Incontinence is when a person is not able to control their bowel or bladder. It may be caused by different treatments for bowel cancer.
Learn more about:
Faecal incontinence
After surgery or radiation therapy, the movement of waste through the large bowel can become faster. You may feel that you can’t wait when you need to go to the toilet (urgency), you need to go more often, or you have less control over bowel movements. Bowel surgery or radiation therapy may weaken the anus, making it difficult to hold on when you feel the need to empty your bowels, particularly if you have loose bowel movements (diarrhoea).
Urinary incontinence
This is when urine (wee or pee) leaks from your bladder without you being able to control it. Bladder control may change after surgery or radiation therapy. For example, radiation therapy can irritate the lining of your bladder, because the bladder is located near the large bowel. Some people find they need to urinate more often, need to go in a hurry or don’t fully empty the bladder.
While you may feel embarrassed if you have bowel or bladder changes, there are ways to manage the symptoms. Incontinence usually improves in a few months, but sometimes takes years. Talk to your treatment team about whether any bowel or bladder changes are likely to be permanent.
Ways to manage incontinence
- Talk to your surgeon or GP about available treatments. They may refer you to a continence nurse or physiotherapist, who can suggest exercises to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles.
- Call the National Continence Helpline on 1800 33 00 66 to talk to a continence nurse about continence aids, if needed, or visit Continence Foundation of Australia.
- Find out the location of toilets near where you are. Visit the National Public Toilet Map or download the National Public Toilet Map app from the App Store (Apple phones) or Google Play (Android phones).
- The Australian Government’s Improving Bowel Function After Bowel Surgery booklet provides helpful tips about managing bowel problems. To get a copy you can also call 1800 33 00 66.
- Bowel Cancer Australia has Bowel Care Nurses and a nutritionist specially trained to help manage and improve bowel dysfunction from LARS or bowel cancer. Call 1800 727 336.
→ READ MORE: Diarrhoea and wind
More resources
Prof Alexander Heriot, Colorectal Surgeon and Director Cancer Surgery, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Director, Lower GI Tumour Stream, Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre, VIC; Dr Cameron Bell, Gastroenterologist, Royal North Shore Hospital, NSW; Graham Borgas, Consumer; Prof Michael Bourke, Director of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, Westmead Hospital, The University of Sydney, NSW; Laura Carman, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council Victoria, VIC; Amanda Connolly, Specialist Bowel Care Nurse, Icon Cancer Centre Windsor Gardens, SA; A/Prof Melissa Eastgate, Operations Director, Cancer Care Services, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, QLD; Anne Marie Lyons, Stomal Therapy Nurse, Concord Repatriation General Hospital and NSW Stoma Ltd, NSW; Lisa Nicholson, Manager Bowel Care Services, Bowel Cancer Australia, NSW; Stefanie Simnadis, Clinical Dietitian, St John of God Subiaco Hospital, WA; Rafi Sharif, Consumer; Dr Kirsten van Gysen, Radiation Oncologist, The Nepean Cancer and Wellness Centre, NSW; Sarah Williams, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Lower GI, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC.
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