16 replies to this topic

[Myssa]

The one thing we can't get down to is a set bowel routine. We do it every night at the same time but he still seems to be having accidents (2 or 3 a weeks). There is no change in his eating, and I don't think it's a infection. I'm curious to hear what works for others and how long it took for you to get on a good routine.

[qbounce]

Well, what is he taking for bowel management? Does he take stool softeners? If so, you might want to stop for awhile and see if that helps.

[BillS]

I'm an every other day guy. First thing in the morning. I pop a suppository in, wait half an hour then digital stimulation on the toilet. I do mutiple digital stimulations for about 20 minutes to make sure I get everything out that's coming out. Originally I was given a stool softener but I stopped using that early in as it seemed to just cause problems.

[edlee]

I've got to agree,,, in fact, for me,, it is "firmer is better",, at least to a point. The only problem is that you have to do some "digging", sometimes.

I had to use both morning and night routines for the first 6 months or so,, before it went to once a day on it's own.

This is one of the hardest parts of SCI,, good luck.
ed

[Karl187]

Myssa, on Jan 12 2010, 06:16 PM, said:

The one thing we can't get down to is a set bowel routine. We do it every night at the same time but he still seems to be having accidents (2 or 3 a weeks). There is no change in his eating, and I don't think it's a infection. I'm curious to hear what works for others and how long it took for you to get on a good routine.

I didn't manage to get a handle on my bowel routine until I got out of hospital. That was five months of it working for a week or two and then it was back to having accidents. Out of hospital my routine was more rigid and I was eating better. Experiment with food, high fibre, low fibre and see what works, if anything. Also listen to what the others have said. There are a wealth of options from suppositories to anal irrigation to digital rectal examination. It can take a while to work out whats right and what works and the bowel won't be trained overnight, it is a very difficult aspect of SCI and can take some time. But it will be sorted eventually. Keep on truckin' and good luck.

Edited by Karl187, 13 January 2010 - 12:40 PM.

[Myssa]

qbounce, on Jan 12 2010, 02:38 PM, said:

Well, what is he taking for bowel management? Does he take stool softeners? If so, you might want to stop for awhile and see if that helps.

He uses Digital stimulation every night and yes he's on stoll softeners.

[Courtney]

hey chick....lay off of the stool softners for about a week and see what happens....also, how much water is he drinking a day? If he's drinking alot, back off the fluids.......granted everyone is different, but Duke uses no stool softners or suppositories and watches how much fluid he has during the day...you need to "firm things up to keep them in" The only thing we do is digital stim at night...The less he drinks, the more solid it should be

[wheeliebear75]

Well I don't think there is a truly delicate way of putting this; stay pasty & things keep going as they should, if I get more solid than say raw bread dough I have to glove up or else I get very bloated & sore in the belly. If he takes a stool softener I would say cut down before cutting it out & also look at not just what he had to eat but what he had to drink......often fruit juices can make things a bit looser than things would have been otherwise......could a tall glass of OJ with breakfast have anything to do with it? Just a thought.

[E-DOG]

So I got my middle finger up my ass damn near to my lungs or so it seemed an' I'm twirling it around this-a-way an' I'm twirlin' it around that-a-way when sure as shootin' chickens in a cardboard box some dang fool up 'n knocks at my front door. Knowing a thick brown Niagara Falls was on it's way out my butt with a vengeance I kept up with what I was doin' and opened up the door at the same time. One 'o the new neighbor's kids come to introduce hissef here on a Satday evnen. So I pulls my finger outa my rectum an' go t' shake his lil' hand, course I never use gloves, why hell It's MY ASS when...

Don't let this happen to you! Bowel care is a sacred art not to be shared with anyone who isn't in the club.
IT'S THE LAW!

E

[Quad65]

Best laugh I've had all day. Thanks. Yes, making fudge is fun, innit? Some days I don't know whether to crap or go blind, so I just close one eye and fart. I hate it when Mr. Brown comes calling at inopportune times.

[Myssa]

Courtney, on Jan 15 2010, 11:44 AM, said:

hey chick....lay off of the stool softners for about a week and see what happens....also, how much water is he drinking a day? If he's drinking alot, back off the fluids.......granted everyone is different, but Duke uses no stool softners or suppositories and watches how much fluid he has during the day...you need to "firm things up to keep them in" The only thing we do is digital stim at night...The less he drinks, the more solid it should be

Brady does drink a lot of water, i've never really counted but i'd guess 6 or 7 glasses a day. I stopped the softners as of yesterday, i'm hoping it will help.

[slyd]

Quad65, on Jan 17 2010, 06:54 AM, said:

Best laugh I've had all day. Thanks. Yes, making fudge is fun, innit? Some days I don't know whether to crap or go blind, so I just close one eye and fart. I hate it when Mr. Brown comes calling at inopportune times.

yup, a good larf, . . .you got it spot-on !

I nearly fell off my chair !!

[Quad65]

That's a nice looking Strat you're holding. Kind of like the one Hank Marvin of The Shadows plays.

[Edtezky]

Hey bowel regime is hard. I Been doing mine every other night. I drink lots of water and take lots of fiber. You gotta play around with it until you find something that works. I am 7 years past injury and I still have unpredictable results at times.

[guido]

Slow process. Because what you eat one day doesn't appear until a while later, so you need to make the adjustments slowly slowly. Now for me it's usually a fairly easy process. Mostly I go more than once a day - to be sure of no accidents, if say I'm heading out. It's a quick affair.

I don't take any meds or suppositories, drink lots of water, eat healthily, and exercise regularly.

If it loosens/jams up, then I adjust one of the above. It used to be a much more conscious thing but now it's pretty automatic. Being blocked is misery though!

Don't know why but I find that more garlic in my food makes life a lot easier when I'm blocked.

[Inger]

In our experience, things like stool softeners and suppositories can lead to "aftershocks" (Russ' term), so maybe see how his routine goes without these. Apart from that, I think the only thing I know is that E-dog is my new hero

[Ec E Ryda]

wheeliebear75, on Jan 16 2010, 05:21 PM, said:

Well I don't think there is a truly delicate way of putting this; stay pasty & things keep going as they should, if I get more solid than say raw bread dough I have to glove up or else I get very bloated & sore in the belly. If he takes a stool softener I would say cut down before cutting it out & also look at not just what he had to eat but what he had to drink......often fruit juices can make things a bit looser than things would have been otherwise......could a tall glass of OJ with breakfast have anything to do with it? Just a thought.

Lmao, dam you a clown that was funny as hell.