Caregiver question... bathroom issue

[ReneeM]

My husband was allowing us to wheel him into the bathroom to allow him to have a bowel movement. I even had the toilet put on a 4" lift and added a bidet seat.

But now, because he is very hunched over, he says it is too hard for him to breath. I have a bedside commode.. but not sure he can sit on it.

Now he believes it would just be easier to wear adult diapers. I am at a loss which ones to buy and how to make sure he doesn't get sores and keeping him clean and disposing of these.

Wow! This is not an issue I thought I would face so soon. We do have hospice care.. are they the best ones to ask about all this?

Any good advice?:-?

 

[blueyebaby]

I would suggest using the adjustable briefs from like CVS or wallgreens.... the store brand works just fine and saves you money. The adjustable ones would be easier to work with I think.

Also have you tried giving him something to lean up against in the bathroom when he is using it. I worked with someone who used a small table like a tv tray and put pillows on it. We would place him on the toilet and then lean him forward resting his upper body on the tray/pillows. This way he would still get to use the bathroom at normal and was more comfortable and could breath.

Just some suggestions you can also check with your hospice care as i'm sure they could offer some advice too!

Best of luck,
Manda

 

[Gail K]

I don't know if this will help your husband, but we just had bars placed around one of our toilets. I had trouble getting up from the toilet a couple of time. This has been a godsend to me. The other toilet in our house is chair height and that's easier for me.

 

[penny1]

do you have a bi-pap machine? I would use it in the bathroom if possible. Also starting to use miralax may reduce the time on the throne. Start with a small dose and figure what time at night to take it to get the timing right.
penny1 aka Sherri

husband earned his wings 6/7/11

 

[10steps]

Definitely talk with your hospice nurse. It's likely hospice may have some ideas, cover the cost of diapers(bring them to your home too), and the miralax mentioned in a previous post can be covered by hospice as well - they will call the doctor and get it prescribed.

 

[heymom05]

We have the seat extender in the front bathroom. Kev has kneck issues and cant sit long on that toilet. The bedside commode works better. We use the walker to get him to the toilets and that works better. We also have an open neck brace that holds his head up and is very helpful in keeping his airways open.

 

[Georgia Peach]

We use a bed pan. It's not ideal but it works. A and D ointment is a must.

 

[Miss]

Etac makes a toilet/shower chair that tilts. Maybe this would help him. I agree, be sure he has the bipap when in the bathroom, too.

 

[Danijela]

if there are breathing issues you definitely do not want the person leaning forward. we have have 'tilt in space' type of toilet chair, which doubles as a shower chair and goes over a closomat toilet. it is fairly comfortable and i know of pals who have used it even in very late stages of the disease. personally, i would use diapers as a last resort, and would try the bedpan first in no other option available.

Dani

 

[ReneeM]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions.

What would I do if I had no one to answer these kind of questions for me?!