My husband had prostate cancer and radiotherapy and is now bowel incontinent. Recently he has had diarrhea. Any tips for managing? I’m giving him Immodium and rehydration drinks. He wears incontinence pants but it keeps leaking through. I’ve got the bed covered. He has no sensation that he has been or wants to go and cannot even smell it!
My mom had chronic diarrhea for years, not related to cancer treatment. Finally asked doc about it. He suggested giving her a good quality probiotic, which worked wonders. You might ask doc about trying it.
Anyhoo... so often people think that adding more fiber to the diet is a solution to diarrhea. Wrong, in most cases. More fiber might help once the diarrhea is resolved but in the mean time - the plumbing needs to settle down by way of treating the inflammation that diarrhea can cause. So - gentle, easy to digest foods are best. Someone mentioned the “Brat” diet, which consists of such foods. I’ve also hear of it referred to as the “white” diet -
which is as implied - lots of things like bananas, white long grain rice, etc.
HOWEVER. As your husband’s diarrhea is a result of radiation - talking with his doctors is definitely the route to take prior to trying to solve the issue on your own. I see by your last post you've wisely decided to do just that. You may have to be the proverbially “squeaky wheel” to get your husband seen by a doctor for this issue sooner rather than later. Unfortunately.
In the mean time... my best tip: surgical type gloves and lots and lots of baby wipes. I get gloves at Costco - nonlatex- a two pack of 200 each - so, 400 gloves for about $20. The Costco brand wipes are the best I’ve ever found in my 26 years of bottom cleaning. It’s a larger, more sturdy, yet with a soft cloth-like feeling - wipe than most other brands. A case of nine packages, holding 100 each - so, 900 wipes for about $20 as well.
Best of luck to you!
p.s. A good mattress protector is another must-have. I found a superior one that is cotton terry on the top and gortex on the back. This combo allows for the material to “breath” which will reduce sleeping hot. As well, there is none of that annoying crinkling noise when one shifts in bed. I like this mattress protector so much I have them on all our beds - it was a Godsend when I went through menopause and the accompanying night sweats and hot flashes! The mattress protector isn’t cheap but well worth the money, in my opinion. I bought them at a mattress store called Sleep Train but they’ve since changed their name and I can’t recall what it is now. But - you should be able to find this mattress protector on line with a google search.
Good Luck and I am really sorry for Your Husbands suffering.
Please get on this with his docs first. Then read all you can on forums involving treatment for prostate cancer and its side effects. Wishing you good luck. Hope this goes away.
There should be a simple stool specimen to make certain no treatments or meds have caused a c-diff to occur.