VERY gross but genuine question re. poop and female body

[Elli]

If a female is bowel incontinent or chooses to 'go' in a nappy, is there a risk of vaginal infection from the poop? I know that health advice says people should wipe from front to back after using the toilet to avoid spreading germs nearer or into the vaginal opening. But some of us will know that a messy diaper is just that - messy. Showers, wipes etc all help with cleaning up, but before clean up, within a tightly fitting nappy, does poop get pushed into places it shouldn't go? I ask out of genuine concern as sometimes, later on or the following day I will sometimes notice some brown-ish discharge and I know this is not blood. I sometimes have taken off what I thought would be a clean nappy, to find this smeared inside it. I browsed a few incontinence sites to see if I could find any info, but there was nothing that helped.

So, do any other females have any experience or wisdom to offer, other than the obvious 'use the toilet instead'?

[balancedchaos]

Originally Posted by Elli

If a female is bowel incontinent or chooses to 'go' in a nappy, is there a risk of vaginal infection from the poop? I know that health advice says people should wipe from front to back after using the toilet to avoid spreading germs nearer or into the vaginal opening. But some of us will know that a messy diaper is just that - messy. Showers, wipes etc all help with cleaning up, but before clean up, within a tightly fitting nappy, does poop get pushed into places it shouldn't go? I ask out of genuine concern as sometimes, later on or the following day I will sometimes notice some brown-ish discharge and I know this is not blood. I sometimes have taken off what I thought would be a clean nappy, to find this smeared inside it. I browsed a few incontinence sites to see if I could find any info, but there was nothing that helped.

So, do any other females have any experience or wisdom to offer, other than the obvious 'use the toilet instead'?

It can cause bacterial vaginosis. Yes, female diaper users should worry about this; however, diligent diaper changes (before things get mushed or spread around) will avoid fecal matter traveling where it oughtn't be.

Taken from about.com:

What are the Symptoms of Bacterial Vaginosis?

The most obvious sign of bacterial infection is an unpleasant foul, often fishy odor. Itching and/or burning sometimes accompany bacterial infections, but are not a required symptom for a diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis.

Many times women are unaware they are infected until they are diagnosed during a routine pelvic exam and Pap smear. It is important that you don't use vaginal douches during the few days preceding your visit to your gynecologist as douching can hide signs of infection and may make bacterial vaginosis infections worse.

[Elli]

Thanks for the info. I imagine that traces of poop may have gone where they shouldn't and, as there are no other symptoms, the brown tinge is just the body washing the irritant back out. But, I can now look up Bacterial Vaginosis and make sure all is ok.

So do female bowel incontinent people get more bacterial infections than the general female population? (It should go without saying, I'm talking non-sexually transmitted here obviously).

[Zagete]

Also watch out for an e. coli vaginal infection, since your poop carries e. coli.

I would say bowel incontinent girls do get more infections because of the feces, you should go see a doctor instead of self-diagnosing a problem.

[Darkfinn]

Just don't stay in a messy diaper so long. Or use vaseline around your opening to prevent the poop from sticking there. You might be well advised to check out an incontinence website and see what the females do there.

[Elli]

Thanks again for your good advice.

I realise self-diagnosis is not usually a good idea and I would seek professional advice if I decide it is necessary.

Hey, why can't they invent a partition in diapers, like a leak guard, but that lets the pee flow into the back but doesn't let the poop go forward!

[Siege89]

Originally Posted by Elli

Thanks again for your good advice.

I realise self-diagnosis is not usually a good idea and I would seek professional advice if I decide it is necessary.

Hey, why can't they invent a partition in diapers, like a leak guard, but that lets the pee flow into the back but doesn't let the poop go forward!

you sohuld do it, you could become rich ??? or atleast have nice daipers

[talula]

Elli, remember that some girls also get a brownish discharge a couple of days after their period has finished and it's just well... yucky blood (and the rest of the gunk that comes down) essentially. It doesn't happpen every month to every girl but if you've only just had your period then consider that.

However if you find this happening everytime or regularly after you've been in a diaper then... just ignore everything I'be just said.

[Elli]

Originally Posted by talula

Elli, remember that some girls also get a brownish discharge a couple of days after their period has finished and it's just well... yucky blood (and the rest of the gunk that comes down) essentially. It doesn't happpen every month to every girl but if you've only just had your period then consider that.

However if you find this happening everytime or regularly after you've been in a diaper then... just ignore everything I'be just said.

Very valid point Talula, thanks. I asked a friend (who doesn't know about the diapers) whether this colour was normal and they suggested the same reason as you. Apparently, it's also possible to bleed slightly when ovulating which again could appear as a brownish colour. This hasn't happened again, nor had it happened previously, but then things do change, and I have been a bit more careful with diaper usage. All in all though, it all seems ok. But thanks again for your post. Appreciated

[Darkfinn]

I know from LuvsGurl telling me... she hates going #2 in a diaper for that very reason... it gets places it really shouldn't be, and can cause trouble if you sit in it too long or aren't vigilant with cleanup.