Why Does Spinal Cord Injury Affect the Bowels?

Ladies and guys, this is such an important topic for all of us, no matter the injury level. I believe fear of bowel accidents is the primary reason people with SCI fail to attempt school, employment, relationships, and recreation. Even if we are engaging in these activities, the fear plagues us daily. Most importantly, each individual has to know how his/her body works-so pay attention. Don't try to ease the anxiety by staying home and getting high or getting drunk. This will only exacerbate the problem, physically and emotionally. Your body will give you some clue if you learn to listen to it. Find a schedule and system that works and stick to them until it fails multiple times. There will be accidents, so pre-plan. Fill your backpack with supplies and clean underwear. Have another set of clothes in your car. Know where the accessible bathrooms are. If there are no accessible bathrooms, what's your back-up plan.

Talk to someone that you trust. A problem held in silence becomes bigger and bigger. A friend once told me it's just stuff. Everyone has stuff-that's liberating to a degree. AB's have accidents, too. It's just easier for them to clean up afterwards. Add your own suggestions. They might help someone live a fuller life.

Your comments illustrate why forums like this are so important. When I was injured 44 years ago, there was no internet; there were no sci forums; there weren't potentially thousands of people just like me, willing to share their most private and intimate experiences. Everything was a secret. Now we can all share, and others can learn by our failures and successes. If SCI does one thing, it shows us that men and women are way more similar than they are different. Physiologically, I have more in common with a woman with SCI than with my own brother standing next to me. We all know the obvious anatomical differences, but the way SCI impacts us is determined by level, not gender. None of this applies to what happens above the neck. I'll never figure out the brain of a woman, but I digress.

I have flown hundreds of flights with bathrooms beyond my reach. I have fished in boats hundreds of times, tens of miles offshore, not even having my w/c with me. If I didn't have confidence in what my body was telling me, I wouldn't have had a career, met some wonderful women, or gotten married, and I would have missed out on so much fun. Just keep at it. Take baby steps and try activities and places that are relatively safe. If you have a program that works, maintain confidence in it. AB's have accidents, too. It says so on the internet.

I don't intend to present myself as an expert on everything SCI. I'm just old and a survivor. Your colon is an environment. You have to determine what will keep that environment healthy given the nature of your injury. Some combination of diet, fiber, probiotics, lots of water, colace is what I would suggest. Trial and error is the way to start. Of course you should consult a physician, but unless he/she is expert in SCI, they'll probably prescribe something that creates more harm than good. The other suggestion is to consider when you ambulate. Any form of exercise is going to stimulate your colon. I'm not ambulatory, but I have learned that I cannot swim until at least 12 hours after doing a bowel routine. I have good sensation, but getting from a pool to the bathroom is a race that is hard to win. BTW, daily bowel movements are not practical or even possible for most people with SCI. If the colon is well-emptied, a program of 2-3 days may be more advisable than trying to force a bowel movement every day. It's all about the environment.

capybara, 5 days seems awfully long, have you had any luck yet? If not, I suggest you seek medical help (emergency) as soon as possible! How much water do you drink each day? Do you take any kinds of stool softners?

Great advice there hobo! When I was in rehab they started my bowel program as an every other day thing but about a year later, I made it an everyday thing. On the non bowel routine days I'd be paranoid about having an accident and would eat very little and I didn't like it at all. Going everyday was always my natural routine so after starting on the everyday program, I've been feeling a lot better. I do have the occasional days when I don't empty at all and that'd leave me paranoid all day but thankfully it happens much less than before. However, it is a big inconvenience having to do this everyday. My morning routine which include emptying the bowel & bladder, having a shower, getting dressed and into my chair takes about 3 hours in total. I really do miss the days when I can get that all done within 30 minutes but oh well!

wavewolf, I just don't know what they were thinking by not educating you on how to manage your bowel & bladder. Thankfully we have the Internet and lots of great resources like these forums but not everyone will know how to go online and help themselves! This is definitely not the first time I've heard about hospitals/rehabs not educating their patients about their injuries. Something really needs to change because that's not good at all!