Healthy Bladder and Bowel guide

Useful tips

• It is important to be in a good position to have your bowels open. Are you sitting comfortably? You should be well supported with feet flat on the floor and feeling safe, not slipping or sliding or having trouble getting on and off the toilet. Your knees need to be slightly higher than hips and sitting slightly forward helps to encourage a bowel movement
• When you feel the need to empty your bowel, don’t keep ignoring it. By constantly putting off going to the toilet you can make yourself constipated
• Some medicines you take may upset your bowel habit. Do not stop medication, but ask your nurse, doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Looking after your bladder

Drinking the correct amount of fluid for your body weight is important to keep the urine in your bladder diluted. If urine becomes too concentrated it can irritate your bladder, making you need the toilet more frequently and urgently.

If passing urine during the night is causing problems, you can reduce your intake after 6pm but do ensure you compensate at other times of day to get the correct daily intake.

The following advice will help to reduce your problems:

• DON’T restrict fluids when troubled by incontinence, as this can make the problem worse. The bladder becomes accustomed to smaller volumes and unable to hold on to larger amounts
• DO increase your fluid intake in hot weather. More fluid is needed due to fluid lost by perspiration
• DO consider taking more foods that have a good water content, such as jellies, yoghurt, soup, milk puddings or ice cream
• DO consider reducing caffeine which is found in tea, coffee, cola, cocoa and a range of over the counter pain killers which have a diuretic effect, increasing the amount of urine produced. It can also irritate your bladder, making it want to empty more frequently and urgently
• DO avoid fizzy drinks especially those ‘lite’ or diet drinks with artificial sweeteners like aspartame or saccharine
• DO avoid or restrict alcoholic drinks which can irritate the bladder
• DO consider losing weight. Being overweight can make your bladder problems worse by putting extra pressure on the pelvic floor muscles, which then become weak.

To reduce your caffeine intake, try decaffeinated varieties of tea, coffee or cola, or caffeine free drinks such as water, fruit juice or squash. Ensure you change gradually to reduce any withdrawal effects.

Looking after your bowels

• Normal bowel motions are soft and easy to pass and you shouldn’t need to strain
• It is normal to empty your bowel up to three times a day or only once every two to three days (either can be normal)
• Bowels benefit from routine. Allow yourself time and privacy to empty your bowels
• Food and drink stimulate the bowel. The best time to try for a bowel motion is approximately 30 minutes after the first hot drink or meal of the day
• Drinking the correct amount of fluid for your body weight can help prevent constipation. If you are not drinking enough, this makes the waste hard and makes it difficult for you to get rid of waste. Fluid helps the waste to remain slippery and therefore easier to pass
• Make sure you are eating enough fibre. The best advice is to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day
• Limber up! Regular exercise, within your limitations, can stimulate the bowel to work regularly.

Our patients matter

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust listens and responds to patients and their carers to help improve the services we deliver.

If you have any comments, compliments or concerns you can speak with a member of staff or contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and Complaints Team.

Telephone: 0151 471 2377 Freephone: 0800 328 2941 Email: palsandcomplaints@merseycare.nhs.uk