# Can you really train your bowels?



## Karen Pollock (Jan 7, 2002)

I've started reading a book on IBS and it talked about how you need to train your bowels so you go at the same time each day. Are they for real? Can you really do this and if anyone know how to do this, I'd really like to know. At this point in time, I'm lucky if I go at all and if I do its the big D.


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## norbert46 (Feb 20, 2001)

S&J, yes! After getting my IBS/D under control with Mike's tapeprogram I trained myself to go to the bathroom upon arising in the morning and am usually good for the whole day unless I eat too much or one of the few foods that work on me like oatmeal! It is very nice to get up,use the potty, then take a shower to start your day! Good luck, Norb


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## norbert46 (Feb 20, 2001)

S&J, yes! After getting my IBS/D under control with Mike's tapeprogram I trained myself to go to the bathroom upon arising in the morning and am usually good for the whole day unless I eat too much or one of the few foods that work on me like oatmeal! It is very nice to get up,use the potty, then take a shower to start your day! Good luck, Norb


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## Homebound (Jan 27, 2000)

No I really don't believe you can train your bowels. My husband seems to go at the same time every day. I don't think he did anything special to get that way, I think it's more of a mind (or habit) thing really. Get home and go to the bathroom! LOL When you gotta go, you gotta go. That doesn't always fall at the same time each day I think.I think we can learn to train our minds to relax and other things to help IBS, but I really don't believe you can "train" your bowels. If that was the case I don't think we would have many problems with IBS.Jennifer


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## Homebound (Jan 27, 2000)

No I really don't believe you can train your bowels. My husband seems to go at the same time every day. I don't think he did anything special to get that way, I think it's more of a mind (or habit) thing really. Get home and go to the bathroom! LOL When you gotta go, you gotta go. That doesn't always fall at the same time each day I think.I think we can learn to train our minds to relax and other things to help IBS, but I really don't believe you can "train" your bowels. If that was the case I don't think we would have many problems with IBS.Jennifer


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## Sherree (Mar 27, 1999)

I'm with you, S&J, my bowels are NOT trainable. Norb, how in the world did you go about trying to accomplish this?







But it's great that you could!


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## Sherree (Mar 27, 1999)

I'm with you, S&J, my bowels are NOT trainable. Norb, how in the world did you go about trying to accomplish this?







But it's great that you could!


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## norbert46 (Feb 20, 2001)

Sheree, to be honest I had to have control. Let me explain, I had developed a "fistula" from severe potty time and needed surgery. I put it off for appx. 1 year and during that time used Mike's tapes and the IBS/D came under control. The MD said to get the fistula fixed or start sweating cancer so the surgeon cut a large trench in my butt down to the anal opening to remove the glands,infection and bad flesh. I didn't know before hand but after the operation discovered that they didn't sew me up,just left a large "grand canyon" gash open to heal from the inside out! I had to go back to the Surgeon's office every two weeks for 5 months where he used silver nitrate to burn off the new flesh and scar to let the healing fill up the gash from the inside. Now I had to go to work all during this time and my butt was packed with fresh clean gauze . Here was my day: get up, go to potty and carefully wipe clean, take a thorough shower, put the "spitz bath" butt soaker on the toilet and fill it with warm water and sit and soak my butt to thoroughly clean and disinfect everything, then dry off, pack my butt with clean gauze and off to work for the day. No way to go to the potty and reclean the wound at work so I had to refrain from needing the potty at work. Sorry to be so graphic but it became a regular morning habit for me to go potty and still works. Norb


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## norbert46 (Feb 20, 2001)

