waking up with poop in the pants.

[Diaperman95]

Normally I have bowel issues 3 to 4 times a month but today has been special. I started off my day with poop in my diaper when I woke up today and yesterday. To top it off I have now not made it to the bathroom on time 2 more times today and about 6 times in a week. I am by far not ready to make this a Normal part of my day. How many of you poop in your sleep. Most the time it is not a bunch at night and if it is I normally wake up. But it enough to be a unpleasant surprise and is playing hell with my skin. I never lay in it if I realize I did it but I do take a sleep med to help me sleep and I wonder if it is some of why I am not getting up. But I been using a sleep med for years too and this is a pretty new thing for me. Especially to have 2 days in a row. My entire body is just betraying me and I feel so cheated. Don't get me wrong I can handle it and I wont let it get me down to bad. I know for many of you this is a daily thing. I have had bladder issues my entire life but the poop issues just started about 3 years ago.

 

[Kittyinpink]

Normally I have bowel issues 3 to 4 times a month but today has been special. I started off my day with poop in my diaper when I woke up today and yesterday. To top it off I have now not made it to the bathroom on time 2 more times today and about 6 times in a week. I am by far not ready to make this a Normal part of my day. How many of you poop in your sleep. Most the time it is not a bunch at night and if it is I normally wake up. But it enough to be a unpleasant surprise and is playing hell with my skin. I never lay in it if I realize I did it but I do take a sleep med to help me sleep and I wonder if it is some of why I am not getting up. But I been using a sleep med for years too and this is a pretty new thing for me. Especially to have 2 days in a row. My entire body is just betraying me and I feel so cheated. Don't get me wrong I can handle it and I wont let it get me down to bad. I know for many of you this is a daily thing. I have had bladder issues my entire life but the poop issues just started about 3 years ago.

I'm sorry this is happening Diaperman95. I'm not IC so I don't have much to say.. I have had situations where I couldn't get to toilet, both 1 and 2.. and I used to wet bed sometimes... these days I'm stable and haven't had any accidents for a long time. Poop thing was always my diet... especially spices... the wee thing just happens, never got signal that I needed to go and then -oops! But I been fine for a while now. It sucks.. keep your chin up!

 

[Freddie07601]

I'm sure you have already done things like making sure you're using a good barrier cream and. changing those surprise poopy diapers as soon as you discover them. It's disheartening when the solution to one problem, like insomnia, causes a worse problem, like nighttime poop surprises that create a painful skin breakdown that goes beyond mere diaper rash.

My doctor has reminded me that our aging bodies DO betray us, no matter how well we take care of them. And, he has said, complaining to friends who will listen with some compassion actually can help us adjust to the betrayal.

 

[Diaperman95]

I'm sure you have already done things like making sure you're using a good barrier cream and. changing those surprise poopy diapers as soon as you discover them. It's disheartening when the solution to one problem, like insomnia, causes a worse problem, like nighttime poop surprises that create a painful skin breakdown that goes beyond mere diaper rash.

My doctor has reminded me that our aging bodies DO betray us, no matter how well we take care of them. And, he has said, complaining to friends who will listen with some compassion actually can help us adjust to the betrayal.

I think it helps a lot to talk about things. I never stay in a poop diaper no matter how small the mess and even a pee diaper once the top sheet in the diaper feels wet against the skin I change also. I do have some good creams I really try not to use them unless I have too because I get UTI's pretty easy. But I do use them when I need to. I don't necessarily think my sleep med is causing it but just making it harder for me to realize. To be honest I think it is a nerve since most the time my I have numbness between my anus and scrotum. It started several years ago a few years after my right thigh went numb. But I also have Numbness in my hands too. It is all Autoimmune disorders eating me up.

 

[jdinvirginia]

Diaperman, sorry to read about your night bowel issues. I am fecal incontinent due to medically diagnosed neurogenic bowel. I may have a BM at night, but it is uncommon. I am more likely to have one immediately upon arising. Due to the other nerve-related issues you mention, you should discuss it with your physician.

