting position on the toilet, because sitting on the toilet the way we do is not a natural way to poo!! I found that it did help.

Rather than suffer, if you haven't looked into this, it might be worth doing. It can be very variable.

Xhouse profile image
Xhouse

I suffered from similar symptoms until my GP prescribed Fybogel, which is designed to regulate bowel movements. It works for both IBD D+C. I had IBD D, almost identical symptoms to you for over 6 months at my last flare up, and the Fybogel sorted it out in a day or two. I couldn't believe how effective it was and how it changed my life. Almost 18 months later and I'm still on the Fybogel, and haven't had an IBS recurrence since. Fingers crossed. It may not work for everyone, but it certainly worked for me.

Krn210 profile image
Krn210

No advice from me. Just wanted to sympathize. All my gut problems started after having my second child and got worse after the 3rd. Currently laying in bed as the lower abdominal cramps and bathroom frequency are in full force today. If I find anything that helps, I will certainly pass the information on to you. Hope you feel better soon

nickac927 profile image
nickac927

A clean colonoscopy definitely rules out ulcerative colitis and if you had a clean ileum then, by statistical chance, you may not have any form of Crohn's either. The other forms of Crohn's that don't involve the ileum or colon are much more rare, so luck is on your side. You can get tested for inflammation using various blood tests (C reactive (not as conducive to suggest specifically intestinal inflammation), calprotectin, immunoglobulin, sedimentation rate, red/white blood cell panels, etc.). There's plenty of tests and while a colonoscopy is a great diagnostic mechanic, an endoscopy, additional CT, MRI, or other tests forms may completely rule out small bowel/upper GI inflammatory diseases. However, they manifest in various ways unrelated to your GI system, so if abdominal cramping and increased stool frequency are your only symptoms, it's likely (at worst) a mild case of Crohn's, but statistically a rough IBS-D flare. Ask your doctor about exploring more diagnostic techniques; it's better to "over-test" than "under-test" when it comes to distinguishing IBS-D from IBD.

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