I have faecal incontinence after I have a bowel movement, I've never thought it was IBS (which is what I have been diagnosed with) as I have no other symptoms. I've been attending the hospital for over a year now and, despite numerous procedures, colonoscopy, endoscopy, mri scan etc, they haven't come up with anything. Does anybody else have this and what was the diagnosis?
Thanks for reading.
Ruby,
This could be a prolapse issue.
See a colorectal specialist who deals with prolapse issues.
I spent time running around seeking opinion NHS AND PRIVATE opinion, however they failed to realise I had prolapse issues which were contributing to all of my problems. This has been a 5 years battle. Although things started gradually.
I was told by one hospital I HAD A FUNCTIONAL BOWEL disorder, IBS etc, and nobody could help me. My husband even agreed with the consultant during the consultation. I came out crying. It was an opinion of a top St. Marks consultant at Harrow Middx a renowned establisment for bowel problems supposed to be the best in the country. This counsultant did not even examine me. He had all my scans information etc but failed to realise that I had a prolapse problem. . I have prolapse issues. Whether I have surgery or not is going to be my decision in the end. No guarantees.
The gynaecology and colorectal surgeries appear to overlap somehwhat. Research Ruby google, Good luck, There really is not enough expertise in this country. Too many women are having second and third operations after hysterectomy, as other organs can fall later. It is truly a nightmare out there. Sorry for this info.
All the best,
Sandra
Hi Sandra
Thanks very much for your reply, I'll ask my consultant about it. I've finally got the result of my mri scan which showed incomplete emptying of the bowel with a small protrusion into the vagina. I'm getting sent to the motility clinic and for pelvic floor neurostimulation. Not really sure what all this means but hopefully I'll get to the bottom on it eventually (pardon the pun).
Thanks again
Ruby
Hi Ruby,
Just saw your message.
Looks like you have weak sphincter muscles like me.(muscles surround anal area)
What are your symptoms?
I am interested to see if they are the same as mine.
Do you also feel as though you have a foreign object in you anus?
A feeling of incomplete evacuation.
Are you worse when sitting?
Are you better standing?
Do you have discomfort in your anus on waking in the morning?
Are you in Uk or USA?
It sounds like you have some internal prolapse intussusception like me.
However it is treated with bio-feed initially here in the Uk if you are kind of border line. (Bio-feed being the fancy name for pelvic floor and anal muscle clenches, if you have constipation they also may put a ballon in your anus whatever, every hospital has a different technique) After border line it is rectal prolapse which would take a while to happen.
I have no idea what your complete symptoms are.
However some women just have primarily a degree of anal prolapse with bladder and womb down too. This is where I am.
However I DO NOT have stomach pain, bleeding, sickness, pelvic pain etc etc.
I am considering Ventral Rectopexy surgery.
I am worried though as it is a relative new surgery.
I have yet to find out how if this doctor also supports my womb?
70 per cent success, so there is a 30 per cent chance it will not help and who knows I may be in a worse state.
My quality of life now with a constant 24/7 feeling of an object in my bum is difficult to contend with.
Also with the occasiional faecal accidents here and there.
However Ruby this is after 5 years of not realising I had this condition, as mentioned previously.
Started with haemorrhoidal symptoms, banding HALO surgery suggested by some.
My proctogram showed prolapse in all 3 compartments however I was discharged and told to go onto pain management for prolpase can you believe that. I do not have actual pain, I was more than anxious as I did not know what was happeining to my body and the anxiety of thinking I had a cancer in my anal end really was more than a worry. This led to unnecessary tests, colonoscopy, laparoscopy, even a bone marow biopsy. All because the colorectal surgeon who in fact was a lovely chap, refused to admit that I had prolapse.
He looked at the proctogram MRI and said it was within the limits of the normal prolapse etc where nothing needs to be done. He would not operate on me.
He thought it was more of a gynaecological prolpase problem.
The gynaecologist thought this was more of a colorectal problem and so on.
I was left dangling and discharged for pain management!!!!!!!!
I then asked to be referred to another hospital and the consultant then and only then admittited that their hopsital a top London establishment did not have good results with ventral rectopexy operations.
However he never gave me this info in the first place.
In my opinion the doctors here are taking on the private patients to pay for their mortgage and leaving the NHS patients in limbo.
Im assuming you live in the States.
I believe you will be having this neuromodulation which I was booked into but have cancelled for the time being as I thought it wise to use a pessary in the first instance. Well the first came out. This may or may not give some indication what area is prolapsing to a greater degree.
There is a plus and a minus side to this.
The plus side is that it may give an indication if the womb and bladder is raised what will happen to my bowel.
The minus side is that my bowel may go into a more sliding status!!!!!
I have been told that a uterine surgery would make my internal anal prolapse worse. So this pessary will surely do the same thing.
I am having one fitted tomorrow privately.
And will be ready to get it out quickly if this is detrimental.
As regards to your neurostimulation I believe this is PTNS.in the UK.
A needle is placed in the ankle acts a bit like accupuncture
Have been told it gives a placebo effect well if it works thats all that matters..
I have not had this done as I would like to see what this pessary does in the first instance. My second pessary. It may or may not stay.
It may cause further problems with my bowel who knows.
A lot of information for you, may be too much, but anyway I thought it may help others.
Keep in touch,
Are you in the Uk, or USA.
Which state or area,
Best Sandra
Sandra
Sandra,
It sounds like you've had a terrible time of it, hope you find a solution soon and thanks for all the information, some of it's a bit over my head but I can google it.
I'm in the UK (Scotland), not sure if that makes a difference, thanks for all the info, I have no symptoms of IBS, just the incomplete evacuation of the bowel and, when I have a normal consistency stool, I have no symptoms. Exercise (ie walking) seems to make it worse, not noticed any difference between sitting/standing. I've been practising my exercises for the last couple of days as I realised that seems to be part of the problem but I really feel that something is causing me to have these loose stools. If I'm going to have a bowel movement it's normally when I get up (probably due to gravity). I also have bladder problems, both stress incontinence and the other one (can't remember what it's called), but I've decided not to have the op for the bladder cause I think it's too risky.