Why Am I Constipated One Day and Having Diarrhea the Next? Could It Be IBS?

Do you remember how sometimes you just wake up with a feeling that your bowels did not get a memo about your breakfast plans? The previous day, you were struggling with being stuck in the bathroom without a clear reason.

You felt heavy, bloated, uncomfortable and probably drank plenty of water and took something that helps you go. You made promises to solve the issue. Then you wake up the next day, and the situation changes drastically.

Suddenly, you are running into the bathroom with loose stools. Confusing, isn't it? What is the reason for being constipated yesterday and suffering from diarrhea today? Is there something wrong with your diet? Did you eat the wrong food? Does your gut react to stress? Could all this mess be IBS?

Unfortunately, sometimes it is not just “you ate the wrong thing”. Bowel habits can change depending on diet, fiber intake, hydration, eating patterns, stress, medication, infections and several conditions.

For some patients, the combination of abdominal pain with changes in stool habits can fall under the category of IBS with mixed bowel habits (IBS-M), however, alternating constipation and diarrhea alone do not equal IBS diagnosis.

This is when nutrition becomes intriguing. It does not always mean that you have to throw away half of the products in your kitchen and start living only on rice and bananas. Often, the key question is not “What food causes my IBS?” but rather “What does my diet say to my gut?” Let us elaborate.

Why Am I Constipated One Day and Having Diarrhea the Next?

There are many reasons for movement from constipation to diarrhea, and what matters more is the pattern, not just one day. Constipation usually means stools are hard to pass, consist of hard lumpy stools, or have less bowel movement than is normal.

Diarrhea means that loose or watery stools occur more than what is considered normal. In this case, doctors may think of several reasons, such as irritable bowel syndrome with mixed bowel habits. IBS involves recurrent abdominal pains along with changes in stool patterns. However, there is a crucial difference:

One day of constipation followed by one day of diarrhea cannot point to IBS. Your digestive system is not perfectly regular. The indicators are whether the cycle keeps repeating and whether it has any other symptoms, such as abdominal pain and others. 1

Could Alternating Constipation and Diarrhea Be IBS?

According to the Rome criteria, IBS is diagnosed based on the presence of recurrent abdominal pain that is correlated with the changes in stool frequency and consistency. So if you have been experiencing:

“Constipation → relief → diarrhea → swelling → constipation once again” 2

It is better to discuss it with your doctor instead of simply assuming that your episodes are the result of food intolerances .Alterations in intestinal functions and bowel sensitivity lead to abdominal pain, bloating, and changes in bowel movements.

Based on the Rome Criteria, the diagnosis of IBS is made due to recurrent abdominal pain and correlation with changes in the frequency and stool characteristics.

7 Reasons Your Bowel Habits May Keep Switching

Sometimes the explanation isn't one dramatic food. It can be the combination of several small things happening throughout your week.

1. Your fiber intake keeps swinging from one extreme to another

Consider a scenario where the week begins with almost no vegetables, fruit, and mainly processed meals. By midweek, you notice some difficulty with your ability to go to the bathroom. Therefore, you eat an enormous bowl of beans, a big salad, a number of fruits, and a fiber supplement.

That's quite a sudden adjustment for your gut to handle. 3 Fiber is essential for gut health. It is important to increase your fiber intake slowly over time in order to avoid constipation. But if you rapidly change your diet, chances of developing gas or bloating become high.

The recommendation of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases is to increase the level of fiber over some time rather than do it all at once.

Instead of saying, "I haven't gone to the bathroom for a while, so Ineed a lot of fiber," it is better to establish a steady routine of fiber consumption during the week.

Oats, fruits, veggies, bean family, and whole grains are all good sources of fiber, but one needs to remember about individual tolerance of the food in question, especially if he/she suffers from IBS. Check my detailed guide on how to reduce bloating when increase healthy and fiber food!

2. You're eating very differently from day to day

You may not eat much today because you're otherwise occupied. The following day might be a scenario where you are hungry and consuming much more than the normal amount. The next day you have no lunch. Dinner is thus more than the usual amount.

Your digestive system is engaged in a very different activity every day. In IBS, you need consistent meals without alternating between hunger and overeating. Meals don't need to be on a perfect schedule, but rather on a reasonable schedule for the body.

3. You're increasing fiber without enough fluid

Fiber and hydration complement one another in terms of function. If you start to consume more fiber to address your constipation, but do not increase the amount of fluids you take, you may not make the progress you were hoping for. 4

To increase the effectiveness of fiber, it is advisable to bring sufficient amounts of fluids into your diet, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. However, this doesn't mean you need to pump your body full of water.

All you need to do is analyze your normal fluid intake:

• How much water do you drink on a regular basis?
• How often do you consume caffeine?
• How much food do you eat during the day?
• Have you experienced any sudden drop in your water intake?
• Have you raised your fiber intake significantly?

