This may get long. Sorry.

I just had my takedown a week ago. The efferent limb of my pouch made four years ago had stretched and I had to have three inches removed. So I still have the same pouch as before, just part of it's gone.

I was one of those who didn't use immodium once I got used to the pouch. I liked the runniness because it made it really easy to go to the bathroom. Anyway, when I got back from this td, for whatever reason, my body started retaining water. Big time. I was a little swollen from a day's course of steroids I had to go on (on Thurs) for an allergic reaction, but on Saturday, I looked down and realized I had completely lost my ankles. I tried elevating them, but laying down just made all the pressure go to my head and my face swelled too. To top it off, since my body was retaining water, that included sucking the fluid from my bowels so I got really constipated, as in what you would expect to see coming out of a colon --that hard. Not the best thing post-takedown. On the advice of my doctor brother, I stepped on the scale to discover that I had gained 10 pounds of bloat! Yesterday, all was back to normal, just a little sore in the bowels from the constipation. However, now no matter what I eat or the fact that I'm on no medications (pain meds or otherwise) my poops are still pretty formed. Where as before I just went when I peed and barely had to push, still today I am needing to push. Nothing comes out when I pee unless I also push. I'm hoping this is temporary, but if anyone has any suggestions, I'm very open to them. I never thought I'd miss diarrhea!

Also, I'm missing the urgency. I guess the nerves are all different now. And now I can't tell when I need to go, so every once and a while I just go sit on the toilet and push just in case something might be in there.

Anyone with a pouch revision or who's had to get a new pouch have trouble adjusting like this? I know I'm barely a week out so it's all new, but the constipation and the need for pushing is throwing me for a loop. I knew I'd need to adjust and re-learn to a point, but it's just more different than I expected.

Sometimes I have that trouble. I am so sorry for your swelling. I bet it was from steriods. Give it a few days. Have you tried drinking iced tea or grape juice? Those always make things move for me. Good luck.