By using Peristeen Plus, I got back trust in myself” – Gianni
Gianni, 61, lives in Padova, Italy, together with his wife, Monica and their two children. Gianni has LARS (Low Anterior Resection Syndrome) and therefore uses Peristeen® Plus to manage his bowel.
With TAI, Gianni makes the most of everyday, working as a craftsman of bespoke doors and windows, and enjoys time together with his family and meeting up with his many friends. He often takes the opportunity at the weekend to go to his second home in the mountains.
Gianni’s problems with his bowel started several years ago; he discovered traces of blood in his faeces, so he went home and requested a proctology examination through his doctor. After this examination, the doctor confirmed there was something there. They found a tumour in his colon, 7cm in diameter. After radiation therapy and chemotherapy, they were able to reduce the tumour and Gianni underwent an operation to remove it.
For about a year, Gianni had a stoma before this was reversed. He was informed that his intestine would need to readjust to certain foods, but after many weeks where his bowel was still unable to hold stool, a different solution was needed. Initially, he was given a stool thickener, but this made no difference. Then he was introduced to Peristeen Plus.
How did Gianni get used to TAI?
Sometimes, it can take a little while to get used to TAI.1 For Gianni, support from his family and open conversation helped to make it easier.
“We agreed as a family that I would need my own personal space in the evening. We tried to collaborate with each other. If I felt I didn’t have a huge need to go to the bathroom to do the treatment, I let them go to the bathroom, otherwise they would go after. We came to an agreement; it was a normal thing.” – Gianni
How long did it take to see results?
It can take time to see results when starting out with high-volume irrigations. Fortunately for Gianni, he very quickly started to see the benefits of daily TAI.
“The first week after trying Peristeen Plus, I wasn’t affected much, but by the second week, I was at 100. I started going right and left, going back into the mountains– which is my passion, and so I started to live again.” - Gianni
The difference was notably apparent to his friends and family as well.
“Before using Peristeen Plus, I saw Gianni suffer. I saw him limited, saw his difficulty in imagining doing anything. When he started using Peristeen Plus, he definitely went back to normal.” – Monika
How does Gianni manage his TAI routine in his everyday?
Gianni has developed a Peristeen Plus routine that works for him. Using high-volume TAI, it is possible to remain continent for up to 2 days,1 so Gianni chooses to perform his irrigations in the evenings – ready for the next day at work.
“I wake up around 6:00 a.m. and have a banana for my breakfast. I go to the café, have a coffee, go to work at 7, and by 7:10 or 7:15 I’m at the site. I work until midday, then I go to eat a light meal. I go home about 6:30 or 7:00 in the evening, even 8:00 sometimes. I eat and go to the bathroom and do my Peristeen Plus treatment at 8:30 or 9:00. I stay in the bathroom 30 or 40 minutes and take my time with it all.” – Gianni
Hear more about what advice Gianni has for someone just starting out with their own treatment.
To date, Gianni continues to use Peristeen Plus each evening to manage his incontinence. This allows him to maintain his job, leaving for work early in the morning, and has even done various jobs away from home.
With Peristeen Plus, Gianni can now pursue his active social life and is able to make the most of each day. If he does still experience complications, he admits this is usually down to nutrition.
