bowel problem with j pouch

I think you need to see your GI and if you don't have one get referred to a good one.

I've had barium CTscans ordered by GI but don't know if that is the test your surgeon is talking about. I drink lots of barium, make sure to take a straw in case they don't have one, and they put something in through an IV that makes me feel warm before passing me into a CTscan machine. Takes less than a minute. Drinking the stuff takes longer. They were looking to see if anything about my small intestines was wrong - were they inflamed etc.

In another test I drank some barium, they took an X-Ray every 20 minutes as the barium worked it's way through my intestines through to my pouch. In this one they were looking for strictures, twists, kincks etc, that could cause obstructions or partial ones. This test isn't as precise as the test above.

I also had a plain endoscopy performed by my GI. I have a hiatal hernia too and nothing is done for it either as it is so small. My GI had to dilate the bottom of my esophagus as I had a swallowing problem. I have also been on medication for heartburn for years as I have GERD.

Welcome to the site

Barium esophagram is also known as a "barium swallow." It basically is "live" x-ray while you are drinking barium. It is to check on your swallowing mechanism and what happens between your mouth and stomach. It is done in a regular x-ray department and has nothing to do with your j-pouch.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barium_swallow

It is not the same as a barium small bowel series.

Jan

Thanks Jan, that's the name of the second test I described above. After this last week at Mayo I think I have had every test but an MRI and the swallow a pill test that can be done on a j-pouch and I can't remember all of their names.

Hi everyone
Thank you for your feedback. The doctor that did the surgery is Dr. Gorfine from Mt. Sinai in NY one of the best. I don't understand why I would need a barium esophagus test if I do not have a swallowing problem and the problem is from not emptying the reservoir completely maybe stricture or blockage. Would the pouchoscopy detect C diff or blockage? Calling the doctor tomorrow. thank you.

A hiatal hernia (and heartburn) can be studied with a barium swallow. As Jan says, I don't think it has anything to do with your J-pouch, though.

Pouchoscopy is a completely different test - a short scoped is inserted thropugh the anus to examine the inside of the pouch. It can detect some (though not all) poch problems. Some kinds of blockages (e.g. strictures) can be seen with pouchoscopy. Pouchoscopy isn't the most common way to look for C Diff (it's usually just a stool specimen), but they might take a sample while the scope is inserted.

C-diff is tested for with a simple stool test that your GP can order. You need to be off of antibiotics for 14 days before being tested or it will produce a false negative, if you have it.

Hi,
Well the doctor did the pouchoscopy yesterday and said to expect some bleeding. Today the blood was very profuse, filling up the toilet bright red at least 10 times in one day. Doctor said to come in the office tomorrow a.m. and it may be a stricture. May need to go to hospital for non-surgical fix. Anyone have this? how long in hospital? need to be knocked out? thank you.

Sounds like he is talking about a balloon dilation. Generally, there is no hospital stay and it is an outpatient procedure. But, yes, you are sedated. I don't think most of these procedures require general anesthesia though. But, your doctor may want deeper sedation than you get with the usual endoscopy sedation.

Regardless, it should not require an overnight stay in the hospital, unless there was a complication, like perforation. Or, because of your current bleeding, he might keep you overnight or an extra day to watch you more carefully.

Jan

Sorry you are having this bleeding. All the years I had bleeding and I'm still am not use to it. I had a pouchoscope last week and had lots of blood afterwards, but it was clot like red coming out from the biopsies. Not filling up the toilet. There's a big difference

I hope everything goes smoothly tomorrow.