Irrigation isn't working anymore!

[PaulD]

Hello my name is Paul I've had a colostomy because of colon cancer for about six years now. I've been irrigating for the past three or four years. I use about 1200 mL of water and let everything drain out.

Lately I am not getting completely cleaned out. In the past if I irrigated at night I would have a completely empty bag through the night and for the entire next day. For the past few weeks after I irrigate my bag at night will fill up some and during the day it will start to fill up some too.

I haven't changed my diet or the way I irrigate. Has anyone else had a similar problem? I really want to get back to the way things were.

Thanks a lot
Paul

[Jimbob]

Hello Paul;

Welcome to the Board.

Sometimes things do not always work the same. So we need to experiment a little.

If you have not tried, maybe multiple infusions will work. Do your normal infusion then when you think you have expelled then try another infusion and see what happens.

I generally do a 1200 to 1500 CC infusion then after it seems like I have expelled a goodly amount I will repeat the process with about 600 cc, I will also often do a third infusion.

This regimen generally will give me three days. for me it is worth the extra time.

Jim

[PaulD]

Thanks Jim I'll give that a try tonight.

Paul

[steiconi]

Paul,
It's the alignment of the planets; Jupiter is trine with Uranus. {; nyuk nyuk nyuk

I've been having similar issues lately, but I have changed my diet--eating more veggies, less junk. Probiotics seem to help stabilize things.

[PaulD]

Jim I tried your "experiment" last night with success! It took a while and it felt like lots of fluid was going in but very little was coming out. I also felt really bloated after all the irrigation but very little came out during the night.

The only real problem was that I forgot to close the valve on the irrigator for the second fill up and a liter or so of water went onto the floor! Thanks for the advise!

Paul

[PaulD]

Jim

For the past few nights I've been double irrigating as you suggested. I fill one irrigator with 1500ml and a second with about 900. I start with the 1500 then after about a half hour I drain some from the sleeve and re infuse with the 900.

So far things are back on track!

Thanks again for the advise.

Paul