Women's health taboos

As a life-long sufferer of constipation I have tried absolutely all suggestions, but the only thing that has worked consistently for me is taking a sachet of Movicol every evening. It is not a 'laxative' as such so it is not harmful to take regularly. I highly recommend it

Hi ten years ago I had a colectomy and suffered from fecal incontinece for 9 yrs until I got the meds right. I have discussed these problems with long suffering friends and family. In any case the probs were obvious.
One of the difficulties was that the GP kept sending me back to surgeons not to physicians.
I think it would be better if we could talk about all the old taboos as without talking I would never have been recommended to right consultant.
I hope it does become easier as the help I got eventually was super.
Keep on talking!

I think I took on my mum's prudishness too when I was younger. Not the case now. I agree that having children tends to "take the brakes off".

I finally discovered kiwi fruit as the answer to regular bowels. I wish someone had told me about their properties many years ago. One a day with my granola cereal does the trick

On matters related to the intestines, I highly recommend the best selling book 'Gut', I can't remember the author's name!

I think taboo subjects are death, mental decay, incontinence and how the baby boomers are going to deal with these matters. What a happy train of thought!!!

Kiwi fruit it is for me then! Might wait till Monday. Am going to Church Xmas play tomorrow. Don't want anything that works too drastically.

My lovely mum was very prudish too. Hardly surprising for someone born in 1918. I couldn't even tell her about the extreme pain and heavy bleeding I suffered from my periods. Even when I was in and out of hospital she didn't want to know why! Now I can't talk about bowel problems with anyone, although my hubby has an idea something is not right.

I have just had major surgery to remove two large tumours. Over a period of years I knew I was 'weeing' more but less as in pregnancy. Occasionally mentioned it at BP checks but not taken seriously. Then with Dr Google's help decided it was BP drugs. New GP said no to my diagnosis and after a scan by chance found these tumours pushing on my bladder. For years.
I didn't think it was taboo but I didn't push the issue enough as I thought it was 'age' - that's the cop out. Am recovering well and all clear but in spite of all that I still feel like Gillybob about poo!!

My English granny was certainly not coy about intestinal matters. She often asked 'Have you had a good turn-out today?' She used to dose herself with liquid paraffin. My mum dosed me with that noxious stuff, Syrup of Figs which put me off figs for life and I still can't face them.

PS I have never had a day's constipation since I escaped from my mum's regime.

Oh I used to love syrup of figs!

The NHS have departments to deal with Bladder and Bowel issues....and...there is a national Bladder and Bowel association who also issue I formation about location of toilets and, in the past, both of these have issued little cards indicating the bearer needs to use a toilet....and can be presented In Various places. In my experience .....pelvic floor exercises go a long way to relieving bladder issues such as leakage. Exercise, even just 15 mins walking, foods containing fibre, and a good intake of water help greatly re constipation......believe me.....I have been a long time sufferer but no more.

I'm with you , indinana. For reasons too long and boring to go into, I find using public loos a trial and always resort to your strategies. I particularly hate the loos with the enormous gap at the bottom. Sometimes, I guiltily use the disabled facility, as fast as possible, because they often offer more privacy. Shouldn't complain, though, lucky to be here and don't have the awful problems with constipation I'm reading about.

My mum suffered dreadfully from Crohn's/Colitis and would talk about her problems to anyone willing to listen!
I did tell her off when I arrived at her house to find lots of little poo samples lined up on loo paper along the edge of the bath, that was taking it a bit far I thought!

Should have said "gap at the bottom of the door"

Mental health. Sex difficulties in old age especially if associated with impotence in DH...

Am extraordinarily lucky in that I have very good health; have sorted constipation with drinking LOADS, menopause was horrible and I used to embarass everyone, but hey!

For constipation, try eating chocolate with a very hot cup of tea. Often works almost immediately for me.

I echo Worthingpatchworkers comments about exercise.

Years ago one of my GPs told me a lot of the time when constipation is not controlled by diet, lack of 'active' exercise is the problem. Brisk walking, running, or an exercise class was his recommendation - something that gives your whole body a shake up. He finished by saying there was nothing like sex for curing constipation!

I could talk about anything - and have with my GP, consultants and loved ones. The more we talk about "taboo" subjects the more they are likely to stop being taboo! Re constipation, fruit, vegetables and water do not always help, if you have to take painkillers, especially of the opiate family you may need extra help. Dulcoease is good, but if you are using it regularly I would advise that you see your GP, my doctor prescribes Laxido for me and it is a great help. It's an orange flavoured powder, mixed with a small glass of water and it does the trick without cramps or wind.

For constipation, if fibre is no problem make porridge with 2 dessertspoons oats (good organic whole oats if poss), 2 dessertspoons oat bran, some sultanas, water and soak overnight. Cook gently on stove in morning with added milk (I add have more water instead) and it's delicious. Sometimes I add stewed apple. Realise this wouldn't be right for everyone, but I had an op to correct prolapsed pelvic floor and bowel, and was warned "now this took us a long time - don't spoil my good work" by the lovely surgeon, so eat to avoid problem.

The younger generation seems to have no taboos. My senior GD (now 23) has never hesitated to discuss contraception with me. Well, she probably knows more about it now than I do.

There would have been but since being diagnosed with a nasty bowel disease last year nothing is now taboo, I can freely talk about my toilet habits with anyone!

Prolapse......10 years ago at a routine smear I can remember the very brusque nurse saying something about it being 'a bit slack'....at the time I had enough on my plate to pay such a vague comment any real attention. Fast forward 8 years and I suddenly became aware of something not right 'down below' and made an appointment with jolly nice female GP who confirmed a prolapse. I coped for a while and then it all became very inconvenient and limiting so had further chat with Doctor who talked me through the alternatives.
I now manage well with a ring pessary and thankfully surgery is not needed in foreseeable future.
I just really think that if that nurse had been a bit more forthcoming at the time I would not have had months of worry (what was happening down below) and perhaps I would have just been a bit better prepared for what was to come. Evidently the original damage had been done at first birth over 30 years ago and was pretty much inevitable. This was despite me doing the usual after birth exercises - a bit of advice earlier on that such things can happen would have been helpful.

I also can't think of anything that would be a taboo subject to discuss with anyone; medically that is.
This is slightly off the subject but, as a child, I can remember my Mum using the strangest names for male and female sexual body parts. When we had our own children we always used the correct terminology as does our daughter with her children .
Must look at the Vaginal Atrophy thread, sounds fascinating!

After I had breast cancer, I didn't worry about showing anything to anybody who had a right to see. It was disconcerting at first particularly when young attractive male doctors asked for a look and I automatically lifted my blouse. You get used to it. I don't think there's much difference talking about 'unmentionables.' I promised myself that I am never going to die because I wouldn't tell the doctor about symptoms.