river watcher said...
I was sure that I saw on this site that some people with ms could have bowel problems. Going too much, not enough, etc. I saw my md today and he said there is no link between the two and now I am a little confused. Any advise for me? Thanks
Sherry
Here is a link to the National Multiple Sclerosis webpage that specifically talks about
bladder and
bowel problems that can occur in people with MS:
http://www.nationalmssociety.org/spotlight-personalcare.asp
You might want to read it for yourself, then send a copy along to your doctor.
Indeed people with MS can have bowel problems. The intestine is a muscle, after all, and just like any other muscle group, can be affected by MS.
Bowel incontinence occurs when the intestine, which passes the waste material through the body and out, doesn't function properly. The waste material spends a long time "sitting there", and then when there is sufficient volume (and more than a typical bowel movement!), will pass uncontrollably out of the body. People that have this problem (like me) have to be careful about when and what we eat, and I've had some time with a physical therapist developing a "bowel program" which helps me keep things moving more efficiently, so I have fewer accidents.
A lot of the meds we take to treat other symptoms can lead to bowel problems, too. The most notable is constipation. If we already have bladder problems and are taking meds for that, they'll reduce the amount of fluid in our bodies, and the reduction of fluid in the waste matter is what leads to constipation.
At any rate, the articles I linked to above can explain all this better than I can, and coming from the National MS Society itself might help convince your doctor, so you get better care!