I recently found out I am by writing my number of bms on paper
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I only keep track right before my gastro appts- he usually asks how many times I go per day. Otherwise it doesn’t really occur to me. Unless I feel like it’s impacting my abilities to do daily activities. I usually hover around 12 per day, but it can be more. Normal is different for everyone.
@Bubba1028 posted:I only keep track right before my gastro appts- he usually asks how many times I go per day. Otherwise it doesn’t really occur to me. Unless I feel like it’s impacting my abilities to do daily activities. I usually hover around 12 per day, but it can be more. Normal is different for everyone.
Nice to see that there is someone else like me on here too! 
Do you take anything to slow it down??? I do not because it ironically clogs me up lol.
Gastroenterologists are trained to use # of BMs/day as a way to track the status of conditions that create urgency, like IBD. It can be a helpful measure for J-pouchers who have urgency, e.g. with pouchitis. I don't think it has much value as a measure for J-pouchers who aren't experiencing urgency, since it's really just asking "how many BMs do you choose to have in a day?" Nevertheless, gastroenterologists ask the question partly out of habit (not useful) and partly to detect trouble that is creeping up on someone so slowly that they don't notice the change.
Even with a motility issue urgency would be noticed. Typically a spasmodic pouch causes bursts of BMs right after eating meals. But if there are 13 BMs spread out over the day without rapid fire bursts of BMs after eating, I would not suspect a motility issue, although the reason for BMs, ultimately, is peristalsis, and if it's too active it can be controlled with anti-spasmodic meds. I did have a spasmodic pouch in the couple of years after takedown, which was controlled by taking bentyl, levsin or donnatal at various times (I favored Donnatal best of those 3 because the others made me feel loopy). Eventually that all calmed down and those meds were not needed any more, but when they were needed I would eat and then have 5 BMs within 20 minutes after a meal and so forth whenever meals were eaten. Anti-spasmodic drugs taken 45 minutes before meals crush that issue. But if there is no motility issue like that and no inflammation, it would seem that the natural peristalsis of the bowels is unusually active in such persons. I suspect that antispasmodics could help, but the side effects may make them not worth taking for the reduction in BMs that you would achieve.
I started taking the cholestrymine (sp) powder but only bc they don’t make the high package counts of Imodium. I used to take 2 Imodium per day- one with dinner and one before bed and that would be me through the day. Now the powder is free. I didn’t want to have to pay $12.99 for a 24 pack of immodium given how much I take. That would be like $300 per year!
@Bubba1028 posted:I started taking the cholestrymine (sp) powder but only bc they don’t make the high package counts of Imodium. I used to take 2 Imodium per day- one with dinner and one before bed and that would be me through the day. Now the powder is free. I didn’t want to have to pay $12.99 for a 24 pack of immodium given how much I take. That would be like $300 per year!
Agreed! And cholestyramine lowers cholesterol too! That is a bonus!!! I bet you use wipes a lot too huh??? Lol
@CTBarrister posted:Even with a motility issue urgency would be noticed. Typically a spasmodic pouch causes bursts of BMs right after eating meals. But if there are 13 BMs spread out over the day without rapid fire bursts of BMs after eating, I would not suspect a motility issue, although the reason for BMs, ultimately, is peristalsis, and if it's too active it can be controlled with anti-spasmodic meds. I did have a spasmodic pouch in the couple of years after takedown, which was controlled by taking bentyl, levsin or donnatal at various times (I favored Donnatal best of those 3 because the others made me feel loopy). Eventually that all calmed down and those meds were not needed any more, but when they were needed I would eat and then have 5 BMs within 20 minutes after a meal and so forth whenever meals were eaten. Anti-spasmodic drugs taken 45 minutes before meals crush that issue. But if there is no motility issue like that and no inflammation, it would seem that the natural peristalsis of the bowels is unusually active in such persons. I suspect that antispasmodics could help, but the side effects may make them not worth taking for the reduction in BMs that you would achieve.
I never knew Bentyl was used in the J-pouch community, I learned something new. I was taking Bentyl when I had my colon.
Bentyl is used for any excessive bowel motility issue. I personally don't like it, because of the side effects, although it does calm down bowel motility. I found donnatal was equally effective with less side effects. It was taken off the market for a while but still seems available. It's prescribed for IBS, and other issues.
It’s not something to celebrate,
It’s not like being 9% of a the population with an IQ of 130.
You should explore why you have so many BMs and do all you can to find a method to reduce it.
It can’t be good using the toilet so many times; reminds me of a UC flare up and although a terrible experience, at least it was short lived, with BMs drastically reduced once the Prednisone kicks in; as for yourself, it’s forever.
@Former Member posted:It can’t be good using the toilet so many times
1. With 13 BMs a day, toilet paper purchases are excessive.
2. The wear and tear on the rectal cuff and perianal skin can't be good.
@Former Member posted:It’s not something to celebrate,
It’s not like being 9% of a the population with an IQ of 130.
You should explore why you have so many BMs and do all you can to find a method to reduce it.
It can’t be good using the toilet so many times; reminds me of a UC flare up and although a terrible experience, at least it was short lived, with BMs drastically reduced once the Prednisone kicks in; as for yourself, it’s forever.
Its so sweet that you are worried, its amazing that you care . I have been checked out 3 times and everything came back normal. Do not worry everything is fine
@CTBarrister posted:1. With 13 BMs a day, toilet paper purchases are excessive.
2. The wear and tear on the rectal cuff and perianal skin can't be good.
HA! I actually use wipes and tp, it defintely affects the wallet hahaa! But thank-you for caring! That definitely means a lot to me! But the doctors said I am fine everything came back normal on me ironically. Its been that way for almost 6 years.