Distention: does it hurt?

I've seen a lot of stories, and people talking about how enemas can distend your belly. I've given myself enemas before, all through a nozzle, and have never really noticed any distention. I was wondering, A: does it hurt? and B: how much is too much?

I really think “how much” varies person to person day to day. The most I’ve ever personally taken is close to 5 quarts (with the JBL... the JBL is pretty amazing when it comes to volume!). It wasn’t comfortable, and there was a point where I definitely need to stop, but it didn’t actually hurt.

Forget the five quarts. VERY FEW people can do that and only after a long time of enema experience.

Start with one or two quarts. Two quarts will give you, a novice distention and it won't hurt.

Your own personal experience will dictate how much is too much and what hurts. You will probably be able to take more in the future, but start out slow and gradually build if you want. You will eventually reach a maximum regardless of how long you have been doing enemas.

DO NOT let people influence you to take more than you feel comfortable taking.

As far as people stories that sound amazing are concerned, that's what they are. FABRICATED STORIES.

I totally agree with SwitchableSusie on this. When I started I could not even get half a bag in me. It took weeks just to be able to take a full bag. The most I have ever taken was three quarts and that is a rough guess. It was with the girlfriend who started me on enemas. I had already had a few and it was sort of a dare. So I had one bag in me and had started on the next. I got half way before I just could not hold it anymore. I was in the bath tub laying down thank goodness because it came gushing out. My body would just not let me take anymore.

Take Susie's good advice about how to approach volumes. I'm 65 and have given myself enemas for 50+ years without any problems. However, I took and enjoyed 2-2.5 quarts for many decades and only very gradually with practice over several months moved up to where I now very comfortably usually do 3.5-4 quarts. I would just add my own version of safe enemas which is this.

Various forms of discomfort which I'll distinguish largely from pain can occur during an enema. I'll call them cramps, irritation and urges. Cramps are pretty easy to notice as they usually are "crampy" spasmodic/brief periodic waves of muscle contraction usually self limiting but can be recurrent. Irritation is more of a constant low level vague discomfort or burning type feeling, often from whatever solution you use directly irritating the bowel wall. Urges are strong feelings that you need to push and get the water out of you, which for me are usually down very low towards my anus. You may have all or none of those as I have over the years. Often stopping and restarting the flow can calm these down, especially cramps and urges. The other feeling you may or may not like is just simply pressure from the water in one area or over your whole belly. This may tell you to stop or slow down, but some others enjoy that feeling.

For me, the bottom line is if you're filling up, whatever volume you reached, if you start feeling any sharp, shooting pain you need to stop and think about releasing your water, as it may be a sign of overstretching part of your colon. If you just feel "too full" and can't or don't want to take more, listen to your body and try again another time. Depending on experience and time since last enema, this might be as little as a pint or more. This of course far from a complete description of taking a safe enema, but I think it's decently safe advice.

Eric

I have been properly chastised. It was not my intention to egg others on to huge volumes which may or may not work for them.

As I noted, volume depends on person and day. And, usually, after 30 years of playing, 3 quarts is about my limit. Except for the JBL. I’m a lightweight, but I can routinely do close to four quarts on the JBL and did indeed — whether or not others chose to believe it — make it to 5 once without incident. But, as others noted, when it comes to enemas, pain means something is wrong, and “full” for one person is “just starting” for another.

Pmoi just wrote, in part,

..........As I noted, volume depends on person and day..............But, as others noted, when it comes to enemas, pain means something is wrong, and “full” for one person is “just starting” for another.

Bingo. Great writing, especially your last phrase - couldn't have written it better. And, as just one example (".......volume depends on person and day."), when I haven't had an enema for a longish time, weeks to months, my comfortable volume can drastically drop (even ~50% or more) until I get used to it and work up to it again.

Eric

The biggest problem with "too much" is that you may be unable to answer the question definitely until you blow out a diverticulum or cause some sort of other damage. Once that happens, it's pretty much too late to go back. You may have to have surgery, take all kinds of antibiotics, have your peritoneal cavity flushed out, etc. (Edit) I forgot to add that, if you are using J-lube, your mistake may be fatal. Apparently leakage of J-Lube into the peritoneal cavity may cause death. I have taken two standard bags on occasion. I recently received 3 qts. I usually restrict myself to between 1 and 2.5 qts. Why? I don't want to cause permanent harm. Same for my wife. She is sub, so she will try to take whatever I want to give her, but I love her, and would never intentionally harm her. Just be careful, listen to your body, and you'll be fine.

