Enema dependency?

[MirrorMan]

So I started using fleet enemas about two years ago, they were great and I'd use them once every other day to feel clean. My problem is I'm afraid I've become dependent on them and they're not even really helping me feel clean anymore. I've gotten to using two bottles a day, sometimes three and I just feel bloated, dizzy, and full for lack of a better term. My boyfriend keeps telling me to stop, but as stupid as it sounds I'm afraid to. I've been dependent on them for so long I don't trust my body to work how it's supposed to without them.

I'm into this whole routine where I do this for an hour when I get home and I hate it, it's not normal but I just don't know how to quit. Any advice?

Sorry for over sharing, I just don't know where to turn.

 

[nycguydowntown]

think this is really bad for you--and it may say so on the box---figure out a way to stop as soon as you can.

 

[KaraBulut]

Your boyfriend is correct. It's not healthy and may be doing harm.

The only way to stop at this point is slowly wean yourself off them- cutting back on the volume and the frequency over time until you are only using them in the rare instance when they are needed.

You may also want to see a gastrointestinal specialist to discuss the original issues that led to the use of the enemas.

 

[Benvolio]

Try eating more foods which will prevent constipation, and then just stop the enemas for a day or two. When you see that you do not need them, you should be able to stop. Nuts and fruit (try four a day) have a laxative effect for me, rather than chemicals.

 

[palbert]

You might also try beefing up your intestinal bacterial cultures. Try the yogurts designed for that purpose.

 

[Agent Provocateur]

My layman's take on this is that there may be an underlying psychological issue at play if you feel the need to use them with such frequency. It may be embarrassing, but you will need to talk to a doctor about this and see if the problem is severe enough to have him refer you to a counselor of some sort. It's for your health; what you're doing may be causing physical damage and you could end up with major colorectal issues in future.

 

[Benvolio]

It does seem obsessive/compulsive when you describe it as a ritual which you don't like but have to do. Are there other habits and things which you feel you have to do? Remember Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets and the detective Adrian Monk. They are extreme and fictional, but they illustrate the concept. The enemas are unhealthy and the compulsion is another level of unhealthy. Googling will get you a lot of information on obsessive/compulsive behavior. Perhaps recognizing it will help you stop.