IBS Accident in Public Place ( some graphic details)
#326137 - 03/05/08 05:40 PM
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Susie2
Reged: 08/07/06
Posts: 158
Loc: Pomona California
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Well, it happened. Our most dreaded thing. Pooping in my panties away from home. I was staying at the hospital overnight with my daughter who had surgery and had an IBS attack. First day just tons of gas, bloating and some embarrassing expelling of gas. I was in pain but at least I wasn't pooping. Then this morning after I got some breakfast at the cafeteria - egg white omelet and toast - I pooped in my pants and didn't even know it until I went to the bathroom. Now, I am partially incontinent because of poor sphincter muscles. I'm IBS A and go through long periods of C and have to take Miralax (just started Natural Calm) and then I go through a bout of D and the cycle starts over. I hate to imodium for the D because it just leads to worse C after. A vicious cycle. I had just finished a C cycle and had a good poop the day before I went. Didn't take anything preventive and thought I'd be fine. I always carry imodium, pepto bismal, gas x, hyoscopine, tums, peppermint tea bags and pain killers. I am a walking tummy pharmacy. Plus pads and wipes. You know the routine. And I always wear a pad (light poise pads). My BM was a pasty mass and went beyond the pad. But I was prepared and I kept thinking of all you guys and how we go through this thing together. I cleaned up, threw out the soiled panties (had 2 more pair with me). Took imodium immediately. Then hyoscomine (anti-spasmatic). Another accident. Moved into pepto bismal and finally a vicodin. I kept it together by thinking of our great support system here. You guys are the best!!!
Finally after a couple hours of bad cramping it subsided somewhat. The second shift (my daughter's stepmom who happens to be an RN) arrived and I could go home. Two hours to go 43 miles in LA traffic. I just kept repeating "calm produces calm. So what if I poop in my pants again. So what if I get on the wrong freeway. I can cope with all this." My bum hurt so bad and the nerve going down my right leg was hurting and I was worried it would go numb. I did more self talk. "This is just uncomfortable. I can trust my leg to function." Meanwhile I am trying to figure out which lane to stay in for all the freeway exchanges. Somehow I stayed in the right lane to make all the transitions. I seldom go into Los Angeles. The traffic here is horrendous. And I just knew you would all be here when I got home, had my IBS safe meal, lied down a bit and turned to you all.
We can survive IBS mishaps. You all prove it to me through your examples in how you conquer your fears of going to work, going on long drives, staying other places. Thank God I did not have explosive D. I have left trails to the bathroom at home. Yes, many times I am limited by my IBS and incontinence, but when I have to really, really come through I do manage to do it. Not with comfort, but I can. I might have to go back to the hospital tomorrow and I go to help her when she comes home (50 mile drive). I will have to drive back and forth for that as her house is so tiny and she has two kids and only one bathroom. And I can really smell up a bathroom which would gross out the kids. My daughter sick as she was complained about my gas. So please think about me - prayers and support greatly needed and appreciated.
Oh, and last July I was diagnosed with diabetes. This January the endo put me on once daily (in the night) insulin. She said with my IBS I wouldn't tolerate the oral meds. So I have to eat regularly and a certain balance of protein and carbs. It's kind of like a double whammy. I so often get sick eating out.
Love to all of you. And may we have more good days than bad.
Susie
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Susie, I'm so sorry to hear what happened to you but what a positive attitude you seem to have towards everything you're dealing with. Your post was inspriring and it brought tears to my eyes. I will keep you and your daughter in my prayers. God bless you.
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I'm sure so many of us can relate! I pooped my pants once at a BBQ! This was well before I even had an inkling that anything was really wrong with me, so needless to say I had to high tail it out of there to get fresh undies! I also crapped my pants once when I got stuck on the freeway on the way to work. Just called my boss, feigned car trouble and turned around to go home and change. Don't even get me started on the near misses.
The thing that made me feel better was hearing all my friends tell me about their pooing their pants stories. And none of them have IBS. It happens to the best of us and to most all of us at some point or another. Hang in there and way to go on the positive outlook! You're such a trooper!
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Ditto, Susie. I haven't had it happen, but I have come so close that I also wear the Poise pads and when I am going to have limited access to a restroom for long periods of time I wear Serenity Disposables. It does help to be prepared. Thank you for sharing and know that you are not alone.