Sheree, to be honest I had to have control. Let me explain, I had developed a "fistula" from severe potty time and needed surgery. I put it off for appx. 1 year and during that time used Mike's tapes and the IBS/D came under control. The MD said to get the fistula fixed or start sweating cancer so the surgeon cut a large trench in my butt down to the anal opening to remove the glands,infection and bad flesh. I didn't know before hand but after the operation discovered that they didn't sew me up,just left a large "grand canyon" gash open to heal from the inside out! I had to go back to the Surgeon's office every two weeks for 5 months where he used silver nitrate to burn off the new flesh and scar to let the healing fill up the gash from the inside. Now I had to go to work all during this time and my butt was packed with fresh clean gauze . Here was my day: get up, go to potty and carefully wipe clean, take a thorough shower, put the "spitz bath" butt soaker on the toilet and fill it with warm water and sit and soak my butt to thoroughly clean and disinfect everything, then dry off, pack my butt with clean gauze and off to work for the day. No way to go to the potty and reclean the wound at work so I had to refrain from needing the potty at work. Sorry to be so graphic but it became a regular morning habit for me to go potty and still works. Norb


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## Sherree (Mar 27, 1999)

Wow, Norb, that doesn't sound like any fun at all, but a helluva way to train yourself! Too severe for me...


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## Sherree (Mar 27, 1999)

Wow, Norb, that doesn't sound like any fun at all, but a helluva way to train yourself! Too severe for me...


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## norbert46 (Feb 20, 2001)

No, this is not the way anyone should wanna have to learn potty training. But another point, the MD's tell you that IBS doesn't lead to cancer or disease but excessive potty use(IBS/D) or straining(IBS/C) can lead to hemmies,anal fissures and anal fistulas that may require surgery and you can see what I went thru! Stop any foods that are causing you a problem and use Mike's tapes or "in-person" therapy to retrain the subconcious and stop the abuse of your guts and rear-end! In several years there will be some new meds that will also help alleviate symptoms but from my experience all the psychmeds will do is mess you up. Norb


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## norbert46 (Feb 20, 2001)

No, this is not the way anyone should wanna have to learn potty training. But another point, the MD's tell you that IBS doesn't lead to cancer or disease but excessive potty use(IBS/D) or straining(IBS/C) can lead to hemmies,anal fissures and anal fistulas that may require surgery and you can see what I went thru! Stop any foods that are causing you a problem and use Mike's tapes or "in-person" therapy to retrain the subconcious and stop the abuse of your guts and rear-end! In several years there will be some new meds that will also help alleviate symptoms but from my experience all the psychmeds will do is mess you up. Norb


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## angry (Jul 25, 2001)

I'm not sure one can take any credit for "training themselves to go mostly in the morning". My understanding is there is a natural cycle in the body that promotes defecation in the morning all by itself. I've also wondered about how much one can achieve by mental feedback-- except where the feedback can be applied at the time of the event. It isn't clear that condition applies to all or even most of us. I've done quite a bit of engineering work on feedback systems and have seen how in some cases it is impossible to supply enough feedback to stop an out of control event --e.g a run away train. I suspect severe IBS cases are in this "run away train" category.I'll admit that bio systems are different from mechanical or electrical systems but the theory of feedback probably still applies. The crux of the theory is:1) One has to supply the feedback at the right time (like you have to pump on a swing at the appropriate time to either increase or decrease the swing height). This is extremely critical.2) One has to supply the correct feedback amplitude. Too little or too much and it doesn't kill the undesired condition.In my case, (severe IBS(d)), it is clear that the feedback has to be applied 8-12 hours before morning to provide any help for the IBS(d) attacks which occur mostly in the morning. Nothing helps once the attacks start.Secondly, I doubt that anything I could do in the mental area (while asleep) would be of sufficient "amplitude" to help. It really takes something else which works while I sleep. I wonder how many of you have experienced the "timing" effect?


