a bit of an indelicate question

[summerdazies]

OK so just a heads up, this is not a topic that is graphic in an emet or mature sense but it's still maybe a bit on the side of TMI (y'all know how we love to obsess about our bowel habits...)

I've never shared the experience of spending more than two minutes in a bathroom in order to have a BM - when I have to go, it's more "urgent"... I've never understood why people would need reading material in the restroom, honestly. Even when I was younger and chronically constipated, it hurt to go and didn't happen as often as it should have but I never had to "sit there and read." I asked my mom and she said it was because of my IBS... So, erm, I was wondering if any of you all have a similar experience? Or the opposite? Insight?

[DeadxxInside92]

It varies but normally I never am in the bathroom very long. My mother on the other hand who suffers chronic constipation can be in the bathroom for like one hour...and read every single magazine on the rack lol

[Rebecca85]

I have Crohn's and a typical bathroom visit is maybe 15 minutes, 10 of which I am actually pooping! So yeah, I always make sure I have plenty of reading material in there.

On the bright side, at least I only usually go once or twice a day.

[spilled_milk]

I'm never in the bathroom very long at all. Usually a minute or two. My boyfriend is the opposite though, he can be in there up to half an hour and he won't even necessarily go! Sometimes it takes him a few tries throughout the day.

[Erica1649]

It depends, I seem to get constipated from time to time, but I can feel the changes in my stomach when it happens...I just by habit now bring reading material in there, which isn't good for any of us might I add...

I only say this because I work for a rectal doctor and our doctor tells patients that if you feel the urge to go and you don't have to, its bad to sit there for a very long time. You can always go back in there if you are "ready"

My hubby brings comics into the bathroom when he goes lmfao...so I keep tellin him he's gonna get hemorrohids if he sits there too long.

For the constipation, sometimes all I need (and maybe some of you too) is just some extra liquid in our diets. If you aren't getting enough fiber, Metamucil and Benefiber are great supplements.

[LouiseR]

I'm never in there very long, even if I have been constipated, I give up within a minute if nothings happening. However I have a weird strong dislike of going to the toilet...It's not like a fear in anyway but every time I need to go I'm always like oh god no I hate it..lol weird I know, so I take my phone with me and play sudoku! I like a distraction

[anxiousinmi]

Only a couple of minutes for me....my biggest issue is only going once a week, but I keep getting told its not constipation. I think it contributes to my always feeling yucky though.

[JellyBn83]

When I have constipation, I will be in there for 10-15 minutes. I will have the urge to go, but nothing will happen. Sometimes just sitting there "relaxed" seems to help. But when it is a "normal" time, I just go in and do my thing and be done.

[laitka]

When I have constipation, I will be in there for 10-15 minutes. I will have the urge to go, but nothing will happen. Sometimes just sitting there "relaxed" seems to help. But when it is a "normal" time, I just go in and do my thing and be done.

Yeah I'm exactly the same. Sometimes just sitting there and being relaxing seems to help. And I find that by having something to read actually makes me more relaxed and it sort of "speeds up" the process.

[summerdazies]

Thanks for sharing your experiences everyone!

The only time I've made use of reading materials was when I used to abuse laxatives (when I had an eating disorder), wake up in the middle of the night with my bowels cramping horribly and I would bite down on a washcloth, sit on the toilet and read something to keep my mind off the pain. But it was never "reading to pass the time" haha!

My dad will spend up to half an hour in the bathroom at a time, and ALWAYS when we are trying to go somewhere! Literally, my brother, my mom and I will all be standing at the car, and someone asks "where's dad?" and everyone else says "in the bathroom, probably." It's a bit of a joke, because we can't do anything but laugh about it. It's annoying as heck though! My parents have been married for almost 30 years (in June!) and my mom says dad's always been that way.

[hairyfairy]

I was always getting constipated when I was a kid, & our bathroom cabinet was well stocked with laxatives, but now I`m more prone to get the opposite, so I guess that means IBS, though I haven`t been officially diagnosed.

[kaiilyn_23]

The only time I've dealt with constipation was after my colonoscopy. I have chronic d* basically and I'm always in the bathroom for what feels like forever so I'm always reading my magazines/current book!

And about your dad... that's a typical male thing. My brother spends 45 minutes in the bathroom, it's like sacred guy time for reading and poopin'! Most guys I know are like that.

[DeadxxInside92]

The only time I've dealt with constipation was after my colonoscopy. I have chronic d* basically and I'm always in the bathroom for what feels like forever so I'm always reading my magazines/current book!

And about your dad... that's a typical male thing. My brother spends 45 minutes in the bathroom, it's like sacred guy time for reading and poopin'! Most guys I know are like that.

or playing with their dong lol