I only have a bowel movement every 1-2 weeks. Is this okay??

[MommyGoblin]

Sorry in advance if this is too gross or tmi for anybody.
Like the title says, I only have a bowel movement every week or other week. Sometimes three weeks max. I’ve always been like this ever since I was a kid. And it’s always been normal excrement. Recently however, my stool has become really hard and it’s one extremely long piece. Any ideas of what could be going on or how to fix it? I have a dr appointment but the soonest they could see me is next month.

I used to be once every two days, then I took up running and now it's every morning, before I go for my run (mostly, I think, because there's nothing worse than getting four miles from home and being DESPERATE to go, with stomach cramps and everything). I do feel better for it. And I know if it's more or less often, that there's something wrong somewhere.

I'd never go to a public toilet (and less so at work) for number 2 if avoidable. I am not saying I've never been but only when very very desperate, I'd wait until arrive home, which you can do if you go once a day, or every other day, but not 3 times a day!

I'd hate to have the need to go 3 times a day!

That level of infrequency would really worry me. I would also feel really uncomfortably bloated.

I’m on chemo and the anti sickness causes constipation. Before the infusion, I make sure the dates are lined up, the chia seeds are ready to go into the mango and apple smoothie and the laxatives are on standby, just in case!

He had his stomach removed while he was still alive to get rid of the cancer. So already that story about John Wayne doesn't add up. It's just propaganda to get people to hate on eating meat. He smoked 100 fags a day and had one of his lungs removed. So I'd say it's more likely that than his diet that killed him.

SaTURDay!

I find 2 kiwis a day helps.

I can't believe some people regularly go over a week without going! That can't be good.

I honestly think it must start to smell.

We aren’t sealed capsules; we have pores and permeable tissue.

I will second that!

No! You should poo every day! See your doctor and ask to be referred to a dietitian OP. This is very concerning. In the mean time eat loads of kiwis.

No one has told me I smell of poo. I don’t, DH would tell me if I did.
and I don’t have any health issues. I’m almost 70 and have never been a weekly/daily pooper.

People don’t smell if they’re constipated! My friend I mentioned upthread, goes only once every 3 weeks. I’m pleased to confirm she doesn’t smell.

I used to work with a lady who confided that she would only go to the toilet once every 3 weeks, had been like this since she was a child.
She went to the doctors to discuss if this was normal & tests were done.
The doctor said as she had been like this all her life there was no problem, the concern would be if her bowel movements had changed e.g. she had been a once a day person who had now suddenly changed to once every 3 weeks.
I suppose we're all different.

So you are saying you think the poo in the intestines travels all the way to the skin and exudes through the pores?

I’m not sure what I think.

I just know if something sits putrescing in a plastic bag with the handles tied for long enough you start to get a whiff…

Luckily, people aren't plastic bags!

We also aren’t hermetically sealed capsules.

Some people do emit a poopy odour. This thread has made me wonder if this is part of it.

Since hitting my 40s I have struggled to go. I now take a sachet of Movicol type of medication every other day which has changed my life.

I used to work with a guy whose breath smelled like shit. Perhaps he was constipated? 🤔

That’s the kind of thing I’m meaning. Some people are poo-smelling. Not suggesting any of the weekly poopers on here smell necessarily; but it could help explain the people who do. I’ve known two who habitually had that smell. For ages I thought they hadn’t wiped properly. But it seemed somehow old.

I would feel so bloated and full if I didn’t get rid of stuff! I did it at festivals when I didn’t want to poo there and felt so uncomfortable for 3 days
It’s funny how we’re all different. I go every day on a morning and sometimes in the evening

Yes I met someone who went once every 4 weeks but she was anorexic

I was like this until I had my endometriosis removed - i did think it was normal

I would have awful stomach ache, bad wind and be unable to sleep at night if I wasn’t regularly using the toilet as I would feel so uncomfortable. I think I would smell after three weeks!

I like to go daily or no longer than every other day.

I was diagnosed with IBS and used to go irregularly and often had diarrhoea or constipation. Then, after I got food poisoning, my consultant told me to eat much more fibre. I thought I was already eating plenty but started aiming for 30g of fibre a day. The results have been brilliant. I go every day, sometimes 3 times a day, but overall spend far less time sitting on the loo. It's great to feel 'normal' again after 30 difficult years.