Summary Saturday: Diarrhea

This Symptom of the Week Blog Post focuses on Diarrhea with a summary of everything I talked about this week 📝 I thought it would be helpful to have all of that information in one place so it's easier to look for when you need it, I hope it helps! 🩵

Symptom Sunday: The POTS Symptom I highlighted this week was Diarrhea 😳💩🚽🧻 

Some POTS patients mainly have constipation, some POTS patients mainly have diarrhea and some POTS patients have both! 🎗️ POTS can cause diarrhea for several reasons including dysfunction in the nerves that control digestion, food intolerances, changes in blood flow to the digestive tract, and a lot of other things! Diarrhea can also be very difficult to manage and can be very debilitating at times 😕 I hope this week's post were helpful for you! 🩵

Monday's Myth: You can't have Diarrhea and Constipation. FACT: You can be Constipated and have Diarrhea! 

This week's Myth vs. Fact was about the Symptom of the Week: Diarrhea 💩💧🚽🧻😳 and last week's Symptom of the Week: Constipation 🚫💩🚽 Most people incorrectly think you can only have constipation or diarrhea, not both! But they can occur together, especially in POTS patients! You can switch between diarrhea and constipation on different days, or you can have both at the same time 😅 

Tuesday's Tip: Using Flushable Wipes can be Helpful with Diarrhea

Having diarrhea is the worst and it can really painful! 😕 Especially when you are trying to clean up after 🧻 😅 I have personally noticed that using flushable wipes can help a lot! Most flushable wipes are approved by plumbers, but you can only flush 1 or 2 at a time 🚽 Here's a link to the ones I like from Amazon: Flushable Wipes 🔗

Wednesday's Word: Encopresis or Fecal Incontinence: The involuntary passing of poop into clothing

The Medical Term I highlighted this week is Encopresis, also known as Fecal Incontinence 💩😳 This often happens because the colon becomes too full when poop becomes impacted or stuck 💩 Then only liquid poop can leak around the blockage, and if the person's colon is stretched enough, it can be difficult to avoid having an accident 😬 Even if you can control your bowel movements, the same process can cause a person to have diarrhea because they are constipated enough that only the liquid poop can get out! This is one of the reasons I shared the Myth vs. Fact earlier this week about how someone can have Constipation and Diarrhea at the same time 💩😳 

Thursday's Thing: Poo-Pouri Spray

Let's be honest, diarrhea is the worst! And it can be very smelly as well 👃🏼 I have used several different air fresheners and odor eliminators that work well 🌫️ Recently I discovered Poo-Pouri Sprays and they work REALLY well! I have a small one I keep in my purse with some travel size wipes for when I am out and about 👜 I also have larger ones in my bathrooms 🚽 Right now they have a bunch of fall scents, so that's super fun! 🍁 Here's a link to the Falls ones I recently bought: Poo-Pouri Spray 🔗

What's In All My Bathrooms: 

I have a great set up in all my bathrooms because of all the digestive symptoms I've struggled with lately 💩😅 So, in addition to my Thursday's Thing post where I featured Poo-Pouri Spray, I also wanted to share a "What's In" post that shows the different products I have in all my bathrooms 🚽🧻 I have a bathroom vent or fan in every bathroom because I like knowing the white noise disguises some of the sounds and because it helps with odor elimination! I also normally have a water bottle and feminine hygiene products in every bathroom too. I included the links to the other items below 🔗 

• Corner Shelf: In all of our bathrooms, we have this little 3 tier corner shelf next to the toilet to hold all of the supplies 🚽
• Extra Toilet Paper: I love the "Ultra Soft Charmin"
• Flushable Wipes: I have noticed a big difference between the Cottonelle and Generic ones! These ones are stronger and don't fall apart as easily 😅 
• Air Fresheners: I like this Frebreze or the Poo-Pouri Spray 
• Barf Bags (Emesis Bags): I have barf bags because sometimes you need to be sitting on the toilet and throwing up at the same time 🤮 And these ones are really strong!
• Small Fan: I have a small fan to help me feel less nauseous or sick while going to the bathroom 💨 I like this one because I can wrap the legs around the door knob! 
• Odor Eliminator: We haveArm & Hammer Odor Eliminators in every bathroom and they work really well! 
• Toilet Brush: We have a toilet brush in every bathroom to help remove any mess that flushing does not take of
  
