Tap Water vs. Saline Enemas

Kind of a gross question, but which type of enema is supposed to work better? I don't like the bloating I get after a saline enema, but if I do tap water enemas it almost seems to make the constipation worse over the long term. Does anyone else experience this, and why would this happen?

I guess because I am constipated all the time - for the past 13 years - and nothing really helps. I've tried prescription meds, I take stool softeners, miralax, citrucel, water, exercise. I've had numerous tests. Sometimes it gets so bad I have to do an enema.

Yes, both. Sitz marker test normal. I do have PFD but I've been through therapy for it and have a biofeedback monitor that I use at home but I'll still get terrible problems with constipation (very hard, lumpy stool, which does "come out" but it is hard to do because of its consistency). It seems to happen more often after I eat too much sugary food. I know the answer here is to avoid sugary food but easier said than done - and sometimes it may be sugar hidden in foods you wouldn't suspect.

I am just trying to figure out what to do in the meantime while my bowels try to get back to normal and I don't know if I need to ride it out with the constipation and pain or not. No one seems to be able to give me an answer, not even doctors.

I ended up being referred to another colon surgeon because my original one moved out of town. I mentioned to my new doctor how beneficial weekly enema's were for me (this was about 5 years ago). I've never struggled with constipation but rather the messy, putty like stool stage that can go on for days and is hard to manage. I was desperate on a vacation once with my family and missing out on all the fun. When they all went to sleep, I holed up in the bathroom and did a Fleet's saline enema. I felt great for the rest of the trip. When I told my new colon doc this, she said it was okay for me to do one a week, if I was well hydrated going into it and had eaten well (unlike fasting for a procedure). She also said I could make my own enema mixture, I never did because it sounded too complicated but I have the "recipe" somewhere, it was plain tap water, wesson oil and something else. She said it was extremely mild and better than using saline enemas each week. Soon after this, I ended up with a few enemas working longer than an hour. A few over 12 hours and I was quite sick from them. So I vowed to stop them and I did. Sometimes I think I still need to do one every now and then (to clean out the gunk, but not like a colon cleanse). My trouble is I am trying to live without a sigmoid and I go almost too much, if it was formed I'd be all set. But 50% of the time it's messy. The only caution my colon doc has said is to keep drinking and eating well, before and actually during it working. You don't want to become dehydrated from doing them too often.

On the subject of enemas, I have them every few months as a break from laxatives....I have multiple enemas but use tap water. Fortunately, the part of the world I come from, tap water is of very good quality. I find them very beneficial, I can see that having them regularly could be a problem.
Some years ago I had a series of colonics...two to three times a week over several weeks. I found that I was not going to the toilet between colonics. The day after a colonic I never had the urge, but the next day the stool was a bit hard so I use to wait till I had a colonic...

Just FYI

"Colon Cleansing
I've been hearing about something called colon cleansing. What is it, and should I be doing it?

Not only does colon cleansing provide no benefit, it can be downright dangerous. Contrary to popular belief, the inside of the colon -- the end of the large intestine -- isn't dirty and does not need to be cleaned out. Mother Nature does that on her own by making sure that waste passes through and out of your body, taking impurities with it.

Colon cleansing is a procedure that involves having an enema or using a laxative that completely evacuates the intestine. It has been touted as everything from a toxin remover to a cure for cancer. Some spas even offer the treatment. Use of enemas particularly scares me because it may involve unskilled personnel performing a procedure that could be harmful. The risk of damaging the rectum, and even perforating the bowel, is a real one.

There is no medical reason whatsoever for having a cleansing enema. Enemas are only for treating stubborn constipation and for preparing the colon for a test (for example, a barium enema) or for surgery. So if anyone other than your doctor suggests an enema, just say no. If you want to flush out impurities from your body, have another glass of water instead.

