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Coping and support
By Mayo Clinic staff
If you have fecal incontinence
If you have fecal incontinence, you may not want to leave your house out of fear you might not make it to a toilet in time. To overcome that fear, try these practical tips:
- Use the toilet right before you go out.
- If you expect you'll be incontinent, wear a pad or a disposable undergarment.
- Carry cleanup supplies and a change of clothing with you.
- Know where toilets are before you need them so that you can get to them quickly.
Because fecal incontinence can be distressing, it's important to take steps to deal with it. Treatment can help improve your quality of life and raise your self-esteem. If you haven't been to a doctor yet, make an appointment.
If you're caring for someone who has fecal incontinence
If you care for someone with fecal incontinence, try to be supportive. In addition:
- Take your loved one to the doctor to see what treatment options are available.
- Take him or her to the toilet regularly.
- Make sure clothing can be easily removed.
- Place a commode near the bed.
- Put washable cushions or slipcovers on furniture.
- At night, have your loved one use absorbent undergarments and put washable pads on the bed.
- Robson K, et al. Fecal incontinence in adults. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed June 18, 2010.
- Bartolo DC, et al. Anal incontinence. Best Practice & Research Clinical Gastroenterology. 2009;23:505.
- Fecal incontinence. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/fecalincontinence/fecalincontinence.pdf. Accessed June 18, 2010.
- McQuaid KR. Gastrointestinal disorders. In: McPhee SJ, et al. Current Medical Diagnosis and Treatment. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6395. Accessed June 18, 2010.
- Hannaway CD, et al. Fecal incontinence. Obstetric and Gynecologic Clinics of North America. 2008;35:249.
- Mellgren A. Fecal incontinence. Surgical Clinics of North America. 2010;90:185.
- Wald A. Fecal incontinence in adults. New England Journal of Medicine. 2007;356:1648.
- Anderson CF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 23, 2010.
- Picco MF (expert opinion) Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. June 23, 2010.
- Tjandra JJ, et al. Injectable silicone biomaterial for fecal incontinence caused by internal anal sphincter dysfunction is effective. Diseases of the Colon and Rectum. 2004;47:2138.
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