I'm not an expert, but this is basically what I know. Enemas can be plain water, or they can have some sort of stimulant in them. This is usually in the form of something with sodium, or possibly a very dilute solution of soap. Either way, I think they act as an irritant with the idea that the irritation will stimulate the bowels to do their work. Enemas should be just mildly warm; not cold, and especially not hot. There is the option of what I would call lavage, which is the old fashioned hot water bottle. This is a LOT of water, though. If you use one, I'd suggest just plain water, and not soap or any other home-brewed solution.The next is the option of using a baby enema syringe. This holds about 3 ozs of water, and you'll need to use maybe 2 - 5 fills. Don't apply too much pressure if you use this.Finally, there are the varous Fleet brand enemas. These come in plain water, and with some sodium based preparation; I believe.If you use anything other than plain water, you can expect to have a strong reaction; possibly accompanied by cramping and/or pain.For 10 years, I used a small (6-15 ozs of plain water) enema every night as a stimulant. I've changed my diet a bunch, and have been trying to retrain my bowels to the morning. I've had a lot of success with this, and haven't had an enema in over a week. I eliminated all fruits, eggs, and onions from my diet. I also cut down on the cheese I have in the PM. Of course, my "success" could be just coincidental to a change in my IBS symptoms, as I did have a bout of D last week. Only time will tell.Good luck, and remember that this is a very sensitive part of your body you're messing with. It's not a baloon, and can only deal with so much pressure; so don't get carried away.Finally, consider talking this over with your doctor.
