Bowel incontinence

@jackiem95 ...I do best with Miralax or the various Big Box Stores' generics. I take a 12 oz glass of water with a large measure of the lax about every third day. I do eat a few prunes, but I have better luck with a good bowl of grits and eggs.

@lacy2 - It is very upsetting to read what you and others have to live with. I have a minor problem, but I notice it’s little too frequent now. I had damage to the Amal sphincter during childbirth.
I am aware that some people need ostomies to deal with constipation and I’m sure it could work with diarrhea too.
I have thought about having one since my sphincter is getting weaker, not yet though. It comes down to quality of life.

@INGEGERD ... just wondering, I thought there was an operation for repairing anal sphincter? Friend in UK had same with childbirth and we didn't correspond that often as I am in Canada, but kept in touch, and was years before she told me she had an ostomy? It is too late for me to have anything like that, honestly I am overwhelmed with what I have and one more thing ... well and at 77 . I was also cut between vagina and rectum 1962 first child.... but I feel my problems started after radiation to pelvis for cancer of cervix done 1985..... I agree: quality of life. I applied for M.A.I.D. last year, "informally" but didn't qualify but the rules have changed recently .... However, this is about YOU so I wish you the best and haven't read any of your posts but have you tried the exercises etc? I take Imodium so does my spouse .... otherwise its ten times a day. Please take care of yourself.... J.

Oh, not in response to any post but 2018 after c.diff and now fecal incontinence ...I bought a book from A....zon.ca titled: (British spelling but think available in American sp) "Faecal Incontinence is it really IBS?"
Story of man's journey through this medical issue for many many years and could have cried reading it, and how he cried the first time he messed his clothing while riding subway and going home and stripping off in bathtub/shower" as I have done... interesting reading how he was misdiagnosed and lack of help he had from many of the best physicians.... and why.... and what he ended up doing - no easy fix. He had an implant in bowel; like a pacemaker; found he was lactose intolerant for years; and as I do, take Imodium. Page 95 he mentioned women who have been damaged through childbirth do not know they have been etc. I bought 2 extra books and gave them away but his personal journey has some good basic information in and I wish it could be read, at least by every family doctor. Now I dusted it off to get title I think I will read it again....written in everyday language we can understand too. J.

@lacy2 - I have not done pelvic floor exercises- even though I read about everyone doing them! It’s time.
You are most likely correct in that radiation caused your damage. Chemotherapy damaged my intestines.
It’s a sad story- the book you mentioned. IBS has been a diagnosis that covers everything that can’t easily be diagnosed. Lactose intolerance is a relatively “new” diagnosed condition, especially in Northern Europe. Most doctors nowadays include that in a work up.
You are not old yet. I’m your age and I try to fix things not working, including the brain!

@Ingegerd... you are my age? in that photo you have as mentor? Yes the author is saying how many super duper specialists he went to in London UK and they didnt find the cause.... it's quite a story. Am having another bad day and glad I can at least "chat" on here, hope I am not sounding as useless as I am now, after raising children, working etc. I was just starting to feel better when had a lot of dental work done and it hasnt worked out and the numbing agent and i think hit some nerves in my face and it goes on and on and on... I know its same for many but sometimes piling one thing on top of the other, the pile falls down. Thanks for your reply... take care, J.

@astaingegerdm I too had damage to my anal sphincter during childbirth, I ripped all the way through it. It has been suggested that is the cause of my problem. I went to a urogynecologist for my urinary incontinence and also brought up the fecal incontinence. It seems implausible that what happened so long ago would take this long to affect me but she and the special physical therapist I went to both thought that was the probable cause. Reading that you say yours is getting weaker makes me realize that may be why I haven't had a problem up until the last couple of years. Initially the problem presented itself because I was having diarrhea. It turned out that my immunosuppressants had triggered lactose intolerance. I am not having that problem anymore but when active/exercising sometimes small solid feces will leak out.

The urogynecologist I went to told me about a surgeon at a different hospital who has had great success repairing this problem. I am considering going to him after things loosen up a bit. I was very involved in water exercise but right now I am thinking I may not be able to do that anymore.
JK

@lacy2 that sounds like an interesting book, and what you say about childbirth is interesting too. Did they find there is a connection between IBS and fecal incontinence? I doubt I have IBS but it's an interesting theory.
JK

...basically this man's fecal incontinence was not the IBS he had been told he had for years - even now doctors, some, paint every bowel issue with the IBS paint brush. The very first time he had accident in clothing, went to Dr who didnt even examine him properly and promptly told him he had ibs !!! And it gets worse. I could loan you the book mail it to you and you could mail it back? Or maybe library has it: Faecal (Fecal) Incontinence is it really IBS? by T.R.Lewis It is mainly for those with predominantly fecal incontinence, which I didnt have until after c.diff. J.

Hello @jk Well its really about his fecal incontinence ... he was put in the ibs bucket but had other reasons for his condition... he went through a lot and did not get a "cure" as much as control over the situation. I read it a couple of years ago and am going to read it again.... J. (yes women were cut when having a baby , stitches, and it was almost "normal" ...not sure if they still do it as much. J.