Managing the late effects of pelvic radiotherapy ... - Macmillan Cancer

Managing the late effects of pelvic radiotherapy in women
Bowel control problems
Feeling that you can’t wait when you get the urge to open
your bowels can be stressful, particularly when you’re away
from home. You may sometimes have leakage (incontinence).
The degree of incontinence varies. You may just have a small
amount that causes some staining on your underclothes.
But occasionally, women may have an accident and leak a
larger amount of stool. Although you might find this difficult
to talk about, it’s important to let your doctor know as there’s
a lot that can be done to help.
What can be done
If you have bowel control problems, such as urgency, leakage,
diarrhoea or constipation, there are several things that can
help. The best way to manage any bowel control problems
depends on the symptoms you have and what’s causing them,
so it’s important you’re properly assessed. If your symptoms
don’t improve, ask your GP to refer you to a gastroenterologist,
a specialist nurse or continence adviser for advice.
The most common methods of improving bowel
control include:
••
making changes to your diet
••
using medicines to slow the bowel down
••
strengthening the muscles used for bowel control.
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