Okay guys and gals. Don't post much around here because I generally do pretty good.
I just want to make a recommendation that if your doctor recommends you self-dilate at home...HAVE HIM DEMONSTRATE WITH YOU HOW TO DO THIS.
I was told to use the Hegar dilators, working my way up to 18 (currently on 15). It hurt but I must have a high pain tolerance because, as it turns out, I started feeling like my BMs were made of shards of glass and I was causing the problem.
His verbal instructions were to angle the dilator towards my back but I wasn't angling as much as I thought I was. This was causing ulceration and damage to the rectal pouch, therefore the wonderful shards of glass feeling.
When he demonstrated in his office the correct way for me to do the dilation, it was COMPLETELY different and, even though I was already "damaged," it didn't hurt when done the correct way.
Moral of the story...make sure you are doing it correct even if it means a visit to have your doc show you the proper techniques. In the long run, you'll save yourself a lot of pain!!
Jen
I just want to make a recommendation that if your doctor recommends you self-dilate at home...HAVE HIM DEMONSTRATE WITH YOU HOW TO DO THIS.
I was told to use the Hegar dilators, working my way up to 18 (currently on 15). It hurt but I must have a high pain tolerance because, as it turns out, I started feeling like my BMs were made of shards of glass and I was causing the problem.
His verbal instructions were to angle the dilator towards my back but I wasn't angling as much as I thought I was. This was causing ulceration and damage to the rectal pouch, therefore the wonderful shards of glass feeling.
When he demonstrated in his office the correct way for me to do the dilation, it was COMPLETELY different and, even though I was already "damaged," it didn't hurt when done the correct way.
Moral of the story...make sure you are doing it correct even if it means a visit to have your doc show you the proper techniques. In the long run, you'll save yourself a lot of pain!!
Jen
