I’ve not used Simponi, but I’ve had decent success managing stool consistency. Are you using anything to keep your stool soft-but-not-liquid, like psyllium or another fiber supplement?

No.  I am 21 years post surgery.  Except for the first 1 or 2, I have not used any fiber supplements whatsoever.

Harder stool and difficulty emptying suggest a problem worth handling. Psyllium won’t decrease the gas, but it may be worth a try anyway.

Just another note on this matter...   I absolutely can see a difference as the Simponi has been in my system.  Stool has hardened.  It doesn't seem to decrease my number of daily bowel movements but makes for more gas and more difficulty going.  It used to be that my bowel movements were so quick.  Now it takes longer and it's hard to empty the pouch. 

I am wondering if this is a sign that inflammation is going down and things are getting better or if this is what I'm going to be dealing with into the future, more difficulty. 

There is definitely a change going on...

Gee, it should not be making things worse. Generally, the downside is that it is not effective. Especially with your stools firming up, I agree it sounds like there is less inflammation going on. Maybe you need to consume more fluids now and increase roughage to keep things moving better. Intestinal gas is mostly due to undigested carbs and this can include soluble fiber.

I took Simponi for a year or two and never had your issues.

Jan