Nurses Hearing about Patients Enema Experience

Each time I have had an enema from a nurse in either a hospital or a clinic I have been asked about some aspect of my enema history. The first time was a simple "have you ever had an enema before". I have also had lengthy conversations about the benefits of enemas Vs. laxatives (which may be to distract you so you don't focus on the discomfort), and observations from the nurse about their attitudes toward enemas. My question from our nurse members is, what are some of the more interesting stories or anecdotes they have heard from patients while receiving an enema?

I would also be interested in replies from nurses. Something all this line, my family doctor was reading the hospital report he was sent after a barium enema I had several years ago. Great enema by the way! Anyway, it was reported that I seemed to "do exceptionally well or exceptionally well tolerated" or some comment like that. Wonder why that might have been, LOL! I just smiled!

It wasn't a nurse, but a colon hydrotherapist who on my first visit to her asked if I was familiar with enemas. Knowing that I was brought up in the Golden Age when we were started off very young, I'm sure she heard what she expected.

On a later visit she said she wished she'd been given enemas as a child instead of harsh laxatives but that they were out of fashion by then.

My aunt was a nurse who always told enema tales.

My sister is a nurse and she tells me this story. She worked in the infirmary of a large university, while working on her masters. She had a girl come in that had not had a bowel movement in over a week. I can't fathom not going that long. After telling the doctor that she had tried everything laxatives, brand even some olive oil, the doctor prescribed an enema and Amy administered it. However, the results were less than satisfactory. Amy went back to the doctor and suggested a M&M enema, which the doctor prescribed. Amy administered it. This time the result were satisfactory. Amy checked in with the patient, who claimed that half her insides came out with the enema. I'm sure after not voiding for a week it seemed like that. The funny part of the story is that when Amy helped her off the toilet she saw a condom floating in the water. Now needless to say, the condom didn't cause her constipation but it was stuck up there in her impacted bowels.

P.S. Amy says she was sure the girl had been doing some recreational drugs, which caused the constipation. -- DD

--good stuff you guys.

the boxcar

My wife was recovering from abdominal surgery and had excessive gas pains. The Dr. prescribed return flow enemas to relieve the gas distention. The night nurse came in to see how she was doing and immediately said you need some bowel therapy. Whereupon she proceeded to prepare a tap water enema. She never asked me to leave and proceeded to explain the proceedure, and how she had found it to be a relief after her own surgery. She also said "this is kind of a gentle thing, I'm not putting any soap in it". When she started she said "I know nobody likes these things, but I have heard that some people actually find them sexually arosing". Little did she know how aroused I was by the whole scene.

I've never had the opportunity to tell a nurse about my enema experience yet, but I would or will if a nurse asks me some day.

I've told the colon-hydrotherapist ladies I have visited about my enema experiences. I have never came right out and said that I was "aroused" by them, but I think they could tell . I have told them that I "like" enemas.

When I had my first and, so far, only colonic the therapist asked if I had ever had a colonic before. I told he no, but I enjoyed getting regular enemas and that I was an anal erotic. She smiled and proceeded with the colonic very matter-of-factly and said she understood that some people enjoyed them. She was totally professional and even when I asked if the clinic did prostate massages she was very firm but pleasant in reponding that they did not do that there.

Once, while admitted in a hospital, I had to tell the nurse how to give me the enema so it could works well for me...!

Before I give an enema I always inquire about enema history and have a few stories that I remember. One was a lady that must have received some serious large volume enemas growing up because she said something like, "Oh Lord, I remember those enemas I used to get and how your stomach would hurt for days after." Then I recall another story a woman told me about how she was to go for some procedure and some doc or someone gave her a candy bar she wasn't supposed to have and when her mother and the nurse found out, "they gave me enema, after enema, after enema. I remember that after that I just hated that person that gave me that candy bar." And those are just a couple that stick out in my mind.

During a routine physical, I mentioned that I had passed a little blood with my stool. Within a minute,the doctor's nurse handed me a Fleet enema, asked if I knew "how to do it" and pointed me to the bathroom. Happily, the sigmoidoscope that followed showed only a hemorrhoid but the next time I was sure to take a good enema at home beore a rectal exam.

