Bowel incontinence - how to deal

[Alex Bridges]

I’m having a procedure called a sphincterotomy in two weeks to try to heal an anal fissure. There is a low risk of gas incontinence and a lower risk of fecal incontinence. For the few patients who experience it, it’s temporary. For a tiny fraction who have previous history of other procedures or experiences (multiple vaginal childbirths, for instance), it can be permanent. The surgeon doesn’t think I’ll experience either.

But I want to be prepared for any eventuality. Makes me less nervous, and this procedure has me very nervous (they divide part of your internal anal sphincter to keep it from cramping, allowing blood flow to the fissure so it can heal).

Let’s assume I do have some temporary gas or fecal incontinence for a period after surgery.

What advice do those with bowel incontinence have for me to help me minimize the impact on my work and life?

I’m a professional. I spend most of my day at my desk or in meetings. I very occasionally have to travel for work. I don’t have my own office. There are no single-person restrooms in the entire building. I can work from home, even for extended periods (3 weeks when I developed the fissure), but not for as long as it may take this to resolve without it somehow impinging on my ability to do my job well (and hopefully get promoted in June). I live alone, not seeing anyone right now.

I did wear at work, sort of, for the first time last week, but all I did was change into a diaper after the work day (pretty much everybody gone) before I met a friend for dinner. The experience showed me there’s no way for it not be noticed if someone walks in. The gap in the stall door is too wide, and the door itself is too short (diaper was hanging a few inches lower than it when I unfurled it). I suppose I could ask HR for some kind of accommodation, but it’s not like they can retrofit a restroom for me or make one available exclusively to me. My company is just a tenant anyway in a 20-story high rise.

I keep thinking about my ability to be respected by my peers and seen as promotable (more client interaction) if I soil myself at my desk, or worse, at a meeting. My career would halt, and my job could become much harder to do. At least that’s my fear.

 

I’ll give some advice in return, the same advice I gave my niece the day she was born six months ago: FIBER!!!! Always eat a lot of it.

It actually bothers me kinda, to think there are people out there doing all kind of kinky stuff inserting large objects in their butt, and I’ve been suffering for 15 months because I didn’t eat enough fruit! Wtf!?! ?

[rusty pins]

All I can think of is to take Nullo tablets to cut or eliminate the smell, that would be for gas or stool.  The bad thing is it takes a few weeks of taking Nullo daily for it to build up in your system to stop the smell, and by that time if your problem is temporary, it will already have cured itself.  You can't do anything about the sound you make when you fart, but at least you can cut or stop the smell.  Likewise you can't do anything about any sound that you might make if you have an accident in your pants, but maybe it could be passed off as gas, especially if your work is aware that you have had a procedure.  Not sure about that or not, but I expect you would be taking some time off work for the procedure and some healing.  Since the risk is slight and your doctor doesn't think it will happen, I would not worry myself about it.  If it does happen, nothing you can do about it but I appreciate your concern ahead of time trying to get input from others on what bowel incontinence is like and how they deal with it when it happens, especially at work and away from home.

[Alex Bridges]

As expected and with thanks to a generous universe and skilled surgeon, I still possess control of this function. Hurts like mother right now, but should be good fairly pain free in a couple days and back to normal in four weeks.

 

And people, I tell you: fiber. 

I’m an old soul and can think of no better advice than that: fiber.

[Bettypooh]

So very glad to hear that it went well for you   It's certainly no fun having that kind of pain. My second intestinal tumor surgery was done from outside through my rectum and it literally felt like someone had driven a tractor-trailer into me there It gradually went away but it's something you'll never forget. Hoping that the pain relief goes faster for you!

Bettypooh

[Alex Bridges]

Well, a little over two weeks later and I wore a pull up to work for the first time. It’s my first day back in the office. I’ve stopped bleeding (I think), but I am finding I’m leaving skid marks in my diapers even though I’m fastidiously clean back there when I leave the bathroom. I’m not sure if it’s happening when passing gas or not. If it doesn’t resolve by the time I’m supposed to be officially healed from this (end of May) I guess it’ll be back to the surgeon. Not happy with this development.

I will say that passing gas feels different than it did before. Softer, easier if that makes sense, but still within my control, if a little more urgent sometimes. That was the number one risk, flatus incontinence 

 

[babykeiff]

Author_Alex,

the 'skid marks' are partial bowel incontinence. Either this will reduce / increase, and there is no way really to know.

Re dealing with this,

1. I suggest that you start taking both activated charcoal and cod liver oil (capsule form to avoid the taste / gag reflex). This will clean out the digestive tract and promote the healing. It also, as a sideline of reducing/elimination the bacteria in ones digestive tract, eliminates the smell in ones eliminations.

2. Start wearing pull-ups / diapers 24/7 and coat ones rear with diaper cream. The partial anal leakage that you are experiencing can, at times (depending on diet) be caustic to ones skin... and a diaper rash of that type is painful - sore to move / lie down / sit down - which would seriously affect your ability to do your job. In your case, I suggest pull-ups and to use the bathroom for eliminations.

Re full bowel incontinence, that is possible following anal surgery during the healing process, but with the smell eliminated and pull-ups, (and a bit of planning / organization ) this should not be an issue that you are not capable of handling.