incontinence driving me up the wall!

[hairyfairy]

It`s been 5 years since I first saw my gp about leakage after bowel movements, & since then Ive been bounced around from colorectal specialists to bowel care nurses, & back again. After all these appointments & advice on pelvic floor exercises, I`m still no better off. Iv`e followed the advice that Iv`e been given, but something more needs to be done. I have yet another appointment with a bowel care nurse on the 20th of this month, but I`m sure nothing will come of it. Why are they draggging their feet? There was talk of my being given an interstim device to control the incontinence, but that was ages ago. I can`t carry on like this. I feel as if theyv`e given up on me.

[sg25]

Hi. I have this same problem and like you have seen various doctors with it. Unfortunately it's not something that has a quick fix. The device you talk about doesn't always work and comes with it's own problems evidently. Mine is seriously affected by my diet. If I eat anything spicey, processed or even these days anything that's not plain I suffer badly from leakage after bm for the rest of the following day. It's a horrible degrading problem. Mine started about a year after giving birth to my second child and I'm told it's quite a common problem following natural childbirth. I think if more women knew of this more would be electing caesarean births if possible. I know I would have done. It's a very lonely problem as it's not something you can openly talk about with work colleagues etc. I am in my twenty eighth year of suffering with this so I suppose learning to live with it although it doesn't get any easier. Best Wishes to you Susie

[Hidden in reply to sg25]

I didn't realise that you could get this after natural childbirth. Agree with you in that it ought to be pointed out to women. I count myself as lucky as I had natural childbirths (37,35 and 33 years ago (the first birth was an induced one as I lost a baby at 6 1/2 months) and have never had any problems. I have had IBS now for 20 years and mine is certainly affected by my diet. I have cut a few things out of my diet and need to cut more out as I am convinced that wheat is a problem, luckily lactose isn't as I have carried out an elimination on that and have started having coffees in cafes and have had no ill affects whatsoever.

I really feel for you and hairyfairy as this is an awful part of this condition and it's a shame that there isn't anything out there that can rectify it.

[hairyfairy in reply to Hidden]

Thre must be something that doctors can do in this day & age! It`s ridiculous that I`m still suffering after all this time. I feel so bitter about it! There are treaments & surgery that can put this right, but because it isn`t life threatening, & mainly a woman`s problem, they just can`t be bothered. I`ll bet that if I could go private, I`d be sorted out in no time!

[Hidden in reply to hairyfairy]

I am totally with you here as although not life threatening it is debilitating and also a strain on your mental health as it affects your everyday life in what you can and cannot do. Personally I would go back and show mentally how this is affecting your life, maybe jot down some bullet points and take that with you, there is nothing wrong with having a good cry in the doctor's surgery or hospital, they may actually take some notice!!

Really hope you get somewhere.

Take care

Alicia x