Bowel Management through daily enema

[CRP]

Low rectal cancer survivors,

Over the past few months I have have several posts about the benefits of the enema for reduction of the effects of the treatement for ultra low rectal cancer.

At the request of several of you, I recently created a web site called http://www.lowrectalcancer.com that summerizes the most recent medical reseach and a detailed desciption of how to use this procedure.

If you are interested, please read the site and see if it can provide you with some relief. Good Luck

[seussfan]

Just checked out your site - the teacher in me wants to let you know you spelled cancer "caner"...

[KellyBelle]

Please don't hate me, but I asked my GI doc about this during my last visit (because I was kind of interested in a post you made about it, mostly wondering why anybody would do that) and he told me, and I quote: "that's the worst idea I've ever heard of". Daily enemas are frequently used by parapalegics or children with disformed anuses, with no chance of recovering to normal bowel function. With some retraining (and time), a lot of us can have semi-regular bowel function again.

By using a daily enema, you're not giving your bowels a chance to retrain themselves --i.e., the simple gravity of sitting on a toilet can trigger a bowel movement, or a large meal followed by a cup of hot tea, water or coffee. You also have a chance of perforating your bowels in the process. Using a daily enema can cause your bowels to become dependent on the enema, with no other trigger signals.

I think before anybody starts daily enemas, they should try to "retrain" their bowels first... I've been doing this for a couple of weeks (it's hard for me because I don't have a regular eating schedule --working on that):

http://www3.mdanderson.org/depts/hcc/su ... rticle.htm

[ams5796]

I'm starting to get desperate. I used a Fleet Enema today and it has been a great day. Has anyone else starting doing a daily enema. I know that you don't use a Fleet. What do you use?

[NWgirl]

If you search through old threads on "daily enema" this has been discussed a lot. I did a quick search - go to November 2008 time frame and you will find a thread on it.

[ams5796]

Thank you. I'll take a look.

[rrojas76]

Low rectal cancer survivors,

Over the past few months I have have several posts about the benefits of the enema for reduction of the effects of the treatement for ultra low rectal cancer.

At the request of several of you, I recently created a web site called http://www.lowrectalcancer.com that summerizes the most recent medical reseach and a detailed desciption of how to use this procedure.

If you are interested, please read the site and see if it can provide you with some relief. Good Luck

CRP,

I have looked over your site for about a year now, and have just decided to try the process out. I am hoping that it works for me.

[dianetavegia]

Hoping Ron50 will see this and jump in to share his experiences. If I remember correctly, he has horrible health conditions because of regular enemas. Cancer is 'cured', but his health is badly damaged. (Am I remembering right, Ron?)

[Jachut]

Please don't hate me, but I asked my GI doc about this during my last visit (because I was kind of interested in a post you made about it, mostly wondering why anybody would do that) and he told me, and I quote: "that's the worst idea I've ever heard of". Daily enemas are frequently used by parapalegics or children with disformed anuses, with no chance of recovering to normal bowel function. With some retraining (and time), a lot of us can have semi-regular bowel function again.

By using a daily enema, you're not giving your bowels a chance to retrain themselves --i.e., the simple gravity of sitting on a toilet can trigger a bowel movement, or a large meal followed by a cup of hot tea, water or coffee. You also have a chance of perforating your bowels in the process. Using a daily enema can cause your bowels to become dependent on the enema, with no other trigger signals.

I think before anybody starts daily enemas, they should try to "retrain" their bowels first... I've been doing this for a couple of weeks (it's hard for me because I don't have a regular eating schedule --working on that):

http://www3.mdanderson.org/depts/hcc/su ... rticle.htm

My surgeon nixed the idea too, he said it was dangerous, particularly putting things ip your butt. Personally, i think that's his opinion. He aso does not seem to think living with four or five days worth of crap in your guts constantly is anything much to have to live with, seeming to believ anything must be better than having a bag and what did I expect after bowel surgery anyway! His advice to me was to gt used to relying on Lactulose and hope that things continue to change (im ten months out of reversal).

I also personally dont think everyone can retrain their bowel and nor should they have to accept discomfort and inconvenience if it can be managed with something like an enema. I sure dont think my mega laxative dose every second day is any "safer".

[jrw118]

I had my reversal 7/20/2011. After suffering for 7 months, with urgency and frequency, my surgeon at MSK suggested an enema every few days. I immediately came to this board to research and came upon several threads and the referenced website. I started using the enema in February. I first tried it every 3rd day. This lasted a week and I have been using the daily enema ever since. It has completely given me my life back. I no longer have to worry about where I will be if I get an episode. I no longer have ANY pain. I am almost 38 years old with 4 yr old and 7 yr old sons. I was a burden on them
and my husband prior to the enemas. I don't like doing it but it is what I have to do to regain control. It takes approxately 30 minutes from start to finish and I can go almost 2 days if I wanted to. I try to do it every 24-30 hours. If I wait too long and start having bm's I quickly revert to where I was prior with pain from frequency
Thanks to all that have posted here and encouraged me to take control. I will say that I am hoping to try to go without enemas this summer. It has been almost 11 months since my reversal. Maybe one day it will change and I will not need enemas anymore. Until then I will be a regular participant.

