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    Incontinence and Sitting

    Unfortunately I am not able to use my legs or my torso and my arms are getting weaker so therefore I am stuck in a power chair all day long. I'm both urine and fecal incontinent. I can feel when I need to go but I have no muscle control to hold it and when I'm sitting it's not able to exit my body and becomes very uncomfortable and painful. I literally have to try and lift myself a little so that it can at least partially come out.

    Does anyone else have this problem and if so have you found any solutions? I've thought about getting a donut seat cushion that I can sit on but I don't know how that would work with the pads that I have to sit on.

    Any advice would be helpful, thank you guys.
    Be Well,

    Dx 1995 as RRMS, 2003 SPMS Rx: Gabapentin, Baclofen, Wellbutrin, Clonazepam

    #2
    Originally posted by Angelea View Post
    Unfortunately I am not able to use my legs or my torso and my arms are getting weaker so therefore I am stuck in a power chair all day long. I'm both urine and fecal incontinent. I can feel when I need to go but I have no muscle control to hold it and when I'm sitting it's not able to exit my body and becomes very uncomfortable and painful. I literally have to try and lift myself a little so that it can at least partially come out.

    Does anyone else have this problem and if so have you found any solutions? I've thought about getting a donut seat cushion that I can sit on but I don't know how that would work with the pads that I have to sit on.

    Any advice would be helpful, thank you guys.
    Hi Angelea

    I'm so sorry to learn about the uncomfortable and painful situations that you have to deal with.

    Are you able to sit on a commode at all, with the help of someone else?

    I had a friend with the bowel incontinence problem (also in wheelchair, but quadriplegic) who had a fairly reliable solution.

    She had to get on a regular bowel elimination schedule. Every couple days, the caregiver would give her suppositories in the morning, and then help her onto a bedpan. Her bowels would be 'emptied out' until the next time, with no accidents in between. Getting 'regular' with the bowel elimination times was key.

    I wonder if your doctor (or caregiver?) could help you with some plan like this? Maybe even the use of an anti-diarrheal type med, in between the regular bowel elimination times, to prevent accidents would be helpful?

    That's all I can think of for now, but will let you know if I can find any other possible solutions.

    Take Care
    PPMS for 26 years (dx 1998)
    ~ Worrying will not take away tomorrow's troubles ~ But it will take away today's peace. ~

    Comment


      #3
      Hi KoKo, That does sound like it would be very helpful to get me regular again. Our potty room is one of those really small rooms that's difficult for someone to help me get into but it does have grab bars in it and when I was stronger I used to be able to get in there myself sitting on my walker. And being able to sit on the toilet even if it's for a long while is so nice. Now I'm too wide and too weak to fit in there easily and my husband is a disabled vet who is orthopedically broken and in excruciating pain all the time so I try so hard not to hurt him. I used to be a lot smaller, a lot lighter and a bit stronger to at least help him lift me. Now, not so much.

      I'll think about your suggestions, though. Thank you,
      Be Well,

      Dx 1995 as RRMS, 2003 SPMS Rx: Gabapentin, Baclofen, Wellbutrin, Clonazepam

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by Angelea View Post
        Hi KoKo, That does sound like it would be very helpful to get me regular again. Our potty room is one of those really small rooms that's difficult for someone to help me get into but it does have grab bars in it and when I was stronger I used to be able to get in there myself sitting on my walker. And being able to sit on the toilet even if it's for a long while is so nice. Now I'm too wide and too weak to fit in there easily and my husband is a disabled vet who is orthopedically broken and in excruciating pain all the time so I try so hard not to hurt him. I used to be a lot smaller, a lot lighter and a bit stronger to at least help him lift me. Now, not so much.

        I'll think about your suggestions, though. Thank you,
        Angelea

        Thanks for describing some of your situation in more detail.

        There are some very sturdy, heavy duty bedside commodes available these days.

        Although you would still need help to get up and sit on it.

        I understand your reluctance to have your husband risk hurting himself, and possibly hurting you as well, while attempting the transfer.

        I wonder if you may be eligible for some home care help, even part time, a few days a week.

        Have you checked into that?

        Take Care
        PPMS for 26 years (dx 1998)
        ~ Worrying will not take away tomorrow's troubles ~ But it will take away today's peace. ~

        Comment


          #5
          Hi Angelea~
          I see that your husband is a veteran and he should be able to get some help from home health care via the VA. I believe this also extends to you, as his wife.

          https://www.va.gov/geriatrics/guide/...aide_care.asp# This site offers a person who you can "talk" with right now so you can ask questions- located in the upper right hand corner in red - called Veterans Crisis Line

          If he is your caregiver, here is a program about that with a number to call for questions- https://www.caregiver.va.gov/support...t_services.asp

          I'll try to find more sources, but this is all I find right now. Good luck!
          1st sx '89 Dx '99 w/RRMS - SP since 2010
          Administrator Message Boards/Moderator

          Comment


            #6
            Angelea - here's another organization that should help you and your husband if you are seniors. I put this in another thread and here it is again.