Hospitals have given 1500-2000 cc.'s or 1.5-2qts. For generations. That's a good guideline.

I did routine water or saline drugstore bag enemas of about 2 quarts for decades until joining Zity 3 years ago. Then over several months I practiced and gradually moved up to taking 4 quarts with a lot of strong pressure and distention feelings but absolutely no pain or even much cramping. I'm 6'0" about 240 lbs, and I do those volumes very privately solo for now strictly because I enjoy the feelings they produce. I'm not in a competition with anyone in life or on Zity. I've done larger volumes to experiment but have no desire to do over 4 anymore. Even at over 4 q a couple of times, I had only very obvious and to me very enjoyable internal pressure sensations which I wouldn't interpret as even close to pain, just enjoyable pressure, fullness and distention.

I think 4 quarts would qualify as a large or even massive enema for a lot of people and you (and I, too) can enjoy a very pleasant enema of 1.5-2-2.5 quarts. For example, if I happened to decide to have an enema later today, I'd do 2.5-3.5 q which is also very enjoyable. If you're really having sensations which you interpret as pain, it sounds like you should drop your enema volume to where you're comfortable. Of course pain can also arise from solution irritation so that can be changed if necessary as well. No reason to hurt yourself in doing something you either need medically or enjoy doing.

Case in point. I haven't had an enema for a few weeks. To help have an orgasm today, I just did one an hour ago of about 3 quarts out of a 4 quart bagful of normal saline plus 1 tsp/q of Castile soap. The combination of the 3 q plus suddenly getting extremely aroused from the enema at that point meant I was really going to have trouble getting in my usual 4 q before climaxing. So I stayed and held at the 3, still inflated, wearing sneakers and a rubber sweatshirt as usual and had a nice orgasm. I wasn't having any pain or cramping or irritation, I just had reached a satisfying volume for my orgasm plan today. I'm just about emptied out now with both my colon and my genitalia being happy campers. Motto: take as much as you like and don't push past the volume that will make you satisfied that day.

Eric

ericmacson said

over several months I practiced and gradually moved up to taking 4 quarts with a lot of strong pressure and distention feelings but absolutely no pain or even much cramping

That's the thing about the colon. It lacks pain receptors. You can cut it and take biopsies without any anesthesia.

When you get a blow-out of the colon, it ISN'T the colon that will hurt. It will be the surrounding structures that will tell you something is VERY wrong inside.

Four quarts HURTS!

Every time, no exceptions!

After I bought a 4-qt bag I found that since then I have needed 3 qts to get the feelings I used to get from 2 qts

IT DID NOT IN ANY WAY make 4 qt hurt less!!

I would agree that distention in of itself does not hurt. But what can hurt are the cramps that may come with large enemas. Now cramps can occur on any volume of enema, but I feel my cramps tend to be worse when I am doing my max enema of 3 quarts. I remember one day, I did a series of three enemas over period of about an hour- all were three quarts. The first two enemas pretty much cleared my colon creating lots of empty space. So when I did the last enema I was able to retain it and walk around a bit without needing to expel. My belly was distended but did not hurt.

Actually it hurts me just to read about it. In my world, an enema is a relaxing, comfortable, and stimulating cleanse that usually includes a satisfying sexual release. Sure I've experimented with larger volume enemas years ago but never pushed myself farther than a "little" discomfort. Those gut-busting volume contests were never my thing. I really don't understand why anyone would want to blow themselves up with water to the point of pronounced distention. No upside to that in my mind.

LisaK,

How many 4 quart enemas have you ever given yourself? Are you still doing it? Why do you take 4 quarts if you perceive them as so painful? Would the pain itself not be an indication to not do it again? Are you not satisfied or cleaned enough with a series of, say, 3 quart fillings? Or less?

I am a 6'0" 240 lb male and took 2-2.5 quarts for decades, from my teens to my early 60's, and really enjoyed them and still do. After reading Zity for a year and learning from others' experience, I gradually over several months increased my hold from 2.5 to 4 quarts simply because whatever originally drove me to my first teen enema kept pushing my pleasure/arousal buttons more and more. I stopped at 4 quarts simply because for my particular anatomy, physiology and emotions it is the right combination of pleasure, stimulation, arousal and submission to push my buttons the right way.