[Peloton]

My surgeon nixed the idea too, he said it was dangerous, particularly putting things ip your butt. Personally, i think that's his opinion. He aso does not seem to think living with four or five days worth of crap in your guts constantly is anything much to have to live with, seeming to believ anything must be better than having a bag and what did I expect after bowel surgery anyway!

Jachut -

I don't mean to speak negatively about your surgeon and I have no doubt that he means well. But his opinions bother me. Regarding the safety of a daily enema, my board certified colorectal surgeon (who is considered one of the best in Chicago and the country) had absolutely no problems with it. In fact, he asked that I administer an enema before each of my visits in the weeks following my reversal surgery so he could "get a good look up there." (He would examine me by inserting a scope and looking up there, which is infinitely more uncomfortable than an enema.) During a subsequent visit many months later, when he encouraged me to use a daily enema for bowel management, he said that if he had concerns about me administering an enema, he would have not have asked me to administer one before visits, as he previously had done.

More important, though, is your surgeon's dismissive attitude. I find it disturbing. I know surgeons, in general, tend not to be the most empathetic group, but a little sympathy should be expected, IMHO.

In any event, I hope things are progressing for you.

[John72]

Almost exactly the same as JRW.

Reversal last June. Started enemas a few weeks ago.

The problem was that while I was having solid BM's....I actually NEVER had diarrhea post reversal...., what ever mechanism it is that triggers a normal persons bowels to empty simply no longer exists in my body. So 8-12 BM's a day.

Since I'm only 39, still work, and want a regular life as much as is possible, the way things were going was not acceptable.

Gave it a very long go, and things had stopped improving within 2 weeks after concluding c-diff required antibiotics in January.

Now if there's some long term damage I'm doing, I'd like to hear it. But really it was getting very close to start considering a permanent colostomy.

[CRP]

The present day “concept” of any enema is always negative. Before the 60’s the enema bag under the bathroom sink was common. An enema is simply injecting water into the colon. The semi-liquid stool is simply flushed out by the water. It is literally the oldest medical practice going back to the Egyptians.

The lack of understanding in the medical community is a reflection of the general public. The posts from KellyBelle and Jachut are expected. A Dr. can’t imagine himself ever doing “an enema”. The idea is repulsive. He may feel differently if his whole life was focused on the timing of the next lengthy bowel movement. Don’t be overly influenced by the traditional approaches.

The posts by Jrw118 and John72 tell it like it is. It will dramatically improve your life. Welcome back to the real world. The daily enema works miracles for those who are desperate and really want it to work and are in a supportive environment. It is simply a matter of accepting the fact that you agreed for a doctor to remove a large part of your rectum in order to save your life.

I am the author of the lowrectalcancer.com website. Over the past 15 years since my rectum was removed I have done over 5,000 enemas. I am a very healthy person. When I stop taking my daily enema, I begin having a “normal” (x10) bowel movement per day. My GI has done 6 colonoscopies on me while I am unsedated. I have a very healthy colon. My primary care dr. has been monitoring and approving of the daily enema for the entire 15 years. It is not in any way a health issue if you use the correct technique.

The web site goes into great deal about the entire issue. Spend some time on all of the site’s pages and get to know the issues in a more detached state of mind. This is not rocket science. Get over the enema concept and dramatically improve your life starting tomorrow.

[CRP]

Hit submit twice. Sorry

[Jachut]

I agree!

My surgeon is well respected, one of the top guys in one of the top practices here in Melbourne, Mayo clinic trained, well credentialed, the go to guy on everyone's lips. And yes he performed a very delicate surgery and probably gave me the best *chance* of a normal outcome when all is said and done.

But lately, despite his lengthy career in this field, he has, in my view, proven himself to be just as bloody ignorant as the general public when it comes to his understanding and beliefs about what life with a bag or bowel dysfunction is like. He bullied me into reversal - when I read his correspondence (which was never made available to me, just happened to be sitting in my hospital file when I went in for my tummy tuck) he referred to not wanting to reverse as "crazy". He told me I was young, fit and attractive - why would I saddle myself with a bag for life? That offended me greatly, would I not still be young fit and attractive WITH a bag? Now he cannot comprehend that a situation where I am continent and dont have constant diarrhoea is not an acceptable outcome. He obviously did NOT understand that despite the fact that I know re-operation would land me with a bag again, that I would actually consider it rather than living in discomfort and pain. He thinks that inconvenience and lengthy toilet routines are still better than having my bag simply because it (eventually) comes out of the right hole.

Believe me, his opinion of whether or not a daily enema is a reasonable management strategy does not actually mean much to me at all. I will do as I see fit as obviously I am alone in my struggle to live with my altered bowels. He thinks his job is done because I dont shit myself eight times a day.

Bitter much? You bet!