Hello everyone. I am about 2 weeks post takedown and I am suffering some pretty frequent and significant cramps. It feels like my sphincter is just squeezing itself to death down there and it hurts a ton!
I am trying not to strain but there seems to be no other way to empty my pouch.
Have any of you dealt with these and if so have any remedies? Life with pouch wouldn't be bad if these were out of the way...
Thanks so much!
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Hi Willies,
Yes, I had the same issues immediately after my takedown. I would get a cramping that started shortly before I needed to have a bowel movement. It would stop almost immediately after I emptied the pouch. According to my surgeon, cramping is relatively normal after takedown - especially if you had a ileostomy for a time in between steps. It should improve. I think the cramping or "spasms" in my case lasted about 2 months, becoming less frequent and severe until they gradually disappeared.
If it's very severe, you can be prescribed an antispasmodic or a muscle relaxant. I didn't require either.
Hopefully this will only be a temporary issue for you!
Hi, WillieS. Don't strain. It could make things worse such as bleeding or fissures or hemorrhoids. Try leaning back gently when you are on the toilet seat, as if you were going to recline in your favourite armchair. For some reason, for me, this seems to straighten out the j pouch and gravity takes its course in a minute or less. Look on the Internet for side views of the j pouch and how it is positioned in the body. It seems that leaning back, or sitting up very straight and tall, straightens out the bend in the j pouch. Lean back and just wait a few minutes. This works every time for me. Be patient with your j pouch while it learns what it is supposed to do for you in this new life.
