I only poo once a week. Please help me go more often

[Cheeseandlobster]

I should be going more often. A typical days diet involves - no breakfast, lunch is a spicy scrambled egg but really more like vegetables binded together with 1 egg ( courgette, mushroom, pepper, spinach and jalapenos) followed by grapes. Dinner is usually a mega salad with chicken, fish, quiche. Small bar of chocolate, another fruit portion and maybe a yogurt. I drink at least 1.5 litres of water daily. Do Hiit training for 20 mins daily.

Yet the only thing that gets me going is having a beer at the weekend and then I think I poo for the whole week, though only once so its uncomfortable and unpleasant.

I have tried a colonic. The lady told me I will be more susceptible to bowel cancer (jeez thanks lady)

I really don't want to become dependant on laxatives but I think I might have to .

Can anyone advise me please?

Please go to the doctor, this really doesn’t sound normal.

OP what is your weight/bmi?

You are consuming very few calories.

@Cheeseandlobster

Flaxseed is now on my list. Where would I get orange powder?

Flaxseed will sort you out, big style. I had mild IBS till I heard of it, and it's virtually disappeared and I go to the loo daily now, after being rather hit and miss before.

Coffee!!!

A bowl of Lidl Nutty granola with yogurt makes me go several times a day. It is an excellent source of fibre & that's what's missing from your diet.

I’d see your GP but I don’t think everyone is the same and if you’ve always been like this and have a healthy, high fiber diet, it may not be a serious issue - but I’m not a doctor and I’d say it’s best to talk to someone who is qualified to help.

Those fiber sachet drink things don’t work for me at all so be careful with over the counter stuff. You probably know what loosens you up so maybe think about that and makes some tweaks?

Eat more!

I know you're low carb but without a bowl of fruit n nut muesli every morning I struggle to go.

Homemade porridge (not the microwave stuff) gets me moving too.

Look on Pinterest for "overnight oats".

Read up on hypothyroid.
If you think you might have an underactive thyroid, see your GP (if you can ) and get a test.

My gut became its former, regular self again after starting on thyroxine.

I really recommend fybrogel sachets, particularly as you are not consuming much soluble fibre.

I find that shopping at Morrisons has an affect on my system, never really understood why as I'm very 'regular'.

Why do you eat so little and where are the lovely carbs? Whole-wheat bread, brown rice, quinoa or even lentils and beans if you are avoiding processed or refined foods?

Regarding the flaxseed - make sure you get the ground version rather than the whole, and have at least a tablespoonful of it a day (preferably two). I used to add it to yoghurt or scrambled eggs - but it goes with most things, really, and you don't notice you're eating it.

Prune juice will get you going.

Dried apricots.

When I was working in an office I started to have them for lunch. Had to stop as I always needed to go soon afterwards.

They taste nice and will definitely get you ' moving'.

You’ve had good advice here. I hope it works. A good poo every morning is one of life’s underrated joys.

Syrup of figs. Or white wine

Prune juice and flaxseed. Miracle workers. I have the same issue.

How long has this been going on? If it’s being going on for a while your bowl will have become stretched and you may need to take movical for a few months until it shrinks back to normal size.

I would suggest you try to add a high fibre breakfast to your day. A whole grain cereal, sprinkled with chia seeds and ground flax, plus some fruit and probiotic yogurt. It will get your guts moving first thing.

Also oranges work great.

You don’t eat much.

If I’m constipated I find beer helps

I have a friend who swears by watermelon.

Your tummy will go down if you eat to poo. Seriously, don't do this for long, it can affect your thyroid*, better off with IF and a moderately carby diet. Walk lots as that massages the gut. Probiotics, etc. But really good regular food is key.

• Mine started to pack up so I've done a bit of searching about and for ladies of a certain age, best not to go too low carb.

More fibre. And yes, dried fruit will absolutely help. Prunes are quite underrated actually! (central European on my dad's sidegrew up with cakes and pastries stuffed with prune jam. Nicer than it soundsbut eat too much and you will be in the loo)

I also think skipping breakfast isn't helping.
A lot of people who go just once a day do so after breakfast.
If I miss breakfast, no poo and it seems that's my chance for the day gone u til the next morning!