Free PDF
Bowels During Treatment
Constipation, diarrhoea and laxatives: what to record, and when to call the team.
Painkillers, anti-sickness medicines, treatment, eating less and moving less can all change how the bowels work. Nobody likes talking about it, but the team needs to know. A record of bowel changes and the medicines the team prescribed for them. It never tells you what to give or how much. UK-focused.
What’s inside
- Why bowels matter during treatment
- What our team told us
- When to call, and when not to wait
- Before you ring the 24-hour line: have this ready
- Daily bowel record
- Laxatives and bowel medicines
- Painkillers, laxatives and suppositories
- As-needed bowel medicines record
- Changes to bowel medicines: never overwritten
- If they have a stoma
- Small things that can help
- Accidents, sore skin and dignity
- Making the toilet easier
- Keeping everyone safe at home
- When they cannot tell you
- Talking about it without the embarrassment
- Questions for the team or pharmacist
- Sources and support
Print it or fill it in, whatever feels easiest today.
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