Bowel or fecal incontinence and how to manage it

Never ever do a fecal transplant at home! People have died under the care of physicians let alone at home and not having the proper testing!! Have you spoke to a GI doctor about it, and if anything can be done?

You're welcome. I hope you can find some help.

Hello @lacy2

Have you ever seen a pelvic floor therapist? If not, consider asking your doctor for a referral. They can be very helpful in dealing with constipation and incontinence (both fecal and urinary). A pelvic floor therapist can provide information on exercises, breathing techniques as well as nutrition to help you deal with these problems.

Seeing a GI doctor who specializes in motility disorders will help put you on the right track as well.

Have you seen a motility disorder specialist or a pelvic floor therapist?

I am 80, male. I have the same issue, plus heavy bleeding from the penis. The issues are brought on by Gelsolin and Fukutin Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy. I have to wear pads, front and back, and take Miralax-type laxative, and eat lots of prunes if I can avoid the problems. Sad you have the stuff, but glad to know there are others out there. The new longer and wider pads, up to 7" x 23" help a lot, but no swimming. The bleeding is from the leatherized and fragile urinary sphincter. I have to force a catheter through it because it is so tough. Same toughness with the fecal sphincter.

Thanks for everyone's input regarding fecal incontinence. My constipation has returned with a vengeance since I stopped the Miralax for a few days. I will call my doctor tomorrow because I have either one extreme or the other and I cringe when I have to pass gas because I never know if it's just gas or stool. Metamucil alone does not help the situation, even if I add a "Phillips" magnesium capsule at night.

This is definitely a “low tech” suggestion but my recent bout with constipation has been resolved (even if only temporarily) by prunes! I remember as a child many years ago laughing at my mother with her prunes. Well, they helped me! A bit tricky to find the right “dosage” but sure better than the commercial laxatives, fiber, etc etc.

@lacy2 I am surprised that anyone would ask a 75-year-old person to get on their hands and knees. I'm sure there must be other pelvic floor therapists who would have better suggestions than that. If it were me, I would refuse that type of exercise and tell them I need something that is more manageable for my age and body.

As you have had a lot of surgeries as well as radiation have you considered going to a specialty medical center like Mayo Clinic or a university medical school? These facilities are research-oriented and often have a better track record of solving hard-to-treat problems.

Are you able to go to one of these medical facilities?

@jackiem95 @jeanne51 I have recently started eating prunes because they’re good for osteoporosis! It’s sort of a symbiotic relationship between calcium and prunes. Calcium, which is recommended of course for osteoporosis, tends to be constipating, and prunes are the opposite, so it works out well! I do find there is a delicate balance in how many prunes I can eat. Six is the number recommended for osteoporosis but three is my max.
JK

@conrenandwell Thanks for your reply. I have previously used dried prunes for a couple of years but had to quit because they gave me so much gas. Now that I have the rectal weakness issue and don't know if it is gas or stool sensation that I feel this is no longer a good solution.

@jeanne51 Prunes do cause gas, definitely. This was something that I had been thinking about this week since it could be more of a problem as we finally emerge from our home a little bit. I plan to eat them close to bedtime, hoping that effect will pass during the night.
JK