You probably are correct that your sleep medication has not been the cause of the BM but rather has reduced your awareness of it beginning.

--John
(double incontinent)

 

[Diaperman95]

Diaperman, sorry to read about your night bowel issues. I am fecal incontinent due to medically diagnosed neurogenic bowel. I may have a BM at night, but it is uncommon. I am more likely to have one immediately upon arising. Due to the other nerve-related issues you mention, you should discuss it with your physician.

You probably are correct that your sleep medication has not been the cause of the BM but rather has reduced your awareness of it beginning.

--John
(double incontinent)

I have discussed it with my gastro and Family doc. The gastro just basically said Normally he would say eat more fiber but being I have gastroparesis real bad so that is a huge NO NO. That and I have to take miralax to keep things moving because I have IBS and go back and forth plus the pain meds I take. But if my bowel stops up it almost always stops my stomach mobility setting off a bad gastroparesis attack.

I am in the works of finding a new Gastro as is. It is a long story but the guy I was seeing wanted me to have a feeding tube put in my intestine and have to spend the rest of my life eating very little and taking most my food through that. I refused this life so instead I found a surgeon to place a gastric stimulator instead and my symptoms have improved greatly. My Gastro was dead against me doing it and told me they do not work and I would end up being tube fed anyway. So needless to say I have not been back to that hack in over 6 months. I got my stimulator in Dec and I am doing so much better since.

My family doctor knows about the numbness and I am having some loss of bowel control but I haven't really talked to him about the extent of how bad it is starting to get. I mean he knows I wear diapers because I have been bladder incontinent my entire adult life. To be honest My bladder and bowel are the least of my health issues.


I do often get that strong urge right after I get up too. Most days I make it but it is almost always a close call. I know the laxative is not helping it but a little poop clean up is way better than having a gastroparesis attack. They land me in the hospital with uncontrollably dry heaving that last for hours to days. Most the time they have to place a NG tube in my nose and down to my stomach to keep it pumped off to stop the vomiting for several days and give my system a rest. So cutting out the miralax is not a option. But I do plan on talking more in depth to my family doctor about my increase in episodes as well as see a new Gastro. The nerve damage is from auto immune disorders most likely but I also have degenerative disk disease and a birth defect in my lower spine. I am not going to let them mess with my spine because everyone I know ends up in worse shape after surgery so I live with it. My gastroparesis is caused from a damaged nerve going to my stomach called the Vegus nerve and it causes a lot of other symptoms too.

But Life is what it is. I am just going to play the hand I am dealt and try to live it to the fullest. Last year I spent over 8 weeks in the hospital.

 

[CheshireCat]

@diaperman95 Really sorry to hear what you're going through now. Hopefully you can find some doctors that can provide useful solutions.

I find it interesting; several times I have gone around a doctor to get something done that they refused to do. Every time it saved my life. I've wanted to go back and rub their nose in it, but realized I was worthless to them before, so anything I had to say to them would be worthless now. It's allowed me to move on.

I got a new urologist last January when I moved to North Carolina. He's younger, informed, listens, just really great. I saw him today and we decided to move to annual visits now, as I have been in remission for a decade now. I decided to talk with him about how I've started having some fecal incontinence, as it's a symptom of the salvage radiation (I've had radiation induced chronic colitis for about 6 years now). He gave me the name of a specific gastro. I have an appointment to see the gastro in a month. I'll let you know how things progress for me. Hang in there; you're not alone.

 

[Diaperman95]

@diaperman95 Really sorry to hear what you're going through now. Hopefully you can find some doctors that can provide useful solutions.

I find it interesting; several times I have gone around a doctor to get something done that they refused to do. Every time it saved my life. I've wanted to go back and rub their nose in it, but realized I was worthless to them before, so anything I had to say to them would be worthless now. It's allowed me to move on.

