Hello! I also had straining after my takedown. For about two weeks after my takedown, I'd have incredible urgency, get on the toilet, and suddenly strain to get just to have "rabbit poops" (sorry, that's the only way I know how to describe them.) I was worried about a stricture. My doctors told me to sit tight for a few weeks and that they'd reevaluate me if my frequency stayed high. Turns out it was just part of my body getting used to the pouch, and it stopped in a few weeks once my intestines healed up and my stool thickened. I don't have UC, so I'm not sure if my straining was the same as yours or if your straining is similar to the typical healing process. But straining was a regular occurrence for me until about two weeks out, and stopped a little while later. I'd ask your doctor to be sure though. Good luck!

Since you weren't using those muscles down there for a little while, it takes your body getting used to going to the bathroom again. And with no colon, emptying isn't the same as when you had the colon. I had trouble for a little while too after takedown. I also had a stricture right at the exit that had to be dilated a few times. That will cause straining for sure. I'm sure you have a follow up visit very soon with your surgeon and he should check you for a stricture to make sure. It's fairly common after takedown.

I am three weeks out since takedown and though the urgency is not too bad in my case, I can usually delay going to the bathroom for a while though I feel uncomfortable, I often get the feeling that I haven't emptied the pouch and have to strain to empty it. I also had bad tenesmus when I had UC. I saw my surgeon yesterday and asked him if this could be caused by a stricture. He told me that he had scoped and dilated me at the time of the takedown so there was no point in scoping me again so soon (its only been 3 weeks). He expect things to get a lot better with time and if things didn't get better when I see him next (in about 3 weeks) he would consider scoping me again. So, I'd say even for you it is quite soon to worry too much about this. Hopefully, things will get better for both of us with time.

Thanks everyone. I had a stricture before my takedown, but the surgeon did a big stretch during the takedown surgery, so I don't think that's it. I think it is from all the irritation. I emailed this morning and they said not to worry, I wouldn't do any damage to the pouch. I guess as my body adjusts, and the anus area becomes less irritated, this will improve.

I have been having tenesemus and straining and what I thought was constipation. I finally went to see Dr. Bo Shen at the Cleveland Clinic last week, and after an anorectal manometry I was told that I have paradoxical contractions. I have to undergo physical therapy with biofeedback to try and retrain the muscles to work in harmony.

You are still really early in your recovery, but I have been having this issue since takedown three years ago. I have told two different C/R surgeons as well as four GIs about this and I have never gotten more help than being told to take miralax.