Hello Sandywr. I know it's a bit late for replying to this but your very appropiate post has been pu into the 'collections' box for people to read who want to look up these things.
I used anal irrigation before my stoma - but that's another story. I continued for a few months after surgery because the mucus and gunk that was being produced was foul smelling and accumulating into lumps like stools. The cone and bag (gravity) method did not work at all and I experimented with all sorts of things Until eventually I adapted two catheta gadgets on the shower hose that gave the water a bit more pressure. The first was one that shot the water in a straight line, which I figured would clen out the top of the anal cavity and the second was one that shot the water out sideways. This one I pushed to its limit and gradually pulled it out whilst twisting it round back and forth to clean the sides. All this was done while I stood in the bath so that the water could flow freely away and I could see what was coming out. It all worked very well and it was amazing what was up there. After about 6-9months it was coming out clear and without odour so I stopped anal irrigation and have not had to bother with it since.
I put this post on here for interest only. It is a procedure that I knew was not without considerable risk as the doctors had told me this when I irrigated before the astoma op. Also, I had the proper cathetas from before so it was relatively easy for me to adapt them for the new purpose.
I have a strong feeling that no medical person would recommend such a procedure to be done by the patients themselves but hey! I figure it's my body and I have the right to try whatever I think might work. In this case it did!
Best wishes
to you and everyone who is struggling with this type of issue
Bill