Bowel control

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Okie2

Distinguished member
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
259
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
04/2010
Country
US
State
Oklahoma
City
Bartlesville
Anyone having occasional bowel control problems. They say it is not related to ALS, but I am just not sure! I have not found much info when searched for. I bet it is something not talked about much.
 
my aunt had bulbar onset mnd and she experienced bowel problems. She blamed the rilutek (riluzole) but problems continued after she stopped taking it.
 
My mom has been having some issues lately. We reduced the stool softener and fiber in her diet and that has seemed to help. She is pretty advanced so I'm not sure if it is part of the typical (ha ha) ALS symptoms or not.
 
A regular schedule works best for me. I add an occasional Senna S at bedtime if the day's activities throw my schedule off.
 
We, too, are bulbar and have experienced a few surprises in that area. Sorry.
 
I actually heard something from an ALS nurse that ALS could affect the intestine muscle :( Can you ask if one of the IBS meds might help? Bentyl is the one that comes to mind.

Otherwise--are you sure there isn't something else going on? Any back pain with it? Loss of bowel control with a back problem can be serious.
 
I did visit the dr, he is having me add bulk fiber to my diet, and suggested having colonoscopy, (ass cam) as I call it. We will see what happens. Thanks for your replies.
 
YES! My husband has this problem occasionally (much to his dismay!) :oops:
Started last fall; at first we thought it was due to the change in diet because we increased the fats since his weight was dropping. So we made adjustments. :-?
Then, he thought it was from take-out food or eating out; so, stayed home & I cooked every night. :cry:

I kept a journal of what he ate to see if we could figure it out, but there was no definite pattern. :confused: And all the while, he wouldn't eat if we were going out (only to app'ts. etc.); definitely not good for the weight issues.

At his last clinic app't. we brought this up with his neuro. Neuro said that although ALS is not supposed to effect the bowels/bladder, he has seen it enough to think that is does. (although, as with everything else, not seen in all PALS)

He eats lots of fruit & veggies; we even tried the fiber supplements- they seemed to make it worse for him. Just feeling our way through this thing!
 
My husband has urgency both bowel and bladder! Often when we go out, he wears a diaper or a front pad. When he has to go...HE HAS TO GO. It is more often like that in the AM for some reason. We were told that it is more uncommon but the issues with bowel and bladder are part of ALS.
He has had difficulty with constpation too which was caused by pain meds! Now he has stool softners and fiber suppliments.
 
Kissj , I know what he means by RIGHT NOW! Urinary urgency has been and continues to be a HUGE issue for me. Mornings are worse, sometimes every 1 to 1 1/2 hours even with the oxybutinin I've been taking since January. I'm switching to a new medication to see if there will be any improvement.
Let us know how the A•+* cam wOrks out. I hope you can find something that helps.
 
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