A restful night's sleep?

I wish I could get 5.5 hours of sleep with no disruption.  Not ever the case for me.  I am up about 3 to 5 times a night.

Try a glass of warm milk to get yourself back to sleep.  Or melatonin to keep you asleep longer.

What have you tried so far? Have you done a search here for previous posts on the topic?

Great question. I feel like the walking dead every day. I’m getting up 4x a night—and it usually doesn’t matter if I change my dinner diet, eat earlier, eat less whatever.

Just try going to bed earlier, don't eat or drink within a couple hours before bed. Do some light exercise like walking after your dinner meal. Try to limit any liquid intake after dinner and before bed. Any other sleep aid that may work for you like melatonin, benydrl, warm milk etc have on hand for after a night time bm to help get you back to sleep.

I don't get that much sleep, usually I'm lucky to get 6 hours total with a BM between. When I eat before 7, only allow myself one glass of water until bed at 10 and the early part of the day was good as far as diet goes, sleep is usually easier. Currently I've been trying to gain weight which doesn't make sleep easier, and sticking to what works for sleep doesn't usually work out for the rest of the day.

I had this issue for several years too.  I thought I'd never sleep well again. I found a new GI and he put me on Amitriptylin 25 mg tablets.  They are an anxiety drug, but I'm on it because one of its side effects it that it thickens the stool.  Therefore I don't feel the urge to go all night.  I take 1 Amitriptylin tablet and 2 Lomotil tablets before going to bed.  I can usually sleep through the night or am up only once instead of every hour on the hour after midnight like before.  It makes for a much happier home life now that I sleep at night!  I am finding that if I accidently forget to take the Amtriptylin, I find I go back to waking up at midnight with trouble going back to sleep.

(For the record, I'm also on Imuran, Entyvio, and Elavil.)

I do not eat after 6pm. Bed by 10, asleep by midnight and sleep through until 7. But I take Xanax to get me to sleep. I also take an antidepressant, which I've been taking for 30 plus years. They make the stool more formed. I've never taken anything else for loose stools...not advocating going on antidepressant medication. Just what helps me get through the day and night.

Why are you taking Imuran, Entyvio, and Elavil?

I take them because I have inflammation above the pouch and at the pouch connection to the small intestine.  These medicines are helping to heal the inflammation and allow my pouch behave the way it should.  I've had fewer episodes of pouchitis flair-ups since beginning these three medicines, and with the Amtriptylin and Lomotil, I sleep a whole lot better.

  I too

I take sleep aid and go right back to sleep. I just recently got reconnected and when I wake up it's also around 5 am. 

Thankyou andrina   That’s a good idea too. It’s worth trying. 

@97Guy posted:

Hey guys,  I am so thankful for the forum. I'm writing because I'm in desperate need of advice. My J-pouch was done a little over 20 years ago by Dr. Fazio at Cleveland Clinic. What an amazing soul.

Anyways, here is my problem. I'm desperate.  I've been unable to get a restful night's sleep. The reason is always the same- the urge to do a number 2. My only problem is I can't go back to sleep. I fear this will continue to effect my job and may even put me in the ground sooner due to the ill effects a lack of sleep can cause.

I'm currently going to sleep at around midnight and waking up at 5 or 530.

What I am looking for is advice from people with J-pouches who have restful nights sleep. To me that's sleeping at least 7 hours which is what I require.

1. When do you normally go to sleep?

2. When do you normally wake up?

3. How refreshed do you feel when you wake up? Do you feel tired?

4. Have you modified your dinner time?  For example, do you refuse to eat after 4 PM?  (something I'm considering)

5. Do you restrict your dinner choices? If so, why? How?

6. Do you take any supplements or medications (like Gas-X)? If so, what time?

7. What else do you do to not be awoken by the urge to go to the bathroom?

Its been a few years, hows your sleep doing ?

@Brad Looman posted:

Its been a few years, hows your sleep doing ?

Still the same. Slightly better because either that sleep aid gets into my system quickly when I wake or weed.

I’ve had jpouch for 2-1/2 years. Had chronic pouchitis from the start. Had ulcerative colitis for 30 years. I do a warm water enema right before bedtime. Usually sleep 6-7 hours. I also do enema in morning. I have a total of 3-4 bm usually start in late afternoon. Dr approved the warm water enema. Generally takes 5 minutes to empty jpouch. Ask your GI Dr about this. I only take Cipro and Imodium.  Good luck.

@Bill K posted:

I’ve had jpouch for 2-1/2 years. Had chronic pouchitis from the start. Had ulcerative colitis for 30 years. I do a warm water enema right before bedtime. Usually sleep 6-7 hours. I also do enema in morning. I have a total of 3-4 bm usually start in late afternoon. Dr approved the warm water enema. Generally takes 5 minutes to empty jpouch. Ask your GI Dr about this. I only take Cipro and Imodium.  Good luck.

Do you ever think that so many enemas could mess with your gut microbiome or your electrolyte balance?  The frequent enema plan sounds attractive to me, but I wonder about doing it every day.  Did the doc address these types of things when approving it?