www.incontinentsupport.org

Patrick,

My primary care doctor was not aware of the Peristeen anal plug until I mentioned it. I took in a sample and demonstrated it to him by dropping one in a glass of water so he could see it expand. He was most impressed and said that he had other patients who could benefit by using it.

--John

Thanks for the clarification. I'm sure somebody will benefit from your experience so thanks for posting it.

Once again my use of a Peristeen medical anal plug saved the day. I was teaching an evening ESL class and the plug was all that stood between me and humiliation. The situation was such that it would have been impossible to excuse myself without disrupting the class and possibly inviting unwanted questions. Also, the local restroom facilities do not provide privacy.

This makes three occassions (I think) on which the plug has prevented a public fecal accident.

I do not use this device every day. Usually I reserve it for social situations such as the one described. Although I have accepted and adapted fairly well to my double incontinence, I remain anxious about having a public bowel accident. I also am concerned, due to cultural and educational differences, I might lose the respect of my students [men don't poop their pants or wear diapers].

Although I use enemas to manage my FI, about 12+ hours have passed by the time I teach an evening class and so a fecal accident increasingly is possible.

Again, I recommend this device although not all will tolerate it well.

If someone is interested in this device, I recommend discussing this option with your physician.

--John

This must be the 2-3rd time it's saved you during a class. That's good to hear.

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Have any of you had any problems with the string to the tampon becoming lost, or the tampon migrating up into the colon? If so, were you able to manually remove it without a problem? Thank you for your wonderful blog. My GI doctor had not heard of the anal plugs before. If I can get a sample, I will share it with her. Of the two brands, which do you prefer?

Nan, I recommend the Coloplast Peristeen anal plug. It is not surprising that your GI doc had not heard of it as it was only approved by the FDA a few years ago (although it has been available in Europe for quite a while).

Although I shared your concerns,I have had absolutely no difficulty with the string becoming lost. It is larger and much thicker than what you would find on a feminine hygiene tampon. When you insert the anal plug insure that the string is outside and place it along the crack in your butt cheeks.

--John

Thank you, John

I have tried the peristeen plug but not with much success. I can blow one out no problem. I was at the healthy bowel clinic at Aintree hospital on Thursday and I am going to try and get predictable bowel movements using suppositories. My problems with bowel incontinence started about 18 months ago with a worsening of my spinal condition and being rushed into hospital where I was for a while. The operation last March only made things worse. Having been urinary incontinent for several years and catheterized now for the past four years bowel incontinence was something I could do without but there you go. I also tried last summer the peristeen anal irigation system but found it to difficult to do by myself. 4wheeldave.

Dave,
Did you try the larger size of the two?

I also found that the Peristeen plugs are about half the cost if I buy them from Canada.

Hope you find something that works for you,
Nan

Guys (and gals), after reading your comments, here are a few thoughts re the Coloplast Peristeen anal plug.I have had good success with this plug - it saved me from public humiliation on several occasions, but it required considerable experimentation.

It is absolutely essential that the plug be inserted deeply enough for retention and comfort. If it is not inserted sufficiently deep it may be intolerable or may be expelled.

For some users, their fingers may not be sufficiently long to insert the Peristeen anal plug deeply enough for comfort. Also, you may not have the agility necessary for the insertion. In such an instance, a makeshift “tool” may be necessary. Choose a narrow object with a smooth and safely rounded tip (definitely not pointy) for use as a “pusher.” I have used a flexible nozzle designed for Barium enemas as it is safe to insert and easy to clean. After manually inserting the anal plug, I use the nozzle to nudge it inward about another ¾”. I found that this made a significant difference in comfort and tolerating the plug. When inserted deeply enough in this manner, I found that I could not feel the plug without deliberately contracting the sphincter muscles and could wear it comfortably for the maximum recommended 12 hours.

I found the best prices to be on Amazon (the plugs coming from Europe), but they are not always available.

--John