I've had my pouch for 16 years. For the first time, I have a slight crampy, bloating feelin everywhere below my bellybutton and intermittent intense pain in my rectal area but almost no output. Any ideas? Obstruction was ruled out in the ER

Dehydration and/or potassium deficiency can cause ileus-like
symptoms. The rectal pain sounds like a partial blockage.
People here often suggest purple grape juice to help pass any
blockage like that. You might try extra fluids,
particularly OJ, yogurt, and/or broth loaded with potassium.
However, if you are getting no or very little output this
could backfire (but then you'd be back to the ER for IV fluids
anyway).

It's odd that the ER sent you home without determining what
the problem is. How did they rule out an obstruction? Jan
once posted that they look for distension caused by gas in a
CT scan, and that might not show if you do not have much gas.
Did they do any blood work or other tests, and are you taking
anti-diarrheal meds or pain meds?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bobolink713,

they did do blood work, but said the only abnormality was a slightly elevated white blood cell count. They felt it was not high enough to be of concern, barely out of normal range. I am doing cortifoam enemas and taking Levsin for the spasms. My surgeon and PCP also put me on Cipro cuz they feel maybe it is pouchitis, although the pouch hasn't been scoped in some time.

Thanks for the help!

Have you been checked for an anal stricture? Sometimes docs forget to check for the obvious things and also forget to consider your surgical history, other than to assume you have possible adhesions from abdominal surgery.

The combination of antispasmotics and antibiotics may be slowing you enough to cause outlet obstruction issues that were previously compensated by loose stools.

Jan