• Toilet Cleaner: I have a toilet cleaner in every bathroom to help with some of the stains the brush can't get out very well.
• Plunger: I have a plunger in every bathroom because we've all been in those awkward situations where the plunger is in a different bathroom 😬 
• Squatty Potty: I have been going to Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy lately for a variety of things, but one thing we have talked about is Constipation 💩 She recommended using a Squatty Potty in order to have a better "toilet posture" for pooping 🚽 It can be difficult to poop in the position most toilets create because your colon can get "kinked" 😅 The Squatty Potty makes it easier to poop because lifting your legs changes your position and prevents the colon "kink" 💩🚽 At first, it seemed kind of strange, but it has helped me a lot! I would highly recommend it  🩵

Feature Friday: FREE HANDOUT! Navigating POTS: Poop Tracking Chart

Sometimes when you are trying to manage so many different symptoms, it can be difficult to keep track of how often you are pooping! 😅 So, I made a free handout that you can use to track your poop 💩 It uses the Bristol Stool Chart to track the Type of Poop 💩  I hope this is a helpful handout 🩵 

Navigating POTS Appointment Topics Related to Diarrhea or Constipation:

Consultation Appointments:  These are 30 minute appointments focused on individualized education or help with specific concerns. Here is a list of possible questions that we could discuss in a consultation appointment: 

-I feel like understanding why I am experiencing a diarrhea or constipation could help me, can you teach me more about digestive problems in POTS patients?

-What are some specific ways I can manage diarrhea and constipation? 

-What are some specific ways to help reduce the emotional or mental load of eating? 

-What are some specific ways to help address the social implications of diarrhea or constipation?

-We are going out to eat later this week at a specific restaurant and I am overwhelmed thinking about what to order that won't make my diarrhea or constipation worse, can we go through the menu together and come up with a plan so I can be prepared? 

-I am going to a specific event that I am worried about. Can we talk about strategies to manage my diarrhea or constipation while I am there and how to best communicate with people about it?

-I need help coming up with a few ideas for meals or snacks while I am at work, school or not at home, can you help me? 

-I would like to talk to you about some of the emotions I have around diarrhea and constipation, can we discuss this together?

-I feel so overwhelmed that I don't even know what to ask, but I want to talk to somebody who understands.

* Any other specific questions that you have! 

Coaching Appointments: These appointments are 60 minute appointments that involve specific hands-on help with various problems. These appointments are more in depth and often involve notes or a write up of some kind.  📆 Here is a list of possible things we could address, which type of appointment it would be and what I would create for you in those appointments: 

-Food Help or Symptom Tracking Appointment: Can you help me create a way to track my digestive symptoms so I can notice patterns and trends? This would involve going over the free "Symptom Tracker" chart together and creating a "Food Diary" form for you to use

-Appointment Prep Appointment: My digestive symptoms are severe enough that I want to talk about them at my next doctor's appointment, can you help me put my thoughts together and prepare for that appointment? This would involve me typing up a history for these symptoms and filling out a template to use while you explain your symptoms.

-Food Help Appointment: Trying to plan meals is exhausting, can you help me create a plan for specific meals? This would involve me creating a menu with you and can also include a shopping list and other specific plans.

-Food Help Appointment: I have not been good at eating consistently and I want to get better, can we set some goals about how often to eat and come up with a good schedule for eating that would help my diarrhea and constipation? This would involve me typing up your goals and the plan we discuss together. 

Emotional Discussion Appointment: I am experiencing a lot of emotions around food and my diarrhea and constipation and am feeling overwhelmed. Can we talk about some of my emotions and then come up with a plan to move forward? This would involve me typing up a summary of what we discussed and a plan for moving forward

Other Appointment: This is an opportunity to discuss anything you want and then request what you would like to have typed up or created for you, hopefully it can be a helpful resource for you! 

*Just a reminder that appointments are still 1/2 off, so $25 for a consultation and $50 for a coaching appointment! If you have any specific concerns about scheduling or prices please email navigatingpots@gmail.com