Okay so I had my surgery on Aug 14 with the pouch built and being rehooked up in one step. I had an end ostomy for 3 years before this.

Almost everything has gone better than expected, with a fairly easy recovery and not even butt burn.

PROBLEM....
I can live with the 8 or so bowel movements during the day, but at night I am also going about 7-8 times. Up once an hour means I'm losing sleep constantly. Once or twice a day I try to take either the cookie or drink things that help stiffen the BM's up (just can't remember the company). I also stop eating by 7 pm at the latest and cut down on drinking drastically at that time. By about 3-4 am the BM's stop and I can sleep until the next morning.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm glad I've gone through with the operation and while I realise that things will improve with time, that many BM's AT NIGHT seemed a bit out of the norm.

Carl

Carl,

I can relate - I had the same, frustrating experience. Even the deal with being able to sleep by 3 or 4 am. Not much of a night's sleep, eh?

A few things that may really help:
1. You have to cut down on the gas. It probably gets you to the BR half the time. Try Gas-X
2. Start eating/taking a probiotic supplement. You might start with a good yogurt unless you have a lactose intolerance. If that is the case, try a probiotic supplement from your drugstore (Culturelle, PB-8, Flora-Q). Make sure your yogurt has "Live and Active" cultures. This may help with the gas
3. Try eating the fiber cookies ALONG WITH your meals. It will add bulk to the food you eat instead of just being a nice, bulky clump that moves along ahead or behind your food

Other than that, it will just take time.

It's hard to hear, but just give it some time, you are just over one month post-op. My nighttime trips started to decrease about 6 weeks after, but even now at 3 months, I still get up about 3 times a night. Early on, the nighttime trips get old fast... but it will improve, so hang in there!
Cheryl
P.S. Do you use any immodium or lomotil at night?? Might be something to consider...

I'm about 7/8 weeks post TD, and use the bathroom once or twice in a night. I was getting up 3 or 4 times, and it was killing me-so I can imagine your frustration.

I started on Immodium, and it really has helped. I really have only been getting up once a night with it (I just had a bad night last night-too many tomatoes-my body doesnt like yet). I hate to push them, but do you take a sleep aid of any kind. I've been off and on Ambien CR. It really does help (although not a complete solution). The control release lets you fall back asleep after you get up to go, so it's really helpful in our situation. Just a thought.

I hope you find an answer to your issues. I'm sure, in time, your body will "figure things out". I know it's hard to hear-I'm so impatient, but it's true (or so I'm told every day). Good luck!!!!