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IBS-D, Gas & Bloating
Barbara50
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What a fantastic attitude you have Susie! It has happened to me, I'm afraid. Three times. The first time was when I was only 13 or 14 years old. I had walked to the mall and I was about halfway home when the cramps hit me. I tried to run but... well... I didn't make it. I was mortified. I tried to hide it from my parents and all I could think was, thank GOD I was alone when it happened.
It took about 10 years for it to happen again - I was about 24 and my boyfriend (now husband) and I were at the grocery store picking up a few things. We were standing in the checkout line when the cramps hit, and since there was no bathroom in the store, I told my husband I would go wait in the car and just sweat it out. There wasn't even a fast food restaurant nearby. Well, it felt like he took FOREVER though I'm sure it was only 5 minutes or something. Again, we were about halfway home when... well. 
The third and last time was in December of '05. I was at my friend's bachelorette party. We went out to Applebee's for dinner and then to a nightclub for dancing. Now, this one was pretty much my own fault. I wasn't feeling well before I even left - but she was my good friend and I wanted to be there for her on her special night. So I went. I had STEAK and MASHED POTATOES for dinner (dummy!) But, even though my tummy wasn't feeling 100%, I felt that if I could make it through dinner then nothing was probably going to happen. I proceeded to the nightclub with everyoen else. About half an hour after we got to the nightclub, I knew the D was finally iminent. I went to the bathroom but there was a HUGE line - typical women's washroom in a crowded nightclub! Things were getting serious - I knew I couldn't stand in that line. I told my friend that I was very sorry but I HAD to leave. I got in my car and started heading home, thinking thank GOD she picked a nighclub that was at least in the neighbourhood (about 10-15 minutes from my apartment). I kept thinking, "I'm going to make it, I'm going to make it, I'm going to-"... and then it happened. And it was BAD. I started to cry and I felt so humiliated. I knew it was partially my own fault, but still.
I won't even go into the near misses. I don't know how many times I have been shaking and sweating and practically crying, PRAYING that I would make it.
But your attitude is inspiring! I've been getting more of a positive attitude myself lately, thanks to this diet and thanks to this board. It is so wonderful to know that you are not alone with this awful condition.
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IBS-A since age 12, and fructose sensitive; with the exception of my pregnancy, have been following Heather's diet since Nov. 19, 2007.
Taking 12g of Acacia per day. Relatively stable since March 2008!
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Thanks for sharing your incidents. It helps so much to know we are not alone. And it was not you're "dumb fault" for eating steak and mashed potatoes. Sometimes we just don't have acceptable choices, or we really want to fit in. And sometimes I can eat a lean small steak with no problems. I was not eating properly at the hospital plus I had so much anxiety that I was just ripe for an attack. Usually I am not that positive but I just had to be this time or I would have had a meltdown and I just couldn't.
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At least we are generally prepared with products while a non IBSer probably doesn't carry stuff. Yeah, I've had to turn around and come home, change, then go back out when running errands. If it's a bad one I might not go back out. And I can't tell you how many times I've cancelled non urgent stuff because of IBS stuff.
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I prayed a lot. I kept thanking God for every little thing. For bringing my daughter through surgery safely, for her recovery, for helping me help her. For not having explosive D. For the driving. And I'm not usually a very prayerful person. And I'm not usually so positive about the IBS stuff. I just suddenly realized that things could be a lot worse.
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I'm happy you have not had a mishap. Are the Serenity Disposables panties? I had some of those huge Depends diapers years ago but they are just too big and bulky. I really need to further explore the incontinence aisle. Most of the stuff seems to be for urinary incontinence.
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I know it wasn't really my own fault. I mean, it's not exactly my fault I have IBS, right? And back then I wasn't doing the IBS diet. I actually was aware of this site in those days, but I was sort of in denial, I guess. My symptoms always seemed so random and I couldn't always associate them with food. But... that was then, and this is now! It's all a learning process. 
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IBS-A since age 12, and fructose sensitive; with the exception of my pregnancy, have been following Heather's diet since Nov. 19, 2007.
Taking 12g of Acacia per day. Relatively stable since March 2008!
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