Posted by D(i)L(bert) on October 18, 2003 at 10:55 [152.163.253.71]
In Reply to: Re: don't -> Why? posted by Soren on October 13, 2003 at 10:20
Soren:
Both sleeping pills and laxatives are habit forming in a very bad way. Your body gets out of the habit of doing for itself what the pills do for you, and soon needs the pills to do what was once normal. Sleeping pills (at least the ones available without prescription in the US) are not terribly effective, and generally do not produce the kinds of sleep your body actually needs. I might possibly consider Benadryl (diphenhydramine). You might also need to be at least partially awake to do the dirty deed, at least until you get into the habit -- voluntary bedwetters have found this to be true, at least initially.
Laxatives can be quite effective (I had to use what's known as a "purgative" before having a colonoscopy recently) but are not recommended for frequent use. I have also found that the gut is generally moving slowly when you are asleep, so it is most likely to dump the load first thing in the morning.
Instead of laxatives, you might consider a high-fiber diet, which will produce lots of volume. Just eat lots raw fruit and veggies, and drink plenty of water. Maybe chew up some flax seeds, roughly 1 tablespoon (15ml) per day. Psyllium husk (Metamucil in the US) makes the results slippery and comfortable.
Finally, a very dilute enema, just before bedtime may produce the desired results, but remember that the things are habit forming and you shouldn't indulge more often than about once per week. The ready-to-use ones in the drugstore will be much too strong and produce results before you can get to sleep. Be prepared for the mess.
If producing the mess wakes you up, just lay there and let nature take its course. This is how voluntary bedwetters train. Those that want to untrain get a bedwetters alarm, and practice getting up and going to the bathroom whenever they wet.
Take care of yourself; you only have one body and screwing it up permanently is no fun at all.