I have had my final surgery on 4/30/07 for the takedown and my pouch hasn't been too bad to get used to. 6/7/07 I believe I had a small bowel obstruction. 15 minutes after I finshed my dinner I started to feel some cramping then things worsened and within 20 minutes I was in a heap of crying pain that left me slumped on the floor. I "toughed" it out and it passed after about 45 minutes of terrible pain. Since then I have had no more abdominal pain but I started to carry a low grade fever of about 100 to 101 every day since. I feel fluish and I have realized I am using the bathroom more often than prior. Would this be pouchitis? I also take some probiotics on my own do they really help out at all? I also wonder is it normal to have a hard time differentiating between passing gas and letting stool come out. Ever since my surgery I am scared to pass gas because stool always seems to come with and that of course feels real great to hold in all the time until I get to the bathroom. I have contacted my doctor about my symptoms in regards to the fever and I was told that I had picked up something viral probably. I did have blood drawn and it checked out ok they checked for elevated white blood count I think. Please I need some advice I haven't had anyone to talk to about this and I have never joined a support group before. Thanks

Dan,

I can only relate my own experience in the months after takedown, which was in July 1992. I had a blockage as you did shortly after takedown, and I also OD'd on sodium within a month or two. You have to be real careful with your diet because your colon regulates the sodium/potassium levels in your body and they are easily thrown out of whack if you are not careful with your diet right after the takedown. As time goes on and your body adapts to the pouch, this will not be a problem any more.

I don't think the fever is indicative of pouchitis necessarily. You may have pouchitis down the road. As for frequent bowel movements, you are going to go more frequently than when you had a colon, after all it's 10 feet long and it's not there, which means what goes down will go through you much faster.

I have had pouchitis for about 12 years and never had a fever from it. When it gets bad for me, the main symptoms are I feel irritated and the frequency increases from what it normally is. You are at such an early stage post takedown, you don't know yet what normal is for you.

All a low grade fever means is your body is fighting off some type of infection. It eventually will and the fever will go away. If it doesn't or it gets worse, see your Doctor ASAP. Good luck.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DJBHusky,

I crave salt like crazy I really notice it. I have read that you might need to up the amount in your diet but it's weird to me.The frequency I go to the bathroom I meant had increased since my fever came on not the whole time since surgery. I am just going to wait it out for a few more days and hope it goes away I guess. Thanks

Dan,

I tend to crave salt myself, and it's no problem for me to go hog wild with salty foods now. But when I was 1 or 2 months post takedown in 1992, one night I went on a sodium binge with pepperoni pizza, potato chips and V 8 juice. Later that night I had to be rushed to the ER in excruciating pain (pain seemed to be in my lower back/kidneys). My diagnosis in the ER was a sodium overdose - my sodium levels were off the charts and trace blood showed up in my urine. I was warned that my body was still adjusting to the pouch which SLOWLY assumes the colon's function of regulating the proper sodium and potassium levels in my body. I also had an episode when I was still in the hospital prior to the takedown when my potassium level went so low they had to give me liquid potassium, which tastes awful by the ways. So be very careful and although you can eat salty foods, do so in moderation and don't go crazy like I did.

As for the fever, I have never had fever with my pouchitis but I do believe I may have run a low grade fever right after the takedown. I am not sure it is necessarily pouchitis as opposed to maybe just a routine stomach bug which by the ways I have had and it will hit you harder than before J pouch surgery. Anyway, just stay on top of it and if it does not get better go to see your GI right away.

With the severe abdominal pain you describe, it sounds more like gastroenteritis than obstruction and pouchitis. But, if this does not resolve in a few days, assume you have pouchitis and call for antibiotics. I got food poisoning once that wound up causing pouchitis and I needed antibiotics for it. Flagyl fixed me up right quick.

Jan