Bristol Stool Scale

[AusLehmann]

Hi all!

A delightful bowel movement question for you all!

Should I be concerned that my bowel movements are consistently a type 6 on the Bristol Stool Scale?

My diet mainly consists of lean meat and fish, rice, potatoes, a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, plenty of dairy (especially milk), legumes and lentils, different types of cereals, and the occasional snack food and Coke Zero.

I’ll probably use the toilet 2 to 3 times in the morning in quick succession and sometimes again throughout the day. I don’t experience stomach aches/cramps not an I overly gassy (generally only if I have a large junk food meal).

Subjectively, I feel pretty terrible most of the time: tired, brain fog, irritable etc. I ensure I get 7-8 hours of sleep every night (getting a sleep apnea test soon to rule that in our out).

Anyway… wanted to check if not having “good” bowel movements is a concern.

Thank you!

[Robert Santana]

How are you sleeping? Any medications or supplements?

[AusLehmann]

Hey Robert,

No medications or regular supplements. Might drink a protein shake from time to time for convenience, but that is fairly irregular.

Sleep… not great. I sleep 7-8 hours a night, but rarely feel rested. My wife tells me I’m a “violent” sleeper.

[Robert Santana]

May be time for a sleep study.

[Jdcuth]

First thing I’d ask is how old are you and double check this isn’t a change over a short number of weeks. But I’m the exact same 2-3 loose shits a morning then maybe another later on- especially a work day when I’m woken by my alarm vs a weekend. It may be a sign of poor sleep but if it’s long term it’s not a worrying thing in itself