I go out infrequently at night because it's so hard to socialize when my insides feel like they're going to explode. I also hate to hog the bathroom and stink it up.

When I do go out I empty my pouch as much as I can. I take an extra immodium which helps sometimes. What I really need to do is try not to eat much which can be difficult when the food is good. I limit my time out to about three hours and let my husband, and kids, know when I really have to get home.

I'm like Cinderella I can only stay at the party for so long before I turn into something not so attractive.

Theresa

I have never noticed a difference day vs. night. So sorry it is frustrating.

Same issues here for me. I can manage fine during the day for about 4-6 hours at a clip as long as I empty my pouch before going out and often take immodium before an event. If i had to deal with night time events where I could not easily get to a bathroom (like places other than restaurants, close friends homes etc), I would get some anxiety over the number of trips, discomfort that goes along with it and the triple flushing or more I always do even at home.

I am going to CA soon and it will be interesting to see how I make out as there will be a lot of travel in the car and 8 hours on the plane. I hope I do ok, but I have to admit I am nervous.

this was much more of issue for me when i did not have my pouchitis under control but in addition to that i take something that might help you all it is an antispasmatic..called hyomax once every 12 hours..the only draw back is it can create dry mouth which i can deal with easily ..you all might want to look into that..otherwise although its not a problem to go out at night for me or travel

rebe

I am seven months out from takedown and still find the evening a problem. The frequency just builds up. I too try to reduce the impact by being mindful of when and what I eat but that just takes the edge off the problem it does not resolve it. I do however think that there is slow improvement - just as all the veterens say! I think I have been slowed up in my recovery by an undiagnosed stricture- I was trying to be calm and wait for an improvement that was actually not going to happen! Dilatation has changed things for the better.

My j pouch behaves quite nicely but I will say evening is when it's the most active. I'm sure that is the case for the majority of us. The one thing that still bugs me is using someone else's bathroom at their house. Especially if the potty is near where everyone is gathered by. I find myself holding it (as time goes on you will be able to hold it for a while) until I'm about ready to burst and then I usually leave early. If I could just get over it and use the darn bathroom, I'd be fine. I don't like public restrooms either but at least doing an explosive BM in there isn't as bad as doing one at a friends house.

I've never had any issue going out, though it's natural to be worried soon after your takedown. If I'm going out to say, a movie, I will often take imodium before I go, just in case. I also tend to be a little more careful/selective of what I eat when I'm out; i.e., if we're going to dinner and then a movie, I'll avoid foods which I know may increase my frequency or cause excess gas (which naturally means I'll skip the spicy food or refried beans ). I also make sure to try use the bathroom whenever one is available, so I won't have to go later. It's hard to believe but all of this is so integrated into my routine now, I don't really think much about it; it's almost automatic. Also, most of my friends are quite used to my bathroom pit stops so generally it's not a problem. As with anything, you'll find ways to adapt over time.

I'm sure one of the reasons you had surgery was to enjoy life, so try not to limit your activities. I'm sure wherever you want to go at night, there are public restrooms that you can use. I remember in the early days of still focusing too much on my butt; it helped me to have distractions. Go out and live life and who cares if you need to use the restroom?

Sue

Yes, just to add to what Sue has mentioned, if you worry too much about the bathroom it will inevitably become an issue. Easier said than done, I know, but let me give a real life example: the thing is, I realized not too long after I started going out again after my takedown, that I really wasn't in the bathroom any more than some of my "coloned" friends. When I made a pit stop, they often did too. In fact, one of my girlfriends has an overactive bladder and on a typical evening when we're all out, I would say that she's probably the restroom as much or even more often than I am. So clearly, she has an issue but she isn't letting it restrict her activities either. Besides, the best way to figure out what you can handle is to actually try doing things. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that you can tolerate 2, 3 or even 4 hours at a stretch without needing to run to the washroom. As I said earlier, take whatever precautions you need, such as taking imodium before you go, and limiting yourself to more sensible food choices, but don't let it stop you from having fun!

Spooky brings up a good point. My girlfriend pees like every 20 minutes! (overactive bladder) We j pouchers are not the only ones who have to make several pit stops along the way!

I would agree with Sue. Go out and have fun !! I go out pretty much every weekend and often on weeknights. Like was already said, you are probably a lot more worried about what your friends think of you going to the bathroom then they really are. In terms of your increased motility at night, do you tend to drink more carbonated drinks at that time? If you are drinking soda, drinking out of a straw or chewing gum you may notice increased gas. Also check out the J pouch diet. I was eating a lot of foods that were responsible for increased gas (such as broccoli, salad and veggies) in the evening which would impact my night. Sometimes you may also want to eat a smaller dinner and a larger lunch if you know you are going out at night. Also, some people find that if they don't drink water at the same time as they eat (but drinking more water throughout the day to prevent dehydration) they will have have fewer bathroom breaks. Caffeine intake can also increase motility as can stressing about having to go (take a deep breath and relax). I find when I take immodium, if I don't drink it with A LOT of water I get really sick and it doesn't do it's job. Hope that is helpful

I noticed that the more I think about it the more I have to go. So if you can engage in interesting conversation or activities that take your mind of going to the loo it helps. Sort of like when you were a little kid faking sick to stay home, after having to act and convince ur mom u were sick u eventually start convincing yourself and actually feel it. If I keep worrying and my mind is telling me I'm gonna have to go a lot then it actually happens. Another thing I found that helps is humor. All my friends know about my situation and are really supportive about it. But I still joke with them and sometimes when I get up to use the bathroom I tell them they better plug their noses as well as their ears! It always gets a good laugh. They are just happy that I'm able to spend time with them again and they don't care If I have to excuse myself to the restroom or stink the place up. Lol it's different when your around strangers or in a professional environment but ya just gotta tell yourself it is what it is and it's better than sittin and home on the pot like the lonely UC days