Leaking at night

Hi there, well I am missing the bottom 1/3 (roughly) of my colon, due to a resection for a rectal malignant tumor nearly 13 years ago. I have never been the same since my resection, after my temp ostomy was reversed. I now have multiple bm's, day in, day out, unless I fast from solids (that seems to be the only way to stop actual bm's or a complete bowel prep for a procedure, after these I am stool free for a short period until stool is collected again). Anyway, I feel for you, truly I do. I can relate to what you are going through.

I had to go on a low residue diet, faithfully, for at least 2 years. Eating very plain foods really turned around my D and I still had multiple bm's during my day but by eating foods from a LRD my stool was formed (most of the time). I also kept a food diary and wrote down every single thing I put in my mouth, from food, to beverages, to using straws, to chewing gum or taking vitamins, also if I had been sick from the flu or a cold. All extremely important details in trying to create formed stool.

I am still on a LRD about 75% of the time, my surgeons approved of this diet, saying it was safe for me. I should warn you, the foods you eat are the ones you always read about that are bad for us - white bread, no whole wheat products, very little fresh produce (at first), you can have bananas, iceberg lettuce but any fresh berry is OUT, fresh pineapple will tear you up inside, imagine the walls of your colon are a wreck right now, just picture that and then eat foods that are very bland, that will irritate your colon the least. If you plan your diet in this way, it will make total sense to you.

Also, back then in order to sleep a straight 6, 7 or even 8 hour period, I ate for 12 hours, and skipped solids for 12 hours. I'd begin my day at 7, eat right away, have 4 - 6 small meals through out my day, stopping all solids by 7 pm. I'd consume 2 or 3 tall glasses of water before 9 or 10 pm, if hungry. That was it. I mainly did this to sleep and give my insides a rest from repeated bm's. It worked, I had great sleep back then, I felt the best I had ever felt post-cancer/ostomy. Of course as time goes on, you begin to eat in the evenings (not huge snacks but some snacking). I should really implement all of this suggestions I'm giving you. My insides seem to thank me from giving it an onslaught of food coming down the tract.

Finally, I read this tip on a colon cancer board, I bought Stayfree Ultra Thin Maxi Pads, overnight type, found in the feminine product aisle (not near Depends). They go way up in the back of your underwear and will keep you clean and dry if you have drips. Men were wearing them too, I kid you not.

Stick around, I'm sure others will offer you useful suggestions. I will tell you this, you are not alone, there are many people struggling like I am to exist without parts of their colon and try to return to a normal lifestyle (diet, bowel habits). It's not easy. If for nothing else, vent with us, we all understand what an upheaval it can be to have sudden colon surgery and then never return to your former 1 bm per day (I have never, ever gone back to that former self).

This is a really great forum, lots of very helpful and sympathetic members here. It does help to vent, I've done it, we all have. I don't know what I would have done w/o the internet after my cancer, surgeries. I found the LRD link on a colon cancer board, someone going thru chemo had my exact symptoms. They were a mess and confined to their bathroom but had to leave home for treatments and be able to be in traffic for 30 minutes each way. God bless that person who told them to go on a LRD. I looked over that list of foods and thought how can I go wrong, for me personally I seem to need plain food. For others, they benefit from high fiber and/or fiber supplements. It is trial and error too, if one thing doesn't work, you'll read other suggestions here. I realize you're not in my exact situation, from from worked for me, you might want to try the 12 hours w/o solids idea, but if you still consume water up until you go to sleep. You shouldn't fast from liquids during that period. If 12 hours w/o solids sounds too extreme, try 8. And work up to 12.