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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 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.
Replies to "I have had UC for 28 years now. It the past year , I add urinary..."
I hear you. Can’t help but agree that age (I’m 71) works against us. I too am housebound most days and go out reluctantly for appts, usually only doctor or dentist. Feeling guilty because my husband does all the shopping & travel plans during retirement have been put on hold. Had to send him by himself to babysit grandsons today because of bowel issues. Bowels are unpredictable which makes planning to do anything almost impossible. I understand & sympathize with your situation.
Kate, I hate the cleanup process, too, but I get valuable help from my BioBidet, which goes on my toilet in place of the regular toilet seat and is attachable to the existing water source. It operates with a remote and produces a gentle stream of warm water that cleans very effectively.
It can be purchased on the internet and doesn't necessarily require installment by a plumber -- my daughter installed mine (she's a lawyer, not a plumber). It has worked flawlessly for three years -- no wipes, no rashes.
The one drawback is the cost -- they are not cheap. I think mine cost about $300 and has been worth every penny. If it ever needs replacing, I'll take out a new mortgage on the house rather than do without!
I use a "hand sprayer" type bidet that is an inexpensive attachment I got from Amazon, and it expedites cleanup a great deal. It is under $30 US dollars.
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I have ongoing small bowel obstruction problem and therefore take Restoralax daily. That usually means I have about 4 bowel movements daily. I have to clean myself after each movement or I get a sore rash. My doctor recommended I use baby wipes followed by a barrier cream. This has helped me so much that I wanted to mention it instead of having to shower after each movement.