Bowel Movement Program by Annette Bisanz

jillpls said:

it does get better in time
I had the same thing in 2007. By week 5 I was able to enjoy and dance at my daughters wedding. It took using immodium but it worked. Be patient and it will clear up.
Jill

Annabelle41415 said:

I've Been There
Had a reversal in November and at first the bathroom was my only close companion. Not only was the urge to go constant, having a bowel movement 30-35 times a day was normal for me. High fiber diet has worked somewhat with me taking a tablespoon of metamucil a day plus I eat a well balanced diet. Still going about 15 or more times a day but it is more in a cluster (meaning it's all within about 1 1/2 hours) and then I'm cleaned out. It doesn't seem that I can completely void all within just a couple of times so it's a little at a time during that time span. I'm able to go out during the day most of the time without having any problems, but occasionally it hits me and I need to find a bathroom fast. Still having a hard time always keeping control too. I do take about 2 ozs of prune juice everyday though. Hate being constipated so would rather have looser stools than constipated or hard stools. It should get better in time and I'm hoping that the longer it is for me, that my frequency gets less. Doctor told me it could take up to two years for the bowels to adjust.

Kim

DonK4 said:

Links to some Great sites
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I agree with you about specialty doctors. They only know so much and it is up to us to find out truely what is going to work for our bodies. I do a lot of research and here are some great links including the Bowel Program I am following. It seems to be working and its been only three weeks. Good luck and keep in touch.

http://www.ucsfhealth.org/adult/edu/afterAnalSurgery/

http://www2.mdanderson.org/app/pe/index.cfm?pageName=opendoc&docid=28

http://www.mcrsllc.com/MCRS Documents/Care After procedures/Bowel Management.pdf

And here is Annette Bisanz's Bowel Program:

Quality of Life After Colorectal Surgery Annette Bisanz, B.S.N., M.P.H.

----------Following colorectal surgery, there may be a change in bowel function due to the change in the anatomical structure of the colon or rectum, or both. This may necessitate a bowel management program that is based on the same basic principles but needs to be individualized for each person. There is all the reason in the world to believe that your bowels can be managed after colorectal surgery.

----------These are the prerequisites for managing bowel control: · Be committed to the program and be willing to follow specific directions. Seek guidance from a professional when you are not achieving the goals of your program.

------- Keep your sense of humor. Following colorectal surgery, many people find themselves having several stools per day. Bowel movements may be clustered at certain times of the day, and often there is an inability to fully empty at one specific time. The normal frequency of bowel movements in a healthy population varies from 3 bowel movements per day to 3 per week.

-----The goal is to return to no more than 3 bowel movements per day. Transit Time of Food Through the Gastrointestinal TractEating a large meal or drinking a hot liquid will cause a normal peristaltic push down in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

---- When frequent bowel movements occur, drink less fluid with your meals, drink more fluids between meals, and avoid hot liquids. Medicinal Fiber to Change the Transit TimeIf you are having frequent stools, then introducing psyllium, a medicinal fiber also known as Metamucil, can slow down transit through the GI tract.

-----Most people take psyllium for constipation or to speed up transit time through the GI tract; however after colorectal surgery, your goal will be to slow down the transit time. To do this, take the prescribed amount of fiber right after a meal in very little fluid, approximately 2 oz., and no more fluid for 1 hour immediately after a meal. This allows the fiber to act like a sponge in the GI tract, soaking up excess fluid in the digestive system and thus slowing things down. One teaspoon should be taken after the same meal each day for 3 to 5 consecutive days. Then increase to 1 teaspoon psyllium 2 times per day.

-------Gradually increase the fiber by 1 teaspoon every 3 to 5 days until the GI tract transit time slows down a bit. Bowel TrainingOnce your stools become better formed and the transit time has been slowed down, the next step is bowel training, with the goal of emptying the colon fully at an expected time each day. Pick a meal of your choice around which you'll bowel train yourself. Bowel training is done around a meal since a big meal causes a push down the GI tract to make room for the food taken in.

-------Choose a time when you can consistently follow the program.
Then, · Before that meal drink 1 oz. of prune juice. · Eat the big meal.· Drink a hot liquid. If this does not produce results, you may try using a glycerin suppository after the hot liquid.· Do this for 3 straight days. If you don't empty as planned, substitute the glycerin suppository with 1/2 bisocodyl suppository. · If this is effective, stay with the program for 2 weeks and then stop using the suppositories. By this time, the stimulus for your bowel to empty will be the prune juice, big meal, and hot liquid. Adjusting the Bowel Management ProgramSince each person's body reacts a little differently, don't get discouraged if your program doesn't immediately help. Problem solving is the key to success, and little changes made after trying something for 3 days will help you determine what will work for you. Overall bowel management involves a gradual balancing of food, fluid, fiber, and medications.

_________Food: If your bowel is stimulated by a big meal, eat 1 big meal per day and 4 smaller meals. Certain foods affect people adversely, and you need to be aware of what you eat that may cause increased bowel movements. (High-fat and/or spicy foods seem to affect many people.) Fluid: Fluid with meals tends to increase peristaltic push-down. So, drink fluid in between meals instead of a large amount with meals and avoid hot liquids.

________Fiber: Adjust the amount of fiber gradually to determine how much fiber is required to slow down or speed up transit time through your GI tract and maintain soft, formed stool.
______Medications: If you are taking anitdiarrheal medications such as Lomotil or Immodium, as you gradually increase the amount of psyllium, try to decrease the amount of Lomotil/Immodium. Most people get good bowel control just by the use of fiber. However, keep yourself comfortable during the process of defining your maintenance bowel management program. Be patient with yourself. Remember, there is hope for bowel management, the goal being a high quality life after colorectal surgery. Next Issue: The Resource Review column will review the video "How your Bowel Works" by Annette Bisanz, B.S.N., M.P.H.

Thank you for that advice Don ............... just what I needed to read.

cnchunter said:

Thanks for the great sites

Since this is such an old site, wondering how you are doing at this point and whether you found any additional things that helped you stabilize your colon. I'm three weeks post-op for sigmoid resection (about a foot) and everything's going well except for the 24/7 BMs that keep me chained to the bathroom. Am just starting Bisanz's Bowel Program so too early to tell on that. Thanks for any info.

 

 

Don hasn't been on the site since 2010, so there's no knowing if he's here or.... well, you know. 

Why not start your own thread here   https://csn.cancer.org/forum/128   and others can join in the welcome and help answer any quesitons you have.

Tru