Article on how acid blockers may prevent pouchitis

Interesting! I took PPIs for a short time about a year ago, and do not recall a difference in my pouchitis, but wasn't serious about taking them regularly - sounds like that's the key. Will look forward to hearing if they make a difference with your pouchitis.

have been on Pantaloc which is an ant acid drug for years and I still get pouchitis on a regular basis. I hope however that it works for you

Morning

Please watch your vitamin b12 levels.These medications can trigger a deficiency

Cassiecass

I have taken one for awhile. I used to take Protonix and then I was told that it was going OTC and not available for prescription any longer. So, I stopped taking it for awhile and then I felt a bout of Pouchitis.

So, I discovered Omeprazole and have been taking that for some time. It seems to work so I plan on keeping it up.

Thanks for the replies on this post. It seems prilosac is more popular than nexium and I am not sure what the difference in meds are, if any, so I will look it up. I started nexium today, upped VSL3 to three times a day and started on benefiber also to see if it helps while also watching my diet closely (esp sugar intake) with hopes of kicking my pouchitis, but I am not very encouraged yet as it has been chronic.

I also take B12 every day so thank you for the comment regarding this. I will check with my GI regarding the safety of taking this daily and report back anything he may say.

Thanks for posting a link to this article. It will be interesting to hear other people's experiences and if they've noticed a difference while taking a PPI. Looking forward to reading the responses as they trickle in.

Hi Jeane,

Just wanted to check in and see if you've noticed any improvement in your pouchitis since starting the Nexium. I hope you've got good news!

Jon,

Interestingly enough, after suffering miserably for a week after my trip back from CA, I am doing much better. I think the extra immodium/pepto I took all week when in CA, coupled with the long plane flight/time change, some social drinking while out there and eating more/later than usual DID MY SYSTEM IN.

I am taking fish oil, 1 nexium a day, multiple vitamins and eating flax cereal every day with probiotics three times a day and my twice a day antibiotic. I also have pretty much entirely eliminated all sugars. The antibiotic may be responsible for most of this (but I have been on it for over a year and still have bouts in between). My pouch seems to be working the best it ever has in a year and the cuff feels 100% better. No more straining to empty, incomplete emptying, multiple repeat trips to empty my pouch, rectal burning/irritation and pain. I have actually have avoided canasa for three nights or more now. I have actually forgotten I have a rectal cuff if you can believe that???

I am on cloud nine and pray this does not end as if this is how you are supposed to feel with a functioning jpouch, this beats UC all day long. I try not to get too enthused as I have had many good days like this over the last year and then the bottom always seems to fall out along the way. Here's to continued hope.....

jeane,

Very interesting thread. I have not tried the regimen you are on, although I am taking antibiotics and probiotics, vitamin supplements, Entocort, Pentasa, fiber and Pepto Bismol which I have found really helps calm down the flares that very occasionally occur.

Good luck and please keep us posted on your progress.

DJB,

Fiber (as in supplements) works the opposite for me as it slows things down too much. I do, however, take in a lot of fiber in the foods I eat. Pepto Bismol has no effect on me and I hate imodium as I find it very bloating and I think we tend to bloat more than the average person.
Since having this surgery my weight has not changed, but some of my favorite lower cut shorts are a bit harder to button and I am a thin person (absolutely hate the bloating).

I will keep you posted as to how this continues. I am wondering if the fish oil is of any benefit at this time, and I have read numerous articles on the benefits of flax seed (this stuff really keeps things moving), which may also be the reason I am feeling better. I forgot to add I am also eating Greek yogurt daily (uuugh).

I am trying to make sure I have probiotics flowing throughout me the entire day (and lots of water) so I space them about every 4 hours......something I was not taking as much of before.

On a final note, I have been living the mother-daughter symphony over the last year and have had a lot of stress dealing with a budding 18 year old daughter who is fiercely headstrong and seeking her autonomy after having a very close relationship with me and my being somewhat of an overprotective parent. She is a very talented, bright girl who has a VERY strong personality and is flexing her independence. I am sure all of this has not helped my health situation. She is off to college next week (but still living home), so this year may also be a challenge in getting everyone's needs met in our home while living peacefully together.

I am also taking fish oil caps and eat Greek yogurt every day.

Regarding the 18 year old headstrong daughter, my office manager is dealing with the exact same situation, with the girl now off to college as of August 20, so I am sort of living this situation vicariously through my office manager (who tells me I am the brother she never had). My office manager is sort of old school in her thinking like I am, we are all in our 40s and grew up with strict upbringings and less distractions (smartphones, etc.) than kids have now.

Biggest problem with kids this age is that they think they know it all and have it all figured out and they don't. The only thing you can do is let them live their lives and eventually they figure out through the "school of hard knocks" that they do not have it all figured out.

Aaah....I so vividly remember my teen days, the angst and my headstrong ways. I happened to experience these feelings and independence earlier than my daughter at age 16 or so. When I reached college age, I was so ready to focus on my education and had already sewn my oats and outgrew of all those immature behaviors I watched go on all around me while living at college.

I've been on Omeprazole for Gerd for years before my surgeries. I don't think I've ever had pouchitis but have cuffitis and had several C-Diff Infections. I only take my VSL#3DS once a day. It makes sense that maybe I should take a partial packet several times a day.

I hope your daughter does well in college and the stress for both of you has gone away jeane.

I may start taking an antacid or PPI this week. Does anyone else have any experience with these helping to prevent pouchitis?

What I don't understand is why these antiulcer stomach drugs aren't available in enema form. I don't care if extensive studies haven't been done; I want to try them because I'm desperate for something to actually work.

taking an antacid while in a pouchitis flare?
Can anyone tell me if that is ok or will be a problem.
thanks
auntie jojo

It is OK, but not sure if it will help your pouchitis. In any event, it will not hurt.

Jan

Joh1985,
I don't know why you would want an enema of PPI's as the medications are for the stomach for ulcer treatment and to others for gastric acid reflux.

I guess if you want to experiment you could dissolve it in warm water and insert it like an enema. Let us know how it goes.

That is correct. PPIs would not work as an enema. Well, maybe they would, but it would be silly, because they do not work topically. They need to be absorbed, then they work systemically by inhibiting acid production in the stomach. Any which way you absorb them, they still act on the stomach. The way they might improve your pouch function is that for some people, controlling the stomach acid seems to help further on down the line in how caustic the output is. Also, if you have gastric reflux or dyspepsia, controlling that might settle down a hyperactive gut in general.

Jan