I poop five to six times a day. Is this something worrying?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have frequent pooping problem. Usually, I poop five to six times a day. It has been happening for the last three years. The stools are hard and I do not suffer from any loose motion. Also, my weight has increased a lot during the last three years and I have gained 82 kgs from being 65 kgs three years earlier. I feel my stomach is tight sometimes during the day as if it is a ballon and is filled with gas having pressure. I have the problem of gastric gas too and sometimes I feel difficult to sleep at night because of a heavy stomach and it is only when I get fresh through pooping I can sleep. Earlier, I had acne and I used oral pills like Tretinion as part of my treatment for six months. So, I am worried if they have done some damage to my liver that I am having this kind of gastric problems.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Increased weight is a common issue with many possible causes like:

Hypothyroidism.
Bad eating habits.
Lack of exercise.
Cushing's disease.

Please provide me with more details about your eating habits.

You should not worry about the Tretinoin treatment as these symptoms are not related to liver disease. Liver disorders cause jaundice, tender liver, or dark urine.

Bowel motions five times a day could be part of IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) which is very common (10% of the population) and causes gas problems and frequent bowel motions.

I suggest:

Buscopan tablet (Hyoscine butyl bromide and Paracetamol) every eight hours for the IBS. Consult your specialist doctor, discuss with him or her and start taking the medicines with their consent.
Good eating habits (no junk foods and low carbohydrates).
Regular exercise.
TSH level (to exclude hypothyroidism).

For further advice, please follow up.

For more information consult an internal medicine physician online.