Enema not worked

Had someone enema not working and needed another one?

Fleets sometimes don’t get results….but 2 quarts of soapy water has no place to go but OUT!

It’s not that an enema doesn’t “work.” It’s when one enema isn’t enough and there’s more that needs to come out.

I learned this firsthand from a home health nurse when I was recovering from an accident after being in the hospital. I was constipated from heavy doses of pain medication. She told me it might take more than one enema; I was pretty miserable.

She was right. The first one made me very uncomfortable with not much “results.” However, the second enema she gave about half hour later after she had me rest, not only felt amazing, it gave me a thorough cleaning out. I can’t believe that this life changing experience was 40 years ago this month!!

Very rarely when I was growing up my Mom would give me a soapsuds enema and not be satisfied with the amount of poop that came out and would give me a second one that seemed soapier than the first one, making me hold it in twice as long (10 minutes instead of 5) and it would always make a lot more poop come out.

Yes, I have had that happen. Only when I've been really backed up. Once it took 3 enemas - I could feel my gut getting full really fast on the first two, then a very strong urge and run to the toilet and some came out. On the third one I could feel myself getting full, then finally the enema worked around everything and got up in the sigmoid/descending. Lotsa stuff came out after that.

As Vicki said, no reason not to try a repeat or two if it happens to you.

@Vicki V Well said.....right on!

You can make a second one. Either add soap or glycerin.

We never really had that problem growing up per se. The normal routine for constipation was a soapy followed by a salt and baking soda rinse enema. That didn’t come from mom, it came from our grandmother who was a retired Registered Nurse. When she first started giving us yearly 3H enemas, the summer I turned nine, she followed the normal enema routine for those too. Following a 3H enema, the next evening at bath time, grandma had our aunts give us a daily rinse enema for a week or two. This routine continued until the summer I turned sixteen.

If the Doctor made a house call, when one of us was sick, he normally ordered daily enemas until the illness passed. On the day of the house call, the sick one received a soapy then a rinse enema, usually by the time the doctor arrived. Then, the next day, and until the illness passed, they received a daily rinse enema. Those that weren’t sick, received a daily rinse enema at evening bath time as a prophylactic until the illness passed.

Whenever we got an enema for being moody, out of sorts, after a spanking, an attitude adjustment, or just out of the blue for whatever reason, it was normally just a single rinse enema. However, the above wasn’t set in stone, there were times when we got a soapy then two rinse enemas when constipated. Or two rinse enemas for being moody, out of sorts, or an attitude adjustment. Then there were the enemas out of the blue from mom or her sisters, and like the enemas themselves, they were totally unpredictable. They could be a single rinse enema, but not always. Sometimes, mom gave us a soapy followed by a rinse enema, and our aunts unlike mom, would give us two rinse enemas instead.

Everybody's body may be a little different in how it responds to an enema, but in my experience the most common reason an enema did not produce the desired result (assuming constipation) is that it was not held for sufficient time. When I was a little girl getting enemas from mom with the bulb, the volumes were not large but she would tell me to hold it for a few minutes so it can soften the poop. I realize holding it can be difficult at times, but if it doesn't produce, then what is wrong with a second enema? Sometimes the second enema is twice as much fun as the first one.

Even a colonic, administered by a skilled therapist, may not immediately generate a complete release. I've been on her table for over an hour. She has used multiple fills, variations of water temperature, herbal tincture and massage. Finally, watching what is coming through in the sight glass of her machine, she has said "I think you are done, so just turn back onto your side for me". Then woops my bowel starts moving again. And when she really has finished me and I am on her toilet there is still more poo! Definitely a case of hollow legs emptying.

I did a series of enemas last week and that was my 1st in seven months🤩I was really backed up🤑so you could say they didn’t work. But my series today was much better😍

In fact, the question of the second enema can also arise depending on the depth of penetration of the water into the colon!

Personally, a 2 liter enema taken and completely evacuated, I weigh myself before and after, is generally not enough to give me the feeling of being clean and empty.

Every morning, after a first cleaning with the shower hose to which I attached a long, flexible cannula, I take a first, then a second enema of 2 liters very hot, 41 degrees. Sometimes I take a third, or I increase the volume of water to 3 liters.

Even in these conditions, there are always residues from the intestinal transit that come out the 3rd time, and even the fourth if I do it, and it happens, more for pleasure than for necessity.

Another indicator of the "depth" of penetration into the colon is the ease with which the beneficial warm water rushes into the intestine.

If you feel cramps after the first liter, then there is sure to be a "blockage", or a knot, we are not all the same, and we are not always as relaxed every day . when the intestine is very clean and empty AND we are relaxed, then the 3 liters, or even 4, slowly enter deep and have an enormous benefit.

The first enema my mom gave me as a teenager did not work. While she was getting the enema ready she said "A bum bulb is too small for even your brother, but small enemas may start a bowel movement." When she started giving me the enema she said "try and hold as much moisture as you can." Then suddenly she said "I think that's enough." While exiting the bathroom she said "this process can be repeated." The only thing that came out was water. I think that she had decided a small enema to begin with may start a movement and solve my problem. She returned and gave me a full enema this time, which worked fine. She also said "just sit there for a while it will work."

I can't say it is a case of the enema not working, but rather providing only minimal results. Not that I have had this happen that often but taking a second enema does work. Note that I am talking about some quantity of warm soapy water and not Fleet disposables here.

Since growing up we always got at least two, and sometimes as many a four enemas, I don't have much experience with one not working. I do recall that the second enema was always more thorough (and more fun) than the first. Since sister Lisa and I quickly fell in love with our enemas, our motto was: The more the merrier!

I have had a couple episodes lately where I take a fairly stong, 3 L Bronners plus Glycerine enema, hold it for 10 minutes, and then get nowhere near 3 L back out, with only a small amount of stool. I would not expect this to just be absorbed, with the soap & Glycerine in it. Even following this with 2 L of saline, I don't get but a liter of the rinse back out. Afterwards, I feel somewhat bloated and sluggish. Anyone else had this happen? What do I do to get this fluid to leave my body? I've started to weigh myself before and after to make sure most of my enemas are coming back out.