Diarrhea is an unpleasant topic to talk about or read about, but it’s even more unpleasant to those people who are suffering from it. Everyone, at one time or another during their lives, has to deal with this affliction. But there are millions of people with gastrointestinal disorders, such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Crohn’s Disease, and Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
I am one of those people who suffer from diarrhea more often than I would like to admit. When I suffer from an attack of diarrhea, I am forced to stay home if it is a nasty case, as I can’t venture too far from the bathroom. If it’s not a bad case, and it’s during the day, I can take some anti-diarrhea medicine, go to the gym, or go shopping, as long as I know there is a bathroom nearby.
There have been times when I have been afraid to drive from one location to another without having an accident. I haven’t been able to eat breakfast at a restaurant for many years because I inevitably have a sudden attack of diarrhea. It would be not only embarrassing but also disastrous.
When I have an attack during the day, even though it is unpleasant, it is not as bad as having an attack in the middle of the night. Waking up from a sound sleep with a sudden urge to go to the bathroom is frightening. Frequently, there are only a few seconds to get out of bed and make it to the toilet before my intestines explode. There have been times I didn’t make it. It’s embarrassing to say, but it does happen if you have a bowel disease.
You might say that living with this unfortunate condition cannot get worse, but it does. What makes suffering from an acute attack of diarrhea worse is that when you desperately need your anti-diarrhea medication, the pharmaceutical companies have made it extremely difficult to do so.
Drug companies have packaged their tiny pills in blister packs. Attempting to access one of the pills, I see the directions, “Cut here,” referring to a line on one of the pill chambers. This is where I have a problem. At 2 a.m., suffering from severe abdominal pain, sitting on the toilet, frequently in dim light, how in hell can I find a pair of scissors?
I’ve tried to tear the pack open but without any success. Once I find a pair of scissors or other sharp objects, I struggle to free the pill from its blister. After an ungodly amount of time, I manage to extract the pill and swallow it.
Why can’t the drug manufacturers offer these types of pills in a bottle instead of Fort Knox-like packages? Don’t they realize some older adults do not have the manual dexterity or presence of mind to retrieve their much-needed medications during a late-night attack of diarrhea? I genuinely believe that they do this intentionally.
I’m sorry for sharing such graphic details of dealing with my gastrointestinal problems, but I needed to rant in hopes it would make me feel better. I’m also forewarning my younger readers of what joys of aging lie ahead.
