Learning to enjoy the simple things in life again

Tony received permanent nerve damage after surgery which caused bowel incontinence

Tony received permanent nerve damage after surgery which caused bowel incontinence, and the symptoms impacted every part of his life. Bowel irrigation helped Tony turn his life around and enjoy the simple things again.

As time passed, the nerve damage bowel incontinence complications left by Tony’s surgery were holding him back in every part of his day-to-day life. “I didn’t want to go out socialising, and the thought of sitting with a group of people in a restaurant or at work in a small, closed office was really difficult,” Tony says. He felt that he was in a really difficult place and wondered would he ever be able to stop his bowels from controlling his life.

A pivotal moment for Tony was when his healthcare professional addressed the symptoms the nerve damage was causing to his bowel by prescribing a mini bowel irrigation system, which by instilling a small amount of water into the rectum via the anus, helps with having a bowel movement. Bowel irrigation allows regaining of control over bowel movements as it lets you decide the time and place for the bowel movement and may help to reduce time spent on the toilet.

It is clear to see just how significant the role of his healthcare professional played in getting Tony back in control of his bowel movements, and with that, prescribing bowel irrigation, as one of the biggest improvements in his lifestyle. As a result of his experience, Tony wants people that are suffering as he was to know that they are not alone. He says “Know that there is some help out there, there is a product that can help you deal with that”.

When he first got the product, he was a little concerned, because it was a product he never thought he’d have to use. He wondered if it would work for his nerve damage bowel symptoms, and how would he fit bowel irrigation into his day-to-day routine. It took only a few days before he got used to his bowel irrigation product, and Tony was astonished that it made such a big difference so quickly.

By taking care of his bowel incontinence, it also allowed him to move on emotionally.