6 March 2015

Innovative treatment helps mum overcome bowel incontinence


A mum whose life was blighted by bowel incontinence which left her worried about going out to new places says an innovative treatment has given her a new lease of life.

Lisa Steers, 47, of Barnsley, has had to live with the condition since she gave birth to her son 19 years-ago. The worry of being caught short in public dented her confidence and made her anxious about doing new things or going to unfamiliar places.

But she says she now feels ‘normal’ again and has taken on challenges including mountain marathon running since being referred to the GI Physiology Unit at the Northern General Hospital, where she has undergone Urgent PC Neuromodulation.

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals introduced the treatment in 2010 and is only the second Trust in the North of England to be accredited by system provider Uroplasty. The accreditation recognises its status as a centre of excellence for the treatment.
The non-invasive treatment involves stimulating a nerve in the ankle using an acupuncture type needle and passing a mild electric current to the nerves that control bowel function. It gives the patient better control of when they need to go to the toilet.

Lisa said: “When I had my son I was pushing for four hours and it led to me tearing my bowel. I started to get symptoms of needing the toilet suddenly, without knowing when it was coming on and having accidents.

“Whereas most people can hold on until they have to go, I would only have 12 seconds between getting the signal that I need the toilet and having to go. It was affecting my job, because I teach hairdressing and drive around to different salons. I had to plan round salons where I knew there was a decent toilet and it was just a nightmare.

“It was embarrassing. When I was single I would go on a date and I’d be up and down having to go to the toilet. I did not want to do things out of my comfort zone because of the worry of needing the toilet. It was ok when I was at home because I knew I could go, but I didn’t like going on trips or catching trains or anything like that.”

She had treatment for haemorrhoids but the problem continued, and rather than having a permanent implanted bowel pacemaker fitted, she decided to try and live with it. This affected her socially and she would not consider relationships.

It was not until she was referred for the Urgent PC treatment that the symptoms were finally alleviated.

Lisa said: “I’ve been having the treatment for about a year now and I am normal again. I can control when I need to go to the toilet and I don’t need to wear a pad. I have a lot more confidence.”

She is a keen runner and since staring the treatment has done the Jungfrau Marathon in the Swiss alps. She is now training for the London Marathon and is also taking on a cycling challenge in the USA with her boyfriend.

Lisa said: “There is no way before the treatment I would have had the confidence to get on a plane. It has really improved my quality of life.”

She said she would urge anyone who is suffering from incontinence not to feel too embarrassed to seek help from their doctor.

“Some people worry about getting help because it is embarrassing and you have to talk to the doctor about your toilet habits, so you just put up with it,” she said.

“But it was only by going to the doctor that I eventually found a solution.”

Sheffield Teaching Hospitals has treated about 200 people using the Urgent PC service.

Clinical Scientist in the GI Physiology Department, Lynne Smith, said: “For many people the treatment leads to significant symptom improvement in bowel incontinence and urgency. Symptom improvement is also seen in some patients who also have urinary incontinence and over active bladder, and what is so encouraging is that in a number of our patients, including Lisa, it has led to complete symptom resolution.

“Their symptoms can now be simply managed and that can improve patients’ quality of life and give them back their confidence.”

Mary Morgan, of Uroplasty, said: “The accreditation recognises that Sheffield is established in urgent pc and has become a centre of excellence.

“Faecal and urinary incontinence can affect people’s lives in a lot of ways. For some people it can damage relationships, or make them uncomfortable about going on holiday or going out. Some people do shut themselves away. It can be a taboo subject and we want people to be aware of the condition and that it can be treated and controlled.”

 



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