Bowel irrigation (Not "colonic irrigation")

[janke]

I have obstructed defecation (anismus) which has not responded to biofeedback etc. The next step is at home bowel irrigation and I am just waiting for an appointment with the bowel nurse to issue me with the equipment.

It would be helpful to hear of anyone`s experience with this. I don`t know which system I will be using but it is not likely to be a balloon one initially.

I did try Qufora seven years ago unsuccessfully, but at that time hadn`t had a proper diagnosis and was being given other inappropriate advice which I now realise would have stopped the irrigation from working.

[Corneater]

hi janke. I am on the bowel irrigation system and have been for 18 months now. Usually use it every other day. You get used to it and it’s not a problem. Have to take Laxido to make sure the stool can pass through my Intussusception and getting the dose right is not easy for me. I often pass very liquid stool and what I’ve eaten affects how often I have to take laxido. It’s the laxido dose regulation that I find hardest and very personal and therefore hard to get applicable advice but at least when you have an irrigation system you know that you can probably unblock yourself with it if things get bad. Try not to worry about it as that will affect your gut/brain system.

[janke in reply to Corneater]

Hi Corneater. Thanks so much for replying. Last Summer I started the irrigation using Navina and 500-700ml water and although I persevered for 6 weeks I couldn`t get on with it. It still wasn`t emptying me and I was waking with diarhoea and suffering bladder problems. I then went back to using Lecicarbon suppositories (which I had tried before the irrigation) plus Qufora Mini irrigation - which is only about 150ml water. I do this every day. This has worked better than anything else but still isn`t always reliable - which I find very stressful.

Like you I I take Laxido (daily) and like you am really struggling to get the dose right. I actually find I can pass a motion more "cleanly" if it is a bit firmer but if it gets too firm I`m in trouble. At the same time, I find that if the motions are too soft they almost become "sticky" and I end up having to go to the loo throughout the day and only able to pass small amounts, I usually only take about half a sachet but I find that the dose I take at night takes a couple of days to be effective so it is a constant battle trying to decide how much to take. In both cases I am having to strain quite often and worry as I have a rectocele already.

I had a really good bowel nurse who I could phone but she went off longterm sick in August and I seem to have fallen out of the system since then. I now have a pre-arranged telephone appointment booked with another nurse but not until April. In the meantime I am actually seeing the colorectal surgeon who diagnosed obstructed defecation 2 years ago (privately) on Friday and am hoping he will be able to answer some of my questions and reassure me, or otherwise, on a few worries.

Can I ask if you find the irrigation painful? My poor backpassage is so sensitive now that it can be painful when I insert the tube. Also - do you have any problems with flatulence?! This has become a major problem for me lately and I don`t know if it is because of the irrigation and suppositories. I was put onto Sertraline anti-depressant before Christmas and all of this was getting me down so much and I know that one of its side-effects is wind.

Sorry this is so long!