Hi guys....well i'm 3 months post op.. had the j-pouch creation and take down at same time.. things seem to be going very well. I'm pretty much back to my normal routine again(work/kids/exercise/training...yada..yada..
although, i'm still having rectal spasms... my continence is fine and my frequency is usually pretty good. i think i'm down to about 10 times in a 24 hour period. although, i still haven't really deremined the difference between gas and substance so some of those are just passing gas in the bathroom. anyhow, the spasms aren't a problem with control or anything. it just feels like i have to go to the bathroom when i don't and is very uncomfortable and sometimes painful. i have spoken to my doc about this and he says the can continue for a few months post op. i still take tylenol 3's a couple of times in a 24 hour period as per his instruction. they do help almost to the point where i don't even notice the spasms. sorry for rambling.. just wondering if this is normal, and if there is anyone else out there who is experiencing the same thing....and do these spasms ever go away for good???
thanks much for any advice... i haven't been on this site in a while but it has been such a god send through out my whole ordeal.. can't thank everyone enough!!!
cheers!
wendy

Hi there - I had spasms after takedown which lasted for about 3 weeks to a month then went completely away. I just started having them again along with anal pain and I think (thanks to info from Jan and the good people here) that I probably have a fissure causing the anal pain and spasms. I just started taking ointment to hopefully heal any fissure I may have.

I had the spasms for months until we finally treated them.

My surgeon kept saying they'd go away. Until I spoke to my GI. We did a flex sig, and within 2 seconds of entering said he sees the problem. I had cuffitis, which was causing the spasms. What it really was was pouchitis which was causing extra gas and inflaming the cuffitis. I had absolutely no pouchitis symptoms! ONLY spasms from the cuffitis.

It took a while to find the right antibiotic to heal this, but now that I found the right one it finally is good... 9 months later(!). now I am only taking probiotics.

So, from my experience, I'd prob try an antibiotic if there's no relief, ask for a flex sig?

Actually, probably more importantly, is your doctor your Surgeon or GI? I think it is VERY important to distinguish between the two. This is your GI's area of expertise.

Well it was nearly 12 years ago for me, so I don't remember the timetable exactly. I can tell you that it does go away. I seem to remember it was about six months.

Jan

Yes, I remember the "Spasms" as I remember, they lasted on and off for about a year. they just seemed to go away. I would not "Rush to Judgement" it is going to take awhile for your body to adjust, (you are only a few months out) Give it time, Good Luck Den

thanks so much for all the advice guys... just curious.. anybody else here use tylenol 3 to help make them feel non-existent?? i'm just starting to worry that i've been taking them for too long.. or if it's nothing to worry about..
thx,
wen

Wenwen:

I just want to say that I'm in the same boat as you are. I'm 3.5 months post-surgery and had it done exactly like yours: pouch creation and takedown at the same time.

I do experience those painful cramps and spasms and I do pass blood. My surgeon checked my rectum and said it was probably cuffitis. He prescribed Salofalk suppositories. They don't help and I now wonder if I have a fissure.

quote:

thanks so much for all the advice guys... just curious.. anybody else here use tylenol 3 to help make them feel non-existent?? i'm just starting to worry that i've been taking them for too long.. or if it's nothing to worry about..

Wow, I would think that's too strong? Have you spoken to a GI?

What worked in my case was ibuprofen as it is an anti-inflammatory.