Bloody Pouchitis

I think blood is more often a symptom of cuffitis and would not necessarily be treated with antibiotics. Do a search here on cuffitis for symptoms and treatments.

kathy

I have had the other symptoms but never bleeding in 18 years battling pouchitis. It probably is cuffitis.

I had C.diff and was bleeding about 1-2 oz a day when I drained my pouch.

Thanks for the info. how is cuffitis different from pouchitis?? i fell so lost. I never heard of ulcerative colitis until i got diagnosed and three months later i had colectomy. since then ive had pouchitis a fe times...this is the first time with serious blood..going to the doctor tomorrow.
Claudia

Claudia,

I hear you, I am going through a similar bout myself. I get lots of bleeding with the pouchitis.

Truth be told I've had bleeding about twice per week since my surgery, rough foods like nuts and raw vegetables make me bleed I'm just that sensitive.

I think what's most important is the colour of the blood, if it's bright red it means it's fresh, like from tissue, when it's dark red, almost like a purpley colour I believe that's when it's a cause for worry because it could be from deeper in the body.

Cuffitis has the same symptoms as pouchitis but cuffitis has bleeding and pouchitis does not. Only people that have UC can get cuffitis.

Most operations these days are the double stapled procedure. They leave approx. 2 cm of the rectum attached to the rectal stump when removing the colon and the rectum. They attach the newly constructed the j-pouch to this 2 cm. This is done to help us have maximum control over our sphincter muscles. Those of us with UC can also get UC in those 2 cm and they call it cuffitis. They take biopsies and on mine they read "ulcerative colitis". Therefore I am not cured and it hurts like hell for such a little spot because there is about a zillion nerve endings there. Antibiotics do nothing to cure it. Mine is treated with Canasa suppositories which contain the same medication as contained in Asacol and most of our UC meds. There is also another suppository Anucort which is a hydrocortozone suppository.

c.diff is a short hand for a very infectious disease that I had before when I had my colon and didn't realize we could get it in our small intestines - which is all we have left - we can. It is nasty and can cause bleeding too and end us in the hospital. It is an infection that they are guaranteeing people in the hospital for like MRSA. They treat mine with Flagyl or Vancomyacin. I had cuffitis and c-diff at the same time and c-diff is nastier.

So you can have one, two or all 3 of these and I think there are other infections but they are more rare. I also think the c-diff ones might be more prevalent if you've had it before or you were around someone else and caught it.

In any event you need to go to the doctor. You can take a simple stool test for c-diff. and I think they can do a digital test for c-diff, as it you can feel it inside on your cuff, but they will probably want to do a scope since you have pouchitis history.

Good luck and I hope you are feeling better soon!

I had a scope done two days ago. its not pouchitis or cuffitis..surgeon took a biopsy wont know until monday. He saw an are that looks abnormal and may be the cause if the bleeding...he does not want to speculate what it can be..i just have to wait. bleeding stopped..now im at 7.8,really anemic,super fatigued.

I'm glad you stopped bleeding. 7.8 is low. I hope you lay low this weekend.

Please let us know how the tests turn out.