I got a new urologist last January when I moved to North Carolina. He's younger, informed, listens, just really great. I saw him today and we decided to move to annual visits now, as I have been in remission for a decade now. I decided to talk with him about how I've started having some fecal incontinence, as it's a symptom of the salvage radiation (I've had radiation induced chronic colitis for about 6 years now). He gave me the name of a specific gastro. I have an appointment to see the gastro in a month. I'll let you know how things progress for me. Hang in there; you're not alone.

Thanks man that means a lot. I sorry you have had to go through all that. Just knowing that If I had all the same shit I have going on 100 years ago I would be dead, that helps to give me a little comfort. I mean I have had infection get in my bloodstream over 25 times. Most people would not survive that many serious infections alone so I try not to take my life for granted. I mean it was 1928 before the first antibiotic was even made. Medicine has came such a long ways back then a simple surgery could kill you from the infection.

Part of me wants to go back to that gastro just to show him it worked so maybe he could help someone else in the same boat instead of giving them a life of hell eating through a IV pump. He also tried to blame all my Gastroparesis on the pain meds I was taking. I am so glad I found a surgeon who could look past the fact I was on pain meds and try to really help me. Even if I did have to travel 5 hours from home to have the surgery done. The surgeon told me Nerve damage is about the only thing that could cause my gastroparesis. He said sure the pain meds could compound it but not cause it to the degree I have it.

I know one thing If you don't stand up for yourself No one else is going too. To be honest I think some of theses doctors don't want us to get better because we are a cash cow to them.

Anytime chemo and radiation is involved they do almost as much damage as good. One day people are going to look back and say do remember back when they use to poison the cancer patients with chemo. Kind of like we talk today about a lobotomy.


Keep me posted.

 

[Freddie07601]

Diaperman95, CheshireCat, and JDinvirginia, I respect you all highly for your willingness to be so fully engaged in life while dealing with the very challenging medical issues you're having to live with.

 

[jdinvirginia]

Thanks for your kind words Freddie. My situation is not as bad as Diaperman95.

I am fortunate to have found two very good physicians who coordinate my care. One is a back specialist and the other is a specialist in SCI rehabilition care who manages my "bottom issues."

I have neurogenic bowel and severe chronic constipation causing incontinence in the form of overflow diarrhea. So, I have to take daily laxatives. It sounds strange to take laxatives to manage diarrhea, but I am treating the cause and not the symptom. The goal is to have a daily BM at a reasonably predictable time, if possible.

You would like my morning "wakeup" routine - large volume enemas. Yep, I can guarantee that will wake you up faster than two cups of coffee! Due to nerve damage, I need the enemas to fully evacuate my bowels and to prevent later bowel incontinence. After all, an empty bowel cannot have an accident. After the enemas I can go about living my life with little concern for a bowel accident.

I have a formal bowel program that includes fiber, laxatives, and (in the morning) digital rectal examination, digital stimulation, and manual removal of feces, as required. This is pretty common for folk with SCI injuries or neurogenic bowel.

Then the enemas. These either are the Peristeen Irrigation system or with an old-fashioned hanging enema bag. These enemas use a nozzle (enema catheter) with an inflatable balloon to achieve a seal at the rectum so that I can retain the enema solution without it all leaking out (or worse - gushing). By the time this is over I guarantee that I will be fully awake and ready for the day!

--John
(double incontinent)

 

[greatlake5]

Sleeping BM accidents happen approximately 3 or 4 times per week for me. I use Melatonin (5 mg) for sleeping. Sometimes I wonder if it's because of my sleeping is so deeply? I sleep like I'm in a coma. I don't wake-up if I feel a BM accident. The stool is solid. If I haven't had an accident while sleeping I poop when I get up (mostly). Sometimes it might happen later in the day. So basically I can poop my diaper just about any time. Messing while sleeping doesn't really hurt me. I always use a good barrier ointment (daily). If I had accidents as something new I'd worry. But I've been doing this since the beginning. I'm sure there are plenty of IC people who experience this. But for you as being something new you should certainly visit your doctor. And you should always use a good barrier cream or ointment. I never get up to clean and change in the middle of the night. I like my sleep.

