Table 3.
Bowel symptom prevalence
| Item | Reverted | Total (n) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Over the last 4 weeks, how many bowel movements do you generally have in 24 h? |
mean 2.7 times/day (s.d. 1.7), range 1–9 | 115 | |||
| Always/most of the time (> 1/week) n (%) | Sometimes (1/week) n (%) | Rarely/never (< 1/week) n (%) | ||||
| 2 |
Do certain solid foods increase the number of bowel movements in a day? |
19 (16.0) | 40 (33.6) | 60 (50.4) | 119 | |
| 3 |
Do certain liquids that you drink increase the number of bowel movements in a day? |
14 (11.8) | 17 (14.3) | 88 (74.0) | 119 | |
| 4 |
Do you feel like you have totally emptied your bowels after a bowel movement? |
yes | 79 (67.0) | 24 (20.3) | 15 (12.7) | 118 |
| 5 | Do you get to the toilet on time? | yes | 105 (89.0) | 6 (5.1) | 7 (5.9) | 118 |
| 6 |
Do you have another bowel movement within 15 min of your last bowel movement? |
28 (23.5) | 28 (23.53) | 63 (52.9) | 119 | |
| 7 |
Do you know the difference between having to pass gas (air) and needing to have a bowel movement? |
yes | 80 (67.8) | 18 (15.3) | 20 (17.0) | 118 |
| 8 |
Have you used medicines to decrease the number of bowel movements? |
25 (21.2) | 11 (9.3) | 82 (69.5) | 118 | |
| 9 |
Have you had diarrhea (no form, watery stool)? |
37 (31.4) | 29 (24.6) | 52 (44.1) | 118 | |
| 10 |
Have you had loose stool (slight form, but mushy)? |
55 (46.6) | 38 (32.2) | 25 (21.2) | 118 | |
| 11 |
Have you been able to wait 15 minutes to get to the toilet when you feel like you are going to have a bowel movement? |
yes | 47 (39.8) | 31 (26.3) | 40 (33.9) | 118 |
| 12 |
Have you been able to control the passage of gas (air)? |
yes | 68 (58.1) | 33 (28.2) | 16 (13.7) | 117 |
| 13 |
Have you limited the types of solid foods you eat to control your bowel movements? |
16 (13.5) | 18 (15.1) | 85 (71.4) | 119 | |
| 14 |
Have you limited the types of liquids you drink to control you bowel movements? |
6 (5.0) | 14 (11.8) | 99 (83.2) | 119 | |
| 15 |
Have you had soilage (leakage of stool) of your undergarments during the day? |
11 (9.2) | 21 (17.6) | 87 (73.1) | 119 | |
| 16 |
Have you used a tissue, napkin, and/or pad in your undergarments during the day in case of stool leakage? |
14 (11.8) | 8 (6.7) | 97 (81.5) | 119 | |
| 17 |
Have you had soilage (leakage of stool) of your undergarments when you go to bed? |
2 (1.7) | 7 (5.9) | 110 (92.4) | 119 | |
| 18 |
Have you had to alter your activities because of your bowel function? |
25 (21.2) | 14 (11.9) | 79 (67.0) | 118 | |