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You are not alone. According to The International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD), fecal incontinence affects as much as 7% of the general population. That means that nearly 17 million people in the United States share similar stories of the pain, anxiety, shame and frustration associated with a loss of bowel control.
Fecal incontinence is a symptom and not a disease, which is important to understand when considering whether to talk to your physician about it. Right now, only a small percentage of people are seeking treatment due to the condition's embarrassing nature. Underlying fecal incontinence, however, could be any number of problems ranging from obstetrical trauma, diseases like colitis and diabetes, or medication side effects. It becomes vital that you talk with your doctor about fecal incontinence. Fecal incontinence is more common in women than in men and more common in older adults, but affects people of all ages, including children.
Living with fecal incontinence can be difficult and emotionally challenging, but you are not alone. There are millions of individuals with your problem and a number of organizations devoted to getting you back to your normal activities. Please visit the links below for further information.
http://www.nafc.org/
-- http://www.aboutincontinence.org/
http://www.simonfoundation.org/
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/fecalincontinence
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/Incont/
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