Changing lifestyle patterns can affect the way your body responds to the changes and may explain your troubles.

4. Stress may be showing up in your gut

Your gut cannot be separated from the rest of the human body. Stressful week causes shifts in diet, sleep, physical activity, and experience with digestion. Observe weeks when the schedule is packed.

• You miss breakfast.
• You eat lunch at the desk.
• You forget to drink water.
• You eat something quickly.
• You go to bed very late.

Thus, at some point, your stomach becomes the loudest part of the day. Nonetheless, that does not mean “it is all in your head.” That means that the digestive system is connected to the body. 5

Check my below detailed article to know gut and mind connection, that how stress causes gut issues!

5. You're reacting to a food—or to the overall meal

It is not unusual for people to place blame on specific foods when the problem is really connected to the entire meal. For instance, a particular food may seem to be tolerated in small amounts but cause obvious symptoms in copious amount.

Along with the consumption of many fermentable carbohydrates, fatty ingredients, dairy products, sugars, and other elements of triggering meals.

That’s why keeping a simple food diary may prove to be more effective than trying to avoid certain foods. The necessary information should include:

Food → portion → timing → symptoms → bowel movement

Not:

Food = bad.

That difference matters.

6. A medication or supplement may be affecting your bowel habits

Some drugs and dietary supplements can affect our bowel habits. Some drugs may result in constipation, whereas others can cause diarrhea. If you experience any changes to your bowel movement as a result of any change in drugs or nutritional supplements. 6

Then let your doctor know. It is not advisable to stop any medication on your own without consulting the doctor just because of doubts regarding its influence on digestion.

7. Your gut may simply need a proper evaluation

Constipated one day, diarrhea the next day can be a sign of a serious health issue. There can be several other reasons for repeated changes in bowel movement. One of them is IBS. However, the health professionals may need to rule out some other health conditions based on the symptoms.

According to NIDDK, physicians are known to learn about the condition of IBS by using past medical information and family history. Therefore, the purpose of the article is not to diagnose IBS. Its inform you to get evaluation for your gut.

The Nutrition Mistake: Trying to “Fix” Each Day Separately

Digestive health is generally poorly understood. As constipation occurs. You get anxious. You start consuming too much fiber. Then you end up developing diarrhea Once more you don’t know what to do.

Any attempts to regulate your eating habits will leave you hungry and tired Furthermore you may end up eliminating more and more foods from your diet. The list of the food items you are scared to eat keeps growing.

Your digestive system may not need more food laws but rather more constancy. As opposed to asking yourself the question: “What food should I eat today to relieve myself?” Instead try to ask: "What eating habits will ensure that my digestion gets back to normal over time?”

5 Gentle Nutrition Steps to Support More Regular Digestion

Step 1: Stop making dramatic food changes overnight.

Step 2: Build balanced meals instead of “gut-friendly” punishment meals

Step 3: Increase fiber gradually.

Step 4: Give your bowel a routine.

Step 5: Move your body regularly

When Alternating Constipation and Diarrhea Needs Medical Attention

Before coming to a conclusion about having IBS after reading information on the internet, it is recommended to take a step back and carefully evaluate your symptoms.

If your symptoms do not go away and frequently occur, are very severe, and seriously impact your quality of life, it is better to consult a physician.

• Bright red blood in stool
• Dark or black colored stool
• Unexplained losses in weight
• Recurring or intense abdominal discomfort
• Fever
• Frequent vomiting
• serious dehydration
• Anemia
• Symptoms that wake you

A new change in bowel habits that lasts for a long time These signs in themselves may not mean any serious incident happens in the body, but they need to be evaluated properly rather than treated by yourself.

A Note for Women: Your Period May Matter Too

If you are female, there is another situation to pay attention to. Do your bowel issues seem to change before or during your period? Hormonal changes during menstruation can coincide with some digestive changes affecting women suffering from IBS. 7

Thus many women suffering from this condition report stronger symptoms during their periods, according to NIDDK. Therefore, it makes sense to introduce one more aspect into your food-and-symptom diary:

What is the particular moment of my menstrual cycle?

This could hopefully reveal another pattern, but again, it does not necessarily mean that there is IBS present during menstruation. It just adds one more piece of information that can be useful when discussing a health issue with a doctor.

I write a detailed guide to help women who face diarrhea usually during periods and diet for it. You can check out it !

What If You Don't Have IBS?

What we know is that people who are diagnosed with IBS have to have a pattern of symptoms over a period of time, not just one particular bathroom day. In particular, Rome criteria for diagnosis of IBS include recurrent abdominal pain in combination with a change in bowel movements or stool characteristics.

Thus, if you experience a belly surprise every once in a while, don't go ahead and say you have IBS. However, continuous recurrence of the same issue, especially along with recurring abdominal pain and discomfort, might warrant some medical attention.

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