            The program is called Paying for Senior Care. (Our goal is to help families find the means to pay for senior care by providing objective information and interactive tools on our ad-free, easy-to-use and comprehensive website.)


            The Eldercare financial assistance locator https://www.payingforseniorcare.com/...ator_tool.html has this to say:

            "Over 400 programs provide financial assistance for elder care. Help comes from federal, state, and local governments, the VA, non-profits, private organizations, and as many as 50 other agencies. The large number of sources and different and often conflicting qualification rules makes determining one's eligibility a challenge."

            The link has a confidential questionnaire to send in to see if you qualify.
            Last edited by Seasha; 02-19-2019, 09:40 PM. Reason: updated url
            1st sx '89 Dx '99 w/RRMS - SP since 2010
            Administrator Message Boards/Moderator

            Comment


              #7
              Bowel Incontinence

              I have a problem that happens too regularly. Every morning, I try to make sure that I include an anti-diarrheal pill along with my many other medications. Then, I'll notice that I have ruined another pair of underwear and immediately start wearing pads. It comes pretty steady so that I am changing pads quite often and this diarrhea goes on for days. It drives me crazy. I feel like I am going through the pain and hassles of dealing with menstruation again. Does anybody have any advice? I know I should probably go to a gastroenterologist, but the last time I went for an appointment he wanted to start first thing with a test that I didn't want to undergo so I ran away.

              Comment


                #8
                Wheelchair Shower Commode Chair All in One

                I too have bowel incontinence and it's almost impossible to get to the toilet without assistance. I am thinking about getting one of those wheelchairs that you can wheel into the shower and, when necessary, wheel right over the toilet. Wouldn't have to do any tricky transfers. I've looked at some online but have never used one. I wonder if anyone here has ever used one. It just seems like a great idea. At least in theory.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Although I have no experience to offer, that sounds like a possible solution gellexi.
                  The future depends on what you do today.- Gandhi

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Angelea View Post
                    Unfortunately I am not able to use my legs or my torso and my arms are getting weaker so therefore I am stuck in a power chair all day long. I'm both urine and fecal incontinent. I can feel when I need to go but I have no muscle control to hold it and when I'm sitting it's not able to exit my body and becomes very uncomfortable and painful. I literally have to try and lift myself a little so that it can at least partially come out.

                    Does anyone else have this problem and if so have you found any solutions? I've thought about getting a donut seat cushion that I can sit on but I don't know how that would work with the pads that I have to sit on.

                    Any advice would be helpful, thank you guys.
                    Hi Angela. So sorry You are having these problems. I have had to deal with that as well. I am quadriplegic and have no bladder or bowel control. I had been able to manage a bowel program for many years. My caregiver or husband handled that either in bed on a bed pad or as also mentioned. I have a shower / toileting chair. I still have to wear adult diapers for bladder accidents and bowel accidents. Which unfortunately have became more frequent. Since I had to start using a feeding tube. Which generally causes diarrhea. Sitting on a doughnut cushion in My wheelchair does help. Which I also sit on a incontinence pad.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Shower/Toileting Chair

                      Originally posted by Brandie1967 View Post
                      Hi Angela. So sorry You are having these problems. I have had to deal with that as well. I am quadriplegic and have no bladder or bowel control. I had been able to manage a bowel program for many years. My caregiver or husband handled that either in bed on a bed pad or as also mentioned. I have a shower / toileting chair. I still have to wear adult diapers for bladder accidents and bowel accidents. Which unfortunately have became more frequent. Since I had to start using a feeding tube. Which generally causes diarrhea. Sitting on a doughnut cushion in My wheelchair does help. Which I also sit on a incontinence pad.
                      Brandie1967, you say you have a shower/toileting chair. Has that been helpful at all to you? I'm thinking about getting one.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by gellexi View Post
                        Brandie1967, you say you have a shower/toileting chair. Has that been helpful at all to you? I'm thinking about getting one.
                        Here's what We use. It does help https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Doxpok0k4RY

                        Comment


                          #13
                          That's a beautiful chair, but I need one I can self propel.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Originally posted by gellexi View Post
                            That's a beautiful chair, but I need one I can self propel.
                            Oh ok I misunderstood. We got that one through our local home health supply place. Perhaps You can search through one of those places?

                            Comment

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