Hi, I'm not here often...hopefully that's a good thing. What brings me by is my latest scope of last Friday. My surgeon said the pouch looks good...lining was healthy, no inflammatation or ulcers etc.

So I pose the question....why do I continue to have issues with bloating, gas and explosive movements? It's not all the time....but when I have these issues they can last up to a week or so...then things get back to normal and back and forth and this seems to be my life with the pouch year after year.....

He thinks it is all diet related? But I don't want to stop eating fruits, veggies, beans, legumes etc....which may be the reason. I eat very healthy to maintain overall health. He suggests less ruffage etc. but I'm not convinced that will do the trick?

Is there anything else I could do or do I just live with this if I want to continue to eat this stuff? Any advice/thoughts are well appreciated.

I bet it's the diet! I was having some of those issues with my 2.5 year old pouch, not extreme but a problem. I also had bad butt burn most of the time. I moderated my diet, cut out beans, beer, Mexican food, etc. (still eat fruit) and my doc put me on one of those new proton pump inhibitors, the kind people use for heartburn and GERD, All my problems went away, BMs cut in half and Butt Burn is gone. (I sure don't miss it!)

My wife is a healthy 55 and all of a sudden she has heart burn, never had it before. Some of the indigestion stuf we get as we age we would have even without a J-Pouch. Mosty of my friends (I am 65) can't eat beans for instance.

Maybe it isn't the pouch so much as it is just advancing age?

Yes, as we age, our tolerance for various foods can alter. Could be IBS too. But, bottom line, you just have to choose what is more important to you; eating what you want or avoiding IBS symptoms. Most of us find a happy medium of compromise.

Have you tried taking probiotics on a regular basis to try to moderate the bacteria in your pouch? If not, it's worth a try. My pouch is 13 years old and I've noticed a difference with probiotics. It has not completely eliminated the symptoms, but things are pretty manageable.

Jan

Thank you both for the help. I agree....think it must be the diet....but not sure I'll give up my veggies etc.

Jan, I have tried to do the probiotics but just feel that the gas gets even worse....I suppose I need to allow myself time on them? Do you know how much I should take and how long before my pouch adjusts? I do eat yogurt every day to help with that....but guess I need more.

Is it possible to to have IBS in the small intestine or is it in the pouch?

If you're dealing with gas and bloating, why not try Beano? All Beano is is enzymes to digest your food - it will not get absorbed into your system. I eat lots of veggies and when I have lots of gas or if i know I'm going to have lots of gas from eating something, I take Beano and everything is fine. When I had my colon Beano was my saving grace. Ishould have bought shares in the company...

Good luck,

Suzanne

I have heard ruffage can cause all of that. I would just continue to be careful. COngrats on the good scope

I've had mine for 9 years and I eat veggies and beans but not all the time. To me, having less gas and formed BM's are more important, but that's just me. I eat fruit a few times a week and veggies/salads the same amount and I haven't had any problems. I think if you just cut down (not elimate) these foods, you'll do OK.

Suzi,

In my opinion, there could be a food-related connection, but I don't buy it. I had a thread a couple weeks ago discussing what it sounds like you go through: an annoying pattern of good days, then bad, for no apparent reason. And I KNOW I have ingested the same foods with a seemingly different response at different times.

I am of the opinion it must have to do with our bodies and immune system, as well as the bacterial balance maintained in our guts. A little change here or there, and I start back down the annoying road. Probiotics help me significantly.

http://j-pouch.org/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9151071921/m/8071005282

Steve