AIBU to ask what might cause urgent morning bowel movements?

[Wahey79]

Sorry if TMI. Every morning for a number of years now I have needed a fairly urgent bowel movement, always with sound effects. It’s getting me down and I can’t understand it.

I’ve tried the mental health side in case it’s IBS (yoga, breathing, exercise, etc), removing triggers (my WellWoman multivitamin tablet was making it worse as I was taking it at dinner, so moved it to breakfast time and switched to a gentler brand). I’ve given up caffeine, reduced alcohol (mostly none), my diet is balanced with plenty of fibre (but not excessive amounts).

I am otherwise well health-wise, on well-tolerated HRT. If it was related to dairy/bread etc surely I’d have problems at other times of the day? Bowels normal otherwise.

Any advice or ideas appreciated. Thank you.

I've had this since having my gall bladder out. But not every day. Very inconvenient when you're out and get that feeling!

Thank you - always before breakfast in my case.

So it's more than just an urgent need to have a bowel movement? It's a loose and foul smelling bowel movement? Since I had my gallbladder out years ago I have some urgency relatively often and can go from vaguely needing to go, to being absolutely desperate pretty quickly. But it's not foul smelling nor loose. Sounds like you could do with seeing your GP.

Thank you everyone who has posted, some really helpful comments. Much appreciated.

Purely based on my own experience and anec-data... I think an early morning strong urge that comes out of nowhere is quite common, and normal...?

For me, particularly on the weekends, I like to watch fb videos in bed before getting up. I'm usually laid on my stomach, and that seems to get a bowel movement going fairly quickly. The pressure on my stomach maybe...?

On other days, 9 times out of 10 I usually need to go as soon as I've had my breakfast. That seems to trigger it. And the odd day that it doesn't, I'll go and "try" anyway, just to keep my body in the habit. As I'd MUCH rather do a poo at home than need to do one at work!!

I'd say that unless it's painful, or especially unusual in texture, it's probably fine.

Is it coffee?

Have you tried probiotics, as its a common, and can be an effective treatment for ibs?

I had first thing urgency for a time last year. I realised it was because I was taking a cough mixture at bedtime that had sorbitol in it. It stopped when the cough went and I stopped taking the cough mixture. It is a well known effect of sorbitol. So I would look closely at the ingredients of everything you eat and drink, just to rule things out before you see the doctor.

(My normal routine is after breakfast.)

HRT can in some cases increase vulnerabilty to microscopic colitis according to research so I would visit GP to talk about symptoms.

Do you need the iron supplement that you are taking? Have you had blood test? (full iron study). Excess iron that the body doesn't need can certainly cause problems in the gut.

Same with supplements full stop really, a lot of them can cause more problems than they help. Most people are not aware for instance that, since Jan of this year, all UK white flour is fortified with folic acid. For people who are getting older and not going to get pregnant, excess folic acid is not great, if you are eating bread you probably don't need it in the supplement at all.

@Wahey79 any history of autoimmune disease in the family?

During my first pregnancy iron tablets made me constipated. During my second pregnancy the iron tablets made me do this! You didn’t mention if you were taking iron so probably not this issue! X

I’ve had this since being perimenopausal too and aside from a gluten sensitivity, the main trigger seems to be overeating! As we get older we need less food so I presume my system just can’t handle big meals now, especially if eaten late. If I have a day when I eat small portions, the next day I go normally, with normal consistency, and not first thing either.

Well if you have IBS then lots of fibre can set it off. I’m a devil if I’d had anything high FODMAP (onions, garlic, beans, lentils)

I have this and have for years. I usually get up and pee then a few minutes later need to run to do a number 2. J come asked the doctor and she said it was related to the movement of getting up in the first place.

Thank you, but it’s very “forceful” and loose (sorry!) otherwise I’d be happy with the routine!

Nope, I’ve given it up and was never drinking that much.

No but it’s something I might try if stopping the multi vit doesn’t work.

Hmm... Probably is something you're eating.

Saying that though, I've found that the "consistency" of my bowel movements are trending towards softer than they used to. And I have more bouts of unexplained diarrhea than I used to. Age and slow change in hormones I suspect.

I believe there is a medication you can take that would firm up your BMs... Not sure what it's called though. Even a low dose of whatever the active ingredient in Imodium might help. Probably worth seeing a doctor if it's getting to the point of distressing you.

Do your vitamins contain magnesium? That can upset your stomach, particularly magnesium citrate.

All very good points, thank you.

I'm sort of thinking a food intolerance. I've been diagnosed with gluten intolerance (not allergy, just irritated by too much). I always felt like I had to go fairly urgently first thing until I started avoiding eating a lot of gluten. It was fairly similar to your description (toilet bowl etc.!)

Magnesium is bad for this, as are collagen supplements if you take those. If you have a balanced diet, your extra vitamins could be overloading you a little. Its easy to do this with vit C, which most of us are not deficient in and dont need extra yet they stick ot in everything. Why not cut the supplements entirely, see if that helps and if so, reintroduce one by one rather than in a single pill?

I would definitely try and come off your multivitamins for a while and see if that helps, if not then I would err on the side of a food intolerance or IBS. I have IBS and used to get this a lot until I started a low dose of amitriptyline which has really helped.

I do take a multivitamin with iron in so I’m wondering if it’s this- iron has done this to me before many years ago. Thank you.

They do, plus I take magnesium at night but it’s chelated which apparently doesn’t upset the bowel as much.