FODMAP Diet Helps Fecal Incontinence

Two-thirds of patients with fecal incontinence associated with loose stool experienced an improvement in symptoms when following a low FODMAP diet, a researcher reported here. “Fecal incontinence is an underappreciated complaint, and patients often suffer in silence,” said Stacy Menees, MD, of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, in a presidential plenary session at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG). In an earlier, large population-based study of more than 71,000 people, one in seven reported having had fecal incontinence at some point in their lives. Of these, one-third reported fecal incontinence in the last 7 days, which is often associated with diarrhea and loose stool. People with diarrhea have a 5.6-fold higher risk of fecal incontinence, and people with urgency have a more than 8-fold risk of diarrhea. “So if we are going to help people with fecal incontinence, the key is to concentrate on their stool consistency,” Menees said. Read more.

Source: MedPage Today, October 8, 2018

Recurring Intestinal Infections on the Rise in U.S.: Study

Recurring Clostridium difficile intestinal infections are rising sharply in the United States, researchers warn. These infections sicken about 500,000 people a year, cause tens of thousands of deaths, and cost the U.S. health care system about $5 billion, according to investigators at the University of Pennsylvania. C. difficile causes diarrhea, severe gut inflammation and can lead to deadly blood infections, especially in the elderly. A review of nationwide health insurance data found a nearly 200 percent increase in the annual incidence of multiple recurring C. difficile infections between 2001 and 2012. For ordinary C. difficile, incidence rose by about 40 percent. Patients with multiple recurring C. difficile infections tended to be older (average age 56 versus 49), female, and were more likely to have used antibiotics, corticosteroids or acid-reducing drugs, the findings showed. Read more.

Source: HealthDay News, July 7, 2017

Drug May Be New Weapon Against a ‘Superbug’

A newly approved drug may help in the battle against Clostridium difficile — a potentially fatal “superbug” gut infection that has become a scourge in U.S. hospitals. In two clinical trials, researchers found that the drug, called bezlotoxumab (Zinplava), cut the risk of a recurrent C. difficile infection by almost 40 percent. That’s important, because the gut infection commonly comes back after treatment with antibiotics — around 20 percent of the time, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Read more.

HealthDay News, January 25, 2017

Antidiarrheal Medications and Laxatives

antidiarrheal medications laxatives for bowel problems

Problems in the bowel can lead to the need for antidiarrheal medications and laxatives.

Antidiarrheal medications and laxatives can be used either to either bulk up stool (in the case of diarrhea) or soften stool (in the case of constipation). Diarrhea may cause a person to have bowel incontinence and constipation may cause a person to have overflow diarrhea and bowel incontinence.

NOTE: Medications and laxatives can be used to treat a variety of different types of bowel incontinence but should always be discussed first with a doctor or medical professional.

Antidiarrheal medications and laxatives are less invasive than surgery and may be tried as a first- line of treatment. They can be stopped at any time if the desired results are not achieved or of the side-effects are undesirable.Continue reading→

Dietary Changes for Managing Bowel Incontinence

eliminating alcohol as part of dietary changes

Alcohol may be part of some dietary changes needed to manage bowel incontinence symptoms.

Foods that commonly contribute to diarrhea and bowel incontinence are chocolate, dairy products, alcohol, and caffeine. Try eating less of these foods to see if it improves the consistency of your bowel movements. In addition to adding fiber to your diet, other dietary changes may include undergoing an elimination diet to see if certain foods trigger incontinence of stool.Continue reading→