Advice for possible IBS issues?

[DLwithacause]

Hi everyone

I’ve been a DL for years but never needed to wear for a legitimate medical issue.

I’ve also suffered with what I suspect as mild IBS for several years now but never had an official diagnosis and other than sometimes going to the toilet more frequently don’t experience any sort of incontinence.

Anyway this past weekend something really weird happened. I was out walking the dog and suddenly got the urge that I needed to go to the bathroom- as I was in the middle of a field which was an open space I didn’t really have many options and so decided to try and hold it until I got home…long story short…it became apparent I wasn’t going to make it. I tried to get to a patch of woodland but unfortunately was unsuccessful and I then experienced a rather unpleasant accident.

This is something that has never happened to me before and to be honest it has freaked me right out. I’ve made an appointment to see my GP but now every time I go out with the dog I’m scared it will happen again and so I’ve been wearing for protection- this is problematic on a number of fronts as I have kids at home and my wife whilst she knows I’m a DL feels this is a bit of an overreaction and whilst she was very supportive at the time doesn’t want this to be an excuse for more regular wearing.

naturally…I’m wanting to self diagnose whilst I wait for some tests and as such as wondering if anyone has experienced similar issues? Does it sound like IBS? Or something else? The thing was I felt fine that morning, had already been to the bathroom and it didn’t present like food poisoning or anything like that…it just kind of came out of nowhere and despite trying my best, for the first time ever in my adult life my bowels failed me…

Apologies for the long post but advice would be appreciated

 

[slimjiminy]

Was it diarrhea or solid? I suffer from the diarrhea (IBS-d), mainly because of meds (as far as I know).

It's a very embarrassing thing to experience and protection is wise if it is likely. I have the same problem when going out for hour long walks. So now, after taking fibre after breakfast, I wait at least an hour to have a BM. Then I find, there is less chance of a failure. You might adjust according to your own BM schedule.

 

[Pelusos]

Chronic bowel problems always need real doctor's diagnosis, there are many illness where diarrhea is a symptom. I have been living with IBS-d for 15 years, diagnosed in 2020, I had many terrible accidents for a decade, but nowdays I can live a normal life with strict diet, no hot and spicy foods, no milky foods and very few alcohol. Doctor helped me with the personal diet and probiotics.

 

[Eclectic]

I was born with IBS-D for lack of a better word. IBS, OAB and lots of other diagnoses are idiopathic, meaning they are catch all terms that are diagnosed based on symptoms, but the medical community doesn’t really know the actual cause.

Billions of people have one or more episodes of incontinence at some point in their lives. Only you and your doctor can decide whether this was an isolated incident or something that’s becoming more common. Do you have abdominal pain? Does it get worse with stress, caffeine or greasy spicy fatty foods? I manage my IBS through diet and diapers. But, I didn’t start wearing diapers 24/7 until my bladder urgency and frequency became unmanageable. I still had bowel accidents at that time, but they were usually in my night diaper with fewer during the day. But that’s your choice, of course. See a gastroenterologist, if you are concerned.

 

[diapeybabybrian]

I’ve been a DL for years but never needed to wear for a legitimate medical issue.

People who don't wear diapers for fun or need still experience the occasional "accident".

So the fact that you've been a DL for years, probably is leading to a very slight loss of control,

but honestly In this case I don't think it's anything to worry about.

People who run frequently, sometimes experience uncontrollable "runs".

"The cause of runner's diarrhea isn't clear. Contributing factors likely include the physical jostling of the organs, decreased blood flow to the intestines, changes in intestinal hormone secretion, increased amount or introduction of new food, and pre-race anxiety and stress."

The fact that you were taking a long walk with your Dog combined with your DL interests seems to be what caused your accident.

I wouldn't worry about it unless it continued to happen more frequently.

 

[DLwithacause]

I was born with IBS-D for lack of a better word. IBS, OAB and lots of other diagnoses are idiopathic, meaning they are catch all terms that are diagnosed based on symptoms, but the medical community doesn’t really know the actual cause.

Billions of people have one or more episodes of incontinence at some point in their lives. Only you and your doctor can decide whether this was an isolated incident or something that’s becoming more common. Do you have abdominal pain? Does it get worse with stress, caffeine or greasy spicy fatty foods? I manage my IBS through diet and diapers. But, I didn’t start wearing diapers 24/7 until my bladder urgency and frequency became unmanageable. I still had bowel accidents at that time, but they were usually in my night diaper with fewer during the day. But that’s your choice, of course. See a gastroenterologist, if you are concerned.

Thanks for your reply- I had my gall bladder out a few years ago. I have had to be more careful since…I do get the abdominal pain and get flare ups where I seem
To experience gastro issues -
I went for tests a few months ago because it seemed to be getting worse but everything came back ok…but following this I’m going back to ask For more tests. the weird thing about this was I actually felt ok that morning and it just came out of the blue and then it was like I had very little control. Then the last few days my body has been all over the place - though I do wonder whether the anxiety of the accident hasn’t helped with that.

 

[DLwithacause]

Was it diarrhea or solid? I suffer from the diarrhea (IBS-d), mainly because of meds (as far as I know).

It's a very embarrassing thing to experience and protection is wise if it is likely. I have the same problem when going out for hour long walks. So now, after taking fibre after breakfast, I wait at least an hour to have a BM. Then I find, there is less chance of a failure. You might adjust according to your own BM schedule.

Thanks for your reply. It was somewhere in between solid and diarrhoea- I did actually go to the bathroom before i took the dog out twice…and felt ok. That was one of the reasons it caught me off guard as I wouldn’t have thought I’d have needed to go again so soon…and then the fact I couldn’t hold it…that was just bizarre. I’ve never experienced that before.

 

[Eclectic]

it just came out of the blue and then it was like I had very little control.

I have the same thing happen. Some of my bowel urgency I can point to stress. Some I can point to certain foods/drinks. Some I have no idea what caused it. Sometimes I have a few min and sometimes it’s a few seconds.

 

[DLwithacause]

I have the same thing happen. Some of my bowel urgency I can point to stress. Some I can point to certain foods/drinks. Some I have no idea what caused it. Sometimes I have a few min and sometimes it’s a few seconds.

Thanks for your reply - and sorry to hear about your own struggles! Have you been diagnosed with IBS or is it something else?