Skip to main content

Hi everyone,

I’m a long time lurker, first time poster. I had my J-pouch surgery in late May and it’s been quite a ride since (well before as well, but that l’m glad to leave behind on the healingwell UC forum).

I have found that since I’m so desperate to get back to normal life which I very much lacked in my UC days, that I’m not properly taking care of myself and my J-pouch. It’s been almost 5 months since my reversal, and I still have plenty of issues (which I understand is somewhat normal) my main concern is my lack of addressing them until now. I really just want to gauge the severity of these issues based on the feedback I receive from all the more than friendly members of this forum.

Diving right into things...my stools are not quite firm, but not totally liquid either (usually that is, sometimes it is completely liquid). I almost constantly need to suppress the need to defecate, (which results in a unpleasant noise of the stool ascending ‘up there’, if you know what I mean) even during the morning/afternoon which should be a quite time. The most ‘peace’ I’ll have after going to the bathroom is 2 hours and that is in the morning/afternoon, in the evening 45 after going I’ll need to suppress my bowles already - is this at all normal?

At night I don’t have continence and therefore use Depend diapers and I still need to get 2 - 3 times. Could I be living through a case of poucitis? I don’t think so, because when I went to the doctor two months ago he did a scope (pouchoscopy) and he said there is some inflammation (which he said is quite common) but he said it was very moderate. At the time of the scope my symptoms were the same as now. He put me on an antispasmodic which did nothing. I have also tried VSL #3 DS which I found to make things worse. My doctor suggested to try Canasa suppositories (I still had leftovers from two years ago) but I didn’t see any improvement.

It’s true I’m not careful about refraining from eating in the later evening hours which could contribute to getting up 3 times at night, but I have been to doing kegels for the last 3 months (I’m forced to do kegels because of having the need to ‘hold myself in’ all the time, but I also doing them besides for then). As far as my diet, I’m not really too careful about what I eat, I have not found any foods to be helpful one way or the other. I have tried imodium which did nothing for me. What else do I have to try? Should I go to the doctor and have them put me on one of those UC drugs I thought I would never have to look at again? I would really appreciate any advice and light you can shed on my situation.

Thanks!

Some history about me:
Male, 24
Diagnosed with U pancolitis in April of 2012 (runs in the family)
Tried Asacol, Canasa, 6MP, Methotrexade with Remicade, natural stuff, (except fecal transplant which I sometimes regret)
Sub-total colectomy September 2013, J-pocuh construction February 2014, Revseal May 2014

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Hi Struggling, you are about at the same point that I was post takedown when I was put on Cipro and finally experienced what a "normal" pouch felt like. I struggled for five or six months with everything you described. There is an adjustment period, but there comes a point when you just need some help. As far as consistency is concerned, I find that Pepto Bismol helps to form things just enough (too formed and there's straining.) Your bleeding suggests cuffitis, which can cause urgency as well as your nighttime leaks. You said Canasa didn't work for you? I'd suggest calling your GI and seeing if you can try something else like Rowasa enemas. Sometimes switching things up works because something may work for one of us and not another or something may work for awhile and then stop. Don't worry about "UC drugs." You are not there; there are many simpler choices like antibiotics, Imodium, pepto bismol, etc. I can relate to your desire for normalcy. I don't want to make a broccoli smoothie - I just want to eat it broccoli! But definitely don't hesitate to call your doctor for plan b or c or d until you get relief.
P.S. I've had scans and scopes show no inflammation and still experienced a lot of symptoms. Roll Eyes
Lambiepie
Thanks for the response Lambiepie, I appreciate it.

I'm wondering when you mention that you were put on Cipro was that just for a few weeks or something you were on long term?

Because I have taken Cipro (along with another anti biotic which I can't recall) for about 12 days which did help, but after I stopped things come back to the way they were before.

I will try the other suggestions that you wrote and will call my doctor and see what he recommends.
S

Add Reply

Copyright © 2019 The J-Pouch Group. All rights reserved.
×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×