I have had infrequent bowel movements recently and am worried. Any advice?

[Dynamito]

Hi guys,

Basically, i have been struggling with bowel movements recently and it's causing me concern. I have been a little stressed out and anxious recently, but i still exercise fairly frequently and i drink lots of water. I guess one thing i have neglected in my diet recently is plenty of fibre, but since yesterday i am starting to correct this by eating plenty of fibrous foods, including fruit, pulses etc.

I am still yet to get plenty of fibre, but i am doing okay i guess :yesyes: but the last time i opened my bowels was a couple days ago and it wasn't much, which was surprising given the amount i had eaten. I have been consuming a lot of protein recently because i am trying to get in shape as i am slightly overweight and i have heard how protein can contribute towards constipation so that's why a high fibrous diet is also imperative.

Should i give this high fibre diet a go for another week then see how i am? I am passing gas regularly enough, so hopefully this is a sign that i will open my bowels ASAP.

Has anyone experienced similar before and am i worrying unnecessarily? It doesn't help when i have anxiety, then i'm concerning myself over this stuff.

[JustJoe25]

I've had problems with constipation before by consuming large amounts of protein. It is true that a lot of protein can back you up as I've had it happen plenty of times before. It's also not as easy as it sounds to get as much fiber as you need in your diet. You can eat a serving size of broccoli and other veggies and normally they only have 2-3 grams of fiber. I've read that when you introduce fiver to your diet that it's important to introduce it slowly because too much at once can make it worse. If you have trouble getting fiber you can always take a fiber vitamin. I'm not sure how much protein you are taking in but I suggest cut it down some and replace some of it with good, healthy carbs and as much fiber as you can. I've found a good way to get fiber is to make a fruit or vegetable smoothie. Load it with a bunch of fresh or frozen fruits and veggies and see if that helps.

[nivekc251]

Drink you a glass of prune juice. It taste horrible but it helps you do the doo. When I'm feeling stopped up I drink a glass before I go to bed then I wake up and EUREKA!

[tmckenzie-orr]

I had this problem just the other day forget over dosing on fibre lol just go buy some green tea £1.60 for a box of 20 tea bags have 2-3 a cups a day, and get some prune juice can buy it from tesco etc like a carton or orange juice and have a large glass of that you will soon go and just add fibre back in even if it's just a bowl of cereal in morning bran flake / weetabx etc

[Dynamito]

Yeah, i went a couple days ago but i still feel a bit clogged, so to speak. I am sure i can go naturally, but at the moment it's kind of frustrating that my bowels aren't as frequent. I have been a bit anxious and stressed recently, so could this have anything to do with my bowel infrequency? Has anyone struggled with bowel movements during bouts of anxiety and stress?