Rectal cancer and fecal incontinence: Any remedies?

My situation is different (my entire colon was removed due to cancer), but the 8-9 trips to the bathroom. I don't know if this will help - your experience will vary, but if his stools are runny like constant diarrhea, it might make them more solid and more controllable.

Mayo Clinic advised me to take (more accurately gag down) Metamucil in a slurry (minimal water) to absorb the water in the stool to make things controllable. I take a heaping teaspoon 3-4 times a day. I wait 2 hours after taking meds because of possible adsorption issues. It took a long time of trial/error to get the amount figured out. Again, this is for someone without a colon, his situation would likely use less.

Make sure to use a fiber supplement that absorbs the water - some don't. I prefer to stay away from those with sugar as those encourage runny stools.

That's not a fun regimen, but it's a lot better than soiling oneself 8 times a day.

I agree here that you should try to get your father to have colostomy surgery. I was diagnosed with rectal cancer in 2018. I went thorough chemo, radiation and I have a permanent colostomy. I feel this surgery saved my life. It does take some getting used to. I have bowel movements about ten times a day. I take Imodium and lomotil occasionally to help control this. Going through this is better than wearing diapers all the time like I was doing before. I am 64.

Well, there's a big difference between age 64 and 82. Big drop off. If dad was 64 he'd do it. His surgeon was very serious when he said that the surgery would be very hard on him. Now, dad has lost 40 pounds after he got cancer, went through radiation and took the chemo pills. He's not gained it back. He's 140 pounds. When you get older there are all sorts of complications that can end your life. He is worried that the infusion chemo would've ended his life (25 percent of people over the age of 70 have to quit it, I"m sure it's higher after age 80), and I don't know if after the radiation and pills he was strong enough to get through the colostomy. Now I've not pushed him either way, but we've had long discussions about this.

For now he's on a regime of immodium, lomitil (alternating) and of course adult diapers and maxi pads. I don't know what else to do.

Ps. The oral chemo did a number on his brain. He has trouble remembering things all the time. I can't imagine what infusion chemo would do.

Thanks for your comment.

@rjjacobsen suggested Metamucil. Psyllium husk (what's in metamucil) taken with little water and limiting liquids during the day can help.
Maybe consulting with a dietitian, you could get your dad a diet with a good balance between soluble and insoluble fibers that would bulk his stool without constipating him.
Also pelvic floor therapy migh help with control of the incontinence. I have LARS and pelvic therapy with biofeedback, neurostimulation and PTNS (Percutaneous Tibial Neuro Stimulation) has really helped me.

I alternate my father on loperamide and lomitil daily. At first things were hopeful but now not so much. He leaks through a maxi pad, a diaper, 2 boxer shorts and another pair of shorts into his jeans. I don't know how that happens, but I'm doing laundry and buying clothing like crazy.I got him off caffeine because I thought that would help, no dice.He is basically homebound. Occasionally he'll go out but only if he hasn't eaten anything at all.He is so old and frail (82) a colostomy is out of the question....Has anyone here tried psyllium fiber? I have read that it can help with fecal incontinence. To be honest, I don't see how, but I'm ending the road here on options. I'm going mad.

I did learn that Metamucil is a good source of fibre and must be used with lots of water, if not enough liquids are consumed it can have the opposite effect. If the doctor prescribed it perhaps that’s the effect they want for your dad to slow down his bowel movements, I hope it helps you and also as a senior person I am truly touched by your caring for your father, all the best wishes for you and your dad.

I lost my entire colon due to cancer surgery, which means my feces is always runny (I have no colon to remove the liquid), difficult to control and frequent (8-9) times a day - including overnight events.

Per Mayo Clinic, I was directed to make a barely drinkable slurry of Metamucil (psyllium fiber) and drink it. The psyllium fibers absorbs excess water, helps make the stool more semi-solid and also easier to control. I do a heaping teaspoon in 2 ounces of water 4 times a day. 2 hours after breakfast, 1 hour after lunch, 2 hours after evening meal and in the middle of the night when I wake up for a bathroom run. The delays are to enable absorption of medications which this can impact. If you mix it with too little water, you can even eat it with a spoon much like applesauce although I don't recommend that.

So the normal use of MM is to drink it with lots of water to loosen stools, but it also tightens stools if used in a larger quantity with minimal water.

Some practical notes - some of which would apply to other readers.

1) amount and frequency will vary so some experimentation with quantity and frequency is necessary and can take some time to figure out.

2) Some of the non MM fiber supplements that have psyllium fiber also have granulated sugar which can aggravate diarrhea, I found these unhelpful. There are also some with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame to which some (like me) are allergic and there's a Metamucil product with Stevia. I use that one, but is more expensive. So read the label.

3) All of the ones I've used have maltodextrin, which is a carbohydrate. There probably are some psyllium fiber products that don't have it - so shop around if you're trying to cut carbs.

4) I have found that doing this consistently works best. When I'm unable to mix a powder in water, I take some (7-8) MM capsules at the water fountain - much easier to manage than carrying the powder form and mixing it.

Hope that helps!

Man I'm sorry you're going through that. My dad's rectal cancer went away after radiation and chemo pills, but then it came back and he doesn't want the surgery and infusion chemo. So it's bad but so far not to your extent. The most he's gone in a day is 8 times, that was once, and usually it's between 3-5.

God bless you

Thanks for your comments.

It was a tough time, but we're doing well now and managing reasonably well.

Costco sells it's own brand of psyllium husk with no sugar. There are other brands sold on Amazon also with no sugar. As @rjjacobsen has said, the trick is to take it with little water and, my doctor said, not drink more than 1.5 L of liquids in 24 hours.