Hi Patricia Rehab at San Jose, California recommended every three days. This was 23 years ago, and we found three days was really awkward to plan around and after the first year tried three days, and then four days. That worked for a few years, but I would sometimes be stopped up and then we would have to change the routine. Several years ago I had a twisted intestine which caused a lot of problems, when they finally got it untwisted and I then had a colonoscopy and spent quite a bit of time talking to the Dr. about what to do so that we were not working around a bowel program all the time.
We enjoy food and eat a pretty balanced diet, however eating is not one of my great pleasures as I am unable to feed myself and to this day do not enjoy "being fed". With some people more than others of course, but I usually have to struggle to eat enough calories every day. He recommended that I use Benefiber, Align and Metamucil and work with the amounts until I find the combination that would work for me. He also believes that a daily bowel program is the best for most people, and encouraged me to try it. It did take several months to find the combination that works for me. I now do a bowel care every day, and when I hire new attendants (hate, hate, hate that job), I am up front and tell them that I do a daily bowel program. I have had a couple of prospective attendants explain to me that their former clients did not expect them to do that every day and I gave them the option of coming to work on my terms or not coming to work at all. Everyone is so different and I do not want an attendant that tells me how to run my life. J This has worked so well that we usually only spend a maximum of 15 minutes daily on the bowel program, and if I just have a couple of days where I don't go I can usually trace it back to my not drinking enough, or not eating enough roughage etc. It has freed up so much of my time that I would highly recommend a similar program to others. My Dr. Is a firm believer in a daily program and reminds me as we get older our systems do get worn out and that we need to modify eating behaviors to lessen problems. I just had my 23rd anniversary in October and I will be 75 on my next birthday and I have many things to do and many grandkids to watch grow up and I just don't want to be dealing with problems that we can take care of ourselves whenever possible. Being a quad is a problem enough. Sorry that this went on so long, but I feel it is a big stumbling block for many. Hope this answers some of your questions. Joan From: Patricia Brown-Tulee [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, November 06, 2013 5:59 PM To: [email protected] Subject: [QUAD-L] b care what bowel care works for you? i'm almost 1 week w/out. longest w/out has been 2-3 weeks. i've tried a lot in past 27 yrs, & wondering what works for others. Patricia L. Brown-Tulee [email protected] while adding years to your life, add life to your years
