# Fecal incontinence starting, how do I stop?



## floppsymoppsy (Jul 16, 2014)

I experienced rectal prolapse several years ago. I did not have surgery. To be blunt, I stuffed it all back up in place, and hoped that by being extremely careful (no straining, no heavy lifting), and by taking Chinese herbs and nutritional supplements things would repair. Well, it really seemed to work out, until lately, when for the first time since I was two years old, I lost it. Poop all over the bathroom floor, trying to make it to the toilet! I think it's related to hormonal changes because since I've been trying to go thu menopause everything about my body has gone helter skelter. But now I'm worried all the time that it will happen again. What if it happened in public?

Does anyone have advice on how to deal with this embarrassing issue?

Thanks!


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## JMH91 (Apr 16, 2014)

During menopause, there are changes in muscle strength, maybe there is history of damage from childbirth for you too.

Wikipedia has a few OK articles on fecal incontinence and rectal prolapse - intussusception spectrum. A good place to start and if you want more details of treatments try the links in the references section.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fecal_incontinence and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgical_management_of_fecal_incontinence

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rectal_prolapse

I have not been diagnosed with any prolapse (I think a few here have this diagnosis and maybe they can tell you more), and I am not a doctor (I guess no-one else here is either). So best advice we can give is to see a specialist in coloproctology / colorectal surgery. They will tell the investigations you need like endoanal ultrasound, defecography, anorectal manometry, or others. The results decide if you need surgery or other treatments like biofeedback. Please avoid alternative medicine cons like Chinese herbal remedies. A waste of your money.

Generally you need to=

1. increase strength of anal sphincters (helps to prevent prolapse and leakage)

2. Reduce straining during bowel movement

Things you can do yourself which might help:


Kegel exercise or Hypopressive excercises https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypopressive_exercise
TENS (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation), Probably the best thing you can do ... to exercise and increase strength of anal sphincters and pelvic floor, e.g. with anal electrode https://www.tenscare.co.uk/index.php?action=products&product=81
Transanal irrigation e.g. http://www.coloplast.co.uk/peristeen-anal-irrigation-system-en-gb.aspx
Psyllium (increases bulk of stool and makes it softer with less mucus and moisture... makes bowel movements less strenuous)
Squat on the toilet for bowel movements as this requires much less straining and evacuates better
Get up earlier in morning so you you have more time to fully evacuate
Make sure you are near bathroom at times when bowel movement is likely (immediately after waking up and after meals or hot/large drinks)


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## floppsymoppsy (Jul 16, 2014)

Hi,

Thanks for the info. I'll check out those links. Yikes, an electrode sounds scary! I do kegal exercise, but I haven't heard of hypopressive exercise. It was wonderful of you to go to so much trouble. Thanks!


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## JMH91 (Apr 16, 2014)

floppsymoppsy said:


> Hi,
> 
> Thanks for the info. I'll check out those links. Yikes, an electrode sounds scary! I do kegal exercise, but I haven't heard of hypopressive exercise. It was wonderful of you to go to so much trouble. Thanks!


An electrode is just something that gives out electricity from a battery. All the nerves in your body work with electricity. Motor nerves which supply muscles send electrical signal from the brain to the muscle, and the muscle fibers contract, making the muscle do whatever its action is (squeeze, move limbs, make heart contract, make you breathe, etc etc). TENS is applying external electricity signal to make the muscles contract. It's incredibly safe treatment. I found no benefit from Kegel simply because I think I have partial nerve damage so the signals my nerves send are not as strong as the TENS. There is v noticeable increase in tightness and strength down there after using the TENS for a few weeks. It is also v boring to sit and consciously contract and relax the pelvic floor/anal sphincter for 20 mins. If using TENS, you can just read a book and ignore it and it still does a v thorough training of the muscles.

Hypopressive exercise- not much evidence but it is supposed to be good for prolapse.

Anyway hope you find some help when you get to see the doctors you need to and get the treatment you need


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## Ouchie81 (Nov 26, 2013)

Hello, an is ask, before your incidence of incontinence did you experience a mucus discharge? I have just been diagnosed with internal prolapse and am so very scared. Did your prolapse ever come back out again?


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## floppsymoppsy (Jul 16, 2014)

I'm sorry not to reply until now. I have narcolepsy as well as IBS and sometimes it is so out of control that I don't get much done and time just slips away, so please forgive.

To JMH91:

You know, that does sound better! I'll have to find out if anyone around here does and how much it costs. Thanks for the info.









To Ouchie81:

I can't really remember if I had mucus just before the prolapse or not, but then, it would not be surprising. Mucus is pretty common for me and always has been, long before the prolapse. After it happened I realized there were some signs, but I didn't know about prolapses. No clue, so I wasn't careful and pushed like a madwoman when I had to poo. I had IBSC back then... severe constipation. After it happened it came out two more times. FREAKY! You're lucky to have warning. It will probably save you my experience. My advice: In my opinion It's imperative never to push. I'm no doctor, but it's worked for me. Since I learned how to GO by moving this way and that on the toilet (and since my IBS turned to IBSD) it has stayed up. It's been a few years now since I saw my innards, thank goodness! Also, be careful not to lift really heavy objects. I'm just concerned now about pooping before I make it to the toilet. Maybe it was a reaction to PharmaGaba I was trying. Maybe my hormones, maybe the prolapse, but in any case, I feel pretty confidant that it will stay up if I'm careful. Try not to be too freaked. Like I said, you're lucky you have warning, it will probably make all the difference.


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## gsn (Jul 4, 2009)

Sometimes issues from childbirth don't manifest in this manner until a woman is much older. Having had a difficult labor, an episiotomy, a forceps delivery can cause muscle and nerve damage that will result in episodes of incontinence.


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