This December will mark my 1-year Takedown Anniversary. I have had problems since about Day 2. My main issues are back to back trips to the restroom (diarrhea followed by straining), gurgling noises, lots of bloating, yellow burning diarrhea, intense urgency (even for a small BM), dizziness upon standing, zero energy, an achy body, and blood on the tissue paper. Most of this is Chronic Pouchitis, Hemorrhoids, and maybe Cuffitis. On average I have between 15 and 25 BMs per day. I also have pressure along the inside of my left ribcage from time to time (about 4" above my stoma scar). I've just recently noticed the pressure.
I'm currently taking Hyomax (for J-Pouch spasms) and Lomotil. I should be getting some Cipro soon. I requested it a week ago, but no one was in the office this Friday when I called to check what the hold up was. I also take Pepto Bismol chewables or Gas-X chewables, if I think they might help. If I'm not on antibiotics, I'm miserable and depressed. It seems like Lomotil and Hyomax do nothing.
Cipro is my antibiotic of choice, but it is becoming less and less effective. I'm not really sure how much I've been on Cipro, but it must be between 75 and 90% of the time since takedown. I took a 12-day break in hopes of increasing Cipro's efficacy. We'll see how that goes once I can get a prescription filled. I cannot tolerate Flagyl. It makes me feel even worse. My insurance company will only provide 9 200mg pills of Xifaxin every 23 days. That's not enough Xifaxin to finish a 7 to 10 day course. Cortifoam worked well, but I know it's not something I can take regularly. I do my best to follow a low-carb/high-protein diet. I've been tested for food intolerances and I do my best to avoid that giant list. My 1st Pouchoscopy in April 2012 was with my surgeon and it showed severe Pouchitis. The bill from the Pouchoscopy also showed a Ballon Dilation, but I was told there were no strictures. I thought that was weird, but a CT Scan w/ Barium also showed no strictures. My 2nd Pouchoscopy is scheduled this December and it will be with my GI. I am also going to the Cleveland Clinic in January. After the Cleveland trip, I'm giving my j-pouch another 5 or 6 months to change its ways. After that time passes, I'm thinking about a Permanant Ileostomy, BCIR, or another kind of pouch.
My Loop Ileostomy wasn't the most fun to deal with, but it allowed me to eat and sleep well. I was happy and healthy. Once I recovered from the 1st surgery, I didn't take any prescription drugs for the rest of the 6 months I had the ileostomy. That marked the 1st time I was healthy and happy without prescription drugs in 10 years. I also gained 15lbs and was doing handstand pushups.
End Ileostomies are less mess and produce less output, but I'm a single 28 year old. I'd like to be able to play sports and lift weights. I'd also like to get married. I'm so very thankful that people with ostomies get married, have kids, and live active lifestyles. Without those people, I'd have zero hope. I'm afraid I wouldn't be one of those people.
QUESTIONS
Do you think my symptoms warrant an end ileostomy?
Can you have an end ileostomy without j-pouch removal?
What is the recovery process for an end ileostomy with j-pouch removal?
What would a K-Pouch or BCIR give me that the j-pouch wouldn't?
If I had a pouch reconstruction or BCIR, are the chances high that it would fail too?
Thank you guys for being awesome! I don't want to imagine how much worse I'd be without this site.
Kyle
I'm currently taking Hyomax (for J-Pouch spasms) and Lomotil. I should be getting some Cipro soon. I requested it a week ago, but no one was in the office this Friday when I called to check what the hold up was. I also take Pepto Bismol chewables or Gas-X chewables, if I think they might help. If I'm not on antibiotics, I'm miserable and depressed. It seems like Lomotil and Hyomax do nothing.
Cipro is my antibiotic of choice, but it is becoming less and less effective. I'm not really sure how much I've been on Cipro, but it must be between 75 and 90% of the time since takedown. I took a 12-day break in hopes of increasing Cipro's efficacy. We'll see how that goes once I can get a prescription filled. I cannot tolerate Flagyl. It makes me feel even worse. My insurance company will only provide 9 200mg pills of Xifaxin every 23 days. That's not enough Xifaxin to finish a 7 to 10 day course. Cortifoam worked well, but I know it's not something I can take regularly. I do my best to follow a low-carb/high-protein diet. I've been tested for food intolerances and I do my best to avoid that giant list. My 1st Pouchoscopy in April 2012 was with my surgeon and it showed severe Pouchitis. The bill from the Pouchoscopy also showed a Ballon Dilation, but I was told there were no strictures. I thought that was weird, but a CT Scan w/ Barium also showed no strictures. My 2nd Pouchoscopy is scheduled this December and it will be with my GI. I am also going to the Cleveland Clinic in January. After the Cleveland trip, I'm giving my j-pouch another 5 or 6 months to change its ways. After that time passes, I'm thinking about a Permanant Ileostomy, BCIR, or another kind of pouch.
My Loop Ileostomy wasn't the most fun to deal with, but it allowed me to eat and sleep well. I was happy and healthy. Once I recovered from the 1st surgery, I didn't take any prescription drugs for the rest of the 6 months I had the ileostomy. That marked the 1st time I was healthy and happy without prescription drugs in 10 years. I also gained 15lbs and was doing handstand pushups.
End Ileostomies are less mess and produce less output, but I'm a single 28 year old. I'd like to be able to play sports and lift weights. I'd also like to get married. I'm so very thankful that people with ostomies get married, have kids, and live active lifestyles. Without those people, I'd have zero hope. I'm afraid I wouldn't be one of those people.
QUESTIONS
Do you think my symptoms warrant an end ileostomy?
Can you have an end ileostomy without j-pouch removal?
What is the recovery process for an end ileostomy with j-pouch removal?
What would a K-Pouch or BCIR give me that the j-pouch wouldn't?
If I had a pouch reconstruction or BCIR, are the chances high that it would fail too?
Thank you guys for being awesome! I don't want to imagine how much worse I'd be without this site.
Kyle