 

[Diaperman95]

Thanks for your kind words Freddie. My situation is not as bad as Diaperman95.

I am fortunate to have found two very good physicians who coordinate my care. One is a back specialist and the other is a specialist in SCI rehabilition care who manages my "bottom issues."

I have neurogenic bowel and severe chronic constipation causing incontinence in the form of overflow diarrhea. So, I have to take daily laxatives. It sounds strange to take laxatives to manage diarrhea, but I am treating the cause and not the symptom. The goal is to have a daily BM at a reasonably predictable time, if possible.

You would like my morning "wakeup" routine - large volume enemas. Yep, I can guarantee that will wake you up faster than two cups of coffee! Due to nerve damage, I need the enemas to fully evacuate my bowels and to prevent later bowel incontinence. After all, an empty bowel cannot have an accident. After the enemas I can go about living my life with little concern for a bowel accident.

I have a formal bowel program that includes fiber, laxatives, and (in the morning) digital rectal examination, digital stimulation, and manual removal of feces, as required. This is pretty common for folk with SCI injuries or neurogenic bowel.

Then the enemas. These either are the Peristeen Irrigation system or with an old-fashioned hanging enema bag. These enemas use a nozzle (enema catheter) with an inflatable balloon to achieve a seal at the rectum so that I can retain the enema solution without it all leaking out (or worse - gushing). By the time this is over I guarantee that I will be fully awake and ready for the day!

--John
(double incontinent)

I don't have the bowl issues enough to jump to colon irrigation daily myself, but it is getting worse, just not at this time But I am a fan of it and believe a person can learn to train their colon to only move when stimulated. My wife use to use this type of care for her colostomy.. for years.

Constipation 100% can cause diarrhea. I too have to stay on a laxative. I use Miralx.
I was just telling another member a month back or so about the Peristeen Irrigation system and the pro's and con's of enema colon irrigation.

 

[Diaperman95]

Sleeping BM accidents happen approximately 3 or 4 times per week for me. I use Melatonin (5 mg) for sleeping. Sometimes I wonder if it's because of my sleeping is so deeply? I sleep like I'm in a coma. I don't wake-up if I feel a BM accident. The stool is solid. If I haven't had an accident while sleeping I poop when I get up (mostly). Sometimes it might happen later in the day. So basically I can poop my diaper just about any time. Messing while sleeping doesn't really hurt me. I always use a good barrier ointment (daily). If I had accidents as something new I'd worry. But I've been doing this since the beginning. I'm sure there are plenty of IC people who experience this. But for you as being something new you should certainly visit your doctor. And you should always use a good barrier cream or ointment. I never get up to clean and change in the middle of the night. I like my sleep.

I am getting everything checked out as soon as I can. I did have some test done last year like colonoscopy CT scans and more and I intend to follow up some more even.. The pooping while asleep is more the newest to me, it started maybe 3 to 4 months back. But I have had all my incontinent issues get worse the last 2 to 3 years.

I change just as fast as I can on #2

 

[Deleted member 59603]

Ugh, changing bowel habits are the worst. So sorry that you are having to deal with this right now. I am hopeful that your visit to the doctor is productive, kudos for making it a priority!
In the meantime, stay strong and best wishes.

 

[Diaperman95]

Ugh, changing bowel habits are the worst. So sorry that you are having to deal with this right now. I am hopeful that your visit to the doctor is productive, kudos for making it a priority!
In the meantime, stay strong and best wishes.

Thanks. I will.

 

[SeniorMan]

I use Melatonin (5 mg) for sleeping. I don't wake up if I feel a BM. I can poop my diaper just about any time. Messing while sleeping doesn't really hurt me. I always use a good barrier ointment (daily). I never get up to clean and change in the middle of the night. I like my sleep.