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## angry (Jul 25, 2001)

I'm not sure one can take any credit for "training themselves to go mostly in the morning". My understanding is there is a natural cycle in the body that promotes defecation in the morning all by itself. I've also wondered about how much one can achieve by mental feedback-- except where the feedback can be applied at the time of the event. It isn't clear that condition applies to all or even most of us. I've done quite a bit of engineering work on feedback systems and have seen how in some cases it is impossible to supply enough feedback to stop an out of control event --e.g a run away train. I suspect severe IBS cases are in this "run away train" category.I'll admit that bio systems are different from mechanical or electrical systems but the theory of feedback probably still applies. The crux of the theory is:1) One has to supply the feedback at the right time (like you have to pump on a swing at the appropriate time to either increase or decrease the swing height). This is extremely critical.2) One has to supply the correct feedback amplitude. Too little or too much and it doesn't kill the undesired condition.In my case, (severe IBS(d)), it is clear that the feedback has to be applied 8-12 hours before morning to provide any help for the IBS(d) attacks which occur mostly in the morning. Nothing helps once the attacks start.Secondly, I doubt that anything I could do in the mental area (while asleep) would be of sufficient "amplitude" to help. It really takes something else which works while I sleep. I wonder how many of you have experienced the "timing" effect?


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## Karen Pollock (Jan 7, 2002)

Wow. Thanks for all your replies. I used to be able to go in the morning but that was after coffee. Now that I've stop drinking its stopped. I'm IBS D&C so its pretty hard to go every day. I'm hoping keeping track of my diet will help. Regards.


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## Karen Pollock (Jan 7, 2002)

Wow. Thanks for all your replies. I used to be able to go in the morning but that was after coffee. Now that I've stop drinking its stopped. I'm IBS D&C so its pretty hard to go every day. I'm hoping keeping track of my diet will help. Regards.


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## Ty (Mar 8, 1999)

I'm a C-type and I haven't consciously "trained" my bowels, but after I started taking magnesium with my first big meal of the day, I now go after that meal. It's isn't like clock-work where it's exact one hour after, but I will go. But I also go at other times of the day if needed.But no matter what, after a large meal (ie, not just a banana or a muffin) I will go.Ty


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## Ty (Mar 8, 1999)

I'm a C-type and I haven't consciously "trained" my bowels, but after I started taking magnesium with my first big meal of the day, I now go after that meal. It's isn't like clock-work where it's exact one hour after, but I will go. But I also go at other times of the day if needed.But no matter what, after a large meal (ie, not just a banana or a muffin) I will go.Ty


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## zigmissus (May 19, 1999)

I don't think I could train mine with a whip and a chair. However, I've discovered that sometimes I can delay a D attack until I get home--or at least until I can find a convenient restroom. The trick is to relax your intestinal muscles and sphincter rather than tighten them up, as is the natural reaction when it feels like you're about to explode.


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## zigmissus (May 19, 1999)

I don't think I could train mine with a whip and a chair. However, I've discovered that sometimes I can delay a D attack until I get home--or at least until I can find a convenient restroom. The trick is to relax your intestinal muscles and sphincter rather than tighten them up, as is the natural reaction when it feels like you're about to explode.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

FYI Bowel retraining. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003971.htm


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

FYI Bowel retraining. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003971.htm


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

Well, actually, don't ask me how, i trained myself to go in the evening instead of the morning because i don't have enough time in the morning to faff around in the bathroom.If i am going to have a bad D attack though it will start in the morning.It is possible!


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## Nikki (Jul 11, 2000)

Well, actually, don't ask me how, i trained myself to go in the evening instead of the morning because i don't have enough time in the morning to faff around in the bathroom.If i am going to have a bad D attack though it will start in the morning.It is possible!


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## Sherree (Mar 27, 1999)

"Additionally, bowel movements may be stimulated by digital stimulation. Digital stimulation is performed by inserting a lubricated finger into the anus and using a circular motion, stimulate the lower bowel until the sphincter relaxes"This is an excerpt from the article eric posted about bowel retraining. OK, Kegel exercises and biofeedback, but I don't think I can bring myself to insert finger!


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## Sherree (Mar 27, 1999)

"Additionally, bowel movements may be stimulated by digital stimulation. Digital stimulation is performed by inserting a lubricated finger into the anus and using a circular motion, stimulate the lower bowel until the sphincter relaxes"This is an excerpt from the article eric posted about bowel retraining. OK, Kegel exercises and biofeedback, but I don't think I can bring myself to insert finger!


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