# Occasional Irregularity? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 15, 2008, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069 "2008-08-15T05:08:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/1 "2008-08-15T05:08:31Z")
Um… What would it be called if you were “irregular” all the time? ---
**Author:** ![Walpurgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Walpurgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walpurgis)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/2 "2008-08-15T07:11:00Z")
Er. What are you on about? ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 7:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/3 "2008-08-15T07:13:02Z")
Chronic constipation ---
**Author:** ![papaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@papaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papaw)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/4 "2008-08-15T07:16:28Z")
Or chronic diarrhea. I am as regular as the next guy, maybe moreso, but I sometimes suffer from a week-long cycle of one, then the other, for no particular reason. ---
**Author:** ![Walpurgis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Walpurgis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walpurgis)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/5 "2008-08-15T08:08:04Z")
Oh… I thought you were talking about menstruation (despite the username). Capricious bowels, perhaps? ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/6 "2008-08-15T11:23:36Z")
Is it possible to be regularly irregular? ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/7 "2008-08-15T12:03:30Z")
I think that term covers my situation perfectly. If you consider regularity to mean same time every day, same consistency. Which will never, ever describe me. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/8 "2008-08-15T12:14:40Z")
“Occasional irregularity” makes perfect sense if the “occasional” refers to time and the “irregularity” refers to some other measurement. For example, normally the train arrives on time, with occasional irregularities". Similarly with “regularly irregular”. Even if you’re saying something like “I regularly arrive at work at irregular times”, that makes perfect sense to me. What’s the problem? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/9 "2008-08-15T12:50:43Z")
It’s from the same kind of thinking that leads people to think “jumbo shrimp” and “military intelligence” are true oxymorons. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/10 "2008-08-15T13:12:43Z")
I first encountered the phrase “For occasional irregularity” in TV laxative ads back in the day (1960s?). There’d be a hushed, rapid voiceover at the end, “For occasional irregularity…” It was a code word for “constipated”. And the subtext was that having regular bowel movements was considered healthy in some circles, and if you didn’t have a BM on schedule, you could pop this pill and the next morning get your colon back up to speed. ETA: They had to have the voiceover, not as a disclaimer, but to explain what the ad was about–it was all women looking worried and gloomy, then sunny breezes and women waking up in bed looking refreshed, but at no point did anyone ever mention the word “constipation”. No, it was all, “Take this and you’ll feel much, much better”, and then at the end the announcer would go, “For occasional irregularity”, and you’d go, “Oh. It’s for constipation…” ---
**Author:** ![Lavender\_Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b782af/32.png) [@Lavender\_Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lavender_Falcon)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/11 "2008-08-15T13:32:43Z")
Regular irregularity should be discussed with a doctor. Could be a lot of things, some of which are worrisome, others of which aren’t. Could be something as simple as needing more fiber and exercise, but you don’t want to make that assumption on your own if this is something new. Or are you just asking to ask? ---
**Author:** ![Elysium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3be4f8/32.png) [@Elysium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elysium)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/12 "2008-08-15T14:04:28Z")
Are you referring to constipation or diarrhea? It could be any number of things, like IBS-C or D or the combo-IBS. I had years of being “irregular” all the time before I realized that it wasn’t normal to go 3 times a day and maybe I should do something about it. Turns out I have IBS. See a doctor, your primary care doctor might send you to a gastroenterologist. He or she will probably look into colitis, celiac disease, IBS, or other possible causes. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/13 "2008-08-15T14:41:19Z")
[QUOTE=Elysium] Are you referring to constipation or diarrhea? It could be any number of things, like IBS-C or D or the combo-IBS. I had years of being “irregular” all the time before I realized that it wasn’t normal to go 3 times a day and maybe I should do something about it. Turns out I have IBS. See a doctor, your primary care doctor might send you to a gastroenterologist. He or she will probably look into colitis, celiac disease, IBS, or other possible causes. [/QUOTE] It’s not normal to go three times a day? Ummm, I sometimes go three times before leaving the house! Three times in one day is entirely normal for me. Please provide a cite that tells me three poops in a day is cause for concern. ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/14 "2008-08-15T15:42:19Z")
Don’t worry, three times a day is perfectly within the range of normalcy (as is three times a week; there’s a significant range of variation within normalcy). I myself used to be three times a day, like clockwork, and I’ve always been surprised that so many people go less. Though, I eventually got IBS(-C[onstipation]) as well (actually, the frequency of my visits to the bathroom shot straight up, though their productivity went the other way). But, again, three times a day, with no other problems, is, well, no problem. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/15 "2008-08-15T19:19:35Z")
[QUOTE=Boyo Jim] Um… What would it be called if you were “irregular” all the time? [/QUOTE] It would be called ‘My Life’. I have not experienced anything approaching regular in years due to IBS. It may be a week or more of nothing followed by a week of going every hour. Then a week of once every two days, then a couple weeks of 3 times a day. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/16 "2008-08-15T20:16:37Z")
I think you’re all reading way too much into this, and **BJ** just wants to know if his play on words works or not. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2008, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/17 "2008-08-15T23:06:35Z")
I’m pretty irregular. I don’t go every day, but sometimes I go more than once in a day…they don’t happen at the same time really…it’s just whenever. I guess in general it’s every few days but not always. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/18 "2008-08-16T00:50:34Z")
You know that chart that was linked to in another thread…the chart doctors use to classify the types of “product” by shape and consistency? I have had days where I have done #1 thru #10 on the chart (not necessarily in numerical order, and in separate trips) and felt otherwise fine. This has only happened since my gastric bypass…that changed everything ---
**Author:** ![Indistinguishable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/90ced4/32.png) [@Indistinguishable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Indistinguishable)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/19 "2008-08-16T00:56:52Z")
[QUOTE=kittenblue] You know that chart that was linked to in another thread…the chart doctors use to classify the types of “product” by shape and consistency? I have had days where I have done #1 thru #10 on the chart (not necessarily in numerical order, and in separate trips) and felt otherwise fine. This has only happened since my gastric bypass…that changed everything [/QUOTE] I would assume this is the Bristol Stool Chart, though it apparently only goes from #1 through #7. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2008, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069/20 "2008-08-16T03:11:40Z")
There’s a Bristol Stool Chart?! Oh, god. Also, am I the only person who…well, doesn’t inspect her own stools? I know, I know, health, yada yada, but still, grody. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/occasional-irregularity/460069.md?page=2)