Hospital disappointment.

I just spent three days in the hospital for a COPD exacerbation episode. Great hospital, nice staff, decent food, and a PCA lady that I seemed to hit off with. We joked a lot about staying in the hospital, life, etc, etc. One afternoon we were bantering back and forth and I dropped the comment, "Hospitals aren't as much fun since you quit giving enemas."

She stopped dead in her tracks, looked over her shoulder and with a sly little grin said, "No, they sure aren't." I was left pondering what possibilities we could have in a different time and place. I'll just keep dreaming.

Yep!

Well done.

As I've written before, getting a bag enema in hospital is not the erotic experience you imagine in your dreams. In fact, most all of the nursing staff would much rather dose you with a powerful laxative to make you poo if needed than give you a suppository or a Fleet. Forget about getting a bag enema, unless a doctor orders it.

In all probability, hospital enemas have been disliked by all except those reading this comment here nurses used irrigating cans and colon tubes.

Sorry to burst your balloon.

As I've written before, getting a bag enema in hospital is not the erotic experience you imagine in your dreams.

In all probability, hospital enemas have been disliked by all except those reading this comment here nurses used irrigating cans and colon tubes.

Sorry to burst your balloon.

@sean is right. Med professionals do so much to help constipated patients with laxitives, fleets, suppositories, even digging an impactipn out with their gloved finger (seen that). No more sexual than a mechanic changing your cars oil.

I spent a week in the hospital with a collapsed lung 15 years ago. I was given pain drugs that constipated me incredibly. I was given stool softeners, laxatives, and eventually suppositories I administered to myself. The E word was never uttered by anyone. Ever. Times have changed.

Even 10 years ago hospitals were a disappointment. I had a bad hernia that was going to take some "real surgery", as the doctor put it. After surgery I awoke shaved, and a huge bandage, but no catheter, and never got an enema...

This happened years ago. I broke my leg in a motorcycle accident. It was a bad break with broken skin so I was in the hospital for a week before they put the cast on. Every morning the nurse asked if I had a bowel movement. Because of the pain killers and just laying around, the answer was no. Each night I got a dose of some laxative. After the 3rd day the nurse told me if I didn't go by morning I would get an enema.

I had been giving myself enemas for fun since about 10 so the thought of an enema from a pretty nurse not too many years older than me was quite interesting. But I worried about getting a raging hard-on like I did when I gave myself those enemas at home. But nothing happened because the next morning I shit about 10 pounds. To this day I wonder if I would have enjoyed that enema or not.

Six years ago I spent 10 days in the hospital for heart surgery. I was constipated the entire time. I complained and they gave me a stool softener. I had to wait until I got home when my wife gave me an enema. It was a terrible experience and I strained so much I had blood. The enema was miserable

Six years ago I spent 10 days in the hospital for heart surgery. I was constipated the entire time. I complained and they gave me a stool softener.

Like you, I had heart surgery 4+ years ago and being used to daily shower-shot enemas at home, I became very constipated in the hospital.. I complained and when Miralax didn't do the job, two nice nurses gave me some pills to take and then came back about 1/2 hr later or so, and then one inserted two suppositories.. They stayed with me while we waited to everything to work - and wow, it really cleaned me out. I felt sorry for them, as they stayed with me the entire time I was pooping my brains out..

@reddevil

I doubt the pills had anything to do with you pooing. AFAIK, there are no laxative pills that have any effect within a half hour, especially in someone who is constipated.

The suppositories were probably Dulcolax, which is pretty much the only laxative suppository used in hospitals.Two of them can certainly cause a strong urge to poo. I suppose they stayed because you had a cardio procedure and were at risk.

You would think they would still give enemas in the hospital due to how fast they can releave constipation i guess nurses hate giving them due to the mess they would have to deal with. If i were the head nurse i would demand that all patients get enemas just to keep them cleaned out laying in a bed and not pooping is really unhealthy all the toxins from the med's and food can't be good.

@redbag1914

Hospitals were reluctant to give enemas for a few reasons, IMO.

