Too many No.2's?

[reynoldsno1]

About 3 months ago I must have stumbled across a mid-life crisis and decided to increase the amount of exercise I do quite considerably.

I do 3 hours of circuit training (high rep weights plus aerobics on bike and row machine), plus another hour of cycling, spread over 5 sessions a week. Going well, and I feel good, and am now using notches on the belt that have lain derelict for some time.

I have noticed recently that I seem to be going to the bog about 3-4 times a day - all motions are perfectly normal :p , but I seem to be clearing out the system at far more regular intervals... is this a result of an exerecise-linked metabolism change, or is it possibly something else?

[currawong]

Come on Dan.

This one has far more substance than at least half of the D & G forum:E

We are all sitting on the edge of our "seats" waiting for the official qualified response.:E :E :E

[Re-Heat]

I do know that metabolic changes in terms of the levels of thyroxine in the blood certainly affect certain daily movements - from experience of changing doseages of thyroxine I can verifty this, but whether this can be influenced by exercise I cannot say. Perhaps wait until you are settled at a weight to be able to tell, unless there is evidence of another problem.

Of course a stiff upper lip and tightening up might help?!...

[mazzy1026]

Have you changed anything in your diet at all ?

Maz

[reynoldsno1]

I knew I could rely on pprooners for some well considered and informative responses....:} No, my diet has not changed, though I am making a conscious decision to actually eat less...

Of course a stiff upper lip and tightening up might help?!...

The tightening I can follow, but I guess biting the lower flabby jaw is more likely....

[mazzy1026]

I have no medical explanation whatsoever for this, as I am not qualified nor do I understand why but when I have had a good workout, it does tend to err, kind of not touch the sides hehe :E

[gingernut]

There is nothing in your question which leads me to think that you have a serious problem, but as with any change in bowel habit, go and seek medical advice.

Your GP will ask the right questions, and take into account the relevant factors (your age being the main one), and perform the appropiate examinations, before, hopefully, giving you the reassurance that you require.

Not an easy one to diagnose by internet I'm afraid.

[411A]

If you are eating more green vegetables or salads lately this will do it.
Especially...if you eat those salads anywhere in Mexico.:{

[Flyin'Dutch']

R,

A change in bowelhabit in middle-agers requires some appropriate attention.

From your description it may well be that the change in diet and lifestyle can explain all of that, however without a closer look; further history taking and an appropriate prod and if necessary investigation one would be skating on thin ice by just assuming all is well.

So off to your doc has to be the proper advice.

Ciao

FD

[Bad medicine]

FD and gingernut have got it right. As with most of the clinical questions that come up on the forum, we can really only give general advice. It's not buck-passing or @ss covering, it's just that without taking the time to take a careful history and then doing the appropriate examinations and investigations, we can't give good quality advice.

Questions on medical standards are a bit different, although the application of them is done on an individual basis.

By all means keep the questions coming, and we'll try to give advice that will be useful to everyone, just don't expect a cure-all specific answer.

Cheers,

BM

[Loose rivets]

Just a word from the not very wise. I was a very fit 60 year old, it was a hangover from 20+ years of judo, running and trying to keep up with my kids in everything...well almost everything.

What I did not take into account was that the parts that make up the whole, don't necessarily want to cooperate. Following stripping the lining off my femur - 5 sq cm! - and jiggering my 5th lumber thingy, I then f***ed up an eye hanging on an inversion table trying to get my back right.

Take it easy as you get older.

N.B. I have just had surgery to remove a sizable floater and will post on that as promised in an earlier post on PVD.

[cortilla]

had a similar problem a while back and asked my girlfriend about it (a final year medical student we have great bedtime chats trust me) and she said that it normally isn't a problem so not to worry.

But as with anything medical she tells me i went to a proper doc (no offense babe, she does read these pages every now and again) as she thought i might have spina befida a few years ago because i have a small amount of hair at the base of my back. In the few years we've been together she's diagnosed me with a couple of diseases (a few hours after a lecture on that particular problem funnily enough). She's learn't a bit more since then, but i should have died at least 15 times by now.

Well on that note i need to go for a number two right now.

On a more serious note, i learn't the hard way, if you ever get anything that you're slightly worried about, go to your GP, and have it looked at straight away. Hey it's free and could save you alot of hassle in the long run. They've seen it all before, and i have yet to find a doc who gets embarresed by anything i've thrown at them (and i like to have fun with my doc's)

[reynoldsno1]

My doctor is a very nice lady, and was pleased to seem me, and impressed that I have had some success in changing my shape. It would appear all my "numbers" are all fine, as is my diet, and the exercise regime may well have encouraged my digestive system to hurry along as well.

Many thanks for all the advice - must go, as the whole fresh chillis from the Tom Yum Pla last night seem anxious to put in a reappearance ......

[TheStormyPetrel]

I have definitely found a strong correlation between exercise and frequency/consistency of dumps.

I tend to do things to extreme, and consequently get the extreme results. With a massive exercise increase (numerous times in my adult life) it has always led to softer and more frequent dumps - to the point where it sometimes forced me to reduce the exercise or have diarrhoea several times a day! By the way, the body's warning time reduces with the softer and more frequent movements, too.

The most severe reaction I had was a period when I was running 10km/day and was on a strictly Pritikin diet. I am not sure that anything touched the sides on the way down. I was slim, trim, fit and felt fantastic - but at a price in the need to stay near a toilet.

[Rabid Dog]

Take it from a Doctor - you need to see a Doctor. It's 99% certain that it's absolutely nothing, but someone's got to be the 1%.
PS Middle-aged anglo men are the worst for attending a Doctor when things go wrong. The sooner changes in habit etc. are seen to, the better the result, if there is something wrong.