This is my first time ever on any sort of forums, but I’ve just had my second surgery creating my J-Pouch done about a month ago. The first few nights were rough, there was discomfort and waking up with the strong urge to use the bathroom but no leakage. I was waking up with night sweats and it was determined that I had a leakage were one of my stitches were inside of me and I started antibiotics and had a tube inserted for drainage. Right when I started my antibiotics I had my first accident at night and it was pretty embarrassing. Ever since then I’ve had anywhere from 1-3 accidents a night ranging from minor to more. I assumed it was from the antibiotics and my doctor said maybe it was but he thinks it’s basically just part of recovery and it will get better. I believe him, but I’m still worried because I’ve been off my antibiotics for about a week now and I still have accidents. I try eating before 6, I’ve tried taking Imodium before bed. I’m not really having diarrhea or super loose stools either, which is good. Everything is going well for me right now except for the night leaking. It’s become very frustrating and disheartening for me. Has anyone else had this issue and it got better over time?? Also my doctor didn’t really mention anything about pouchitis so I don’t know if he isn’t worried about it being that or if it just passed over him.
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Hi Jay-Pouch
When you go, is your pouch emptying completely? It might be that you need to bulk up your stools with some fibre.
rebel posted:Hi Jay-Pouch
When you go, is your pouch emptying completely? It might be that you need to bulk up your stools with some fibre.
Yeah I definitely think I empty almost everything. Some times I will wake up to a leakage and then try using the bathroom and barely anything comes out. But yea I do think I am emptying out most. I had stayed away from fiber since my surgery so I will try to to add some of that in.
Have you done any pelvic exercises after the takedown ? If not please start them. They are super effective. Your sphincter muscles are not used to the sensation of stool trying to push. I also had very minor accidents at first but after religiously doing pelvic exercises everyday now I wake up much before any accident. Also stool bulks up with time as the pouch heals and stretches. You can add metamucil/pysillium husk 2 tsp in a day to your diet. With trial and error you can see what dose fits you. Sometimes fiber tends to build gas or make the motion uncontrollable but slowly body adjusts to its use. So give it time, atleast 1 month.
Might Metamucil cause obstructions? I have really watery stools and am partial to obstructions a lot in the last few years.
Metamucil used according to the directions won’t cause an obstruction. If you develop symptoms of an obstruction it’s best to stop all solids, including Metamucil.
Raj posted:Have you done any pelvic exercises after the takedown ? If not please start them. They are super effective. Your sphincter muscles are not used to the sensation of stool trying to push. I also had very minor accidents at first but after religiously doing pelvic exercises everyday now I wake up much before any accident. Also stool bulks up with time as the pouch heals and stretches. You can add metamucil/pysillium husk 2 tsp in a day to your diet. With trial and error you can see what dose fits you. Sometimes fiber tends to build gas or make the motion uncontrollable but slowly body adjusts to its use. So give it time, atleast 1 month.
I think I will try to do pelvic excerises. I am a bit timid about using something that may cause more gas because gas its pretty uncomfortable building up.
Night leakage can be normal. I have worn pads at night ever since my j-pouch. It isn’t ideal, but it is statistically very common. It can improve—you are only a month out—but mine did not.
I found that not sleeping deeply helped prevent ‘real’ accidents—but it took its toll on everything else. I still don’t sleep on my stomach, which is my position for really deep sleep, because I prefer to be able to be aware that something is happening before a small liquid leak progresses to a more serious accident.
These surgeries can damage your internal anal sphincter, so if things don’t improve with the added soluble fiber and the exercises (which only help the external sphincter), talk with your surgeon so he/she can examine you and determine whether your resting sphincter tone has recovered.
Good luck!
That happens to me every time I eat late at night, or if I eat foods that act as a laxative for me too late in the day like popcorn or chocolate, without other thickening foods. A suggestion is that you could experiment with your meal times and types of foods you eat for dinner.
I love your member name! That is creative! Are you better now???
Having a night time accident is pretty normal for someone who has just had the procedure. I am 12 years post take down and it even happens to me maybe once a year. Definitely do some pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the muscles down there.
@atimko posted:Having a night time accident is pretty normal for someone who has just had the procedure. I am 12 years post take down and it even happens to me maybe once a year. Definitely do some pelvic floor exercises to strengthen the muscles down there.
12 years?! You should definitely celebrate! Have you had any complications???
I just realized that I am actually 18 years post op. Time flies. I rally haven't had any complications (except for pouchitis in the first month). I was actually in the Army when i had the procedure and did a further 5 years in the Army before I retired in 2006.
@atimko posted:I just realized that I am actually 18 years post op. Time flies. I rally haven't had any complications (except for pouchitis in the first month). I was actually in the Army when i had the procedure and did a further 5 years in the Army before I retired in 2006.
Do you celebrate?