www.incontinentsupport.org

I'm glad to be wearing diapers because if can't make it to the bathroom I don't wet my pants. I know when I need to pee I just can't hold it long.

I totally understand, I don't make it 99.9% of the of the time. I am thankful to have them and this forum to talk about our issues.

Diapers have become a positive thing in my life as I no longer worry about if I am going to make it to the toilet in time. I get next to no warnings now or just start to pee randomly so now I just relax and I do not stress about my wettings.

Once you come to terms with wearing and using a diaper you start to see the positive aspects of wearing 24/7 Vers the negative.

except if youre also "fecal" incontinent. Peeing in our diapers is not problem at all, unless you flood beyond your diapers limits of course.

No matter WHERE you go out in public, pooping your diaper is and will always be embarrassing. There is nothing you can really do about that. Apologize and try to move on to find a place to clean yourself up and change. Most of the time, the urine smell, after you wet your diaper, often goes unnoticed, unless they are face to face with your crotch.. right? So if you go pee, dont wrry about it.

That's true lilliedrew, bowel accidents are always embarrassing when Out in public I am great full that I only have a bladder issue I have had a few #2 accidents but they have always been at home.

Lillidew,

As I am double incontinent, I have to agree with you about fecal accidents being the worse.

However, as those who have read my older posts are aware, there are a limited number of alternatives and I avail myself of one of these. If the colon is empty you cannot have a bowel accident. Accordingly, every morning, with my doctors' approval, before my shower, I self-administer preventive enemas (also called "preemptive enemas). These are old fashioned red rubber bag soapsuds enemas, not the chemical Fleet's enemas so popular today.

I have written a paper on the topic of using preventive enemas to control fecal incontinence that one of my doctors encouraged me to publish. The "art" is to learn how to administer them safely, comfortably, and with little hassle. A copy of my paper is in the Articles section on this site, or you may use the link below:

http://www.incontinentsupport.org/Preve ... inence.pdf

Enemas are no big thing. They used to be commonplace. The advantages are that they work immediately, are almost 100% effective, are highly reliable, and are the least expensive therapy for fecal incontinence. They provide me with a full day almost risk-free of having a bowel accident. I say "almost" because occasionally, an accident can occur - but in my case only about 10% as frequently. In comparison, the surgically implanted InterStim device only reduces bowel accidents by about 50%.

--John

Iam on a lot of pain killers, I use enemas a lot. They save me from a lot of pain. Plus laxatives come when you don't want them. I have no bladder control,so my diaper get full fast. I use soap, then just water to make sure I don't have any issues.

mlhr,

Absolutely agree with you. If I have to take strong opiate painkillers, they totally constipate me. As I already have severe chronic constipation, the opiates can put me at risk of having an impaction. Before a major surgery, when one of my doctors learned of my daily morning enemas, he expressed both relief and approval that the enemas would avoid the problem. I even had my doctor's prescription for the nurses to administer daily enemas while I was in a rehab center following the surgery.

--John

I guess not all fecal incontinence is the same. My difficulties with bowel control are caused mostly by my paralyzed stomach. The diet for gastroparesis is low fiber, or no fiber. This gives me a colon blockage, with watery diarrhea seeping past it. I can go for days with no problem; then, when the seepage begins, it can last for days. I manage this by adjusting the fiber content of my diet, and adjusting my medications, which include stool softener, ranitidine, erythromycin, metoclopramide, and laxatives. Although this situation rarely causes any pain, occasionally it can cause belly pain so bad that it doubles me up. I resist opiates for the reason many here have listed: they cause colon blockages. I read with interest the numerous articles on diet, which always advocate more fresh fruit and vegetables; that diet would kill me. Gastroparesis can be annoying, occasionally embarrassing, and, when I get careless, it can become life-threatening.

Patrick,

Yes, the FI does seem to vary quite a bit from one person to the next. I have severe chronic constipation which then produces overflow diarrhea. It is sort of counterintuitive. One treats for the underlying cause, the constipation, rather than for the symptom, the diarrhea. As I absolutely detest having a diarrhea attack when away from home, I use both Miralax and enemas to try to control the underlying cause.

However, your circumstance is much worse than mine.

--John