As a RN I always ask the person if they had ever had an enema before and what kind. The responses were varied from no to yes to explaining the what and how. Some ask for the enema on the toilet which I discouraged and asked them to be on their left side with the knee slightly bend. Always instruct on deep breathing, massaging the abdomen and slowing the fluid down if cramps become to intense. Encourage holding for 5-15 minutes. Some asked for more fluid but usually a liter does the trick. In the hospital setting if you pay attention to diet and pain meds, make sure the person is using stool softners and moving around, the enema is not always necessary. Making sure the bowels move before the person leaves is key to unnecessary abdomial pain and dealing with the results of severe constipation at home. Its much easier to get the enema in the hospital setting.

So just a few years ago I had major shoulder surgery after a ski accident. I elected to go to the hospital for an overnight stay. four days later I was still in the hospital. The surgery went fine, with all the narcotics and General Anethesia my body didn't come back very quickly. I had been complaining about constipation for more than two days, and refused to take the stool softeners. They don't do anything but give me a stomach ache. I also had been lobbying for an enema based on a pre-surgical conference where I was told to move myself up the bowel protocol which goes Stool Softener, MOM, Dulcolax Suppository, and then Enema usually a fleet. Everything besides the enema can be done on nursing authority.

My nurse was more than sympathetic and got a Tap Water Enema orderred. However, new nurse tried to get me to accept the suppository. Then showed up with a Fleet and said can we try this first. When I declined she said "I'm going to have my boss do it". I didn't realize it at the time, but I suspect that she didn't feel confident or had never given a Large Volume Enema.

The charge nurse showed up about a half hour later with a bucket enema kit. Another tech showed up to remove my IV's. the charge nurse told her to come back later saying "I'm going to be giving an enema, please come back later." As she was setting up for the enema she asked me. "do you think you can take the whole bucket?" I replied "probably". She then said "Is this what you would do at home?", I replied simply "yes". She then had me position on the left side, and began to insert the tip. She then said "can you feel it". I said "no I can't", and I said "I don't think it's in far enough". She checked the tip and it popped out. So a deeper insertion and an order to squeeze my butt together followed. The enema went well, I had to ask her to stop twice, and she told me to hold it for 10 minutes. She also asked if I wanted a Comode next to the bed. I said I can make it to the toilet. She was young cute and very professional. All in all a good experience.

Interesting thread - learned something new; namely, that M&M enemas were something medically prescribed. Up to now, I thought the M&M enema was simply dreamed up by enema aficionados.

Here is another thread that is over 14 years of age. It's one that evokes some fond memories of interactions I've had with various "nurses" over a lifetime. It would be great to see additional responses from those wonderful caregivers.

I suppose that giving enemas to patients has dimished so significantly that many haven't had that actual experience. This may have been affected due to the nearly exclusive "short stay" aspect of surgeries.

I would guess that the constipation resulting from pain meds etc. doesn't often appear for a few days and patients are likely home at that point.

I did have an enjoyable conversation with a nurse who was preparing an enema prep for an emergency colonoscopy. The patient had been NPO and on laxatives for a few hours, but the early procedure required the enemas to accelerate and guarantee the prep.

The nurse shared that she was often tasked with giving the enemas on her graveyard shift and usually avoided any calamities or messes. I asked if she used them herself and she said she didn't mind them. She asked if I had ever had enemas, and I shared some history of family and clinical use but avoided the sexualized aspect.

I did tell her of having a bulb syringe smuggled into me after surgery. I had been filled with all manor of stool softeners and prunes to no avail. One particular nurse was incredulous that I hadn't been offered an enema and said she'd try to get one ordered. She went off duty and the day shift had no order. In desperation, the problem was addressed with the bulb.

My wife was admitted to the Ob section of the hospital When I came up from addmitting office I crashed in the waiting room next to the labor room. my wife was in there with another woman. I could planley here them A new nurse came in there room and she asked who the OB was. The blond belongs to and she gave Carols doctors mameOh you mean Good old I know your busy so i'll get her preped. His partner does the same thing. Then they walk the her tpo the toilet sit them down and rub their backs and purr in their ears and by then she cant hold it any longer so she has to expel with him standing right next to her. What an A..H...You know they offer discounts to all the nurses in Gyne. non of them go there. discount or not. My wife said he did the same thing to her