Houma, LA
A 21-year-old male asked:
always feel faint during and after having a bowel movement. it doesn't get better until i lie down or sometime not at all. what causes it? b/p normal.
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Bennett Werner answered
Cardiology 44 years experience
Valsalva maneuver: Straining at defecation causes an abrupt drop in bp. Although you note that your BP is "normal", it's the fall in BP that causes dizziness and it's likely that yours falls with valsalva (straining) as does everyone's. Your lactose intolerance and IBS may have caused some volume contraction - you can counteract this by pushing fluids and liberalizing your salt intake. Good luck!
790 viewsAnswered May 31, 2018
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A 36-year-old member asked:
What does an ideal bowel movement look or feel like?
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Dr. Jeffrey Crespin answered
Gastroenterology 28 years experience
Bristol stool score: There is a 7 point stool score with photos. Ideally you would have the 3, 4 score. Type 6 is too fluffy and type 1 is too hard.
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A 30-year-old member asked:
What is the normal average duration of a bowel movement?
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Dr. Howard Hack answered
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Brief: I recommend to my patients they should do their business on the toilet and move on, meaning minutes. One should not dawdle to read etc. As this predisposes to rectal issues such as hemorrhoids.
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A 16-year-old member asked:
How often should a person have a bowel movement?
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in

Dr. Sidney Vinson answered
Gastroenterology 27 years experience
It depends: There is no actual rule or guideline on how frequent bowel movements should occur. Normal ranges from 3 times daily to once weekly.
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A 32-year-old female asked:
What can I take to help me have a bowel movement more than two times a week?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Danny Proffitt answered
Family Medicine 43 years experience
Many things: A good diet high in fiber with increased fruits and vegetables. Prunes, prune juice, plums, apples, unprocessed bran, bran cereals, increase water and fluids. Try goind daily after a meal and a hot cup of beverage. Dr. David's recipee: 8 oz flax seed, sesame seeds and peled sunflower seeds. Mix equally. Take a tablespon up to three times a day or mix with cereals. Exercise too! ther r othr.
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A 25-year-old member asked:
Every morning I have a bowel movement at least 4 times in an hour, most of which is loose and watery. What could be wrong?
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in

Dr. Michio Abe answered
Internal Medicine 26 years experience
Could be normal: What's considered a normal bowel movement varies from one person to the next. In general, most people have it 3 x/day to 3 x/week. 4 times in an hour with loose, watery consistency sounds a bit unusual, but the important question is whether or not this is a new pattern for you or you have always had it this way. If it's something new, it could be diarrhea due to a number of possible causes.
6104 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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Last updated May 31, 2018
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