I'm An Encopresis Survivor

By Dimity Telfer

Hey there. For those that don't know me, my name is Dimity. I'm 27, an Australian, and an Encopresis survivor. Yes that's right. I had Encopresis personally, undiagnosed, until I was 15 years old.

I know what it's like to have no friends, being bullied and being told by my own parents that I'm an embarrassment to be around.

At my worst I wouldn't poop for up to 10 days, and constantly soiled my underwear. If you ever hear your child say that he/she can't feel/smell it, please believe it.

No one believed me, and for me it was the truth. My body wouldn't give me any indication that I "had to go", and couldn't smell anything at all, until it was much too late.

For many years Encopresis always felt like a curse. "If you're sorry, why do you keep doing it?" my mum constantly asked me. My answer was always the same, that I didn't know why and am incredibly sorry.

I always felt alone (especially having no friends to hang out with and no boyfriend that loves me for me).

There's also not a single celebrity that admits to having this condition (no role model to look up to). My confidence, self esteem and social confidence with my fellow peers wasn't very strong.

I created my blog over a year ago to help create awareness and support about this condition, specifically from an angle of being someone personally had it, and I am excited to be a part of P.O.T.T."Y" Generation as a contributing writer and support.

At the time, I was experiencing Encopresis, my parents didn't know what to do or what I had. Being in a remote town (and the Internet wasn't readily available and resourceful now as it was then), no support groups, no books, nothing. That's why I'm writing a book about my experiences, things I've learnt and other people's stories.

I know how much it is to be someone with this condition feeling alone and wondering if someone else has it (and if can get in touch).

I have an e-mail available on my blog that any parent or fellow Encopresis survivor/battler can use to keep in touch with me (especially when embarrassed for the world to know what's happening). I'm doing all I can to help parents and their families of this condition.

There really is light at the end of the tunnel. I know. I have gone through Encopresis and all the negativity that follows in it's stinky path...and survived.

I created the term "Encopresis survivor" to show strength. I want to turn this curse into a blessing. My self esteem and confidence has increased so much over the years and I'm doing things I never thought I would be doing (for example, performing aerials and a trainer at the local circus group). I have dreams to achieve. I have love to share.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. You are never alone anymore. I am here. I'm very happy to contribute here and share my experiences to help others.





Add caption

What is Encopresis?

Register for our Twitter Party

...........................................................................

A twitter party is a fast and fun virtual party, using the twitter platform. Usually held in the evening, twitter parties typically last 1-2 hours and are a wonderful way for people to connect and discuss a topic of choice. Most twitter parties have an expert panelist and party host to keep the party on topic.

How does a twitter party work?

Twitter users tweet with a specified Hashtag (#) for the party. The party host will announce the hashtag prior to the event. If you look at the twitter party calendar, parties are listed by the hashtag (#). Users use their tweet chat client to search for the hashtag and join in the conversation. Tweetdeck and Tweetgrid make following a twitter party much easier.

For more info on Twitter Parties go to: http://www.twitterpartyguide.com/what-is-a-twitter-party

Constipation and Encopresis in Children

by P.O.T.T."Y" Generation® Staff Writers

What is constipation, and does it cause Encopresis?

Many people think of constipation as not passing a bowel movement every day. However, each person has his or her own schedule for bowel movements, and many healthy people do not have a bowel movement every day.

A constipated child might pass a bowel movement every third day or less often. Constipation implies not only infrequent bowel movements, but also having difficulty or experiencing pain when doing so. 

In most children with encopresis, the problem begins with painfully passing very large stools.

This may have happened long before the encopresis starts, and the child may not remember this when asked.

Over time, the child becomes reluctant to pass bowel movements and holds it in to avoid the pain. This “holding in” becomes a habit that often remains long after the constipation or pain with passing bowel movements has resolved.

As more and more stool collects in the child’s lower intestine (colon), the colon slowly stretches (sometimes called megacolon).

As the colon stretches more and more, the child loses the natural urge to pass a bowel movement.

Eventually, looser, partly formed stool from higher up in the intestine leaks around the large collection of harder, more formed stool at the bottom of the colon (rectum) and then leaks out of the anus (the opening from the rectum to the outside of the body).

Often in the beginning, only small amounts of stool leak out, producing streaks in the child’s underwear. Typically, parents assume the child isn’t wiping very well after passing a bowel movement and aren't concerned.

As time goes on, the child is less and less able to hold the stool in-more and more stool leaks, and eventually the child passes entire bowel movements into his or her underwear.

Often the child is not aware that he or she has passed a bowel movement.

Because the stool is not passing normally through the colon, it often becomes very dark and sticky and may have a very foul smell.

P.O.T.T."Y" Generations treats children with Encopresis and Soiling problems. For more information please contact us.

SOURCE:

American Academy of Pediatrics

© 2012 WebMD