Change in bowel movements.

[mickmac]

Hi everyone

I got my Rig tube inserted on Monday and was released from hospital yesterday. In hospital I was taking a lot of laxatives along with movicol due to problems with constipation prior to the operation.
Prior to the hospitalization I took movicol around two days out of three to help me use the toilet.

Since coming home I have had a couple of accidents with me not being able to hold my bowels and I seem to have a bit of diarrhea. I stopped taking the laxatives on Wednesday so I expected to be back to normal. This caught me on the hop a little and I wasn't expecting it. Since I got the Rig tube in I am drinking 3 fortisip drinks a day. Prior to this I was drinking 1 or sometimes 2 of the two cal drinks each day. I am also no longer eating a solid food for breakfast.

Given the significant changes to my diet I should have expected changes to my toilet habits and I was warned of this prior to getting the Rig but obviously I didn't pay much attention to it. Currently I am using pads in case of further problems with the toilet but I wanted to check with others who have a rig or peg. Do others experience some changes in toilet habits after having a tube fitted and most importantly do things settle back down to normal after a time. My biggest problem at the moment is that I'm only getting very short notice of the need to go compared to before the operation.

Any help with such a uncomfortable subject for some of us is most welcome.

Mick.

[Ellie]

Not Mealtime Reading!!

Hi Mick,

Sorry to read about your current woes - it must be stressful for you.

Yes, any change in diet / food intake can upset the often delicately balanced bathroom routine

Some things come to mind:

- Could you in fact be constipated and what you’re having are bouts of ‘overflow diarrhoea’? This is caused by having impacted poo stuck in the bowel and, as the term suggests, the bowels are full, so they overflow - it comes with gurgling bowels and just a few minutes to get to the loo, and nothing you do will stop it When you go, it’s very loose and bity/flaky. (I had this and it isn’t pleasant. The solution is to get rid of the impacted stuff with Movicol)

- Those Fortisip 2cals have 0% fibre in them and are heavy on sugars. If you drink 3 per day, what food types are giving you the extra ~1000cals you need? Ask your Community Nurse / PHN to get the Dietitian to visit you, if you need help. No fibre and an increased sugar intake, if you’re not used to it, can upset the bowels.

- Are there certain times in the day these bouts of diarrhoea tend to happen most often?

Love Ellie.

[mickmac]

Hi Ellie

Thanks for your comprehensive answer yesterday and I have found that my bowels are settling down an awful lot in the last 24 hours. I am pretty sure I don't have an overflow. I had a phosphate enema in the hospital and that cleared everything out. Was not fun but it did work.

The fortisip drinks I'm on have multi fibre in them. The rest of the day I'm on fairly normal food just have it minced down. Will be talking to the PHN this week and will see what she thinks.

Mick.

[JAY TEE]

Mick, glad you bought this problem up. I am a bit the same. I had my Peg fitted three years ago but I still manage my food if mashed up. But in last 18 months have bad constipation can be three to four days. Just been in Respite care Hospice ten days while carer/wife had a break holiday. I only managed toilet twice. I take 10ml Senokot each day that works well. I have now started Peg food two a day and think that has loosened my bowl up. Like you I have had the wrong accident.
Best wishes John

[Ellie]

Good to hear that things are settling down Mick - it could've been the after effects of the enema and the whole change of regime, who knows?? Keep an eye on it, though...

And you've the feeding tube in place now, one less thing to worry about.

Take care,

Love Ellie.

[mickmac]

Thanks to you both. I'm going to post a more general question later today about hospital stays in general and the need for any other procedures.

Mick.

[Wailywoo]

Hi Mickmac,

So glad you posted this. Hubby is going into hospital for his PEG placement on Monday. Will be aware now of any changes that might occur.

Wishing you all the best,
Wailywoo x

[Gillette]

Hi Mickmac,

I had my first overnight feed last night and felt the effects within 12 hours of the start of feeding.

[mickmac]

Hi Dina

My bowels are back to normal now I think. I don't do any pump feeds I just use a syringe. Do you not find the night feeding a distraction. I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep if I use a pump.

Mick.

[Ellie]

Dina, did they not ease you into the overnight feeds? (Nutrison?) The Nutrison is very different to Fortisips.

At the risk of sounding 'preachy', as with all feeds, your system will get used to them, but really they should be gradually introduced to let you adjust to the new food type.

How was last night, or should I say today?

Love Ellie.

[Ellie]

Mick, I use the pump overnight twice per week and I have to say it doesn't interupt my sleep at all.

It is very quiet and will happily run on a full battery all night. I cannot move, so the tubing isn't an issue for me, but I know plenty of people who can turn in bed and happily sleep being tube fed.

It's whatever suits you best really - I mix & match between daytime and overnight pump feeds.

Love Ellie.

[mickmac]

Hi Ellie

I always sleep lying on my right hand side so I am not sure how that would work with the pump. Can you tell me what exactly is the advantage of using the pump instead of just using a syringe all the time for feeding.

Mick.

[Ellie]

Sleeping on your side wouldn't be a problem Mick, the tubing (giving set) is long enough.

The big advantage of pump feeding is that it's plug in and go, meaning you or your carer don't have to give you 7-8 bottles of Fortisip (or equivalent) throughout the day, leaving you both with a freer, non-regimented day.

I don't have full-time carers. I eat a lunch most days, so have a 765cal pump feed in the evening for 4 hours. On days I don't have a full lunch, I get 1530cals overnight, rather than someone having to give me multiple Fortisips during the day.

As I said though, the choice is yours, go with whatever best suits your lifestyle needs and preferences.

Love Ellie.

[mickmac]

Thanks Ellie

I hadn't considered those points.

Mick.

[Gillette]

Hi Dina

My bowels are back to normal now I think. I don't do any pump feeds I just use a syringe. Do you not find the night feeding a distraction. I'm afraid I won't be able to sleep if I use a pump.

Mick.

Hi Mick,

Bolus feeding would be a struggle for me as my arms and hands are deteriorating quite quickly. Also, my partner has health difficulties that mean he would not be able to help with bolus feeding.

I don't find the night feeding distracting, although I haven't been able to try it at home yet.