Hi I had my take down step two at the end of may 2006 and I still have not been able to go back to work. I have over 10 bowel movements aday sometimes more usually very loose or diarriah. Both my GI and Surgen have not been able to find anything wrong. I did have a slightly inflamed pouch last July but antibiotic just made my diarriah worse. I had a pelic MRI and it looked ok. But I had to start taking pain meds because my pouch was so sore. Then my back went out because I was walking so funny. Has any one been unable to get their symptioms under control after almost a year. I do not feel capable of working most of the time I am too tired, sore or running to the bathroom.

When you have symptoms of pouchitis without any clinical evidence of it, the diagnosis should be IPS (irritable pouch syndrome), similar to IBS. Treatment is antidepressants and antispasmotics.

Jan

Mariannes,
I had my take down eight years ago and I still go about ten times a day but this is "normal" for me. I guess I've just adjusted; I don't remember what it was like to not go ten times a day. My pain comes and goes. Some days I'm hobbling around like I just had a surgery and others I'm fine.
Sorry you're having problems hopefully you'll adjust soon and perphaps the doctors can figure out something to give you relief.

Thanks for the letting me know what is normal for you. I guess I need to determine what is acceptable. I still feel pretty weak most of the time and I know where every bathroom is around my house. From my son's preschool to target and toy's R us. I am hopeful that in the next 6 to 12 months I will feel like I can work again. Currently I feel too tired and weak.

Mariannes, I had 18 months of misery before I figured out what combination of meds worked for me, and after 4 years I'm still in the bathroom 8-10 times a day, but feel mostly OK in between. I hope you can find some relief soon.

I am sure you have tried lots of dietary things to try and help? What about medications (prescription and OTC)?

Tell us what has and hasn't worked for you and people may have some other things to try.

The only real encouragement I can give is to keep trying new things. I have found that a somewhat restrictive diet (no coffee, for example), fiber with meals, and a good probiotic have helped me immensely. I don't always have formed stool, but it is much better than it was.