-- BY NANCY SNYDERMAN, M.D."

http://magazines.ivi..._295910,00.html


Mayo Clinic ask the digestive health expert

"Colon cleansing: Helpful or harmful?
Q. I've read many articles on colon cleansing as the root of all ills. I don't believe it. Generally, colon cleansing sounds like a good way to clean toxins from your body. What do you think?
No name / No state

A.Doctors don't recommend colon cleansing for better health or to prevent disease. The only appropriate use for colon cleansing is in preparation for a medical examination of the colon.

Your colon normally eliminates waste material and bacteria and absorbs water and sodium to maintain your body's fluid and electrolyte balance. Some colon-cleansing programs disrupt this balance and can be harmful by causing dehydration and salt depletion."

http://www.mayoclini...AN00065/si=2765

"How Clean Should Your Colon Be?

By Karen Schneider

"Changing Rhythms

Naturally, the body empties its waste once it has absorbed the required food and calories it needs for energy through the small intestine. But by taking any form of laxative on a daily basis, individuals will cause their body to lose needed nutrients and fluids and also fall out of a natural rhythm. Continued use of products for "internal cleansing" can lead to bloating, cramping, dehydration, and disturbances and imbalances in electrolytes (such as potassium and calcium, which ensure healthy teeth, joints, bones, nerve impulses, blood sugar levels, and the delivery of oxygen to the cells of the body). More severe side effects may include cardiac arrhythmias, heart attack, kidney problems, and even death.

It is possible for individuals to experience withdrawal symptoms when they cease such programs, including abdominal cramping, mild to severe constipation, bloating, mood swings, and general feelings of fatigue, but Natural Medicine Associates says these can also be taken as "symptoms" of parasitic infection. Your health problems may be a result of the treatment, not actual predatory parasites. "

http://www.acsh.org/...news_detail.asp

This is newer IFFGD Consitpation.org

Common Questions about Constipation
Myths and Misconceptions
By: Ken Mandel, Ph.D.

"Is a long time period of stool in the colon a danger of constipation? Can it cause other disease?
Since ancient times there has been a belief that when stool resides in the colon for too long, "toxins" in the stool are released and can cause disease. This theory, which is referred to as "autointoxication" had a resurgence in the early 20th century, at which time the use of frequent enemas, cleansing purgatives, and even surgical removal of part or all of the colon were popular. Even today, colon cleansing with various purgative and enema procedures is promoted to maintain "colon health." However, there is no foundation in science for this theory. No data have ever shown that toxins are generated in the colon to be absorbed and contribute to other diseases. Autointoxication is a myth. While surgical removal of the colon is used, though very rarely, as a treatment in extreme cases of chronic and untreatable constipation, it is only considered when constipation has proven unresponsive to all other means of medical treatment and the colon is proven to have a local neuromuscular disorder. "

http://www.aboutcons...uestions.html#1


also this is new

Health Highlights: March 8, 2006

"Bowel-Cleansing Products Linked to Chronic Kidney Failure

Some bowel-cleansing products that are used prior to colonoscopies are linked to chronic kidney failure, says the consumer advocacy group Public Citizen.

In a new posting on its WorstPills.org Web site, the Washington, D.C.-based group cites a recent study in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology that shows bowel-cleansing products that contain sodium phosphate are an under-recognized cause of chronic kidney failure.

The research listed several factors that may contribute to the development of kidney problems as the result of using bowel cleansing products that contain sodium-phosphate. These include: inadequate hydration; a history of high blood pressure; and the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and Celebrex.

For the study, researchers at the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons reviewed all the kidney biopsies received at the facility between January 2000 and December 2004. They identified 31 patients with kidney damage consistent with phosphate toxicity. Of those 31 patients, 20 had taken oral phosphate solutions before a colonoscopy."



Colon cleanisng can mess up the good bacteria in the colon as well which is not a good thing in IBS.

There is no such thing as "autointoxification" but they want you to believe it.

FYI New

International Foundation for Funtional Disorders

IFFGD clinical corner

Question: I have a friend who frequently uses high colonics. She says it is to improve the health of her colon. I am curious about how effective these treatments are in promoting overall well being?

