I tried to hold as long as possible last night. I would keep getting these almost spasm feelings. I think it was the feeling of the waste passing my the sphincter into the pouch. possible cuffitis?This happened every 10 minutes or so for an hour, then I couldn't take it any more and had to go. I did feel pressure building up off center to the right very low, after each spasm. the pouch filling?So all the other times I go when I just get a sharp pressure feel at the sphincter, I wonder if its not taking the turn into the pouch. At those times I will go a lot and its formed so it could be really long. I could not imagine that would be in the pouch. plus I don't feel a full pouch sensation. I think the pouch would have to be huge. So after 8 weeks maybe my pouch hasn't really expanded much. Does anyone take stool softeners. I am taking metamucil and lomotil. When I stopped the metamucil I went from long formed to hard pieces. when I stopped Lomotil I feel like I start too get more rectal spasms. I wonder if the consistency of my stool is making it hard to fill the pouch. I hope this makes sense. I have my follow up on Friday so hopefully my doctor won'r look at me like I have two heads. I don't think I can take going 10 times in four hours like I have been from 4-8:30pm. then I go three times at night too.
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This all sounds like normal recovery to me. I was never told to hold it; I always emptied my pouch when it sent the signal. You might get some relief of you spasms by taking levsin or levbid. You can talk to your surgeon about it. You are very very early in recovery, 8 weeks is not much time. It takes time and lots of patience for your new system to learn its new job and become predictable.
Sue
Sue
I think you are confused -- when stool passes the sphincter, it is exiting the body. It does not pass the sphincter in order to enter your j-pouch.
The j-pouch is made of small intestine, which pulses to squeeze digested food forward and eventually out (you might remember this from watching your stoma when you had it). The j-pouch is shaped like a pouch but it's still made of the same intestine that likes to push things forward. These are the spasms you're feeling, most likely. Over time as the pouch adapts the pouch will become less inclined to push its contents forward and your urgency and frequency will reduce.
The j-pouch is made of small intestine, which pulses to squeeze digested food forward and eventually out (you might remember this from watching your stoma when you had it). The j-pouch is shaped like a pouch but it's still made of the same intestine that likes to push things forward. These are the spasms you're feeling, most likely. Over time as the pouch adapts the pouch will become less inclined to push its contents forward and your urgency and frequency will reduce.