For starters, it takes at least 15 minutes to get a large volume enema kit from the supply room, run warm water and prepare and fill the bag for use, protect the bed, give the enema, This far longer than giving a Fleet or suppositories or pills.

Then, when the enema works, the patient poos strongly and in a hurry. if the patient can use the toilet, there is always the chance the enema will work, uncontrollably, before the patient can get from the bed to the toilet, or worse, fall and injure themselves. The same applies to a bedside commode.

If a patient uses a bedpan after a bag enema, a sloppy mess is almost certain. Neither a slipper (fracture) nor a standard bedpan can hold 1500ml of solution unless it's perfectly level, A lot of poo makes the situation worse. And it's hard to keep the bedpan level, both as the patient poos, and especially during removal and transporting the filled bedpan to the toilet to be emptied.

Some of the older bedpans, like the Jones Relax, can hold more liquid than the current plastic ones, but they are very uncomfortable to use, even in a hospital bed that can have the head raised.

Frankly, from person experience, the easiest and most comfortable way to expel a large volume enema in hospital is with the patient lying on their left side, on several Chux pads. A pad is folded over the patient's buttocks to contain any solution sprayed out. I once received a Lactulose enema of 1500ml this way and the results were very effective, but cleanup is a mess. I've read that this was the preferred way to give a pregnant woman a pre-drelivery HHH enema, years ago.

Finally, many people are adverse or very adverse to having a large volume enema. They would rather lie in bed, uncomfortable and rectum packed with poo for hours until pills make them poo, than be embarrassed by completely losing bowel control after an enema.

As to hospital food, I've found to be actually pretty good.... not 5-star eatery quality, but certainly better than most all fast food places. It tends to be fairly bland and low salt.

I have had 2 kidney transplants and spent time in the hospital afterwards. The first one the day after surgery I was starving. Had not eaten for almost 3 days after being notified of a kidney became available. I ate a whole lot. Nobody explained how the stuff they put you to sleep also shut down your digestive tract. Had terrible cramps and bloating. Finally after suppositories, fleet enemas and no relief the surgeon said I will order a soapsuds enema! The pretty nurse finally came that early evening and said "it seems all I'm doing tonight is giving you guys enemas. Hard to enjoy with a drainage tube, catheter and whatever, but always a fun remembrance. The second transplant - same thing stomach shut down,, same failures of the suppositories and fleets. 2 different nurses tried the Soapsuds with hardly any release. By the 4th to 5 after the transplant begged the Dr for me to go home without having a poop. She relented and I soon got back to normal.

I have a good friend who was a nurse before retirement. One day years ago when we both were of child-bearing age, the subject of Fleet enemas instead of the traditional large soapy enema in the labor room came up. She explained to me that as far as the hospital was concerned it was all about the money. Time is money. A large volume enema takes time to prepare and administer, and expel. A Fleet takes just five minutes or so to give and usually takes less time to expel. We all know that a large enema does not always come out completely the first time, meaning another trip to the toilet, or even worse, on the bedpan. Therefore a nurse spends much less time giving a Fleet than the traditional enema. That is why hospitals rarely give the traditional enema anymore. I think the same reasoning applies to all hospital enemas these days. Besides enemas falling out of favor in general, they just don’t want to take the time to do it the old way.

A close female friend had major surgery a couple years ago and told me she was given a BIG, her words, enema beforehand. She said when she saw the nurse wheel in the full bag she couldn't believe it was going to happen. She hadn't know about it. Apparently her boyfriend was in the room and they looked at each other like "uh oh", then the nurse drew the curtain so he couldn't see her get the enema. She said it was uncomfortable and a bit awkward but that the nurse was very kind and gentle.

I've managed to avoid them in the hospital but I've seen an uptick in fleet disposabl bag enemas in the pharmacy for sale. I wonder if this has translated to hospitals as well.

It's not that hard. All you have to do is ask and be insistent on what you want. Be very specific, I don't like laxatives, I'm uncomfortable and would like a soapy water enema, and yes I can take the whole bucket. Don't be shy, yes I would do this at home if constipated.