For whatever reason, perhaps largely my size but also my anorectal/colonic sensorium, 4 quarts does not hurt me in any way, though what I do have feels to me like strong, pleasant, rather evenly distributed pressure inside which of course produces a marked distention, which I really enjoy also. I've once or twice taken over 4, but choose not to do so again as I see minimal further benefit and it also somewhat decreases injury risk. Not infrequently, I'll still take only 2.5-3.5 q sometimes and for that given enema, it's exactly what I want and very satisfying. And yes, if you ever met me, you would find me to be a very real, believable person describing here the truth of my preferred enema practice.

If 4 quarts hurts, stop doing it and just do what you and your body find pleasing and/or functional, depending on your personal goals (cleaning, arousal, orgasm, etc.) unaffected by the accounts you read here, however accurate.

Eric

An enema can be such a pleasant and beautiful thing, so I am puzzled about why people want to try huge enemas that are not only painful but potentially dangerous. Instead, I think that a moderate size enema of 1-1/2 to 2 quarts, warm and not hot water, and mildly soapy if you prefer, that is taken slowly will not only be effective, but quite pleasurable as well.

I also tend to agree that there are people posting here that are probably exaggerating their experiences so my advice is to do what is comfortable and what you enjoy. This should not be a race to keep up with anybody else. Each of us has a unique body and what works for one may not be the greatest choice for everyone.

I would never advocate for anyone to go beyond their physical comfort level. Yes, I have three nominal 4-quart bags (each measured at 4.3 liters or 4.5 quarts maximum) and one 5-quart bag (5.5 liters including hose and Higginson pump or 5.8 quarts). When I use them, unless I'm mixing a specific lower volume solution like a specific concentration/volume of glycerin/soapy enema, I will fill them completely or nearly so. But just because the bag is filled completely doesn't mean I'll take it all. It's about comfort and enjoying the enema. For example, a couple weekends ago I was all set for a nice enema of up to 4-liters. I had to stop at one. Even slowing the flow and trying to allow the water to work its way up the colon just wasn't working. After expelling the liter, I was only able to refill with 1.5 liters. I held it for a while to allow some softening and then called it a night.

3.5 - 4.0 liters is my typical "comfortable" volume in that I feel pleasurably full and somewhat distended but sometimes I'll stop at 3 or just a little more than that.

The largest volume I've ever taken/measured is 6.0 liters and only twice. But I wasn't pursuing that large a volume on those days. I filled until I felt full.

My sisters and I were given distention enemas growing up to prevent diverticulitis per our doctor's instructions. A purgative, cleansing enema was given first followed by several rinse enemas and a colon tube was inserted for our distention enema. It was always a warm, herbal enema given slowly so its introduction was not uncomfortable. Yes the retention of the enema was rather uncomfortable but all of us got those enemas, even mom and dad and their enemas were larger than ours. Even today, large enemas are more common in Europe.

In response to ericmacson.

I have done several 4 qt enemas in the 12 years or so that I've had the 4 qt bag

I have not counted the exact number, but never more than ONE four-quart per session and certainly not every session.

In fact I have not done 4 qts now in over a year.

I'm 5 ft 11 with no natural waist and am often described as "Well endowed"

Not really obese but certainly far from fashion model thin.

Most enemas I take are 2 US qts, although I DO occasionally use a 2-imp qt enema bag.

I use the 3-qt bag for when I'm really serious Ike when I think I'm actually constipated or when I do my what used t be 3-4 times per year, has become once or twice a year system cleanouts.

I bought the 4-qt bag online because I had t try it. Why did I have to try it? Not sure, maybe some masochistic tendencies.

Once I used it ONCE and yes it DID hurt even that first time, I found that 2 qt, enemas, even 2 imp qt enemas really did not produce the same sensation as they had before. It took a 3-qt enema to do that. The other thing that pulls me towards the 3 qt bag is that lately I have gotten best results from a 5-in flexible nozzle, and that only fits my 3-qt bag.

Yes, I still OCCASIONALLY take a 4-qt enema If I had to guess how often I would say every 3rd or 4th complete cleanout.

Yes I DO ALWAYS get some nausea and moderate lower abdominal pain with EVERY 4-qt enema! NO EXCEPTIONS!

Might just be the strength of the soapsuds solution, And that's OK, but it DOES happen!

I have a 4 quart bag and rarely take it all. It's just there if I want it, and for smaller enemas you can get 2 out of the bag before refilling.

