Ugh... I have constant diarrhea everyday. I have been able to control it... only if I eat nothing but metamucil wafers! Once I eat any food, it's just yellow liquid pouring out, and major butt burn. What can I do? I had takedown 10 weeks ago. I contacted Dr. Dietz and he suggested a perm ileostomy since the immodium and fiber are not helping. That is a sucky solution for right now.
Anyone got any new advice?

they suggested a perm. ileostomy after only 2 months with your pouch and liquid output? that seems strange.

Annie,

I'm so sorry to hear you're having such terrible problems. I had not seen any posts from you in a while, and and I assumed you were busy enjoying life.

Have you been tested for viral or bacterial causes for your diarrhea? Just in case it's nothing to do with your pouch -- like salmonella or shigella or C. difficile? My daughter has had constant watery diarrhea for days and she doesn't have a j-pouch or UC. She's supposed to get a stool sample tested if it doesn't clear up soon.

I hope you can get relief soon. You have gone through so much already.

Anjuli

I`m so sorry to hear about your situation and I don`t have any solutions for you but I just want to let you know that you are not the only one having this problem.I`d say that 9 out of 10 bowel movements I have are watery diarrhea with no real issues for me to mention.It`s been like this for 5 years now and I really don`t mind it.I don`t have any butt burn,maybe once in a while but only after I ate something I shouldn`t have.I`m on heavy duty pain killers so you would think that would slow things down but no such luck.It`s just a normal thing for me to have watery stools now,I should mention in passing that I do have severe chronic pouchitis and that that has alot to do with my watery stools I would think.I hope your situation greatly improves very very soon.God bless and take care.

It does seem very premature to be recommending returning to an ileostomy right now. Have you been careful with introducing foods slowly into your diet? I know some people have started on the BRAT diet (don't know exactly what that's supposed to stand for but you can look it up on this site) but maybe start with basic foods like bananas and potatoes (guaranteed to thicken things up for me - too much in fact) and work on expanding it as you go on. Also think about cutting out things like milk, wheat, spicy foods, coffee etc for now and introducing them gradually only when you get a handle on this. Also, bear in mind you'll never be producing a 'normal' stool and things like the butt burn will improve with time anyway.

I'm guessing they are already suggesting an ileo because you've had a pouch re-do - is that correct?

Did you ahve a similar issue prior to your re-do (meaning, was this part of the reason for the re-do)? Have you tried lomotil instead of immodium? What about Questran (cholestyramine) which is sometimes used to get diahrrea under control?

What kinds of food are you eating? Have you tried starting out with very small amounts, many times a day? or, have you tried eating with hte Metamucil wafers so taht you get the bulk iwth the food?

I hope you can get things under control, but if you don't, know that life wtih a perm ileo can be great - I have had one for 5 years and have been healthy and happy since. I'm about to give birth to my second child since the ileo, something I couldn't have considered with my pouch.

Annie,
I understand how you feel. I have recurrant yellow liquid stools and horrid raw butt. I have found that pepto bismal works better for me than immodium. I used to take 8 immodium a day and now I take 2 chewable peptos in the evening with much better results. Also for an occasional nasty case of yellow stool I will drink about 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. It cuts the acidity of the stool and helps to get it under control. Since you have such a difficult time you may want to check with your doctor first before you try anything new. Plus there is a possibility of other problems with long term pepto use.

I really hope you can get this under control and give your pouch a chance to work.

Norma

Have you tried doing probiotics? I also suffer from everyday diahrea and have had the same thing happen to me..Yellow liquid, sometimes with foam..There is something to that foam and I can't remember what it is...
In the mean time you can try some Maaloxx and see if that won't cut down the buttburn...What goes in can be made less acidic when it ogoes out. You could, by this time, also have a yeast infection...
I will send you my butt burn care list by PM
Julie

Is it possible you have pouchitis that flagyl and/or cipro would help? Good luck to you!!

Thanks, all. Yes (to a couple of responses), this is take-down after re-do. That might be why Dietz was so quick to throw permanent ileo out there. I started taking Flagyl 4 days ago, and I feel a little better. Funny thing about the lemon juice. I have been drinking homemade lemonade the last few days, and the butt burn is not as bad!? Odd that an acidic fruit can reduce acidic stool? I have been talking with my GI in Philly (amazing guy, very good bedside manner), and he thinks we can try a drug called LOTRONEX.
Has anyone tried this before?
I have completely changed my diet for the last 14 days. I eliminated coffee, chocolate, milk, beef, and pork. I increased fish, pasta, rice, and added supplements of fish oil & potent probiotics. I eat a Metamucil wafer when I wake up, before bed, and before every meal. Sadly I have seen little improvement. Things get a bit more tolerant when I take percocet. It helps with the butt burn pain and belly spasms. I still have low energy and go 8-10 times a day.

Annie,

I know what you are going through. A week after my surgery they were going to take me back to surgery because whenever I would stand diarrhea would pour out. I had my surgery 11 years ago and I still go up to 12 times a day. I found that my diet affected how many times I would go in a day. I have found too that if I don't eat for several days and then eat again it takes a few days before everything corrects itself and I get that yellow liquid during that time. I saw that someone mentioned the BRAT diet. It stands for bananas, rice, applesauce and toast. I have been on it several times and the bananas and rice especially help. They are binding foods and help slow things down. I know it sounds weird but my doctor even suggested drinking the rice water because you get water and it is binding.

As for the Lotronex, I had taken it before, but can't remember much about it. The only thing I can suggest is to hang in there. It can take time for your body to adjust. I wish you the best.