BLUF:
Is it bad that I don’t go? How often should I go?
There’s no rule that says you must go once a day. "On average, people go once or twice a day," says Dr. Schnoll-Sussman. "But many people go way more." And not pooping for a day, two, or even three can also be fine. In short, if you feel OK‐no upset stomach, no trouble making it to the bathroom on time‐then you probably don’t need to worry.
"The rule is there’s no such thing as normal‐just normal from one person’s perspective," says Dr. Schnoll-Sussman. So what if you’re a once-a-day BM person who’s suddenly going three or four times a day? Dr. Schnoll-Sussman says that it could be as simple as your diet (eat some sketchy meat recently?) or as complex as an infectious diarrheal disease. It could even be a good change; maybe you’ve started eating more fiber, for example. The important thing is to go to your doctor if your new BM schedule gives you a constant upset stomach or your frequent bathroom trips start to make social situations awkward.
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