I do 4 qts plain tap water enemas all of the time, never anything smaller, once in a great while something larger. I have a 4 qt open top bag. never have discomfort from that much water. Perhaps people's discomfort is not so much from the 4 qts as it is from the chemicals they put in it.

hankb

LisaK,

Thanks for your long reply. How concentrated are your soap suds solutions? Mine are all carefully measured at 1-1.5 tsp/quart of Castile soap to water. Beyond that I get a lot of chemical irritation (not pleasant), cramping and very intense pushing urges so I stay on the mild end up to 1.5 tsp and it's very satisfying.

Eric

The 4-t bag is bigger all around .

The connector is wider, the hoe and the nozzle both have a wider inside diameter

As a result I can get the soapsuds almost to the thickness of a light syrup

That is when I really do make it as thick as I can

I have to agree with Emom... Why go to higher volumes when your body responds, "hey, that much water hurts". My thought is to listen to our bodies, and play accordingly.

There is value to the comment - "safe, sane, consensual, and non-exploitive.

Have a gr8 week everybody!

What I am curious about is taking the volume of four quarts of soapy solution without rinsing anything out first, and then trying to hold the solution for around ten minutes. Is this possible? I have done this with three liters before although I used to be heavier. Such an activity is featured in some of the stories on here, but sadly I think I'm coming to the conclusion that such discipline may just be a fantasy. I am a man who is around 5'10 and 160 lbs.

I would love hear the input of others.

I can handle only two quarts. I look a bit pregnant and it's sometimes a bit uncomfortable. I can handle this because I know relief is only a bed pan away!

I love to do a series of about six enemas starting at 1 to 2 quarts and usually working up to 3 to 4 quarts by my third or fourth enema. I only use tap water, and I never push the volume. If the distension is uncomfortable or I feel the slightest pain, I expel. For safety reasons, I've also started using very low pressure, (bag 2-3 feet above me), and slow flow rate, (valve adjusted for slowly spinning flow-indicator wheels.)

I usually enjoy how the distension feels. As a warm gallon bag slowly fills me, I love to anally clench down on a long nozzle to hold it inside without having to use my hands. After 2 quarts are in me, this produces extreme anal and genital pleasure, which makes masturbation almost spontaneous for me, and very hard to resist.

My abdominal distension with 3 to 4 quarts in my colon is obvious. I've never measured it, but it looks like my waistline has expanded by maybe 10 inches.

After three to five enemas, I'm expelling 3 to 4 quarts that are almost completely clear, and any trapped pressurized gas has been released from my colon. Then I do two or three more large enemas. After the final one I take as long as 15 minutes to squeeze out as much water and gas as I can.

My waistline is often so small afterward that it feels like I can push my bellybutton almost into my spine. When I turn sideways in front of a mirror and suck in my waist, I'm amazed how small I can make it look--about half the depth of my rib cage. I feel so empty, light, and energized!

If I resisted masturbating during my enema series, I always feel intensely horny when I'm done, especially anally horny. I'm either going to have sex with my wife while stuffed with a butt plug, or enjoy some intense anal play with a long, fat anal toy, which on a good day my wife will use on me to get me off.

I can look pretty huge with 3-5 quarts in me, I wouldn't say the distention itself hurts at all, don't usually notice it much until I stand up put it probably took a few fun cramps to get it there.

I am not into any contest to see how much I can hold. I agree with Emom in #17 that an enema can be (and should be) a pleasant experience. I have found over the years that my capacity for a comfortable enema is around two quarts. I think the most I ever did was about three quarts. I took two quarts of light castile soap, refilled the bag, and with a Higginson type bulb inline managed to get another half bag or so into me by squeezing slow with pauses between. At that point it turned from mild discomfort to something I did not enjoy and did not want to repeat. I am not against anybody who enjoys huge enemas, but that is not me.

I find that about 50% of my enemas are 2 qts. The rest will be either 3 or 4 qts. Two qt. enemas I can lay in the tub and hold for however long I want. I can hold a 4 qt. enema for about 5 seconds before I will expel some of it. A 3 qt. enema varies in this regard. I never notice my abdomen distending with a 2 qt. enema. A 3 qt. enema will give a mild distention while a 4 qt. enema pretty much feels as though I've swallowed a watermelon. The distention has never hurt; but, it can be uncomfortable. I suspect that's one reason I simply cannot hold a full 4 qts.