Long term effects of soap in enemas

I can't have a bowel movement without a very soapy Ivory enema of at least 3 quarts. It is an irritant to purge my colon and make it cramp to force myself to evacuate. I'll be one of those people who is an example of daily use of soap but I figure it's better to flood my bowels with IVORY than to have no bowel movement at all, which would have dire effects. (I am my Mother's child. I remember her saying often, “I can't have a bowel movement without an enema!” Mom, I truly understand. It is both a physical and sexual need.)

The gastroenterologist Wes Jones in his book Cure Constipation Now, says that soapsuds enemas can cause an allergic reaction called soapsuds colitis. He says he has witnessed this himself. Hence he does not recommend it. Though he acknowledges it is rare. You can read about chemical colitis here: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_colitis

Ivory seems to be a common additive to many enemas. It was my mother's favorite, but I should add that I don't think her enemas were especially soapy. Nevertheless, they did clean you out in decent fashion. Years later when I got married I knew that my wife took an enema every few weeks, mostly for relieving that time of the month issues. Again, her favorite was Ivory. My sister is a pediatrician and prefers to use packets of castile soap, but like me she got the warm water and Ivory treatment while growing up.

I am an enema novice, having received enemas only once from my grandmother and once from my mother and then the several times my mother-in-law and I gave each other water enemas as an excuse to increase our intimacy levels to the point of having sex.

No one taught me about enemas, so I had no understanding of using soap, but do remember my grandmother's enema giving me cramps.

I fear we are losing a “tradition” that our sex-negative society makes very necessary if we are going to have a healthy level of intimacy. So I cringe at the thought of finding enemas “unhealthy”. Especially since I'm going to add another consideration, but firmly believe IT WILL ALL WORK OUT. It has to, because we desperately need each other, and every possible excuse to be more intimate.

I'll briefly state the potential problem or possible solution so everyone can do their research.

You've probably heard about fecal matter transplants? And the Human Microbiome? (our gut garden) Scientists say we shouldn't even consider ourselves to be individuals because we rely so much on the microbes in our gut. We don't want to hurt those little babies.

We have entered into a new era, where we don't even have an adequate vocabulary to express our ideas. Would you believe there is an STD(?) that helps suppress the effects of HIV/AIDS? How can we call it a disease or infection when it does good?

Yet we have to keep the intimacy of enemas!

Just saw this article and thought I'd mention it.

https://www.livescience.com/amp/genetics-of-bowel-movement-frequency-poop-and-ibs

Using mild and detergent free soaps like castile soap made of Olive oil.

Less retention time during soap enemas.

A Pure water rinse enema after soap enema.

Can avoid the irritating feel after soap enemas. Natural mild soap has limited or almost negligible impacts on colon mucosa epithelial cells.

Can avoid the irritating feel after soap enemas. Natural mild soap has limited or almost negligible impacts on colon mucosa epithelial cells.

First, “feel” is mostly meaningless.

Second, you're spot on about detergents being hazardous, as well as soaps with additives (antibacterials are a known issue from case studies), but I do want to see your data source for the assertion that it has limited or negligible. Several studies I have seen have indicated that in histology castile soap causes generalized irritation and notable destruction of the surface layer of epithelium, and they're reasonable studies (controls, middling sample size so it isn't 3-5 people).

On the plus side, at least in my state, colon cancer has shown a continual downward trend, along with prostate cancer. Things are looking up.

Reading yet another account of how back in the ‘Golden Age’ or in the 50/60s it was a normal occurrence for many members to get very soapy enemas on a regular basis, often more than weekly, I couldn't help but wonder at the long term effects of using soap enemas on the colon.

Well, that the story of my life -very strong soap enemas - mostly Ivory, but also Dr. Bronner's, and even Dove bar soap… multiple times a week. So now in my late 70's my colon is fine. The only problem might be from doing 4 qt enemas is the hernia I have. I do think not everyone's colon can take all the soap like I did, and advise caution and knowing your limits.

I give myself soap enemas maybe at most once a week and will always follow the soap enema with one or two salt enemas. I do think the type of soap you are using could be harmful if it is a strong detergent soap and of course the amount you put into the enema plays a big role as well.

I only use Bronner's Castile soaps and the amount is usually about 1.5 TBS in a two quart enema. I have never had any problems doing these type of enemas.

Use common sense and don't put too much soap in and use a mild soap and you should be fine.

Want to put a correction in. On my earlier post I noted

Since there does not seem to be a commensurate increase in the rate of enema use this current increase doesn't seem to be related.

There has been nothing showing that they are not related, just not immediate evidence of correlation, but as we don't know rate of enema use or much of anything else linking or not linking the two please don't draw any serious conclusions from that line.