IBS and Bowel incontinence

[bluesmum]

I had a Partial Gastrectomy a Long time ago,(1974) due to duodenal ulcers. In the last 10-12 years I have suffered a lot from Bowel problems. Mainly diarrhoea and sometimes Constipation. I have been diagnosed with IBS but have not found any medication helps me. I have become afraid to go out as if I need to go , I need to go NOW. Very urgent. I have had times when I walk the dog (every morning) when I have not been able to hold it in and have had a bad accident. I was once on the M25 with my daughter and had to go. There was a lot of traffic and nowhere to leave the motorway, and I had a bad accident in the car. Next Service area I had to get cleaned up and my daighter had to get hold of trousers etc for me. How embarrassing!!! I know that certain foods seem to be a no-no, or else I can have them now and again but never two days running. I have seen a Specialist and tried all sorts of medication,. but was more or less told that "of course it must be due to the Gastrectomy". Well thanks a lot!! no one said anything about that at the time, and where does that leave me? Does anyone else suffer the same and if so PLEASE get in touch.

[talkhealth]

Hi

Welcome to our forum. What you are going through sounds terrible and we hope that you will be able to find answers to your questions, gain valuable support from other members and generally use our community support to get you through those bad days.

[Bill Adder]

Hi Bluesmum!
I have not had any experience with the problems you are facing, but know it can be dis-heartening if you don't get a reply to your post, so I thought I'd at least say hi!
One bit of general advice I can offer to someone trying to find the right meds for their problem is that it takes time. Whatever drugs you take for whatever problems you are having will have side effects, and sometimes it's a case of choosing the meds with the side effects you can cope best with. Most doctors you speak to will have a flow chart in their heads, going something along the line of "This symptom starts with this med, as it has the highest rate of effectiveness. If it doesn't work, try this one, then this one..." and so on. Try typing the name of the drug into a search engine, as it can give you a good idea of the potential side effects, and can also bring good advice as to reducing the problems encountered.
When I've been a bit confused, I tend to bunch all the symptoms under the heading "I'm feeling grotty!", but seeing them individually can bring inspiration on how to cope.
One other thing I would recommend is speaking to a continence nurse. They are understanding not only about how to deal with the symptoms, but also the effect it can have on your daily life. When I had to use heavier pads to deal with my problem, it shook me to the core. I was sure that everyone could tell, and noticed that my behaviour was more stressed as I tried to cover it. The protection did give me a boost, however. Being able to deal with the next accident in advance meant I wasn't tied down, and gave me a long enough buffer that I didn't have to drop whatever I was doing to dash to the loo.
A little preparation can go a very long way towards putting you at ease. The reassurance of knowing that you have a change of clothes in the boot of the car can make the difference between having to go home at the first sight of symptoms, or being able to cope away from home. The pads are also surprisingly discreet, even the heaviest ones vanish under a pair of jeans without giving anything away.

I hope this helps you,

Bill.

[western123]

I think Bill has hit the nail on the head. That is good generic advice for anyone with this condition.

[bluesmum]

to Bill Adder.
Thank you Bill for your concern and advice. Unfortunately I have already gone through all these options, and the Continence Nurse is truly helpful because she "LISTENS" at least. and doesn't make you feel as if you ought to hurry and not waste her time.
thanks again.

[Ricc1948]

My problem is urgency. When I have to go I really have to go! I've managed to work out that from "first indications" to "no holding back" I have a window of seven to eight minutes to search desperately for a convenient spot. It's not so bad when I'm in the countryside - there's usually a fence or hedge I can nip behind but my nightmare is not being able to make it and embarrassing myself in front of my walking group. This would be especially dreadful as we share cars!
In town things can be a lot worse especially in residential areas where there are no pubs or caffs. Last time it happened I luckily found a piece of derelict ground and crouched behind a bush. I was overlooked by about a hundred windows but as Tony Soprano used to say, "What ya gonna do?"

[chestnut7718]

Very seldomly when I lose fecal control during day am I able to un tape my diaper to use the toilet. Does anyone here pull down or open up their diaper to toilet ?





quote="talkhealth"]Hi

Welcome to our forum. What you are going through sounds terrible and we hope that you will be able to find answers to your questions, gain valuable support from other members and generally use our community support to get you through those bad days.[/quote]

Hello

You may like to know that the Bladder and Bowel foundation has a Just Can't Wait toilet card which can you purchase for £5. The card is used by many who have incontinence problems and need to use a toilet urgently when they are out and about. It doesn't guarantee that you'd be allowed to use a toilet but the majority of people who you show it to are willing to help. Have a look at their website for more information http://www.bladderandbowelfoundation.or ... t-card.asp

I know this doesn't resolve the problem but it might help you regain your confidence when you're out and about.

[Tracey1788]

Hi There
I just popped in and thought that I should tell you that diarrhoea in IBS is often mis-diagnosed. You should get tested for Bile acid malabsorption via a sehcat scan. Questran and Colesevelam are often used as meds to bind you up. Further investigation by a pelvic floor team to investigate urgency.

[Peace2015Above]

Very seldomly when I lose fecal control during day am I able to un tape my diaper to use the toilet. Does anyone here pull down or open up their diaper to toilet ?


Yes I have tried to do it as much as I can without waisting another diaper


quote="talkhealth"]Hi

Welcome to our forum. What you are going through sounds terrible and we hope that you will be able to find answers to your questions, gain valuable support from other members and generally use our community support to get you through those bad days.

Hello

You may like to know that the Bladder and Bowel foundation has a Just Can't Wait toilet card which can you purchase for £5. The card is used by many who have incontinence problems and need to use a toilet urgently when they are out and about. It doesn't guarantee that you'd be allowed to use a toilet but the majority of people who you show it to are willing to help. Have a look at their website for more information http://www.bladderandbowelfoundation.or ... t-card.asp

I know this doesn't resolve the problem but it might help you regain your confidence when you're out and about.

[/quote]