Answer: Before we discuss whether there are benefits of high colonics, it is important to understand the function of the colon. In the average adult the colon (large intestines) measures approximately 4 to 5 feet in lenght. The colon plays a limited role in absorbtion of water and sodium. A majority of fluid exposed to the gastrointestinal tract s first absorbed in the samll intestine. Roughly i liter will pass into the colon where 80 to 90% of the remaining fluid will be absorbed. Whatever is left is excreted in the stool. During episodes of decreased small bowel absorbtion, the colon can accomodate to absorb more fluid and limit the severity of diarrhea. The colon plays a relatively small role when looking at absorbtion of nutrients, a majority of which are taken up in the small intestines.

Stool consists of numerous bacteria numbering upward of 100 billion per gram of stool content. A majority of the bacteria persent in adult colons are anaerobic-bacteria that grow in a non oxygen environment. These bacteria are useful in controlling the growth of harmful bacteria, such as Clostridium difficile. Another
benefit provided by colonic bacteria is the breakdown of complex carbohydrates resulting in the production of fatty acids that are used as an energy source by the cells that line the colon.
High colonics or colonic irrigation consists of flushing large amounts of fluids through a tube into the large bowel. Sometimes 25 gallons of fluid maybe required to clear the colon of stool. These fluids can contain a variety of ingredients including herbs, coffee, vitimins and enzymes. Promoters maintain that benefical effects result from ridding the body of toxins, bacteria and parasites that can contribute to a wide variety of ailments. Advertised cures for headaches, skin problems, mood swings, colds, fatique, excess weight, and irritable bowel syndrome are common. The numerous websites on the internet often show a large colon and claim "toxins" in the foul smelling stool cause inflammation and infections. I would argue that nothing could be further from the truth. As outlined earlier, the colonic bacteria that make up the stool play an integral role in maintaining gastrointestinal health. There are no reputable medical studies that show frequent colonic cleansing leads to fewer "toxins" or infections in the body. There is evidence, however that documents the potential harm associated with the use of high colonics. Complications have ranged from life threatening fluid and electrolyte changes to perforations sustained from insertion of the colonic tube.I would caution those who experince a temporary
relief from constipation. Constipation may be the first sign of a more serious diagnoses and I would strongly advise a visit to your primary care provider. In conclusion, I believe these very expensive therapies are nothing more then glorified enemas that carry a much higher risk of injury. I do not recommend high colonics for any medical condition and hope that the information provided will help you make an educated decision.
Thomas Puetz, M. D.

http://www.aboutibs.org/

I also have a life-long history of constipation. This is what works for me.  First, drink 8 - 10 [8oz] glasses of water every day. Get ginger root from the produce section of the grocery store, dice a 1/4 or smaller piece, put in a mug of water and boil/microwave for 3 or 4 minutes. Drink this as you can during the day [I have developed a taste for it, and you can, too].  I take 2 fiber gummy bears in the evening [provides 5 grams of fiber, not much, but it helps]. Last and very important. Make your own fiber-rich drink by using a blender. 

I make the following:  juice or water about 16 ozs., 4 large celery stalks, 2 whole lemons, scrubbed, save the juice for something else, just use the rinds, add 1/4 to 1/2 sq. of ginger root.  Add other stuff if you want for flavor or other health concerns.  Blend  on high until liquified. I drink 6 oz. every morning.  Store the rest in fridge - should be enough for 5 days -- it will thicken and you will need to add more water the next day to get it to a drinkable consistency.  Also key for regularity:  get up at the same time every day, yes even weekends as your body needs this to get regular.W hen you get up, drink 10 - 16 ozs of warm/hot water [I take my daily vitamins with this]. Follow this with the blended celery fiber drink you made [better than konsyl, metamucil and much less expensive].  After this, I eat a light breakfast of nuts and have a cup of coffee.  This routines keeps me regular and my stools soft.  Give it a week and see if this helps. It may be a big change, but it is so worth it.  Good luck! One last thing - use a "squatty potty" to get the colon better aligned for elimination.