DR. SHAZIA

Question by Cat: How to cure fecal incontinence?
If you’re easily grossed out or don’t care to hear about someone’s bowel movements, don’t read on! I know it’s stupid to get medical advice online, but I’d like to hear if there are any homeopathic or natural cures that may relieve the problem before I head to a doctor.

I am an 18 year old white female, 5’7″ tall weighing 115 lbs.

Background: My family has a history of colo-rectal cancer, but I doubt that is the problem in this case given my age and complaints.

From 13-17 years old I struggled with eating disorders, alternating between anorexia and bulimia. (Depending on if my parents were around or not. Anorexia when no one was watching me, bulimia when the family was around. My mother was gone on long business trips and my father worked the night shift, so there were times when I would be mostly alone for several weeks.) My main form of bulimia was laxative abuse – I would take 3-5 times the prescribed dosage on a mostly empty stomach, not only because I liked the way it felt but because it also relieved me of a lot of my water content as well. My weight ranged from 98 – 115 lbs. My laxative use tapered off between 16 and 17 and I completely stopped by my 17th birthday.

I’m not stating this for attention or because I want help to stop – as I said, I’m done with it. This is important because it relates to my current problem.

About a month ago I noticed that I was having trouble passing bowel movements and that I often felt that I had not completely voided. My movements were very liquid even if I hadn’t drank much during the day. (Since my laxative abuse, I have always alternated between diarrhea and constipation, relatively normal for a former bulimic from what I’ve read. So I was less concerned about the diarrhea and more concerned that there were no longer many solid movements.) At times when I wipe after a movement there is a thick, creamy white mucus. My rectum itches regularly – something that has never happened to me before.

My movements are sometimes painful, and I regularly (one or twice every two days) get a sharp, stabbing pain in the middle of the right side of my abdomen – as if someone were poking me with a live wire. I also have lower back cramps – this has never been a problem before and I’ve always had a very sturdy, flexible back so I’m a bit concerned about that.

The worst and most embarrassing part, however, is the fecal incontinence. To see how bad it was, I wore a pad on a non-period day. I hadn’t had a bowel movement all day, and when I checked at night the pad was completely tan-brown. It’s very embarrassing to smell like you shit yourself when you haven’t, so much so that I am often too embarrassed to go to class. I try to mask the smell with perfumes, powders, and colognes, but my self-esteem has really taken a hit from the whole thing.

Finally, I have recently noticed that I am constantly exhausted and running a low-grade fever. Even if I have slept a regular night for me (8-9) hours and have remained on a regular sleep schedule for several days (closing off the possibility of sleep debt), I am still fatigued and feel the need to nap during the day. At times, even after eating regularly (something that can still be a struggle for me at times), I feel faint and dizzy. Fortunately I haven’t passed out or anything, but it makes concentration or stamina for a normal day very difficult.

I’d like to know if anyone has ideas for what exactly could be the problem (other than Revenge of the Bulimic Body), and if there are any lifestyle changes, homeopathic cures, or just simple remedies that I could undertake to help this. Also helpful would be questions or things to present to my doctor when I do go.

Thanks much! Sorry for the obnoxious explicit detail.

Best answer:

Answer by vsuveeous
it is doubtful that this is stemming from post-bulimia. anytime you have a fever, its your body telling you that you are fight off an infection. you need to see the doctor ASAP! you could have crones disease or something worse. please see a doctor asap. the fever, fatigue, cramps, bad bowel situations…this sounds serious. Please see a doctor ASAP, life is too short. don;t keep putting this off. please write back to say how you are doing after you see the doctor. good luck!!!

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