I don't think so, but it can make you wish you were dead. 

Thanks Scott. 

I would really like to hear more information about this topic.  I still am not really clear on what it is.  Bacteria in the pouch?  Inflammation?  Chronic Pain in the pouch area? Urgency?  Going to RR "x" times a day and night?  Or, is there a clear cut test to determine what it is? Pouch closing up?  (Example:  biopsy, scope, etc.).  Thanks.

And, I meant to add - are the non stop anti biotics the only solution to pouchitis?  I am unclear about this as well.  I know I could research it, but I know you folks on this site have so much information that is easier for someone who is not in the medical profession to understand. thanks.

Pouchitis is inflammation of the pouch. It is primarily an issue for those who had colectomy due to IBD. It is rather rare in those with colectomy due to FAP or other reasons. Although antibiotics are the usual treatment, this does not mean it is an infection, at least in most cases. In some cases there is a C. difficile or viral infection. But, generally it is better described as an inflammatory response to normal gut bacteria. It can be acute or chronic or relapsing. The longer you have had your pouch (and have IBD), the more likely it is that you will get pouchitis. But chronic pouchitis is not a given.

Symptoms are frequent, urgent, watery stools. Bacterial overgrowth has the same symptoms and treatment, but without the pouch inflammation. 

If you go to the pouchitis forum, there is a link to an excellent comprehensive article describing pouchitis and its treatment.

Jan

there was a great paper I read on IPS, irritable pouch syndrome that I think I found under the pouchitis section. but I cannot seem to find it again. it was coauthored by Bo Shen, and dated from a couple of years ago.

that said, my understanding of it is that it is probably a bacterial imbalance kind of on the order of SIBO, small bacterial intestinal overgrowth, I say this largely because they are both seemingly successfully treated with the same antibiotics. but that paper on IPS is much more comprehensive in its discussion.

and btw, supposedly FAP patients do not experience it, so there is some belief that it is a derivative of IBD in some fashion, though it hasn't as yet been proven from my understanding.

and in an ideal world pouchitis only occurs occasionally and then is treated with abx. however, as we are all from lake wobegon and hence above average, there are as you read here, some patients who battle chronic pouchitis and therefore are treated with non stop abx.

that's my rudimentary understanding of it. others might be able to provide more detail or correct any misstatements I might have made in error.

Here is a link to a newer article that describes pouchitis and other pouch disorders that mimic it. It is easier to read than the one I posted in the pouchitis forum, but it is still a clinical journal article.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pm...bstractid963262title

Jan

another dense yet fascinating read. will probably have to reread several more times to digest. thanks for posting Jan.

Thanks for posting that link, Jan. It's an excellent article.

Thank you so much - Jan and all of you.  You help me A LOT!