I also take 5 mg of Melatonin (as a sleep aid). I also poop while sleeping, which is no problem because one diapers up 24/7 and does not wear pyjamas to bed. I rarely use any barrier cream but occasionally will use Care All, a 20% zinc oxide ointment. Then, somewhat like you, I am often in bed for the night.

 

[Diaperman95]

I also take 5 mg of Melatonin (as a sleep aid). I also poop while sleeping, which is no problem because one diapers up 24/7 and does not wear pyjamas to bed. I rarely use any barrier cream but occasionally will use Care All, a 20% zinc oxide ointment. Then, somewhat like you, I am often in bed for the night.

I got to have the hard stuff to help me sleep. I take Ambein CR 12.5 at bed. I am kinda a night owl though so I don't take it sometimes until 2 am.

 

[SeniorMan]

I am fortunate to have found two very good physicians who coordinate my care.

In my nursing home, I am under the care of an internist for the nursing home, a doctor of internal medicine. He made an appointment for me with a gastroenterologist because I had diarrhoea lasting for months. Fortunately, I found medical records stating that I had a dairy allergy. When I stopped drinking milk and eating foods made with milk, normal pooping resumed. However, that was not the end of the diarrhoea. I saw a gastroenterologist over ten years ago who no longer has his records available. My memory may be faulty.

Nevertheless, I recall him saying I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome, a condition characterized by abdominal discomfort associated with altered pooping). I must wait for a final determination. My previous gastroenterologist wants me to get another colonoscopy. I will request that his records be sent to my internist before signing up for the colonoscopy.

 

[Diaperman95]

In my nursing home, I am under the care of an internist for the nursing home, a doctor of internal medicine. He made an appointment for me with a gastroenterologist because I had diarrhoea lasting for months. Fortunately, I found medical records stating that I had a dairy allergy. When I stopped drinking milk and eating foods made with milk, normal pooping resumed. However, that was not the end of the diarrhoea. I saw a gastroenterologist over ten years ago who no longer has his records available. My memory may be faulty.

Nevertheless, I recall him saying I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome, a condition characterized by abdominal discomfort associated with altered pooping). I must wait for a final determination. My previous gastroenterologist wants me to get another colonoscopy. I will request that his records be sent to my internist before signing up for the colonoscopy.

Stay on top of those colonoscopies. They are easy enough to do and not painful but very effective at finding and avoiding cancer. Colon cancer almost always start with a small polyp and grows into cancer over years. So every 5 years after age 50 is a must and sooner if at high risk for it. Plus they can see other issues that can be causing some of those symptoms. I had a polyp removed last year and I am mid 40's. My wife had rectal cancer at age 23. Both of us have IBS. Then I am on chronic pain meds for other reasons and it can mess with IBS. Most the time IBS makes you go back and forth between constipated and not.
I have never been checked for being lactose intolerant but If I have more than a half glass a day it gets me pretty good too. I love cereal and I love chocolate milk. That or hot brownies and a glass of cold milk too. That said I don't avoid it all together but I am careful how much I have, that and and where I am or going to be when I have it. I also use miralax to keep my system moving on the days I am not having the shits because of gastroparesis. When my colon stops moving it often puts my stomach a sleep and I get deadly sick and end up in the hospital. So as much as I hate poop in my pants I hate being that sick even worse. I get so sick that they have to put a NG tube in to stop the dry heaving. So a little poop clean up may suck but not nearly as bad as the alternative for me. I would not wish gastroparesis on anyone.

If anyone has Gastroparesis or knows anyone with it please feel free to PM me. I had a gastric pacemaker put in my stomach and it has changed my life 1000% It is no cure but it is a game changer for many of us.

 

[Subtlerustle]

Wow that sounds complicated and a heck of a balance to maintain. I agree that an accident once in a while is a small price to pay to avoid the alternative. Good on you for keeping a positive and pragmatic outlook.