Bowel advice

If you have:

Please tell your GP and do not wait to be seen by our service

If you are having problems with your bowels, you may find the following suggestions helpful:

Ensure you drink plenty of liquids. Information on what liquids are helpful can be found on our bladder problems.
Eat regularly, ensuring you have 3 meals a day. Skipping meals in case you have an accident does not work and confuses your bowels. Eat a balanced diet which includes fruit, vegetables and fibre. Aim for 5 a day. Porridge or Weetabix are good bulkers for your poo and can help to keep stools soft and formed.
Establish a good routine. As a service we recommend trying the ‘morning routine’. Wake up and have something to eat and drink. Once you have done this get dressed and/or exercise, then try to open your bowels.
Change your toilet position: If safe to do so, place feet on a stool or a ’squatty potty’ so that your knees are higher than your hips (as illustrated below).If you do not have a squatty potty, you could also use an upside-down wash bowl or other product that is at a safe height for you.
Medication: This can affect both bladder and bowels, for example, stop you from weeing, increase frequency and (or) cause loose stools (diarrhoea) or constipation. If you have any concerns about medication, contact your GP.
- When did you last have a medication review?: If you have not had an annual (once yearly) medication review, please contact your GP.
- Do you buy any medications over the counter?: Any medications bought over the counter can interact negatively with prescribed medication. Please check with your pharmacist.

Patient information

Illustration pointing to pelvic floor muscle

Sit on a chair.
Squeeze your bottom muscle (anus) as if you are trying to stop wind from passing. Try not to use the muscles in your buttocks or thighs.
For women: Draw that squeeze forward to tighten the vagina.
For men: Draw up the squeeze and see/feel your scrotum lift (men sometimes find it easier to stand in front of a mirror to see this lift).
Hold this squeeze (this may only be for 2 to 5 seconds). Repeat 3 to 5 times.
After this, complete ‘fast squeezes’, this is when you squeeze up and immediately Repeat 3 to 5 times.
Try and develop a routine to ensure you do these exercises three times per day, gradually increasing the length of the hold until you can lift and hold for Repeat this 10 times.