Re: bowels pre TCS surgery

[Guest guest]

Kathleen wrote:

It's as if the muscles have just quit working in the colon.

Sandy adds:

I also hate to sound gross, Kathleen, but even with a good

consistency stool, I have to use my hand, pushing up on the perianal

area, to complete an evacuation. Despite all my core-strengthening

work, and the ability to do Kegels like a pro, I can't get my anal-

area muscles to do whatever it is that normal people do to get the

darn thing out right. I sure envy my dog and cats -- they can just

squat and do a clean, paperless job every time. I suspect that my

problem may be nerve damage from a ruined spinal cord.

hugs,

~Sandy

CM1 / SM(T5-10)/ EDS / FHM /... and newly dx'd TC....

CM1 decompression @ TCI on 2-04; C-spine discectomies/fusion/plating

@ TCI on 8-04. Heading for the pointy knife again soon, this time to

fix the tail end of me.

[Guest guest]

I don't know if this has anything to do with being a pre-surgical problem or

not. B/c I've had this problem for years. Even as a child and before I used

pain meds on a consistent basis. Other then a few bouts of bowel incontinence

here and there.

I hate to be gross here too. For me it's not an issue of the consistency (

hard and dry) of the stool. I drink plenty of water most of the time.

I take Senna, fiber supplements. I eat plenty of fiber too. It's more like what

you said the colon muscle isn't doing it's job. It feels like my bowels have

shut down So far only a couple of things help.

Once in a while the " plumbing " surprises me and works with minimal

intervention. My stomach also sticks out. Last week someone asked me if I was

pregnant. That was embarrassing!!

I've had some thoughts on this subject I'd like to throw out there.

If the bowels are backed up and not functioning right then the stomach would get

backed up too, right?. Would it cause a lack of proper digestion? Which

could lead to stomach pain and other problems. If the nerves in the brain

responsible for the digestion, bowel function are affected by Chiari and/or TC

couldn't it cause these problems and maybe more?

I've been trying to work up the courage to ask about this. I'm glad you did.

I've been out of the loop for a while. Hope you all are having a pain free

night.

Take Care,

Regina

ACM1 11mm C6-T1

Decompressed Oct. 15, 2001