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Bowel or fecal incontinence and how to manage it
Digestive Health | Last Active: Oct 20 11:52am | Replies (210)Comment receiving replies
I am at the end of my rope after 25 years of this. I rarely leave the house. Like you, I was in great shape. Never anxious about much. I had my gallbladder removed in 2011 and nearly died because the doctor cut my bile duct. It made no improvement on my stomach issues. No one can find out what's wrong with me. I've tried everything. I was divorced in 2011 and can't even imagine trying to date. I would be a nervous wreck. Diagnosed with IBS, but I think that's just a catch-all when they have no answer. Just recently I went in for physical therapy, and they found that I was constipated! I was shocked. I always thought I had the opposite. Nothing I eat makes any difference. I have a great diet, eat pretty Mediterranean style, drink lots of water and take 2 t of psyllium every day. I'm mystified, and I feel completely useless. I can't be a functioning member of society, can't even volunteer anywhere. All I can do is sit in my house and donate what little money I can to worthy causes. Other than that, I am just existing. I can barely go the grocery store without extreme anxiety, and half the time I end up in the bathroom. Can't travel anywhere, when I should be able to. I'm so tired of this after all this years. Tired of minimizing it, telling myself other people have it worse. It's my life, and 25 years wasted.
Replies to "I am at the end of my rope after 25 years of this. I rarely leave..."
joanlee13, i am living this life too for the past 2 years post gallbladder removal. Praying for relief or at least “control”. Keep trying to focus on my blessings and look for solutions. Meds and diet restrictions help and then out of nowhere comes the unannounced uncontrollable liquid bomballistic horrifying bowel explosion which no amount of protection can contain. Wondering if I live out “this” life chained to the toilet or get an
ileostomy and deal with those consequences. I just keep hoping that there will be a cure. Who knows if they are even trying to find one?? I want to be positive and hopeful so I will continue to pray that we find a solution that works and is shared for all suffering this condition.
I have had UC for 28 years now. It the past year , I add urinary inconti ence to the surprise "eruptions" from UC. I find the cleaning myself up afterwards the most difficult for me. If I am not careful I will get a UTI within 5 daus of one of these disasters. After all the clean up ( shower needed most of the time) I go take a 2-3 hour nap.( after an immodium).
I dont like leaving home. I only get out for dr. appointments and 1-2 times a month for a brief trip to some local place.
Most days I wear long t shirt nightgowns. I rarely put on street clothes anymore. Just for outings.
Next week I turn 70 and this past year has really brought home to me my limitations that changed my life . I feel old & forgotten.
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Sorry to hear that, yes, it is easy to get distressed about it. Even my doctors have been uncomfortable talking about it. Of the three that were not too embarrassed to discuss it, I was told this:
1. "People who have your condition (EPI) oftein have diarrhea, and the Creon can cause this as well as constipation, which leads to breakthrough diarrhea, so I am not surprised that this is an issue."
2. "This is something that people with EPI have to deal with intermittently, at least from an anecdotal point of view. Since you also have SIBO, the low FODMAP diet can help, but its effectiveness varies for everyone." (The diet helped a great deal).
3. "The alternating constipation and diarrhea could have weakened or damaged muscles and nerves in that area (sphincter). Straining when constipated and trying to hold it can cause this over time. " I think this may have become part of this issue. Sometimes I am so far away from the restroom that it will start to feel like a painful cramp from the urgency, as even when wearing Depends, it is still time-consuming and embarrassing.
Luckily, at this point, it is mostly very light leakage if I stay on a low Fodmap diet; but there are a few times a month where the issue is severe. It is usually if I remain constipated for more than two to three days so I pay close attention to that. Usually, I take a suppository or mini enema if the Malox doesn't do the trick within 24 hours.
I have not been to a pool, sauna, jacuzzi, or the beach in years, unless it was an isolated beach for this very reason. I use to go all the time, feels so strange to cut that out of my life. I have considered the Navina inserts, but am reluctant to do anything that may exacerbate the condition.