Abbie’s Intermittent Catheter Story
Abbie Stapleton, 25 from St Neots tells Bladder and Bowel Community how endometriosis and Fowler's Syndrome led to extreme bladder pain and bladder retention, resulting in her intermittent catheters.
Patient Stories Hub
Patient Stories
Patients often become experts on their own medical condition – find out how these community members manage their healthcare, and learn from the experts. Everyone with a bladder or bowel control problem will have a different story to tell and we are proud to be able to share so many of these with you.
These bladder and bowel patient stories can offer hope, inspiration and practical guidance to others in a similar situation. Being able to identify with someone and make a connection can be the first step towards an eventual recovery – each story could help change someone’s life.
Please contact us to find out how you can share your story and how this could help raise awareness.
By working together we can help people understand more about these problems, the challenges faced and how and where to access health professional support.
Read some of our recent stories below.
Urinary Retention and Fowler’s Syndrome
Zoe, 24 from Oxfordshire/Northamptonshire border tells Bladder and Bowel Community how one day she just went into urinary retention and how having a diagnosis of Fowler's Syndrome changed her life.
Natalie’s Bowel Cancer Story
Natalie, 39 from London was diagnosed with Stage 4 bowel cancer at the age of 36. The cancer had grown extensively and even after intense chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments, she ended up undergoing Pelvic Exenteration surgery, which…
Spotlight on Fowler’s Syndrome
Today’s spotlight is on Fowler’s Syndrome, a little known bladder disorder that affects women and causes urinary retention and extremely painful bladder symptoms. Here, Megan Entwistle, 25 from Rotherham, South Yorkshire tells her story…
Being Diagnosed with Coeliac Disease Changed my Life
Coeliac Disease is a little known condition where the body’s immune system attacks the tissues when gluten is consumed. For Stella, diagnosis was positively life-changing - it meant she no longer had to live each day with stomach problems.
The Crippling Pain of Endometriosis
Dionne, 23 from Scotland talks to Bladder and Bowel Community about how the perception of endometriosis needs to change and more awareness is needed around just how damaging this gynaecological condition can be.
Living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Saffronne Epaminondas has lived with IBS for over 32 years and was diagnosed at the age of 18. There is currently no cure, but Saffron kindly shares her experiences of living with this chronic illness.
Awareness needed for Interstitial Cystitis
There’s still so much awareness needed around Interstitial Cystitis.
Three years ago, Niki Wells shared her story with the Bladder and Bowel Community on how she copes living with the debilitating bladder condition interstitial cystitis…
Having a stoma saved my life
As part of #stomaweek, Keith Thomas, 59 from Llanelli shares his story on how his stoma ‘Homer’ gave him a new lease of life and how he’s never been happier since his diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis. We'd like to thank Keith for sharing his…
How I coped with my new Stoma during Lockdown
Jan Ross underwent stoma surgery in February this year just before lockdown, after being diagnosed with rectal cancer. Here, Jan talks to Bladder and Bowel about how she coped learning how to manage her new stoma friend during these…