Home bound, Does anyone knoe why all of a sudden a person looses all control of there bowels. My friend she is 73, all of a sudden has lost control of her bowels. I can`t get her to go to the doctor as she is afraid they will do surgery and she says there is no one to take care of her. I would but she says No Way. Is there anything that can be done to slow down the process of elinination. She chooses not to eat. In order to slow it down. she is not loosing any weight at yet. Does anyone out there have this problem. Thanks Margaret

Hi, there. I can really feel for your friend because this same thing was happening to me - and I'm just 40 years old!!! Talk about humiliation and wanting to hide away. Anyway your friend needs to be evaluated by a doctor to rule out serious digestive disorders that can cause explosive bowels.

Is this a new condition? Does it happen daily or under certain conditions? It is impossible to advise what would help her without the doc diagnosing her first. After years of this problem, I finally found out about Colestid (prescription drug) which helps bind bile and form stools. However, it's not the right cure for everyone, and only a doctor can determine what she needs.

Tell her the fear is worse than the actual answer. At least with a diagnosis, she'll find some help. If she continues to not eat, not only will she hurt herself nutritionally, the body will begin to react negatively to anything she does eat, and her bowel problems will only get worse.

Good luck to her,
Katie G

Originally posted by maahern:
Home bound, Does anyone knoe why all of a sudden a person looses all control of there bowels. My friend she is 73, all of a sudden has lost control of her bowels. I can`t get her to go to the doctor as she is afraid they will do surgery and she says there is no one to take care of her. I would but she says No Way. Is there anything that can be done to slow down the process of elinination. She chooses not to eat. In order to slow it down. she is not loosing any weight at yet. Does anyone out there have this problem. Thanks Margaret

Dear Katie, Thank you for responding. She has a problem for a few months but it has gone from bad to worse. She now goes three or four times a day. And has know idea when it comes. Until it is too late. Margaret

she needs to see a physician; there can be any number of reasons for loss of bowel control (incontinence); it could be neurological or something minor but she needs to be evaluated as soon as possible.

Encourage your friend to see the doc as there is so much that can be done for her. The doc will first rule out and physical cause such as c-diff or IBS. If he finds something treatable he will prescribe what is needed to help her. If doesn't find anything real specific he will most likely order fiber therapy such as metamucil to help bulk up her stools and maybe something to help stop the diarrhea. Your friend is risking dehydration if the stool is loose plus she is not eating and drinking well. Tell that if she lets this continue and winds up truely dehydrated she will need to be hospitalized but if goes in now and gets this checked out they help her find a solution for her problems.

Hi,

This sounds very much as if it has something to do with the nerve supply to the gut. Basically, these nerves send messages back to the brain and these let you know that you need to have a BM. If something then becomes damaged along the pathway, the impulses are not received and you don't know that you need to open your bowels until it is too late.

Anyway, something like this needs to be assessed and fully checked out by a doc to see what is going on. Does she have diabetes at all? It is just that some problems such as this can result from the long term complications of diabetes. Has she suffered any head trauma recently or has she had falls where she has bruised her back or surrounding area? It is just that this kind of trauma could possibly cause the same thing.

Anyway, good luck and take care.

Hi Margaret, I agree your friend has to see a doctor no matter if she likes it or not.
My grandmonther was diagnosed with a colapsed sleve and several weakened spots in her colon. It was caused by her sitting on hard serfaces all the time and always straining. She did have the bottom half of her colon removed and does have to wear large pads since she has no feelings but she is not nearly in as much pain as she was.
best love to your friend

This is a very serious matter and it can relate to many health issues.
It happened to me a year after the spinal surgery.
At first, after my car accident i got bladder problems, had spinal surgery and the bowel problems came 18 month later. It happens mostly at night, especially if i take a Pain medication or muscle relaxer, sometimes without meds even.
It can be related to your gall bladder problems too - i just watched "MIstery Diagnoses" on TLC and this was a topic. For couple of years they could not find why a lady has this problem, until one of the Dr. got to the root of it.
It can relate to colon problems: cancer, IBS, Cron's Disease, etc.
Good luck to her and best wishes.