Hi all, I am new to the group. I had my take-down surgery on March 28th and within 2 weeks I was having the symptoms of both pouchitis and cuffitis. My surgeon put me on flagyl, cipro, and Canasa suppositories. The flagyl and cipro has helped with the urgency, frequency, and tail-bone pain, but I am still having pain when I have a bowel movement. Not to be too graphic...but the pain is up inside, not on the outside. I have to strain to push my poop out. I don't have blood anymore, but still have the pain and feeling of fullness down below. Do you guys think I still have cuffitis? I have been a very sick individual.....three major surgeries in 8 months, and I have Ankylosing Spondylitis, so just want as much information as I can get about the symptoms of cuffitis. As you all know, ulcerative colitis is the disease that just keeps on giving!

Thanks for everyone's help.

Here's the bad news. The symptoms are pretty much the same, but when there is bleeding, it is most likely due to cuffitis. I know that when my cuff is more inflamed, I get that urgency and "swollen" feeling in there. I also get a tailbone ache (probably related to adhesions from the presacral abscess I had following surgery). Are you still on the Canasa? If not, you probably should be. Do not be surprised if you need them for maintenance. I still use them from time to time even though I switched to oral Azulfidine years ago. Since I had to stop taking my Humira (that I was taking for my arthritis with AS), I have noticed more cuff symptoms creeping back in.

Jan