Its been two years and I am doing great. Just every once in a while I have 10-18 outputs which is usually liquid. We are moving so I have a lot of stress right now and do ALOT of running around. Running on empty all the time. Thinking its a virus because I also feel weak and have the chills. Even though we have a pouch, we can still get viruses, right??? but lately I think of that scary pouchitis. What exactly are the symptoms of pouchitis. I don't have cramp or pain. Still seeing my surgeon, because I like her so much. She saved my life, but she works out of the Emory University Hospital in Atlanta and seeing her is difficult. Been looking for a doctor, but when they don't know what a jpouch is, I don't bother making an appointment.
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Hello, Kemp.
Yes, j pouchers can get viruses, flu, come down with a cold. I have a bad cold now so I make sure to keep hydrated by drinking soup, eating fresh oranges, and adding more sea salt on my meals than usual to maintain electrolytes and potassium levels. If you are running around moving house you have to make sure you eat properly and regularly and drink lots fluids, not just plain water, which goes right through you making things worse. Dehydration can cause dizziness, fuzzy brain, weakness, tiredness and you'll feel run down. Even for people with their colon, stress and dehydration can cause these symptoms and more, and pouchers are more susceptible to dehydration because the colon absorbs water for the body, and we don't have that organ anymore. Last week I felt wobbly so I had a can of split pea soup for the extra salt and fibre. My regular bone broth just wasn't enough. I hope it's not a cold for you, and you feel better soon.
I had my final dropdown surgery 2 years ago and have had very few problems with my J pouch. I recently had pouchitis and i knew it because of the cramps, straining hard to make a bowel movement and only a little came out, had some red blood and my tail bone/rectum area hurt so bad it was hard to sit. I was put on Cipro, anent biotic plus a probiotic and felt better after 2 weeks.
Talk to your surgeon and have a sigmoidoscopy so they can look inside the pouch area to see if their are inflammations causing you discomfort. They will take biopsies to make sure it's not something else.
thank you so much for your input. Yes, I had a sigmoid and everything was fine. I am so grateful>> Thanks again.