Every other day. Sometimes I take an extra day if I'm super busy. I use suppositories and digital stim. Takes a couple/few hours. It has slowed down over the years. Used to be done in an hour now it takes 2-3 to make sure everything is complete out. If I cut it short I almost always shart in my drawers a few hours later.
My injury is T-9 incomplete and my anus is usually tightly closed. I have to insert a gloved, lubricated finger and gently pull it open to have a bowel movement.
I have a similar prob Vintage..to the extreme of not passing wind when needed. I drink Kefir regularly & avoid gassy foods, any suggestions?
Our injury levels are so different that my ideas may have no relation to your needs. I can use both my hands. I keep a variety of laxative-type options available. My body (and me) gets tired of always using the same laxative. So, there’s Cascara Sagrada, two or three capsules, about once every three days. Or, eating four or five prunes. Or, drinking 3/4 cup of prune juice. Or, boiling okra, preferably with fresh tomato,... because it can taste really good, and eating it,... about the amount of a side dish. Or, take a swig of flax seed oil. There are other herbal laxatives that work, too. Rhubarb root. I bought it as a powder and put it into capsules. I have a “capsule machine” $16.00 drclarkstore And, I take one or two Magnesium citrate capsules. Old people are especially deficient in Magnesium. So, these are most of my weapons against constipation. I’ve probably forgotten a few others. Oh, senna is another laxative herb. I think that it is good to vary what you use as a laxative.
My body (and me) gets tired of always using the same laxative.
Thanks Vintage...I do eat very well, it's the gas! I think it may have something to do with the Oxybutynin I've been taking for years, causing my stool to be rather dry & blocking my gas flow but not sure.
Please try some things that kill parasites naturally. For any acute stomach distress, I put a few drops of oregano oil (food grade only) in an empty capsule, close the capsule, and swallow it with water. Be careful not to let the oil itself touch your lips or skin. And don't touch your eyes with a finger that has oregano oil on it. No permanent harm will come, but you'll be very sorry for about 15 minutes. It kills salmonella.
Another remedy for gas is anise tea. You can even buy this at the grocery store.
You might google "stomach parasites alternative therapy".
I take a digestive enzyme with a heavy meal,... Bromelaine from pineapple. And I take a capsule of a powdered form of hydrochloric acid, for digesting fats. I also have hydrochloric acid in liquid. That is taken by putting a few drops in water and drinking it. It is sour tasting, not unpleasant, but I suspect it might be a little harsh on my tooth enamel if taken too frequently.
My heavy duty remedy, when I've eaten something that makes me think, "What have I done to myself?" is a level teaspoon of powdered quassia, stir into water, stir and hope it mostly dissolves, and drink it. It's bitter and awful, but you will come to deeply appreciate it after it's saved you a miserable night with gas.
Doctors would probably tell you not to take these remedies, because doctors can only authorize what they have been trained to prescribe. Having said this, I must now tell you,... Be sure to check with your doctor before taking any of these remedies.
This has been my issue, too. Not diarrhea, just emptying constantly, with resulting contamination and UTIs. A flaccid bowel/sphincter makes for this problem, so we may just have to learn to live with it because of the nature of our injury. What Lαrα wrote about smaller meals has improved my "control" of what happens. My PCP suggested adding dextrin, a powdered fiber supplement, and this has helped firm up stools. It still seems that more comes out than goes in!
Or going further and having a colostomy done. I'm very close to having the surgery. Every accident takes a little piece of dignity and there isn't a whole lot of it to go around. Everyone I've talked to about this has said it has freed them and wished they had done it a long time ago. Especially those with use of their fingers to deal with the stoma dressings and pouch.
Or going further and having a colostomy done. I'm very close to having the surgery. Every accident takes a little piece of dignity and there isn't a whole lot of it to go around. Everyone I've talked to about this has said it has freed them and wished they had done it a long time ago. Especially those with use of their fingers to deal with the stoma dressings and pouch.
I’ve reached this point too. 32 years of every 2 days… except for a year or so I managed to do 3 days a week, or the past 2 years that was basically daily because of constant BMs and poor emptying. My surgery is next week. I started a med called trulance which has mostly eliminated daily BMs but I’m still bloated and feel miserable especially after my bowel routine.