Almost 14 years with j-pouch

Thanks Phil, you sound a bit like me to be honest!! I'm twelve years in with old "pouchimus prime". Although when I got ill, everything happened very quickly and i didnt really have any options. Ive sort of blocked that whole episode out in a way, although i do remember, I've detatched myself from the emotions I had at the time.
Same as you, though..I tend to get a bit of bleeding from time to time. And I too get good phases and bad phases which come and go. We now have three boys! 10, 7 years and one who's 13 weeks! I found I was struggling with going too frequently until about 3 years ago, when someone from this site explained the nuances with soluble and insoluble fibre. This was a bit of a revelation for me and helped me build a basis to regulate my j-pouch's behaviour.

Those periods of leakage could well be pouchitis episodes. They'd likely go away more quickly (*very* quickly) with a short course of antibiotics, usually Flagyl or Cipro.

Phil and Matt, your situations seem very similar to mine: I had my surgery 12 years ago this month, and while things aren't what I was hoping for, I've gotten used to them. I was dxed with UC in 1998, and while I thought the prednisone worked great for a while, my GI doctor felt that I was "refractory" to treatment. After 2 years he suggested the surgery based on my age and the likelihood of cancer.

The first step of my surgery was kind of a nightmare, as I developed an infection while still in the hospital, had to have an emergency operation, then spent a couple of days in the ICU. I was in the hospital for 17 days before I could go home. It turned out OK, and my wife and I were able to get used to the bag and its quirks. The takedown surgery was a piece of cake, and life went on. We had two boys over the next several years, and the biggest side effect of my condition was not being able to do certain things socially, which I felt bad about, but what are you going to do?

I haven't been on any medication since about a year after surgery, and the only thing I ever do to help is eat Metamucil wafers. I have found them to be very helpful in slowing things down. Lately I have been trying psyllium husk in applesauce as an alternative, and it seems to be working fairly well, though I haven't figured out how much to eat and when.

The biggest no-nos for me have been nuts and fruit skins. I have a major blockage about once a year when I slip up and eat those things. The first time I ate an apple with skin on, I was laid out (curled up?) for three days in excruciating pain. That first blockage was an eye-opener, as it came about 8 years after surgery.

Well, I better stop now, but I really identified with your posts, and would love to trade tips or stories since we seem to be in similar places!